When Super Smash Bros. Melee came out for Nintendo GameCube in 2001, I could scarcely contain my excitement. While it took nearly a whole year for me to get a GameCube at age 14, I constantly read about the game in magazines and websites. The gorgeous visuals, the new special moves, the new characters, and the new modes had my full attention. Coming from Super Smash Bros. on N64, this game looked like an improvement in every way.
When I finally got the game, I was absolutely blown away and mesmerized. I spent years playing through the modes, getting all the trophies, and playing with my friends. While I did casual battles against my friends, my best friend was my first real competition. Even though we didn’t play “competitive” Melee, we still went all out in 1v1 battles.
