This article was written by a contributor, Zackberries.

ICICLE MOUNTAIN – In a joint public statement, Nana and Popo, the duo known worldwide as the Ice Climbers, announced that they will be separating after 35 years together, confirming prior speculation from those close to the Climbers.

The Climbers, who first formed in 1985 for the NES release Ice Climber, confirmed that while they would remain “great friends,” creative differences had hampered the release of any material after their initial debut for the NES.

In a statement, Nana confirmed that she will always have “the utmost respect” for Popo, but that ultimately she needs to “focus on herself, and developing her own creative ventures.”

Sources close to Popo have confirmed that although the split was not altogether mutual, Popo has been “taking it in stride” and showing no signs of relapsing into another substance abuse episode. As many fans remember, it was a 2014 drug and alcohol binge that saw the duo sitting out of the release of Smash for 3DS/WiiU while Popo served a court-ordered stay in rehab.

The news further shook the competitive Melee scene, as players who have made a name for themselves with the Climber duo like Daniel “Chu Dat” Rodriguez and Connor “Bananas” Lamb have already taken a major hit this year when the Pound tournament series announced a ban on wobbling at its events.

In other news, industry insiders have speculated that Nana’s Wobble Challenge, a rhythm action-game for Nintendo Switch, is expected to hit shelves Q3 2022, just in time for the holidays.

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