Sunday, April 1, 2018 was the last day of Score Wars, presented by Meow Wolf in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was punctuated by an all-day Galaga World Championship bringing together some of the greatest players in the game. It was a day of tension, emotion, and masterclass skill - a day laced with defeat and anguish, as well as victory and triumph. Every player involved had a reason and right to be there, but in the Finals match-up between Armando Gonzales and Andrew Barrow, Barrow pulled away with a victory in a powerful final round, becoming the Score Wars Pro Galaga Tournament Champion.
The Tournament was a grand and diverse mix of Galaga legends and up-and-comers. Well-known players like Tournament Galaga record holders Andrew Laidlaw, Phil Day, and Andrew Barrow were joined by other gaming pros like Tanner Rousseau, Jon Klinkel, John McCallister, and Keith Swanson. Relative unknowns such as Mark Schult, Mike Thompson, and Armando Gonzales also joined the contest . Though we only had a chance to talk to a handful of these players in our Pro Preview, the passion between all of them was equal and palpable. Everyone had something to prove or gain and this is one of the first formal Galaga tournaments where so many high-caliber players had a chance to stand side by side in the game.
The day began with a host of upsets. John McCallister, Keith Swanson, and even Phil Day fell early in the ongoing tournament. Phil in particular found himself in an interesting and anticipated match-up against against Andrew Laidlaw. Though Phil was expected by many to put up quite the bout, he unfortunately failed to cross the 400,000 point mark before being knocked out. Meanwhile, Laidlaw posted a dominant match in which he didn't lose a single ship, giving him a strong look for the later rounds.
Meanwhile, Armando Gonzales came up against Mike Thomspon in what was truly one of the first knockdown dragout fights of the tournament. Down by a ship, Gonzales fought from underneath against Thompson's spectacular playstyle after losing ships early. Though Thompson played an incredibly good game, Gonzales was able to persevere and outlast, with the match-up between the two seeing the first million points posted by players in the competition.
In the Semifinals, Gonzales came up against Jon Klinkel, who had beaten out Tanner Rousseau in Round 2. Though Jon is a seasoned professional in Tournament Galaga, he failed to find his rhythm in the semifinals. He fell early on to Gonzales in the match, dropping into the losers bracket going into the Finals in which he would battle for 3rd Place.
The real story of the Semifinals was the match between Andrew Barrow and Andrew Laidlaw. The 2nd and 1st place record holders of Tournament Galaga put on a lengthy clinic, crossing 1 million points easily and proving why they each hold their respective spots in the pantheon of the game. At several points, both players found themselves in tough positions throughout their match, having to secure double ships in very difficult spots late in the game, but they pulled it together and carried on for some time after. Unfortunately, it was Laidlaw that would crack late in the match. In an emotional loss, Laidlaw eventually lost his final ships, conceding as Barrow pulled ahead from the grueling match into the Finals.
In the Loser's Bracket, Jon Klinkel met Andrew Laidlaw in the Pro Tournament Battle For the Bronze. Still reeling from his previous defeat, Laidlaw couldn't quite find the rhythm that had taken him past a million in his previous round. Klinkel was able to keep cool and overcome the rattled champion for the 3rd Place spot.
Klinkel played his game to the point he needed to play, garnering 321,240. That said, Klinkel wasn't afraid to admit he felt everybody was shaken up by the tournament play, the head-to-head, the crowd, and the prizes promised. "None of us did the kind of scores we usually do. We're all better than what we've put up so far. I know we as pros are capable of so much more. I think this tournament rattled everyone's styles, but of course, I'm happy to have gotten into this spot. I'm thrilled to have come this far."
As if to answer to Klinkel's call for skills, Armando Gonzales and Andrew Barrow stepped up to the plate in the Finals and easily put on the best match of the night. Gonzales and Barrow are like oil and water in their styles. Barrow is pretty much scientifically accurate in his approach to sweeping the screen and keeping his ships alive. Meanwhile, Gonzales has shaken the scene and turned heads throughout Score Wars with his incredibly aggressive and death-defying playstyle. It was a battle of incredible contrasts and both of them played well into 2 million points with no sign of letting up over the course of more than an hour of play.
Unfortunately, Gonzales' wild nature caught up to him throughout the match. He lost two ships early and had to play from underneath yet again, though he kept pace with Barrow throughout the match despite the setback. At one point, Barrow lost a ship, let a ship get captured, and then lost yet another, losing three lives in a short window. That said, Gonzales attempted to slip through bullets at a crucial time and was taken down to a single ship for it. He played an incredible game on a single ship in the latest stages of the game, but eventually Gonzales' last ship fell in a heartbreaking defeat. Barrow's safe and scientific style won out and he kept his last two ships all the way through the turnover of levels at 255.
It was an emotional night for all comers, but an incredible one at that. Barrow and Gonzales played their hearts out and it was only the razor's edge of mistakes that made the difference. Barrow has proven himself the king of the hill for Score Wars, but Gonzales, who came in without accolades to his name, made sure everyone know who he was by the end of it all. Jon Klinkel, Armando Gonzales, and Andrew Barrow sat at the top of the heap at the end, with plenty of prize money to show for it. Here's are the official final results of Score Wars with final point values:
1st: Andrew Barrow - 3,462,820
2nd: Armando Gonzales - 2,865,090
3rd: Jon Klinkel - 321,240
If you would like to see the official tournament bracket results, you can find the Pro Tournament Bracket on Challonge, organized by Meow Wolf.
Meanwhile, the pros weren't the only ones to experience their share of triumph and tragedy. You can also check out the Score Wars Amateur Galaga Tournament results.
