Smash fans everywhere have been spoiled for choices over the years. With the Ultimate release at the end of 2018, existing Smash players took to the game quickly and have since been practising for the super major, Genesis 6. The sixth installment of the giant series always starts off the Smash in-season with a bang and as it's the first super major since it's release, results and players are about to get an insight to Ultimate and it's top level play.

Both Joey 'Lucky' Aldama and Hugo 'HugS' Gonzalez have indulged in Smash Ultimate as well as practising their main game ready for this event. With uncertainty on who will take the win in either game, Lucky and HugS provide predictions, preparation secrets and their goals for 2019!

With Ultimate becoming popular since release, competitors have found themselves struggling to practice the two. Will you pick one game to focus on or will you try to compete in both?



Lucky: I wouldn't feel right focusing 100% on Ultimate when I still have so much to do in Melee. Until then, Melee will always be a priority.

HugS: I'm going to try to compete in both games. My progress in Ultimate will be a little slow because I'm going to be maintaining my skill in Melee. But I'll be aiming for long term results as long as I continue to practice both.





If your focusing only on one, how do you plan to bring yourself back to concentrate on this one game? If both, how do you plan to practice the two?



Lucky: I'm just sticking to the usual Melee training plan and making free time for Ultimate when I can. So Ultimate is getting a pretty casual schedule with Genesis this close.

HugS: I'm going to be practicing both games on different days of the week, and entering at least one local for each. This is going to be rough considering the fact that I'll also be streaming full time!





How will you prepare mentally and technically for Genesis? How do you plan the lead up to Genesis and what things do you consider pre-tournament?



Lucky: I've been thinking a lot about my previous losses and how I felt during those sets. A lot of times I blame the mental side of things for my loss a bit more than the technical aspect. So I've been trying to remember those losses and then trying to figure out how I could've improved on those scenarios. The tech side of things is just a lot of practice, off stream and on stream.

HugS: I'll be doing my typical Melee drills to keep up my technical abilities, but mentally I'll be studying my opponents in my bracket to make sure I'm not surprised by any approaches they may have against me. Pre tournament I consider keeping myself healthy, sleeping well, and making sure I'm aware of my schedule so that I can make sure I'm at a good energy level by the time I need to compete.

How will you keep the momentum up at Genesis? Will you be finding practice partners or do you prefer to stay in the zone solo?



Lucky: A bit of both is my usual routine. I love a quick solo session just to get my hands moving and then a good warm up session with Mango. He tends to punish my usual habits really well, which helps me mix my game up.

HugS: I'll be doing a little bit of both! It's important for me to have practice partners before the bracket starts, then once the bracket starts, I'll keep largely to myself until about 15 minutes before every set in order to warm up. I will adjust between practice and meditation throughout the days as I see fit.

Personally, what has been your favourite Genesis set to play? Who has been your favourite opponent ever in the Genesis series?

Lucky: At the last Genesis, I'd say Armada was probably my favorite opponent. Even though I lost to him twice, I felt like a learned a lot and had a lot to improve on.



HugS: For me, my favorite Genesis set was my top 8 qualifier match vs Amsa at Genesis 5. I don't necessarilly have a favorite opponent, as I don't believe I've repeated any opponents at all the Genesis events I've been to.

What was your favourite Genesis set to watch and why? What did you learn from it?



Lucky: Probably Armada vs Mango at Genesis 3. Mango's Fox at this event was absolutely out of control and I'm positive there will never be another like it. The mindset of today's meta is usually to stick as close to a gameplan or flowchart as possible. Mango pretty much did whatever he wanted and it made for a damn good show, regardless of the outcome. I can't say that I learned anything from it off the top of my head, but I'll never forget it.

HugS: My favorite set to watch, and possibly my favorite set ever, was Mango vs Armada at Genesis 1. That set brought us the greatest rivalry in the history of Smash, showed Armada's next-level abilities, and Mango's heart to bring it back. I learned a lot about maintaining composure and never giving up through that set.

With new faces joining the scene every minute, we have more up and comers breaking into the top 100 every year unexpectedly. Who do you see making a unexpected run this year?

Lucky: It's always hard to say who will break out of the standard and go on a crazy run. Although he isn't a newcomer by any means, I really think Zain will go on a rampage at this event.

HugS: I feel that this is the first year where I don't feel like any player got snubbed. Thus, I'm going to have to see what this year brings to see what new blood ends up making a crazy run.





What are your predictions for the top 8 for both Melee and Ultimate this year and what are your expectations for yourself surrounding these predictions?



Lucky: Top 8 is always my first objective, the players in the way are just extra goals that go along with the main one. After that, each win is a new goal for me once I'm in the top 8, until I win or lose. I really don't have a clue what is going to happen with Ultimate, but I absolutely can't wait to see the results.



HugS: For Melee, the field has been opened up a little bit with the absence of Armada, and the likely fact that many players will be a bit rusty from playing Ultimate. I expect at least two brand new entrants to the typical Genesis top 8 melee lineup. For Ultimate, I have almost no idea what to expect since the game is so new, and so many new players will be hungry. I expect Tweek and MKleo to make the top 8 for sure. As for the Melee players, I expect Plup to go the furthest in Ultimate.

Last year, you both made top 8, what will you change this year to ensure a higher placing? What was it that stopped your achieving higher last year and can you change it ready for this event?



Lucky: There are multiple things I plan on changing with tournaments this year. Genesis is going to more or less be where I put a lot of things into practice outside of the game. So I'm looking forward to seeing how I feel at the event in general. Technically, Armada was the only thing that stopped me last year, since I lost to him in winners and losers. So I guess I'm going to win this year without any problems.

HugS: This year, since I've been adding Ultimate into my practice routine, I'm a bit more relaxed about Melee, and am going to be mentally calm going into the event. I'm hoping this will lead to more creative gameplay from myself, as I free myself a bit from my own expectations and the pressures that I've typically placed on myself in the past.

You both played in top 8 last year and graced the stage together. You’re very familiar with each others play. If you had any advice to give each other regarding this event alone, what advice would you give?



Lucky: Don't run into me in bracket and stay focused. Any other advise will be confidential, we don't want any of the competition to get in on our secrets now.

HugS: Let a Samus brother get a pass this year ;)





Any shoutouts before the event?

Lucky: Shoutouts to DIG and all of the sponsors first of all, I can never express enough how much I appreciate the support. The same goes to my fans and supporters!

HugS: I will never not shoutout Dignitas and the Sub Pub for helping me do what I do for a living! Thank you!

Genesis 6 starts on the 1st February in Oakland! You can follow Lucky's progress with Melee on his Twitch channel and Twitter and you can stay tuned with how HugS manages to balance both games on his Twitch and Twitter.