Only 100 players can make the #MPGR2019 Top 100. However, all 120 eligible players were voted on by our team of panelists, and most were interviewed to get their thoughts on the year. Though the players here didn’t make the cut, we’d still like to congratulate them on their year and thank them for their time.

The players listed here are in alphabetical order.

100 Grand

Jake Peterson

MPGR: What was your proudest achievement of 2019?

100 Grand: Winning Invincible V through winner's side was a great feeling to end the year! That was the first time I've won an event of that scale. It felt amazing being cheered on by so many of my Minnesota homies and taking home the W.

MPGR: What about the year do you feel satisfied with?

100 Grand: Before this year, I had dubbed myself the "65th Place Master." It was a mental block more than anything. This year was the first time I cracked top 64 at a super major, doing it twice, at 25th and 33rd. After my results this year, I'm confident that I can make deeper runs at nationals in the future.

MPGR: Why do you main who you main?

100 Grand: The first tournament I watched was Apex 2015. I loved PPMD's Marth. The way he played so neutral-heavy felt like the way the game should be played. With Marth, I always feel like I can and should be in control of the pace of the match. He's the best character in the game :)

42nd

Jake Cohen

MPGR: What are your priorities for 2020?

42nd: Get back into Melee. Unfortunately I did not have as much time as I would have liked in 2019.

MPGR: How do you feel about your 2019 in Melee, as a whole?

42nd: Good year for Melee, not my best performances unfortunately and would like to be more active.

MPGR: What's your least favorite matchup, and why?

42nd: Jigglypuff ditto.

Azel

Joseph Resplandor

MPGR: How do you feel about your 2019 in Melee, as a whole?

Azel: I didn't really get to travel much outside my region due to school and how expensive it can be. Though, I think I had a pretty decent year in Melee, but I definitely believe that I could've done better at the events I did go to.

MPGR: Currently, what motivates you to compete in Melee?

Azel: What motivates me the most is knowing that there will always be something to work on in Melee. I just want to continue to improve and learn as much as I can.

MPGR: What's your favorite tournament series, and why?

Azel: I'd say that my favorite tournament series is Smash Camp. Being outside and around nature while also getting to play Melee is a great experience. It's definitely unique compared to most events.

Chango

Alejandro Gastelum Callahan

MPGR: What about the year do you feel satisfied with?

Chango: Overall, I feel very satisfied with my improvement in Melee overall for 2019. The amount of work that I have put to the game has shown in my Melee results and I feel very satisfied with it.

MPGR: What are your priorities for 2020?

Chango: My biggest priority in Melee for 2020 is to get better at the Fox MU. I feel like this MU is the only one that is holding me back from ascending to the next level and does need a different type of gameplan from what I am used to.

MPGR: At this stage in your Melee career, who would you consider your rival?

Chango: Aura, Espi, and Dacky are probably my biggest rivals in Melee at this point of my career. We are all from the same region, we all are up and comers in Melee from the PNW and we all enjoy the thrill of the game. Hopefully you will be seeing more of us in 2020!

Nagy

Zachary Mahl

MPGR: What are your priorities for 2020?

Nagy: 1) Get top 50

2) Get 1800 ELO in chess

3) Continue with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai

4) Complete a big coding project

MPGR: What about the year do you feel unsatisfied with?

Nagy: I wasn't satisfied with my play at smaller events, and with losing so decisively to top level players. I want to be able to be a consistent top level threat.

MPGR: Why do you main who you main?

Nagy: I main Marth because back when I played with my friends as a kid I played him and pretty much only fsmashed, so not too much different from what I do now. I didn't know he was considered good until a few months of playing, but if he was bad, I would have probably switched characters.

null

Gio Rossi

MPGR: How do you feel about your 2019 in Melee, as a whole?

null: It was terrible and I did bad at every single tournament.

MPGR: Currently, what motivates you to compete in Melee?

null: If I get good then people have to stop making fun of me for losing to hfox.

MPGR: Why do you main who you main?

null: Fox is the only fun character in the game.

Qerb

Aaron Yalçın

MPGR: What about the year do you feel satisfied with?

Qerb: This year, I’ve been able to attend more big tourneys than I ever had before (shoutouts to ATK Mode) and I was able to try out a lot ideas I had in my mind with G&W, which I wasn’t able to do nearly as much before. For example, a lot of counterplay ideas vs sheik/peach have been working and I performed much better this year against those characters than I ever have before.

MPGR: Currently, what motivates you to compete in Melee?

Qerb: I haven’t pushed Game&Watch as a character to a point where I’m satisfied. I still see too many areas of improvement that I can work on when I watch my own vods. Filling in those areas is what motivates me to improve.

MPGR: Who are the two best characters in Melee, and why?

Qerb: The 4 best characters are Fox, Falco, Puff and G&W, because they are the only characters with frame 1 moves :)

Quang

Andrew Quang

MPGR: How do you feel about your 2019 in Melee, as a whole?

Quang: I did well while staying in region, but underperformed every time I traveled out of region to compete. I think I did relatively well transitioning from maining Ice Climbers and using Fox for some matchups to maining fox for all matchups.

MPGR: What about the year do you feel satisfied with?

Quang: I improved my Fox greatly and feel pretty confident about moving forward only competing with Fox in tournament and not having to rely on Ice Climbers as a crutch for some matchups. Making top 64 at the Big House was a good personal achievement for me, as in 2018 I made top 64 for the first time while still being an Ice Climbers main, and it felt great to be able to do it again but with only fox this time.

MPGR: What's your favorite tournament series, and why?

Quang: The Big House, of course, since I'm in Michigan. It was my first national and one that I've gone to every year and it's always a great experience. In the past few years, I've since joined the staff and help out behind the scenes. Even if some of the work isn't the most fun (like alphabetizing over 2,000 side event vouchers), it feels great to be able to contribute to my favorite tournament series.

Smashdaddy

Luis Rangel

MPGR: What are your priorities for 2020?

Smashdaddy: Focus on climbing #1 on SoCal. Not really interested in competing out of region at the moment. Some people just want to get ranked. I on the other hand prefer hunting for the bigger fish and I know who they are.

MPGR: Currently, what motivates you to compete in Melee?

Smashdaddy: People getting better and bringing new challenges to the game as a competitor. In other words, I see new styles as fun puzzles ready to be solved.

MPGR: How do you feel Melee changed in 2019?

Smashdaddy: I think the main change consisted of new rising stars like Cody and Zain becoming part of the top 10 spotlight. I think that was the best part of year just cause how they showed that truly anyone can compete with the best at top level out there with enough perseverance and hard work. But of course, it's a matter of approaching the game smarter and not just grinding for X hours long every day.

Sora

Joshua Lyras

MPGR: What was your proudest achievement of 2019?

Sora: Making top 64 at Genesis, having aussie homies rush me off stage was just an insane feeling, especially after absolutely choking in winners lmao

MPGR: What are your priorities for 2020?

Sora: Become insanely custom

MPGR: What about the year do you feel unsatisfied with?

Sora: Haven’t taken a single set off of Spud >:(((

Wevans

William Evans

MPGR: How do you feel about your 2019 in Melee, as a whole?

Wevans: Very proud, come from just an ok region, many people claimed I was a gimmick before I started placing well

MPGR: What about the year do you feel satisfied with?

Wevans: Playing well and TOing a smaller region bringing out 15-20 people consistently

MPGR: What's your favorite tournament series, and why?

Wevans: CEO - I can go and it’s always a super fun time, all my friends are able to go with me who aren’t as competitive, makes competing less stressful

Interviews were conducted by head editor Andrew “PracticalTAS” Nestico. For the full, up-to-date rankings list, check out our main page here.