By Taylor Johansen, staff writer
Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, Super Smash Brothers: Even somebody who doesn’t play video games at all might recognize these games.
Although superficially and aesthetically they’re all very different, they share a few key similarities. They are all series of 2D fighting games, games where two players duke it out on a small stage using a variety of punches, kicks, and special moves. That, and they also have large competitive scenes, where the very best and most skilled players come together to play for money, fame, and bragging rights.
Earlier this winter, I had the ability recently to attend one such tournament, Frosty Faustings IX in Elmhurst, Ill.
The event was held in the Clarion Inn and Convention Center, a sprawling building that happened to possess a giant ballroom where the venue was set up. Most register for entrance online, months in advance, and come in the night before the event begins to pick up their badges to verify they belong there. In this moment, before things kick off, it’s eerily silent, with rows upon rows of chairs at the end of the room, lined up to view three large projections screens that make up the main stage. Behind them, closer to the entrance, nearly 100 tables, each with four tv screens and four consoles, await with a silent glow for their assigned games to begin. You leave for the night, headed to your hotel room. You’ll be getting up really early tomorrow, and won’t get much sleep this weekend.
The first day, people come in for the team events, where groups of people play in a smaller, less packed tournament bracket. For someone not taking part in those events, there are plenty of other ways to spend your time. Vendors line a hallway, hawking custom made controllers and joysticks, video game memorabilia, and posters made by talented artists. Open tables can be used to play casual games for fun and practice, or even money matches, wagers and bets made over money; winner of the set gets all the cash. Or, if you feel like it, you can spectate the aforementioned team tournaments on one of five large monitors. Each game of the top 16 players in the set is broadcast online for other spectators around the world to watch.
You meet a lot of players here. Top pros from all over the country. Seeing as that this tournament is a smaller, more regional one, these players come usually expecting to make some easy money. Most players go by a ‘tag’, or a sort of nickname they use to identify themselves. They range from simple to ridiculous; some examples include ORLY, PhazeShift, Jokernaut, Sabin, ChrisG, Zephyr, and D-Money.
You head to your room as the day comes to a close. Lots of players hang out and practice overnight. Some who know each other go out to eat or enjoy the city together, catching up as old friends. Friends from across the country hang out and have fun.
The last day comes. There are even more people there today, if you can believe that. Things are getting much more serious. Today, competitors are playing for the big money. Every stage is being played on, with spectators cheering. One has to navigate the crowd to find their matches. You sit at a monitor with your opponent. You pick your characters. You make sure your buttons are all set correctly. You shake hands. And you start playing.
Fighting game tournaments are amazing experiences. If you’re a gamer and have the cash, I can hardly think of a bigger and better way to spend a few days. Enjoy the roaring, hyped up crowds and the intense, strategic matches.