The 8 E3 2018 Super Smash Bros Invitational Contestants, Ranked

Nintendo has announced the eight combatants invited to be the first to play Super Smash Bros for Nintendo Switch competitively at the E3 2018 Super Smash Bros Invitational. The list is a who’s who of the competitive Smash Bros scene, with multiple high-profile championships spread across the eight players. Of course the major wild card of this tournament is it being a brand new game, but the resumes of the players speak for themselves. In fact, if we were going to rank these eight invitees leading up to the E3 tournament, it would look something like this:

8. Jose “Lucky” Aldama

Lucky has cut his teeth on the Super Smash Bros Melee circuit, bringing stout Fox play to 5th places finishes at both EVO 2017 and GENESIS 5. He has ventured into Brawl and Project M territory, but he has very little experience in Super Smash Bros for Wii U. While this tournament is for a brand new game, it’s likely Smash Bros Switch will be more like Smash Wii U than Melee or Brawl, which could put Lucky at a disadvantage. The 8th place ranking here is of no disrespect to Lucky, he is absolutely an accomplished player and has been for many years, but the competition in this 8-man invitational is stiff so he will have quite a mountain to climb.

7. Ramin “Mr. R” Delshad

Mr. R began his professional Smashing in the Brawl days, placing 2nd, 2nd, and 1st in his first ever competitive tournaments. More recently he’s staked his claim in Super Smash Bros for Wii U maining Sheik, claiming a first place finish at Syndicate 2017 back in September and no less than 9th since, including at the big time Smash Bros major GENESIS 5. His experience in the most recent Super Smash Bros game nudges him a little ahead of Lucky for 7th place, but Mr. R will have a tall order in front of him in his quest to become Mr. W at this event.

6. Yuta “Abadango” Katamura

This Bayonetta and Mewtwo main is the only Japanese-born contender in the event, meaning he’ll have the second longest commute from his home nation to Los Angeles (someone mentioned later on beats him out by a mere 15 KM). Abadango has impressed in recent tournaments over in Japan, winning two of his last three and taking second in the EVO Japan 2018 Smash Bros Wii U tournament. Abadango is the definition of a “dark horse” in an event like this, as his recent success could provide the momentum needed for a deep run.

5. Justin “Plup” McGrath

Plup has dabbled in Super Smash Bros for Wii U in the past, placing top 10 victories in multiple weekly tournaments back in 2015. Melee has been Plup’s bread and butter however, maining Sheik and Fox and winning the Melee tournament at GENESIS 5 and taking 5th at last year’s EVO event. HIs last three tournaments include a 1st place showing at Aegis in Cleveland, 2nd in a local tournament in Oakland, and 5th at Smash Summit 6 in Los Angeles. Plup is poised to take on the heavyweights in this invitational, but he’ll need a little more Smash Wii U experience if he wants to take the title.

4. Joseph Manuel “Mang0” Marquez

Mang0 has been around the Super Smash Bros scene since 2007, rising to fame by bringing the oft-thought Melee low tier Jigglypuff into prominence mixed in with Fox and Falco. His 3rd place finish at EVO World 2007 put him on the map, and his wins at EVO 2013 and 2014 have kept him there. His most recent major tournaments include 5th at GENESIS 5 and 2nd at EVO 2017, but his longevity in the scene will help him in this upcoming tournament. The big question is: will he have Jigglypuff at his disposal?

3. Adam “Armada” Lindgren

Armada is a household name in the Smash Bros world, winning major Melee tournaments like EVO 2015 and GENESIS 3 and becoming the best Melee player in the world in 2015. The Swedish-born Sheik player has kept up his winning ways recently, placing 2nd at Smash Summit 6, 4th at GENESIS 5, and winning the Dreamhack Winter 2017 Melee tournament. The term “best player in the world” isn’t thrown around lightly, but Armada has truly earned it in the Melee realm. Will that translate to success on the Switch? He can start proving it at the invitational.

2. Leonardo Lopez “MKLeo” Perez

MKLeo is one of the newer players to the Smash Bros scene, getting his start just three years ago in Smash Bros for Wii U back in 2015, but he has quickly made a name for himself as a top Smash player. So far in 2018 he has played in ten tournaments and placed first in five of them, including GENESIS 5 back in January. If it weren’t for the person sitting ahead of him in this ranking coming out of retirement to play, MKLeo would be number one on the list. Instead, he has a chance to ascend to the top of the current Smash rankings.

1.  Gonzalo “ZeRo” Barrios

He is The Man in Super Smash Bros for Wii U. Untouched for almost a year when the game first came out, winning every tournament from its launch in November 2014 until the 2015 MLG World Finals the following October. His Diddy Kong play is nearly impossible to counter properly, and his vast win count proves it. He’s in retirement now, coming out specifically to retain his Smash Bros Invitational Championship he won in 2014, so “ring rust” as they say might be a factor. However, to use another popular wrestling adage: “to be the man, you have to beat the man.” Until he loses this tournament, he’s the favorite to win it all.