This weekend (2/1/19 to 2/3/19) marks the first super major for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, GENESIS 6 in Oakland, California! There’s a LOT that happens at these events! This post is to guide those who are planning on attending, whether as a competitor or a spectator.
Pre-travel
Coming from outside NorCal like I am? Be sure you have everything you need! Here’s a starting list:
- Phone + Charger
- External Battery
- Wallet + Keys
- Cash (emergencies + cash-only stores)
- Controller (+ charger for Pro controllers)
- Nintendo Switch
- Hydroflask (it’s very easy to stay dehydrated during these events)
- Book / Kindle (+ Kindle charger) (I’d highly recommend this book by the way)
- Surgical Mask (it’s common to get sick after a major due to being surrounded by over a thousand bodies for hours)
- Snacks (for the drive/flight, or just for whenever)
- Umbrella (it WILL rain this weekend! In fact there’s a declared flash flood watch at the moment)
At the Venue
You’ve arrived! Here’s a list of things to do once you’re at the venue:
- Spectate
- There will be dozens of matches going on simultaneously. You’re bound to find a player or character you’ll enjoy watching, whether it be one of the stream matches on stage or off-stream in pool matches.
- Friendlies
- I probably spend about 80% of my entire weekend just playing friendlies. At super majors, the best of the best come out trying to prove their worth, and the level-up is real here. Play as many people, characters, and playstyles as you can.
- Networking
- Kind of linked to the friendlies bullet, but try to meet as many people as you can! Whether it be your favorite pro player, players you play in friendlies or in bracket, vendors, et. al., there will be thousands of people at the event. The more people you get to meet, the more you’ll enjoy yourself at the event, and the more resources you’ll have after the event. You’re bound to leave the event with a bunch of new friends, and that’s my personal favorite part of majors.
- Play other games
- At GENESIS, there’s over a dozen free arcade games. Be sure to check them out!
Outside the Venue
While there’s a lot to do at the event, don’t forget to take a breather and enjoy what the city has to offer.
- Sightseeing
- Try to spend some time just walking around the city, downtown, or anywhere, especially if it’s your first time in the city. Looking at the architecture and art, perhaps some landmarks here and there, is a fantastic underrated treat.
- The BART to San Francisco is cheap and convenient! It’ll only take about 20-30 minutes to get there from the Oakland Convention Center.
- If you can’t find people to walk around with, don’t sweat it! Enjoy the alone time and take in everything at your own pace. Don’t let the lack of people stop you from enjoying what the world has to offer.
- Food
- Oakland, and NorCal in general, has a bunch of great places to eat! From Korean BBQ to burgers to ramen, treat yourself!
- Try to balance out all this amazing food with at least one healthy meal throughout the weekend! The weight of all this food will get to you otherwise.
- Meet up with new friends
- Maybe you’ve found a few friends at the venue. Try to get to know some of them more, whether it be going out to grab a drink or just playing in their hotel room.
Competing
One final list for the competitors!
- Triple-check your pool time
- Get your usual hours of sleep
- Stay hydrated
- Get some exercise in before your pool.
- Whether this be using the hotel’s gym or just doing some stretches, get the blood flowing. It helps me tenfold and I always make it a priority. Even when I once had an 8 A.M. pool, I woke up at 5 A.M. that time just to get a workout in.
- Get to your pool ~30 minutes before your start time
- Usually at this time, the previous pool is wrapping up and friendlies setups open up until the next pool. Spend some time warming up when you get there. If there still aren’t any setups open, you can practice on your own Switch!
- Try your best, but let go of all expectations
- There WILL be someone better than you (I doubt the winner of this tournament will be reading this post, heh). There’ll be hundreds who are better. Use the tournament to gauge your current skill level and see how much more there is to learn.
- Don’t worry about results
- Results are highly volatile. One misinput can drop your placing by over 50 players. They also depend on the players you end up fighting against (maybe you end up fighting two very wrong players and lose all your matches instantly). Maybe you are put up in unfavorable matchups the entire time. In the end, don’t stress those results too much.
Good luck, and most importantly, enjoy yourself!
Kevin Who 