This weekend, gamers from Richmond and all over the world are gathered in the 8,700 square feet Great Hall at UBC to compete in Western Canada's largest Super Smash Brothers tournament - the Battle of BC 4.
The most exciting matches on stage are livestreamed on big screens, while dozens of games happen simultaneously in the crowds.
Even with headphones or double noise-cancelling earbuds, players can still hear the ground-shaking cheers and yells around them, adding intensity and thrills to the air.
The tournament was supposed to happen in 2020, but it was postponed for two years due to COVID-19.
“We're really happy to be hosting this event after two years of delay,” said Kevin Dhir, head tournament organizer of the B.C. region.
“It's the first major tournament post-pandemic in Canada. So it's really exciting. People are really hungry and excited to be competing.”
Not only is it an exciting competition for participating players, it's also their long-awaited chance to meet and connect with friends.
Richmond-based player Martin Simon Dy, who has been playing the game for nine years, said online competition is “no replacement” for being in the same room to compete.
“The spirit and the energy are so great, like the crowd cheering, saying silly goofy stuff about the game with your friends and meeting passionate like-minded people. I just love this community and it’s really made me laugh today,” he explained.
Another player from Richmond is Kobe Ng, who is projected to rank top 50 in this tournament. Ng told the News it's his last tournament before he leaves Vancouver this month.
“It’s a good place to hang out with old friends whom I don’t see regularly, but I will see them at the tournament," he said.
Like many other players, Ng started playing Super Smash Bros. in high school and made a lot of friends through the game. Competing in this tournament brings back many good memories for him.
The Battle of BC has grown from a grassroots event organized entirely by passionate fans of the game to an international major-scale tournament. This year, the event features over 1000 attendees, including some of the best players from around the world. Around 300,000 viewers are watching the live stream online.
“It really feels like an honour to have these people come to our backyard and we get to interact and play with all sorts of amazing players both locally and internationally,” said Dy.
