Recent News

Goodbye 2012, and hello 2013. Happy New Year all!

On behalf of the entire site and staff wanted to wish everyone a happy new year and the best in the coming year. Hopefully the dropping of the ball went well and Santa did not just eat all your cookies but hooked everyone up with their wishlist in December.

Aside from well wishes and Santa talk there is some various goodies to mention to everyone.

 

1. Follow TioPro for your chance to win a $200 gamestop giftcard.

Thats right folks we are giving away a $200 gift card for anyone that is following us come January 14th at 11:59 EST. We will take every name from our facebook follwers and twitter followers and dump them into a giant TioPro raffle bracket. Then randomize the seeding and whatever name is listed on the very top (aka the first player you see on the bracket) will be our grand prize winner. It takes about 2 clicks to follow us and given that we have less than 100 people on both combined currently it may be end of being one of the best value per entrant contests you will ever see. Head over to facebook and twitter and get your follow on right now for chance to win.*Note* You may follow us on both twitter and facebook to receive two entries to the drawing. It is not against the rules

2. A welcome to 2013 AiB site feedback festival of fun

With the new year being crowned we are looking to improve as a site, staff, and community in 2013. It something that is going to take work on everyones part. And to that ends we will be hosting a one hour chat in which many key admins, myself, and the big (and sometimes mean) father of AiB Neal will be there. If you guys have thoughts for improvement, ideas, or just questions hop on the chat. Date/Time will be announced next week but wanted to give you guys a heads up to it happening. We will also be conducting meetings within staff as to ways to improve, create more or more of compelling content, and better serve all our users (excluding any that fall under the asshats category).

3. TioPro E-Sports Plug-in is live!

In late December we released a minor bug fix and our very first plug-in to the TioPro software. In which you can modify your bracket to include images of smash characters (as well as various other games), country flags, or team logos. It is an exciting step towards customizing the program to include specific data that people care about and just another feature showing why TioPro is the only way to host a tournament. If you have not seen it you can read about the plug-in and upgrade here

4. Alex Strife Interview

With Apex rapidly approaching I sat down with its host and founder to get some insight into what being a tournament hosts means. Check it out here

The interview itself runs a solid 25 minutes (longer than we would like in the future. Rapid fire series of questions starts at 22:24 for those that want to skip right to that), could be a bit better quality, and not something ive done a whole lot of (interviewing that is). But at the end of the day Alex/John provides some really well thought answers that hopefully everyone digs. That was the whole goal. Tournament hosts do not get as much attention or credit as they deserve at times and with this interview series we hope to take a look at some of the most important hosts from not just the smash community but competitive gaming at large. When it comes to this series feedback is more than welcome.

Hello everyone! It's that time yet again. The entries are in and now it's time for you, the people to vote and voice your opinions on the banners. Yes, you, the community will get to decide the official banner of the upcoming huge international Smash tournament, Apex 2013! There's a total of 14 entries. The rules are very simple and they are as follows:

(01) Voting will be done numerically in descending order (For example: "1" being for the top/first entry and "14" being for the bottom/last entry)

(02) You may only vote for one entry

(03) Participants may not vote for their own entries (If I find out, you will be automatically disqualified)

(04) No biased voting, please

(05) You will have an entire week to vote (Voting will end on Sunday, September 30th at midnight, eastern USA time)

Please place your vote in this thread here.

Good luck to all participants and have fun everyone!

Hello All is Brawl Ori_bro here to bring you a HUGE announcement straight from the words of the man who presented us with the largest Super Smash Bros. Tourney in history, Alex Strife.

Last year’s APEX did tremendous with entrance numbers. Brawl singles had a record breaking 400 singles entrants and 128 teams for doubles. Melee brought 318 players for singles, and 98 teams for doubles. Smash 64 capped at 64 entrants filled with the best talent from all around. On the FGC side of APEX 2012, Super Street Fighter IV had 96 entrants, Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 had 128 entrants. APEX 2013 looks to take those numbers and add many more to the list. With the lineup of featured games for this year those numbers will surely be broken. The following games will be featured at the tournament.

• Super Smash Bros. Brawl
• Super Smash Bros. Melee
• Super Smash Bros.
• Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3
• Super Street Fighter 4 Arcade Edition 2012
• Persona 4 Arena
• Soul Calibur V
• Tekken Tag Tournament 2
• King of Fighters XIII
• Pokémon Black 2/White 2

Along with the tournaments for each game featured at APEX 2013, they will be featuring booths for some independent games. The following will be at Apex 2013.

• Super Smash Flash 2
• barabariball
• Super Smash Crusade
• Project M

- Project M will be featuring a special INVITE-ONLY tournament at Apex 2013. More info on this soon.

On top of the tournaments and game booths, APEX is bringing back the Artists Alley. We have received many applications from artists and are looking for more. If you wish to join the Artist Alley visit http://www.apex-series.com/artists-alley/ for more details.

APEX is going all out this year when it comes to partners and sponsors. What Jaxel and 8WayRun did last year for streaming APEX was an amazing thing and words can’t describe how thankful we are for it. This year will be much different. Jaxel will be back to stream but along with him we will have Bifuteki and CLASHTournaments streaming as well. That is right APEX 2013 is partnering up with 8WayRun, Bifuteki, and CLASHTournaments to bring the viewers at home 3 top notch livestreams covering every part of APEX 2013.

The sponsors for APEX 2013 this year are great as well. We have a good number number this year and they are doing a great deal for us and will only make things better. This year’s list of sponsors include...

ScrewAttack will be embedding the APEX stream on their website’s home page which recieves thousands of views daily. They will be doing on location interviews and much more. OverClocked Remix will be creating the official APEX 2013 album. The album will be available for download after APEX 2013 is over be sure to follow OC Remix to keep up to date! Dominion Method Gaming is helping by promoting APEX on the FGC side as well as helping APEX get more sponsors. Video X Games is one of APEX’s biggest sponsors. VXG is offering the VXG stipend to the winners of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition, and Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3. The winners of each game will receive a FREE , ALL EXPENSES PAID TRIP, to St. Maarten for the Video X Games. This means you will be getting a free trip to a caribbean island for winning Apex! Saber Gaming is providing pot bonuses for all the games featured. Here is how the Pot Bonuses will be handled.

• Brawl Singles $1500 + VXG Stipend
• Melee Singles $1500
• Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 $1000 + VXG Stipend
• Super Street Fighter IV: Aracde Edition $1000 + VXG Stipend
• King of Fighters $250
• Tekken Tag 2 $500
• Soul Calibur V $250
• Persona 4 Arena $250

Thats all for sponsors right now. If more happen to come along APEX will keep you all updated.

APEX this year is looking to break the record books again. Everyone should try their absolute hardest to make it out this year. This tournament is looking to create history again so make sure you are there to be a part of it. It is also official that registration is now live for APEX 2013. So please visit http://www.apex-series.com/registration/ to register and we will see you at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey January 11-13th!

All of you can find APEX on the two major Social Media websites.

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/apex.series
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/apex_series

APEX will be updating both frequently, so keep an eye out as time goes by for more major updates.


Here is everything you need to know until the next big APEX 2013 update!

- FF Ori_bro

            The Smash scene has always been something of a mystery to those outside the community. It is often isolated from other gaming communities and as a result few realize the draw and staying power the games have had for over half a decade. One of the staples of the Smash community are the occasional community run, grassroots national tournaments. The roots of these tournaments go all the way back to 2003, when Matt Deezie ran the very first Smash national tournament, TG4. Since that time dozens more have occurred and a few tournaments have even risen to the international level in scope. 

            One of these tournaments is coming this weekend. As I mentioned a few weeks ago in “Super Smash Bros. Thriving Across the Country” over at majorleaguegaming.com, in just a few short days the Smash scene is looking forward to the international tournament Apex 2012. The last international tournament occurred in the summer of 2011 with over 400 people attending and over $22,000 in prize money. At that tournament, Genesis II, a Melee player from outside the United States won for the first time ever. The player Armada, hailing from Sweden, had traveled to the United States repeatedly over the years but until 2011 had not finished higher than second in singles at a major US tournament. Unlike many other competitive games, the US has typically dominated the international scene and is often considered the best at both Brawl and Melee. This history goes all the way back to former world champion Ken Hoang winning the Jack Garden tournament in Japan in 2005.

Many players outside the United States have proven they can achieve great heights, but until Armada’s victory six months ago none had proven they had what it took to be a champion. At Apex 2012 the saga will continue, with Armada once again coming to the United States –only this time he will not be the underdog, but the defending champion. Apex 2012 will have a plethora of high-level players attending for both games. Melee, having such a long history, offers an interesting diversity in talent. At the top of the list are all former and current national champions. Dr Peepee, the Falco main who won Pound 5 in early 2011, is by many considered the favorite to challenge Armada. To win though he will have to overcome other champions like Hungrybox and his Jigglypuff. Hungrybox’s time at the top has been steady for years; he won Apex 2010 and is typically in the top 3 at major national tournaments. Probably the most electrifying Melee player though will be Mango, considered at one point to be the most dominant player after Ken, he has won multiple national tournaments since 2009 and he is considered a threat with many characters.

Moving past these national champions though are former Melee players and legends in their own right. Isai, former Major League Gaming Doubles National Champion in 2004, 2005, and 2006 and widely considered the best Smash 64 player ever, will be attending. MLG 2006 National Champion PC Chris should also be showing off his, possibly rusty but certainly thrilling, skills. Other players from the days that MLG held Melee include Chillin, KoreanDJ, and Azen—two of which won MLG tournaments in 2005 and 2006. Captain Jack has reportedly booked his flight from Japan, he had placed top 3 at MLG’s 2004 National Championship.  Looking at these players, the talent at Apex 2012 is almost surpassed by the long and storied history and it is anyone’s guess who’ll come out on top. 

For Brawl the event looks to be just as exciting. Apex 2010 winner, DEHF, is set to defend his crown and shake off what was likely a bit disappointing 2010 MLG season. The player currently considered the best at Brawl will surely give DEHF one of his biggest obstacles in defending his crown. Since taking 4^th place at MLG’s 2010 National Championship, Ally has been on a rampage, winning over 20 tournaments in the last year alone, including the national Pound 5. He is the first player since Brawl’s release to overtake Mew2King in the SWF Rankings, a catalogue of over 4,500 unique players and 500 tournaments occurring in the last year alone. Other challenges to DEHF include Mr. R, considered one of the best Marth players and the best player from Europe.

  

While the competition will be fierce from all the aforementioned players, probably the most exciting matches will come from the Japanese. So far over ten Japanese players are slated to travel to Apex 2012. Among them was the Apex 2010 Runner-up, Brood, who showed the US players that Olimar can compete on an entirely different level. He stands as one of the only players to ever defeat both Ally and Mew2King in the same tournament. Another Japanese player, Kakera, is believed to have a Meta Knight that rivals Mew2King’s and many are looking forward to a potential showdown between the two. Finally, there is Nietono, who’s Olimar is held as the best in the world and who is frequently referred to as the best player in Japan.

All of these international players will be fighting a slew of American goliaths. The best of the US includes ADHD (Diddy Kong), Anti (Meta Knight), Atomsk (everything), NickRiddle (Zero Suit Samus), and ESAM (Pikachu). Many of these players are considered the best in the country with their character. 2010 MLG National Champion and winner of $12,500, Gnes, will grace the tournament and hopes are high for his and other Texas’ player’s attendance. Likely the odds-on favorite to win the tournament is Mew2King though, who despite a surge from Ally is still the most consistent Brawl player of the last four years. Mew2King has mentioned Apex 2012 may be his last tournament and a competitor at his level will always want to go out on top. He will be entering both Brawl and Melee and stands to win upwards of $10,000 if he performs well in both games.

Though the tournament is just three days away and already records have been set. With 410 Unique Brawl entrances it will be the largest Brawl tournament in history. The experience lasts three days from January 6^th-8^th, and aside from all three Smash games will also include competitions for Super Street Fighter IV AE, Ultimate Marvel v Capcom 3, Mortal Kombat 9, and even Pokemon Black/White. If you live near the New Jersey area and don’t wish to enter a tournament but want to check it out, spectator passes are a mere $10. Registration will be taken at the door for Super Street Fighter IV AE, Ultimate Marvel v Capcom 3, Mortal Kombat 9, and Pokemon. This is huge considering the recently EVO2k12 announced that Apex 2012 will be its kickoff event for their Road to EVO. 

*Photo Credits: PBnJ, getyourtournament.com, apexsmash.com

Apex is a big deal.  Like, maybe we're tooting our own horns, but Apex is pretty much... Well, the Apex of Smash.  With that said, it takes a fair amount man power to ensure the tournament is ran to its maximum potential.  In the past, we've always handed these spots out to those closest to us, but this year, we're reaching out to the entire community.  With an estimated 75% growth from last year's event, it's important to make sure we have the necessary staff to make this happen!

These positions are mainly volunteer basis.  Your help will earn you an Apex Staff shirt, and at least one meal voucher.  Most of these positions are a mere 3 hour shift, helping guild players through pools and recording the data that the matches contain!

Next, you'll find the list of positions available at Apex 2012, and what those positions would require of you!

• Referee:  These individuals will oversee a group of four pools, each containing four players.  These pools will be best of three, using the Unity Ruleset's guide to tiebreaking.  These players should be versed in organizing competitive play, but is not limited to TOs!
  
  Requirements:  Versed in Brawl or Melee's Apex ruleset;  If applying for the FGC side, versed in the competitve rulesets of SSF4:AE, UMvC3 and MK9;  Trusted member of the community;  Able to coordinate matches in a quick fashion; Legible handwriting.
  
  Compensation:  Volunteer basis.  These players will receive staff badges, and one meal voucher.
  
  Required number of staff:  20-30 Referees for Smash.  10 for the other events.
  
  
• Coat Check:  These individuals will oversee the coat check section of the venue.  You will be required to keep watch of the area, only leaving with coverage. 
  
  Requirements:  Must be able to tag coats, and keep an organized area;  Lift up to 50 lbs;  Keep track of all funds generated through the coat check;  Legible handwriting;  Be able to work no less than two shifts of four hours.   
  
  Compensation:  Paid position.  You will recieve 5% of the total amount of money generated from the coat check service.  Staff shirts.
  
  Required number of Staff:  3
  
  
• Security:  These volunteers will be equipped with the authority to prevent players from entering Apex 2012, and will be allowed to enforce the rules provided by Apex.  
  
  Requirements:  Great communication skills.  Able to keep calm in the face of a stressful situation.  
  
  Compensation:  Volunteer basis.  These players will receive a staff shirt, a special name badge, and two meal vouchers.
  
  Required number of Staff:  5
  
  
• Drivers:  These attendees will be responsible for transporting players to and from the Airport to or from the Hyatt Regency.
  
  Requirements:  Must have a well maintained vehicle; Clean driving record (barring minor offenses: Speeding tickets less than 10 miles over the speed limit, parking offenses, etc.);  The ability to manage time, and provide prompt service.
  
  Compensation:  Volunteer basis.  These players will receive staff shirts, and one meal voucher, and all gas/toll expenses reimbursed by Apex 2012.  (Must provide receipts.)
  
  Required number of staff:  As many as we can get!
  
  
• Stream assistants:  These players will be tasked with finding high profile matches that are yet to be played, and ensuring their sets are played on stream.  You will also be reporting non-stream, high profile matches to the Directional Influence staff to help provide the stream with updates!
  
  Requirements:  Organized, and motivated;  These volunteers must be able to recognize all top Smash Bros players by face; Attention to detail; Knowledge of top player details, including rivalries, power ranking, major wins and major losses.
  
  Compensation:  Volunteer basis.  Apex Staff badges, and one meal voucher
  
  Required number of staff:  3
  
  
• Photographers:  These volunteers will be tasked with...  Well, you guessed it:  Taking pictures!  You'll have access to all facets of the event, including behind the scenes, staff rooms, and the main stage, to be able to provide the world who couldn't attend with the best possible photos you can!
  
  Requirements:  Must have your own equipment;  Able to develop pictures, and upload them to a website of our choice;  Be able to share proprietary rights of all photos with the owners of Apex 2012;  Show up early, and stay late on all tournament days.
  
  Compensation:  To be determined on quality of product and experience.  Portfolios and Resumes are preferred.
  
  Required number of staff:  2.
  
  
• Sponsorship Booth:  These volunteers will assist our sponsors in relating both product and information to the attendees. 
  
  Requirements:  Studying the products you'll be assigned to; Relating all information to the attendees; Ability to sell (When applicable); Able to keep a positive attitude during your shifts.
  
  Compensation:  Volunteer basis.  Apex Staff badge, and one meal voucher per four hour shirt.
  
  Required number of staff:  3

Anyone interested in any position, please send me a private message with the following filled out:

1. Name:
2. Smash tag:
3. Position Applying for:
4. Qualifications (If applicable):
5. Why you would like to be on Apex Staff?
6. Have you ever worked for a tournament before?

Thanks to everyone in advance.  Keep in mind, these spaces are limited, so we'll only be accepting the most qualified applicants!

If you have any questions about this, just leave a comment!

Over the last three years, Apex has become the standard for events in the Super Smash Bros. community.  We have strived to become better and, with each year, have succeeded.  With help from you, the fans, we're improving; we're trying to provide an experience like no other.  This year we wanted to improve every facet of the event.  Of course, this includes what we feel is the most important part of any event:  The livestream.  We're trying create something that has not been seen before.

It is with a great deal of pride that we announce our official stream partner for this event, Jaxel from 8wayrun.com.  A relationship that has stemmed from his brilliantly high-quality streams at Juice.Gaming's Concentrate events held in New Jersey.  Since we established the relationship, he has been nothing short of professional and very enthusiastic about helping the scene grow into the collosus that it should be!  Thanks to this blossoming love between 8wayrun.com and Smash, we've worked out an amazing weekend of streaming for Apex 2012, and for him to be our primary stream provider!  



This is not the only news we have, either!  Directional Influence, the go-to podcast for Smash news has joined the Apex fray!  We will be working all Apex weekend with Directional Influence to produce a LIVE broadcast of their show.  This means that instead of boring down time and dead air, we will have a professional crew set to have live interviews, discussions, and predictions with some of our favorite players in Smash, Street Fighter, Marvel, and MORE.  We will be changing the way you look at tournaments for years to come!

Do not miss out on the chance of a lifetime to be a part of Apex 2012.  Not only are we bringing you -the best- Smash tournament of all time (and of that, we're extremely confident), but we're also bringing you the experience of a gaming life time.  One of the biggest complaints about any tournament, is the lack of time to play casuals!  Well, this year we're featuring 40, count them, FORTY FREE-PLAY STATIONS FOR SMASH, ALL WEEKEND LONG.  Twenty melee, twenty brawl.  No tournament sets, no TOs telling you you're a jerk.  Just 40 stations dedicated to the gamers, to do the things they've come so far to do!

This is alongside the amazing artwork and t-shirts we'll have for sale (pre-orders coming soon), top level play in fighting games, pokemon and smash for you all to see, and plenty of sponsor booths to learn more about the people supporting Apex, and E-sports as a whole!  Be a part of the greatest event of 2012 and beyond!

Everyone has been excited ever since we announced that Pokemon, Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3, and Super Street Fighter 4: Arcade Edition 2012 would be coming to Apex, and now we’re ready to give you the next batch of details!

Until UMvC3 and SSF4:AE12 are released, we're going to stick with normal ruleset.  Addenda will be made as game-breaking tactics are discovered!

Both games will run: 

• All sets leading up to the finals will be best two out of three.  Winner's Finals, Loser's Finals and Grand Finals will be best three of five.  If the player from loser's bracket wins a best of five set against the Winner's Final victor, the match will be reset, and a final set of five will be played.
• Time limit:  99
• Damage set to game default
• Stage set to random, unless players can agree to a stage.
• The winner must keep his character/team, and assists/ultra.  In Marvel, you may not change your order.

As for Pokemon, everyone already knows we will be bringing the action of both Single and Double Battles to Apex, but how? For the Singles Battles we will be running a standard OU tier tournament using Smogon’s Ruleset, and for Double Battles we will be running the VGC 2012 Ruleset used at all official Nintendo tournaments for the 2011-12 season. Read on for details on these rules!
 
Rules for Both Events

• All players in either event must be using a legitimate copy of Pokemon Black or White version.
• A hack check may be run on anyone’s team if there is suspicion of them using illegal Pokemon.
• Cheating will be dealt with strictly and can result in disqualification.

Single Battles Ruleset
*This ruleset may be changed at any time without notice. This tournament will use the Smogon ruleset at the time so players may practice on their Pokemon Online server before the event.

• All battles will be full 6 vs 6 battles with one Pokemon out on each team at a time.
• Team preview is enabled for all matches.
• The following Pokemon are banned:
  • Arceus
  • Blaziken
  • Darkrai
  • Deoxys-A
  • Deoxys
  • Dialga
  • Garchomp
  • Giratina
  • Giratina-O
  • Groudon
  • Ho-Oh
  • Kyogre
  • Lugia
  • Manaphy
  • Mewtwo
  • Palkia
  • Rayquaza
  • Reshiram
  • Shaymin-S
  • Zekrom
• You may not use a Pokemon with the ability Swift Swim if you have a Pokemon with the ability Drizzle on the same team.
• You may only use Pokemon that have been released legally in the US or Japanese games. This includes Dream World Pokemon. For a list of released Dream World Pokemon, you may find them on Smogon here.
• You may not use any items that have not been released legally in the US or Japan (such as Soul Dew), or any items that increase evasion (Brightpowder and Lax Incense).
• You are not allowed to use the ability Moody.
• You may not use any moves that increase only evasion (Double Team, Minimize).
• Species Clause: You may not use two of the same Pokemon on your team.
• OHKO Clause: You may not use any moves that result in a OHKO (Fissure, Horn Drill, Sheer Cold, Guillotine).
• Self-KO Clause: If a player ends the game with a self-destructing move such as Explosion or through recoil damage through methods such as Life Orb or Flare Blitz, the player who initiated the attack loses the game.

Double Battles Ruleset

• All matches are played in Doubles format.
• Pokemon above Level 50 will be brought down to 50 for the match while those below 50 will stay as-is.
• Players choose 4 of their 6 registered Pokemon after team preview.
• The following Pokemon are banned:
  • Mewtwo
  • Mew
  • Lugia
  • Ho-Oh
  • Celebi
  • Kyogre
  • Groudon
  • Rayquaza
  • Jirachi
  • Deoxys
  • Dialga
  • Palkia
  • Giratina
  • Phione
  • Manaphy
  • Darkrai
  • Shaymin
  • Arceus
  • Victini
  • Reshiram
  • Zekrom
  • Kyurem
• Species Clause: You may not use two of the same Pokemon on your team.
• Item Clause: You may not use two of the same hold items on your team.
• The moves Dark Void and Sky Drop are banned.
• You may only use Pokemon that have been released legally in the US or Japanese games. This includes Dream World Pokemon. For a list of released Dream World Pokemon, you may find them on Smogon here.
• If the player’s final Pokémon used Selfdestruct, Explosion, Destiny Bond, or Final Gambit, and both players’ final Pokémon are knocked out as a result, that player loses that game.
• If a player’s final Pokémon used Double‐Edge, Volt Tackle, Flare Blitz, Take Down, Submission, Brave Bird, Wood Hammer, Head Smash, Struggle, or Wild Charge, or was holding Life Orb, and both players’ final Pokémon are knocked out as a result, that player wins that game.
• If both players’ final Pokémon is knocked out by a weather condition, such as Hail or Sandstorm, the player whose Pokémon is knocked out last wins the game.
• If a Pokémon’s Ability or held item, such as Rough Skin, Aftermath, Liquid Ooze, Iron Barbs, or Rocky Helmet, results in each player’s final Pokémon being knocked out, the player with the Ability or held item will win the game.

Next, we know we promised to announce a game, and while some of you have seen the trailer and some haven't, we're pumped to announce that we're also bringing on Mortal Kombat 9!

MK9 has shown a strong force in the last half of a year, with Nether Realm Studios keeping a watchful eye on tournament results and player feedback to create an ever changing, ever evolving fighter.  This year, Apex is proud to offer you guys who is now the major trinity in fighting games!
Double Elimination

All sets leading up to the finals will be best two out of three.  Winner's Finals, Loser's Finals and Grand Finals will be best three of five.  If the player from loser's bracket wins a best of five set against the Winner's Final victor, the match will be reset, and a final set of five will be played.

Time limit:  99

Damage set to game default

Stage set to random, unless players can agree to a stage.

The winner must keep his character/team, and assists/ultra.

Mortal Kombat 9 is an amazing addition to our line up, and we hope you're just as excited as we are to bring it Apex!

Now, aside from new events, we want to talk about a special group of people we've met over the last couple of months.  These people are responsible for the upcoming documentary series "The Smash Bros."  This group of dedicated film makers is planning to record and document the evolution of Super Smash Bros Melee, strictly as a tribute to the game and its ever growing community.  

They'll be joining us at Apex with a further taste of what's to come in the series, but we're gonna start off with the pilot episode released a few weeks back.  Please take the time, if you haven't, to watch this extraordinary video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH9GTNSU77Y

This video contains footage most thought would have been lost.  This was the first time that a lot of the top players met in tournament, and while the gameplay is dated, you can still see the brilliance in the players behind the legendary names some of you have only heard!  You can check out the website of the guys who created this video here.

We know the news has been slow, guys, but we're back on track.  We have a lot more stuff coming your way!

Lastly, you should know that registration for all games has been opened!  Pokemon will have a door registration, but all other games will have online pre-registration!  Check that out right here, and don't forget to like us on Facebook, and follow us and our partners on Twitter!

@Apex_series
@VGbootcamp
@juice.gaming
@8wayrun

As always, if you have any questions, leave a comment, or shoot me a PM!  

After talks with local sponsors, and the Apex Staff, we've decided to add four major events!  In addition to the legendary Brawl and Melee tournaments you've come to associate the Apex Series with, Friday, January 6th, we're going be adding Pokemon 5th Generation! (Black/White)  Due to popular demand, Apex has decided to hold two separate Pokemon tournaments on Friday, January 6th!

• Standard Singles - Rules Coming Soon  
• Nintendo's VGC 2012- The rules for this tournament will be announced when Nintendo announced their 2012 Ruleset. 

We've dedicated and known hosts ready to give you guys one of the best Pokemon tournaments that the Smash Scene has even been a part of!  We recommend all players keep themselves up to date with everything Pokemon related, because we'll be using the most recent rulesets!
Along side the Pokemadness, Saturday is going to be huge, because during the Brawl event in the Main Room, we'll be partnering with Local Battles to bring you the some of the toughest competition in Atlantic North!  We're bringing you two major events, and breaking ground for a National Smash event!

• Super Street Fighter 4: Arcade Edition 2012
• Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3

Smash has too long been focused as a selective tourney scene, and we're going to up the Ante in a huge way with the Fighting Game community!  In November, we'll see the release of Ultimate MvC3, which is going to sport 12 additional characters, 8 stages, and a complete reblancing of the game!  SSF4:AE 2012 is going to be a completely rebalanced version of the game that stole the show at Evolution 2011 this past July, and we're looking to keep the hype alive with a sponsored event, held at Apex 2012!  Both games will utilize the current rulesets accepted by the fighting game community!

All tournaments will be $10 per person to enter, and will require a $10 venue fee for players coming to Apex not as a player or Spectator!  All information on these tournaments will be posted in early September, as we get a bit closer to the event.

In the coming weeks, we're going to be announcing more sponsors,  in-depth player interviews, and most importantly:  We have big news coming for all you Wi-Fi players!

Don't forget to check out Local Battles, and show your support to a brand new sponsor for Smash!  Otherwise, for more information about the Apex Tournament Series, head over to http://www.apexsmash.com/!

GhaudePhaede010: Ladies and gentlemen, we have done it! I wrangled the mountain where it comes to gamers and now I have, with strong honor, Thee EMPEROR!!!! The mastermind. The legend. The whole freaking package. Some call him Thee APEX; the crown holder! The best there is, was and will ever be in this community; and possibly ever where it pertains to tournaments hosting and organizing. He is the beast on thee East and without a doubt the best at what he does. It only was natural that he would link up with me; the best at what I do, so we can be the BEST AT WHAT WE DO. Please hold your applauds until thee end of this epic but right here, RIGHT NOW, is ALEX MUTHA ****ING STRIFE!!!! ALEX STRIFE, this is seriously an honor amongst the top of honors. If anyone had told me 8 months ago that I would be graced with your mind for any amount of time, even this little interview time, I would have called them out as a liar! Thank you do much you are the best man alive and you have made my interviewing career a comlete and successful one. APEX HYPE!!! Thank you.

Alex Strife: Oh no problem man. I just figured it was time to do an interview. I thank you for taking the time to do this.

GhaudePhaede010: Yes, but for you to come to me about an interview is such an honor and reminds me how far I have come. I am humbled by this opportunity. Again I thank you.

Alex Strife: Heh sure man. I just wanna make sure people know about Apex and come.

GhaudePhaede010: Onto thee interview, lets get this out front. You are the grandfather and master of this APEX ****. Straight up, Genesis 2 was hype but totally failed me from a fans perspective with shoddy livestream. Please, PLEASE tell me you have some plans to deliver something better.

Alex Strife: Well, I will not take 100% credit for Apex. I may have been the person that came up with it but there are so many invovled. It is an interesting story how we went from Apex 2009 to Apex 2010. It was because of AlphaZealot, who I went to at the time, that told me my vision can be bigger and to make it what I felt it could be. I can spend so much time thanking Crismas, chibo, DmBrandon , VG bootcamp its amazing. In terms of what we have planned. A lot of under wraps until Apexsmash.com is open but lets just say it will blow everyones mind.

GhaudePhaede010: Ahhh. I will have to wait to get the juicy on the livestream. But that is ok so long as there is a consistent stream. I do not want to miss out on all the hype of the tournament if I am to watch it. There are people out there that hate on you immediately because they say they do not have, "Alex Strife money" like it is a curse to have the money and time to devote to your tournaments. Do you understand the backlash of being the best at what you do? And what can really be said to address people that take what I consider a big positive and turn it on its head like that?

Alex Strife: I mean whether people like me or not the results are there. I do not have more money than anyone else. I am very good at getting things together and, with the staff I have, it makes things significantly easier. On a personal note though, I really do not understand it. I do think it stems from me being very open with what I feel. I often wear my heart on my sleeve and I believe in stating how one feels. Sometimes, it could be that others do not find me to be the guy that has a right to say anything or people are overly sensitive in the community. But, my Idol has taught me to be who I am and not compromise anything.

GhaudePhaede010: That is quite an answer. And sometimes being you is the hardest thing to do. Now, I watch a lot of livestream so it comes as a natural that I saw Brood top Mew2King in one of the hypest upsets in the history of video gaming upsets. However, that is not thee only big upset to have happened at APEX or any of your tourrnaments. I know it can come down to luck but what do you think it is about your awesome tournaments that brings out the best in thee underdog players?

Alex Strife: I think my tournaments are about people bringing out their best. I always encourage low level to high level players to try their best and never give up. I always believe that people should shoot for the stars. In this world we live in we are too pessimistic. It is always about the negative. We should not feel that way. We should always think we can do anything we put our mind to. As a friend would say " pierce the heavens ".

GhaudePhaede010: Seriously, that answer is beautiful. Just for the drama alone, I know if I cannot make it out there (which I plan to do), I will be watching closely. You do give lots of love to the staff you have linked up with. I know you been running tournaments for a while and people coming in only seem to know you from the big National events. So where did it start for you and what advice can you give to people like me who are trying to hold down their first tournament locally? Is there a kind of step by step process or was it more about luck than anything else?

Alex Strife: Well I started, like everyone else back in 2006, with watching MLG and saying " hey I can do that ". From there I just looked to people for advice and started my research. A man named Craig Levine; former owner and head of Team 3D, worked with me and told me all the things I needed to do so I can become a success in the game I enjoy most. All he said to me was "know who your tournaments are for and meet the people first do not try to host without knowing anyone". As far as luck... I live in NYC so it is very different from more rural areas. But if you sit down and think, any place can be good as long as you think it through and really work on it. Always strive for better. There is no perfect event no matter what people tell you.

GhaudePhaede010: The Genesis cats were not very shy in expressing they believe you think too highly of yourself but the truth is that you deilver. Not only do you deliver the best tournaments in the world (And not just in Brawl, I mean ever...) but you also offer things for people to do outside of the tournament to enjoy themselves while in your city. Where do you gain inspiration for things like that and do you realize how much of a progressive and positive impact you have upon this community just by being a tournament orgainzer?

Alex Strife: Anyone can run a tournament. Not many can run an event. What I see is that people, both casual and competitive, should have an equal amount of a good time as any other. That is why I am adding an Artist Alley and give-a-ways. People want to be able to remember the event beyond a match. Hype matches will go only so far until the next tournament but stuff like merchandise or winning a LCD are things that not many tend to forget. I will be honest, sometimes I do not see myself as that much of a positive impact but when thinking about... it I guess it is kinda cool :) My inspiration comes from people like my Idol and characters I have seen in various animated series that I just become inspired by.

GhaudePhaede010: Inspired by anime characters? With a name like Alex Strife, I never saw that coming lol. You brought up living in New York; you live in the heart of the strongest region in the country. Was there a time where you thought to yourself, "There is enough going on here... I may not be able to break through" or anything like that? The competition for gaming as well as organizing is top notch and is definitely not touched by the rest of the country quality wise. When you are met with challenges, what can you do to overcome them? Or do you just run away from them like I would and delegate them to other members of the staff?

Alex Strife: Well, Alex Strife comes from my two favorite video game characters ( Alex from Lunar my favorite RPG and Strife from FF7 my second favorite ). I do think that at times but I remember that I want to make sure people have fun. If I was the best or better than another, in the long run, is something I try not to think about. I overcome a lot of personal and community challenges. For me its about pushing through and not giving up.　One day, I will be down about something but the next day is a new day. It is stuff like that, and my Idol, who show me the greatness of being myself. Sometimes you can , in a major event, become overwhelmed. To avoid that I always have a great staff of people to delegate to. Make sure you have people that know you that can help you. That way it makes it a lot more personal and more fun for you. Its ok to not do everything yourself; you putting things together and "commanding the troops" makes a TO better.

GhaudePhaede010: I know it sounds like I am harping on Genesis 2 a lot because I was disappointed by the stream but this next question is only related to thee event and not a harp on thee event itself to be clear. At Genesis 2, a player was unfortunately robbed at gun point and it seemed there was little to no coverage about it. The safety of myself and other players is always, ALWAYS my top priority. As a father, reading things like that really disturb me since I may one day be the victim or maybe my children (bless my girls) may end up in a situation like that. Now, I am not suggesting there is really much you can personally do to ensure the security of everyone but is there anything that you can recommend be done by the players and your staff to help prevent such a tragic situation from happening?

Alex Strife: Rutgers University area is very much a college town. Obviously, this does not mean anything can happen... but we will be in an area that is very calm and quiet from what I have seen. Also, we will do what we can to help people travel to the hotel safely. It is not a long walk but if people need help getting to the hotel we will be glad to help.

GhaudePhaede010: Mostly, I want to know that if anything happens, you guys will be quick to report it and not worry about thee image of your tournament (not implying that is what happened with Genesis 2). And I do hope the community reacts accordingly. Moving on, you do play the game and I know this will sound silly considering the size of APEX but do you actually get to sit back and enjoy time with the game when you host a tournament of this size? I know running an event of this size can get stressful and maybe going to play a friendly or two when everything slows down can be helpful.

Alex Strife: I think I have played, at most, 2-3 matches while hosting the last two Apex events combined. That was mostly because people forced me to enjoy myself. Apex 2010 I played no matches. Sadly, I do not get to enjoy anything.

GhaudePhaede010: Why not? Is it way too busy or do you just get into the mindset and not want to lose your edge?

Alex Strife: One thing about major events like Apex that I learned is that there is always something to do. While things wind down I have to take care of payments or make sure the stream and stuff is working. I always find something to work on.

GhaudePhaede010: As I said, you get all the quality and drama out to your tournaments. The next APEX should absolutely no exception. Is there any sign of international talent or a scope of expected talent and number of players?

Alex Strife: There is a huge sign. We have even more Japanese and European Brawl and Melee players coming. Heck we have 20 people from Puerto Rico alone...not to mention Chile, Canada, the US... there are so many people and I hope to break 300 for each game.

GhaudePhaede010: Oh my Ghaude, I did not know there were that many people with serious interest. Chile has a Smash community? This I never knew. And while on this kind of direct event itself, I know this sounds a little eccentric but since I have never been to one of your tournaments I need to know; what kind of food do you offer at the venue? Having the proper nurishment is so important to me and I hate to travel to a national and then find they only offer caffine filled soda and air heads (lol).

Alex Strife: Well last year we only had subway there. This year we will have probably a mixture of Subway, Pizza, Chinese food, and a grocery store nearby. Actually most of that is in the downstairs food court of Apex's Venue so thats another thing people do not have to worry about :) But ya, it should not be an issue for food at the event and it should be good for all.

GhaudePhaede010: Not too long ago, I had run into a wall creatively and inspirationally where it came to doing interviews. I actually lost all drive. I knew I was the best at what I do and I felt I had made my point about what it took to make the step up in quality interviews. Does this ever happen to you where it comes to hosting tournaments? If so, what did you do to overcome this feeling? As weird as it sounds, people really had a big impact on me. Reading how much what I was doing meant to them helped me regain my motivation. Does it work the same way for you?

Alex Strife: I am a writer myself and I can say inspiration comes from watching other people do it. For me, I look to my Idol and his profession of Wrestling and see how they make events worthwhile and how they focus on making it just as much as the experience as the matches. You have to try to look at people you admire and they will help you find your way at times.

GhaudePhaede010: Wow, I never thought about that. Next time I get into a rut, I will look at others that do it and see if it helps me as it helped you. I know organizing a tournament can take a lot of time, effort, money, and energy. I also understand it takes a level of dedication, talent, and drive that has to be equally matched with passion. But outside of spending this kind of time hosting the best events ever, what else do you enjoy doing? Also I recently saw an Anime called Paprika that blew my freaking mind. Have you seen any movies you can recommend to the community?

Alex Strife: I watch so many its insane haha. My profession is that of TV/Film so I can recommend some indy stuff but also mainstream.

GhaudePhaede010: Come on then, recommend us something!!!!!

Alex Strife: Wow... I mean in terms of just porcorn action flick watch Capt. American or Thor... good entertaining films... if you want something really cool watch Speed Racer... if you are looking for something deep watch Crash or Donnie Darko... or if you want something Epic IDK so many to list.

GhaudePhaede010: Lol awesome. This interview would not have been epic without Alex Strife's, "MOVIES OF APPROVAL"!!! I do not like leaving a national feeling there are not enough set-ups for friendlies even when the tournament is winding down. How are you planning to handle this issue? Are you relying on the community to bring set-ups and will you have adequate space for a good amount of set-ups?

Alex Strife: Well our goal is 64 setups for each. Last year, as an incentive, we gave away a free LCD Tv... this year we are giving away a raffle ticket for a Nintendo 3DS to each person who brings a setup.

GhaudePhaede010: Alex, that is ****ing amazing!!!!!!!! I mean ABSOLUTELY ****ING AMAZING!!!!!! I guess the last question I have for you is simple. After the Plank situation, I think all gamers need to know that there is some sort of gurantee on the money being there. Please do not let me down by hosting the most awesome event of a life time and then not having the player payouts to back it up. Yea Plank, I am still salty my boys got robbed by you. Can you reassure us please that the money is there?

Alex Strife: Yea. That wont happen. Just like with Genesis people will be paid.

GhaudePhaede010: Alex Strife, you are the best. THE FREAKING BEST IN THE WORLD. I am so honored you came through and are not only giving me, but everyone in this community major reasons to check out your massive event. Aside from the players coming worldwide, there is the giveaways, thee atmosphere, and most importantly, the great food. If you have any last things to promote, please get it out of your system. And also, shout-outs and e-hate. Please do not be stingy about them!!!!!!

Alex Strife: Thanks to the community for making this tournament our EVO. Without you guys it would not be that way. Shout-outs to my Idol, Cm Punk for showing me how to be myself and succeed. Thanks to Crismas for being the love of my life. Thanks to everyone helping agh too many to mention.

Welcome back, tourney fans! I've got yet another guide to fun nationwide with a hot tournament coming soon to a venue near you. It is...

History of This Series

Nine whole tournaments...you don't see too many series as successful as that. It started off as "Road to Viridian City: Jersey City Monthlies", and was organized by the dynamic duo of Alex Strife and crismas. Players that attended varied with each tournament, but ranged from the 40s to 118 (RTVC 7). As soon as the eigth tournament was announced, "Road to" and "Jersey City Monthlies" were removed from the name (I guess they finally made it to Viridian City after seven tries!) crismas went south for the winter and left Alex to host VC8, which also happened to be his birthday party. What'll he think of next?

Not-So Distant Future

55 players plan to attend this tournament. Top players such as Rich Brown, Tearbear, DEHF, Tyrant, and Gnes signed up to go, so you should to if you wish to meet these and many more cool cats! Alex said he hopes that 128 players show up for pools, but we'll just have to see if that happens now won't we? Speaking of, for once he won't be able to attend due to work issues. Prince Maximillian will take his place, and he'll be joined by RJ, Keitaro, and ChiboSempai. VG Bootcamp may provide the food, and streams will be made for SSBB and SSF4 (see the bottom for details) with beastly commentary. What a glorious day it shall be!

Where, When, and How Much

VC9 will take place in the Hyatt Morristown Convention Center, which is located at 3 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown, NJ. 9:30-10:30 am is when registration starts, and 11 am is when the actual event begins. SSF4 doubles start at 3 pm, and singles start at 4 (these times might be a-changin', though, so be wary.) Single players pay $20 ($10 for venue and $10 for the event itself), teams pay $30 ($10 for venue and $20 for the event itself), and to reserve a room is $119 per night (but to do this, you must call 973-377-2424!) However, if you bring a full setup (TV, systems, controllers, etc.), entry is FREE! Well...for the first three players that do so; for all the rest, a discount will be given on your fees.

Zhe Games

As I said earlier, Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Street Fighter 4 will be on the menu for this venue. The rules are the pretty much the same as other tournaments, but for other perks check out the tournament's page. Now remember those streams I mentioned? Well, here's how it's going to go down. Both SSBB and SSF4 will have live streams with dmbrandon, Coney, Doom, and TKO. As Alex said, "if you cannot be here (which you should) DO not miss the stream!" Since this unfortunately applies to me, I'll take his word for it!

All in All

You can't go wrong with this series. After all, a certified host and crew, as well as excellent accommodations for the tournament and service, ensure that your tournament experience won't be an unpleasant one. (At least, it shouldn't be if you do this correctly!) I wish all of the competitors the best of luck, and until next time, stay classy All is Brawl!

P.S. To all that plan to attend, watch out for old men hyped up on coffee and wild Weedles!

P.P.S. Here is the stream for the tournament:  http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bionicstream

Are you a tournament fanatic? Do you like to travel across the country in search of easy money? Does the thought of hanging out with fellow fat and smelly gamers excite you? Look no further, because there are three terrific tournaments coming to a town near (or far away from) you real soon! Let's take a look, shall we?

Continue reading Triple Spotlight: Tournaments Galore

As the summer weather winds down to cooler months the tournaments stay hotter than ever. This month we have MLG DC happening and then just a week later we've got our grassroots event Viridian City 8 right around the corner.

The Viridian City Series is organized and hosted by Alex Strife, one of the most well known tournament hosts in the country.
I spent some time asking Alex a few questions in regards to Virdian City 8 to learn more about the event as well as the host himself.

t0mmy: First off, let's hear a little something about the host. Who is Alex Strife?

Alex Strife: I am a tournament host from NYC, pretty much. I don't know how else to explain it hehe.

0: What events have you hosted in the past?

AS: Apex is the most famous but the Viridian Series and Saffron series are the most famous at this point in time.

0: What are some of your fondest memories that happened in some of these past tournaments?

AS: I always remember the upsets.  I remember when Ally first beat M2K, when Brood beat M2K...a lot of Melee matches like Axe vs. Armada as well.  Nothing really beyond that is as interesting to me...though sometimes we have craziness happen xD

0: Care to share some details about this craziness?

AS: Just adventures that me and cristin ( crismas ) had with smashers in our hotels...and random fun times and moments. Hard to explain XD
gotta be there really :-)

0: Now, let's really get into the head of Alex Strife. What is the voodoo that you do that makes such amazing tournaments happen?

AS: I like to encourage my region to just come by for a good event.  I want everyone I know to show up and give our community a great rep.
Also, there is the fact that I love to get well-known players out here for some hype as well.
Of course, lots of setups work as well xD

0: Haha, I kind of understand what you mean. The atmosphere in tournaments is really great. Let's turn our attention to your upcoming tournament, Viridian City 8.

AS: It's always a fun time at my events...or I try to have them be.

0: What are the difficulties you come across as being a host to a large event?

AS: Getting people is always a difficult thing to do. No matter how "amazing" people think I am I want to always strive to have a greater attendance.  I wanna make sure also that everyone has a great time.   I want you to come back for my next event and by working my tail off to help all players not just some I can achieve that.

0: Currently there are nearly 70 players signed up to attend here on AiB. This is a regional, yet it draws the interest of players from around the country (including myself). Why do you think there is so much hype surrounding this event?

AS: I hope it is because it's my birthday.  I always like having a great crowd on that day.  Beyond that I do not really know...most people just love VC.

0: I saw you organizing a fund for Havok and UTDzac; I find that very admirable to get players to your events in this fashion. Many times hosts will go out of their way to pay for players like Mew2King to come to their events. Why did you choose these two in particular to help fund travel expenses?

AS: Honestly...it's cause Jason usually comes to these events.  We need to get other players to come by also.  Hopefully this will start a trend.  It is not about the best player -- it is about the players that make things interesting.

0: Why did you choose the name "Viridian City" for the name of your event?

AS: We were thinking of a name in a car driving home and magically the song On the Road to Viridian City came on... HAHAH

0: What sets this VC tourney apart from the previous ones?

AS: If you mean what makes this better than VC7, a few things.  One, you have the amazing new venue I accquired called velocity-17 which is a giant area that I can use for tournaments.  Then, you have the food area which is IN the venue...of course you have the go-karts :-)

0: This event is also a birthday party, any plans on cake or party games? Will people be wearing party hats or will party favors be given out?

AS: I am hoping people bring gifts -- I never get stuff on my bday XD...but ya there will be a small cake for us made by emmy:-)

0: What kind of cake?

AS: Don't know; waiting for her to tell me.

0: It'd better be designed to look like a Pokemon... or Kirby...
AS: LOL

0: Tell me something about the venue, you said the admission price is worth every bit of investment. What kind of facility are you using and some of its features?

AS: Well, there will be a street fighter tournament run by KOTC as well as a Halo: Reach tournament.  All info can be found at KOTCnation.com.  Beyond that, I think everything has been mentioned.

0: You mentioned upsets happening as being a memorable part of your tournaments. What kind of matches are you going to be interested in seeing take place at VC8?

AS: Zac vs Anti mostly is the one I want to see. They have never played each other before.

0: Alright, this is where I ask you to add anything else that comes to mind. Tell people to come to this, they'll listen to you, Alex; you th' man.

AS: I want everyone to come to this.  If you live in the NJ/NY area there is no excuse not to save up money and come to VC8.  This event will be amazing and I want all of you to come.  Please show support as people from Canada, WC, MW and SOUTH are coming.  You need to come along also!  Please show support.

0: Thanks, Alex, and best of luck. I will see you there at Viridian City 8!

It was MLG 2005 finals in New York City and I was participating in Halo’s invite-only MLG event.  While walking around I saw a bunch of people playing Super Smash Brothers Melee to the right of me.  I proceed to take a look at people playing various characters that, before that point, I found to be just a party game.  After that day, I realized this game was pretty fun to watch.  As I spoke with many of the Smash players I found the game’s technical depth to be rivaled to that of Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and other highly-skilled games.  I was amazed watching Ken and Isai play and the way they made the game seem smooth.  Each move coming out seamless, needless to say, I was hooked on Melee.

Continue reading Tournament Hosting 101