April is one of the most exciting months of the year at Ames High School, with students enjoying Prom, the spring play, the Thespian film festival, and other fun activities. This year, something new is being thrown into the mix: a Super Smash Brothers tournament. Super Smash Bros. (SSB) is a game by Nintendo in which multiple classic Nintendo characters are chosen to fight against each other. There are two versions of SSB, the Nintendo 64 version (released in 1999) and the Nintendo Gamecube (Super Smash Bros. Melee) version (released in 2001). A new version is set to come out this year for the Nintendo Wii. The SSB games are unlike most other fighting games. Instead of just inflicting damage, a player must knock the opponent off the edge of the map. Today after school, for the first time in memorable AHS history, there will be a SSB tournament held at Ames High in the multi-purpose room. The tournament features the Nintendo 64 version of the game only because of the fact that it is a classic and very widely played. The tournament was organized by senior Lukkas Gartin. “Everyone always brags that they are the best Super Smash player around.” Gartin said. “Now, we can find out who really is the best, once and for all.” However, this decision has caused some tension in the Smash community. Many students at Ames High think that both versions of the game should be available at the tournament. “Those of us whose Nintendo 64 controllers long ago ceased working should not be excluded from the glory of Super Smash,” sophomore Stefan Breitling said. “The character selection in Melee is definitely one of [the newer version’s] better aspects over the older version.” Super Smash Bros. is one of the most popular multi-player video games of all time. With the immense popularity of the game, many people can develop an unhealthy obsession. “It has achieved a cult. I’ve seen controllers completely worn out from too much Smash,” junior Daniel Alexander said. “But you just have to say no to that kind of thing. That’s just too far. I’ve been Smash free since ‘04.” The SSB series has been a great success for Nintendo and is enjoyed by all players, amateur to expert. Amateur players (also known as noobs or noobz0rs) can play in tournaments like the one being held at Ames High and expert players can even join national tournaments. Regardless of skill level, “Smash” is fun for everyone.