How much does it cost and can I pre-pay online?

– People who are entering the tournament pay $20 ($10 venue fee + $10 into the pot). Unlimited casuals are included with the venue fee. We have all the setups needed, no need to bring a Switch, Dock, or SSBU with all DLC, we use standard tournament official GameCube adapters (Official Nintendo OEM). A monitor is not required either, as we provide 27″ 240hz 1440p displays at every station.
– People who don’t want to enter the tournament but would like to play friendlies must pay the venue fee, but they don’t have to pay $10 into the pot.
– Spectators (people who have no intention of playing at all, not even friendlies before or after the tournament) can come watch and enjoy the atmosphere for $5.
– We strongly encourage you to pre-register on start.gg

Casual friendlies are available before and after for those who want to congregate and get some games in.

How do I pay in-person and do you accept cash? You can pay at the venue front desk with cash, as well as all major credit or debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay and other NFC’s, and Afterpay. Note that there is a $1 convenience fee for electronic/card payments. Once you pay, you will be added to the bracket. We accept:

Does the entry fee and prize pot fee have to be in cash? We prefer cash but you are welcome to use credit/debit cards. Payouts are cash, but we also use Venmo/PayPal if we don’t have enough cash on hand.

How can I donate to the prize pool? Use this link.

Is there a prize pool for the tournament I’m joining? Yes, every tournament has a prize pool. Scroll down to the rules section to see the payout information. It’s dependent on the number of entrants.

If I can’t make it, can I get a refund? If you’re not sure you’re going to be able to attend, we strongly suggest you register online and pay at the venue. There are no refunds once you’ve paid.

What do the payouts look like?

• 31 or fewer entrants will pay out through 3rd place: 60/30/10
• 32 to 47 entrants will pay out through 4th place: 55/30/10/5
• 48 to 63 entrants will pay out through 6th place: 40/25/15/10/5/5
• 64 or more entrants will pay out through 8th place: 40/20/15/10/5/5/2.5/2.5

On the extremely rare occasion that there are 9 players or less, 100% of the pot will go to first place.

What time is the tournament open for people to come in? Event doors open at 5:30pm, with most people arriving after 6pm. You are welcome to come earlier for friendlies, however, there’s no guarantee that you will be able to use a station, as other events may be in progress (see calendar for more info). Any usage prior to 5:30pm will be charged at normal house rates.

I pre-registered on start.gg, do I have to show up early? No, you can come any time up to the tournament start time.

What time do the the tourneys typically end? It’s entirely dependent on how many people are in the tournament and how many setups people bring, but they’ve been “ending” (grand finals finishing) typically around 10pm. Top 8 is running one match at a time so that everyone is on stream (depending the number of entrants). Keep in mind that only the top eight people in the tournament or so are still in the tourney by around 9pm. We us numbered stations, at multiple times turing the night, we will indicate that setups with certain numbers are allocated for friendlies, so that nobody is booted off by someone who has to play brackets). Most stations are friendlies by then, and friendlies go on until the last person leaves (typically around midnight). Hard cutoff time for friendlies is 1am. The tourney technically ends when the final match is played.

How can I let the TO (tournament organizer) know I’m running late? As soon as you realize you’re going to be late, immediately post a message in #help on our Discord server and a host will confirm. Kindly provide:

1. Estimated time of arrival
2. Your in-game name as seen on start.gg
3. If you pre-registered on start.gg or not

It’s much better to pre-register in advance, especially if you’re running late. You can pay at the center when you arrive, but we can’t seed the bracket if you’re not on the attendees list!

When you arrive, please let a host know you’re there. Hosts are typically near the front of the venue when you come in. Side note: unless they’re busy running the tourney, our hosts are always down for friendlies, so if you want some practice in, let them know!

How can we make pool requests? Go to the #help channel on Discord and ask a TO for help, as it’s a case by case basis (it’s not always possible)

When do people typically show up? I wanna get some friendlies too. Any time after 6pm is typically when most people start to show up. 

Do you play friendlies afterwards? Yes, until the venue closes at 1am.

Could I just pay for friendlies and play for a number of hours before and after the tournament? Yes! The cost is $10.

If I come in early for friendlies but I don’t have a Switch with me, can I still practice? We have all the Switches needed at the center that can be used for friendlies.

What is the cutoff time? Please arrive by 7PM and don’t be late as it delays the tournament for everyone. There’s also a chance you’ll be disqualified, even if you pre-register. We can’t wait for you forever. That being said, there is a grace period if you’re running a few minutes late. Please pre-register and use #help on our Discord server to inform us when you’re arriving.

My work ends at 6:30pm, I can get to your venue by 7:20pm, is that too late? Ehhhhh, that’s cutting it pretty close. There’s a good chance we’ll just start without you at that point, but message the TO in #help on our Discord server and you might be fine.

I had registered for today’s tournament but I won’t be able to show up, is there a way I could be unregistered from the event? Please post on #help on our Discord server.

Do I register on start.gg or at the center? You can do either, but pre-registering is extremely helpful towards running a smooth event! Links are here: Coming Soon | Coming Soon

Do people tend to register in-person for the Smash tournaments instead of pre-registering? A lot of people do but many sign up online too (even last minute). If people pre-register it helps everything run smoother, but you’re still welcome to do it in person when you arrive.

I’m trying to register but the registration website isn’t working. Can I register/pay on-site? If you have any issues registering on start.gg, they have free live chat support available. To date, we’ve had no problems with their platform. If you’re still having issues after troubleshooting, you’re welcome to register and pay in-person.

I signed up for the event online. I also paid online. When I get to the venue how will they know I paid online? We’re admins, we know 🙂

The credit card I want to use to pay for your event isn’t registered on my PayPal account, can I still use it to pre-pay online? You will need to add the card to your PayPal account first, or you are welcome to use your credit card in person (choose the “pay at venue” option on start.gg). You can also pay online with a current PayPal funds balance, if you have one.

I went to pre-register on start.gg but it shows no attendees. Don’t wait until the last minute like so many others, just go ahead and pre-reg now. It helps on all levels.

At what point do you start seeding the tournament? Literally minutes before it starts because not everyone pre-registers (unfortunately). The TO can’t seed people if they’re not in the bracket!

What is “seeding”? Seeding is the process of entering or “planting” contestants on a bracket prior to the start of a tournament. This is done primarily so that the best players do not meet until later in the competition. If the two most likely to win players had to fight each other in round 1, then one of them is getting sent to the loser’s bracket right away, which isn’t exactly fair.

How does seeding work? Seeding is subjective. The TO tries to predict how each player will place, but the bigger the bracket, the more chances there are for upsets. Your seed doesn’t really matter for most players. Note: we try to not seed players into each other (for example, those who are carpooling), or players who often play against each other, for example.

Do you ever run more than one bracket? Yes, when attendance hits 50+ participants, the decision may be made at that time to split the bracket into two seperate pools, whereby the Top 8 players advance to Top 8. We could run with just one pool but for a larger attendance, it goes really well for 4 stages of bracket.

We will run pool 1, then pool 2.

Then we will run top 16 along side a redemption bracket. Thus, players would advance in this way:

Per Pool:
4 players from winners
4 players from losers

What is a redemption bracket? A redemption bracket, also known as a second chance or consolation bracket, is a format used in double-elimination tournaments. Here’s how it works:

1. Initial Matches: All participants start in the main or “winners” bracket.
2. First Loss: When a participant loses a match in the winners bracket, they move to the redemption bracket instead of being eliminated from the tournament.
3. Continued Play: Participants in the redemption bracket continue to compete against each other. If they lose a match in the redemption bracket, they are then eliminated from the tournament.
4. Finals: The winner of the redemption bracket often has the opportunity to compete against the winner of the winners bracket in the grand finals. Depending on the rules, they might need to win multiple sets to claim overall victory, as the winners bracket finalist typically has an advantage.

This format allows participants to have a second chance at winning even after an early loss, making the tournament more forgiving and giving everyone more opportunities to play.

Do you ever run side events like doubles? Occasionally the TO’s will feel like running a side event when the main bracket is winding down. They’ve done doubles, DK only brackets, Redemption (for 1-2 and 0-2ers), etc. Check our Discord server for the latest updates or ask in #help.

Do you offer arcadian style tournaments to give more people opportunities to win? Yes, we occasionally do this. Check our Discord server for updates.

Is there an age requirement to join the tournaments? There’s no minimum age limit, but if you’re below 14 years old, a parent or guardian is required.

Are there any rules about what you do after your set? After a set, win or lose, you might feel like throwing your controller or “popping off” in your opponent’s face, but we are here to have fun, not make other people uncomfortable. A salty no eye contact fist bump or a quick stand up “let’s goooooo!” is fine, but anything that disturbs other people’s matches (like slamming the table or screaming) will result in either a warning or a ban, depending on the severity of the incident.

Is there a rule against IRL stalling? Like someone taking forever between sets? You cannot stall excessively between your sets. If your opponent is taking more than a couple minutes between sets, let the TO know.

How can I make rule change requests? We value individual opinions but for any changes, we want to get as much of the community’s input as we can, so we can make sure that changing the rules is something that will please the majority. That said, feel free to DM us your opinions on what rules you think should be changed, if the stage list should be changed, or anything else you think would be relevant to bring up in relation to potential rule changes, and we’ll consider it.

Tournament Settings:

Advanced

How does a double elimination tournament work? Coming soon!

How can I join your Discord server to get more info? Join here and check the posts in #🔔announcements and #ssbu. These channels have the information most people are looking for.

What channel on your Discord server should I use to organize friendlies at Gamers Grove? #ssbu

Is there a Twitch stream for the tournament? Every event is broadcast live at https://www.twitch.tv/GamersGrovegg

How can I access VOD’s of the tournaments? Watch at https://www.youtube.com/@GamersGroveGG

What time does the stream start? Coming Soon on _____ nights and Coming Soon typically start around 7PM. A schedule is also posted on our Twitch channel.

Can people go in to play Smash Bros casually any day of the week or only on Tuesday? I would love to go in and practice or play with friends on non-tournament days. You can come in to play Smash anytime, we have Switches and GameCube controllers available. We also have open play/friendlies before and after every tournament (included with the venue fee). Free play starts at 5:30pm.

Where can I park? There are numerous parking spots available, both in the parking lot for the venue and on the street nearby. Parking is free. Please refer to the map for reference.

Are your locals on during holidays such as Thanksgiving, Veteran’s Day and Christmas? Yes, they’re on! Unless otherwise noted on our Discord server, assume that it’s going down!

Where can I find the calendar of all the upcoming events? Scroll up on this page or visit our full calendar.

What kinds of concessions do you offer? We carry a host of sodas, energy drinks, candy bars and other snacks. Our most popular are Mexican Coke in a glass bottle, Mountain Dew and Monster Energy. And who doesn’t love a good refrigerated Snicker’s Bar?

Is the venue indoors? Yes.

I’m not feeling well, should I still come? Please DO NOT show up to the event if you’re feeling unwell or experiencing flu-like symptoms.

What other services and amenities does Gamers Grove offer?

– Fighting game weekly tournaments
– 240hz gaming monitors
– 1 Gbps DIA symmetrical Verizon business fiber with CAT6 solid networking cable throughout the facility
– BYOD (bring your own device) with physical network cable connections or Wi-Fi 6
– Snacks and drinks available for purchase
– PC gaming stations with the latest specs, along with custom gaming chairs and desks
– Conveniently located in Cedar Grove
– Open daily

What if I’m not that good at the game or I’ve never played in a tournament? People of all skill levels come to our tournaments, so don’t worry about that. If you have never played Smash with others before, this is a great opportunity to improve your skills and make some friends!

Is your Tuesday night tournament fairly competitive?  Yes, it’s competition based.

Do you offer any tournaments for Melee/Smash 64/Brawl/etc? Not at this time.

Do you offer watch parties for Smash content? We are trying to get this going, please ask for details in #ssbu on our Discord server.

Who does everyone main here? There is a lot of diversity to be had! People have won with Snake, Captain Falcon, Diddy Kong, everybody plays everybody!

Are switch consoles with modded music allowed? I don’t have any music mods. I’m just curious if I were to alter the in-game music, would that disqualify me from entering with my switch. As long as the game logic and visuals are unaffected, we don’t see anything wrong with it.

What mu’s would I be facing most often at your tournaments? It really varies! You can stop by our Discord server and ask in #ssbu

I heard you have a special Halloween cosplay event every year, is that happening and what costumes do people wear? It might be – check our Discord server for updates.  We’ve seen all kinds of Smash characters: Snake, Pokémon Trainer, Roy, etc.

Does your community ever play online? Most of us prefer IRL (in real life) events and don’t play online much, if ever. We believe that local is the way to go and we’re sure you will too once you try it. Online is almost like playing a different game due to the lag, input delay, lack of atmosphere, etc.

I think I left my controller there? Please message us on our Discord server in #ssbu or DM an administrator directly.

Who is the best player who comes to your locals? It varies, you can check results in #winners on our Discord server.

Is it as fun as it sounds? Yes!

Do I need to be on Smashdata to register? No.

How do you suggest I improve if I didn’t win? Practice makes perfect – keep playing! There are also lots of tips if you scroll down this page.

Are patches legal? Yes, so make sure to update your Switch before bringing it in. You can also ask on our Discord server in #ssbu to confirm.

Do you get a high concentration of players? What about Power Ranked (PR) players? Yes, we get both.

Where can I find the winners? The best place is our Discord Server. We also use other socials, see our contact page.

How do you become a commentator? Talk to us at the tournament or message us on Discord.

Is there a carpool to and from my area?  I’m willing to throw in money for gas. We have a number of players that drive in from all over the region. Try posting on our Discord server (try asking on #ssbu) or talk to us or some attendees at the venue for some rideshare ideas.

Do you offer tournaments for other titles? Yes, please check out our calendar.