Introduction

Hello! I am Barnard’s Loop. As with last year, there is an early-year, Mid-Spring Top 25 to provide as an update to see how the metagame is going. This will cover the Top 25 of the season as well as some scattered honorable mentions among newer, rising players.

This covers January 1st-May 1st of 2018, for 4 total months of events used.

Methodology

Full methodology is provided in this google document:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TEgOvHAidVpIbo1lt6Z-kXAZ4MRazbNu13czheuBp4o/edit?usp=sharing

Qualified Players

A full list as of May 1st is provided here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nd3v-TJGLG04c2Xmeum2xqpMeu3qZqHAIc0YZzvz6vA/edit?usp=sharing

This will not be updated and I will make a second one that will be perpetually updated as new people qualify. As Umebura 32’s top 24 qualify by my rules and the Top 64 of GOML 2018 will qualify as well as BAM 10’s top 4 as a bonus qualifier for Australia, May will be busy.

The new Sheet will be made either by the end of the month or after E3, as the future of how OrionRank is managed largely depends on when in 2018 Smash 5 will release. I do not intend to do a Late Summer ranking if the release date is prior to November and will likely opt for a Top 100 after whatever last major event occurs if Smash 5 releases in the September/October/early November range.

Various Disclaimers

As this covers the first four months of the year and prior to the explosion typically seen in the Summer, variance is extremely high. Certain players may score very high short-term but may fall off as the year goes on, while disparity between regional and national performances may have a heavy effect on where a player places.

This also means that who a player fought is particularly important. High placements may be at least partially assisted by brackets that may be “easy” in comparison to their peers at an event, and when you mix this with the low number of events thus far, small things can have a major impact.

I will be able to answer most questions pressed if you feel a particular player is oddly placed, but keep in mind that less data can produce weirder results.

Format

Honorable Mentions will comprise 5 new players or players who significantly jumped from 2017 to now in the rankings.

As Freezie is currently unavailable for graphic work, I will be using player pictures and providing information dotted below the pictures. I’m not sure how this will translate for mobile users (please provide feedback!)

If any player images I have provided are copyrighted and the original photographers do not approve of me using them, contact me on Twitter of via my email (provided in contacts) and I will replace them. I attempted to avoid explicitly copyrighted images and primarily pulled from SSBwiki, youtube thumbnails, and twitter pictures.

Without further ado…

Honorable Mention – shky

Prior Rank: Unranked

Best Win(s): Abadango, ANTi, Tsu, T, Ac

Peak Placements: 7th, EVO Japan | 3rd, Umebura Tokaigi Qualifier 1

Main: Zero Suit Samus

Sponsor/Crew: N/A

Region: Kanto (Japan)

Striking in early 2018, shky started the year with a successful run at EVO Japan that saw him defeating ANTi, Tsu, and Ac. These runs helped established shky as one of the world’s greatest Zero Suit Samus players in a relatively short time frame, as well as adding to Kanto’s repertoire of threatening players.

Honorable Mention – Intense | BestNess

Prior Rank: 121st

Best Win(s): ANTi, Xzax

Peak Placements: 25th, GENESIS 5 | 13th, Noods Noods Noods: Oakland Edition | 4th, Flatiron 3

Main: Ness

Sponsor/Crew: Intense

Region: Southwest (Utah)

While the red ballcap’s keeper has shifted over the years between many players, the aptly named “BestNess” has arguably become the current top Ness worldwide, with various set wins over mid-upper level players and a close game 5 set with Mr. R at GENESIS 5. He is currently leading the charge of Utah, a state that has increasingly had nationwide successes at major level events.

Honorable Mention – Ho3K | Ralphie

Prior Rank: Unranked

Best Win(s): Mr. E, Sinji

Peak Placements: 25th, Frostbite 2018 | 1st, Xanadu – End of an Era

Main: Cloud

Sponsor/Crew: House of 3000 (Ho3K)

Region: Tristate (New York)

Tristate, a region known for its depth, has also spawned a Cloud main that has risen to prominence. He is likely best known for his victory at the Xanadu venue finale tournament “End of an Era”, where he ran the event back from losers, defeating Remzi in two consecutive sets to take the tournament.

Honorable Mention – Captain L

Prior Rank: 111th

Best Win(s): MKLeo, Mr. R

Peak Placements: 25th, GENESIS 5 | 2nd, Arcane Tournaments 2018 | 13th, Smash Masters League: Battle for Vegas

Main: Pikachu

Secondary: Jigglypuff

Sponsor/Crew: N/A

Region: Pacific Northwest (British Columbia)

Captain L, long considered the second best Pikachu in the world, has further solidified his status through wins over MKLeo and Mr. R as well as accomplishing an unlikely goal – becoming the undisputed #1 Jigglypuff player in the world.

Honorable Mention – DA | Sinji

Prior Rank: 96th

Best Win(s): Light, Locus, 6WX, Captain L

Best Placements: 17th, GENESIS 5 | 1st, ORION

Main: Pac-Man

Secondary: Diddy Kong

Sponsor/Crew: Deadly Alliance (DA)

Region: Tristate (New York)

In another tale of low tier success, Sinji has elevated himself from the upper 90s to become a top level player in 2018. His greatest accomplishment thus far is easily his win at ORION, where he defeated both Light and Locus. He also defeated Dabuz at a Tristate weekly/local event that was not used, but still solidifies his capabilities.

#25 – eM | Zenyou

Score: 335.5

Prior Rank: 51 (+26)

Best Win(s): Larry Lurr, falln, Mr. R

Peak Placements: 9th, GENESIS 5 | 17th, Frostbite 2018 | 3rd, SoCal Rivals

Main: Mario

Sponsor/Crew: ennyMura (eM)

Region: Southern California

Zenyou, often considered to be the most developed Mario in terms of punish game, has transcended his peers this season to become the best active Mario player in the world, seeing a more successful 2018 than either Ally or ANTi.

He has multiple wins over his SoCal contemporaries, including 2 sets over Larry Lurr. In addition, his run at GENESIS 5 – where he defeated Falln and Mr. R in a single run – remains his peak for the year thus far.

#24 – CLG | VoiD (Tie)

Score: 343

Prior Rank: 11th (-13)

Best Win(s): Samsora, Fatality, Light, Larry Lurr

Peak Placements: 5th, Switchfest | 1st, SoCal Rivals

Main: Sheik

Sponsor/Crew: Counter Logic Gaming (CLG)

Region: Southern California

In the first example of a tied placement for 24th, VoiD cracks into the early year ranking in a lower-than-expected fashion very reminiscent of early 2017. While he did not suffer from a placement as low as 33rd like he did at Civil War, he has struggled cracking deep into many brackets at the larger events he attended.

SwitchFest may foreshadow a potential reversal of this, as it represented by far his best performance of the year with wins over multiple high ranked players on this list.

#24 – Abadango (Tie)

Score: 343

Prior Rank: 13th (-11)

Best Win(s): falln, KEN, Kameme, T

Peak Placements: 2nd, EVO Japan | 3rd, Umebura 31 | 9th, Switchfest

Main(s): Bayonetta, Mewtwo

Sponsor/Crew: N/A

Region: Kanto (Japan)

Similar to last year, both VoiD and Abadango have a weaker set of stats to begin the year. While Abadango managed to take 2nd at EVO Japan, his quality of wins were not especially high per graded scoring until Top 8, and his regional performances have lacked in several areas.

Despite that, he retains a top 25 status through a mixed-to-positive run at Switchfest that compensated a lack of a Top 8 with wins over falln and Kameme, as well as his wins against KEN and Kameme at EVO that provide value to his run.

#23 – DNG | Nietono

Score: 349

Prior Rank: 58th (+25)

Best Win(s): KEN, Shuton, Choco, T

Peak Placements: 4th, EVO Japan | 5th, NicoNico Tokaigi 2018 | 2nd, Sumabato Tokaigi Qualifier 1

Main(s): Sheik, Diddy Kong

Sponsor/Crew: Detonation Gaming (DNG)

Region: Kanto (Japan)

Rebounding from an underwhelming 2017, Nietono has struck back to his former peak placement – 23rd, matching OrionRank 2016. While his attendance has been low, his quality of wins has been stellar – including wins over most of Japan’s top players with a relatively consistent track record demonstrated by 2 Top 8 placements at major events.

#22 – DNG | Kameme

Score: 369

Prior Rank: 32nd (+10)

Best Win(s): ESAM, Nietono, komorikiri

Peak Placements: 3rd, EVO Japan | 5th, Umebura 31

Main(s): Mega Man, Sheik

Sponsor/Crew: Detonation Gaming (DNG)

Region: Kanto (Japan)

Representing a double success for E-sports team Detonation Gaming, Japan’s greatest Mega Man also made a jump from 2017 to 2018 with an unexpected and electrifying performance at EVO Japan as well as maintaining unusually consistent Top 8 appearances at the Umebura Super-Regional series.

#21 – Elegant

Score: 398.5

Prior Rank: 18th (-3)

Best Win(s): Larry Lurr, Lima, VoiD

Peak Placements: 13th, GENESIS 5 | 2nd, SoCal Rivals | 2nd, Rise 2018 | 1st, No Fun Allowed 2

Main: Luigi

Sponsor/Crew: N/A

Region: Southern California

Despite not attending a large number of national events, Elegant preserved his presence in the metagame through a number of strong regional performances, most notably at events like Rise and NFA, with bonus mention to his runner-up placement at SoCal invitational “SoCal Rivals”.

#20 – P1 | Captain Zack

Score: 403

Prior Rank: 16th (4-)

Best Win(s): Mistake, Cosmos, WaDi, VoiD

Peak Placements: 2nd, Glitch 4 | 7th, Smash Masters League: Battle for Vegas

Main: Bayonetta

Sponsor/Crew: Phoenix 1 (P1)

Region: Inland/Gulf Southeast (Louisiana)

Louisiana’s often aggressive and sharply styled Bayonetta main recovered from an early slip at Frostbite through a solid performance at Battle for Vegas. His best performance yet, however, came through a solid loser’s bracket run at Glitch 4 that saw him defeating Mistake, Cosmos, and WaDi – all top level players this season .

#19 – KEN

Score: 404.35

Prior Rank: 8th (-11)

Best Win(s): Abadango, VoiD, Nietono, Choco

Peak Placements: 5th, EVO Japan 2018 | 3rd, NicoNico Tokaigi 2018 | 1st, Sumabato Tokaigi Qualifier 1

Main: Sonic

Sponsor/Crew: N/A

Region: Kanto (Japan)

Struck by an attendance falloff that includes little American interaction outside of Tokaigi, KEN has dropped a few spots. Nonetheless, he retains the crown for best Sonic, and despite recent struggles in winning a lot of events at home, he is still the country’s most remarkably consistent player, placing top 8 at 6 events in a row this year in a notoriously upset-heavy region.

#18 – ERG | Lima

Score: 431.25

Prior Rank: 33rd (+15)

Best Win(s): Larry Lurr, Mr. R, Samsora, Elegant

Best Placements: 13th, GENESIS 5 | 5th, EGLX 2018 | 3rd, Rise 2018

Main: Bayonetta

Secondary: Peach

Sponsor/Crew: Earthroot Gaming (ERG)

Region: Texas (Dallas-Fort Worth)

Texas’ Bayonetta prodigy has quickly climbed through the ranks, progressing from relative unknown to 33rd for 2017 and now a solid 18th. Currently, he represents his state’s strongest attempt thus far at putting a player at the forefront – something that has panned out quite well, judging by Lima’s strong run at EGLX.

#17 – PG | ESAM

Score: 438.5

Prior Rank: 15th (-2)

Best Win(s): Fatality, Mr. R, Mistake

Peak Placements: 7th, GENESIS 5 | 3rd, EGLX 2018 | 1st, Flatiron 3

Main: Pikachu

Sponsor/Crew: Panda Global (PG)

Region: Oklahoma

Despite attending little this season, ESAM handily cracks into the top 20 with no bad performances on his record thus far. Despite a recent move to Oklahoma that may provide a reasoning for his lower attendance at regional events, he handily took Flatiron 3.

His national performances have also remained solid, with his absolute peak coming from EGLX 2018, where he double eliminated Mistake at the Canadian major event before falling to WaDi twice.

#16 – Raito

Score: 447

Prior Rank: 40 (+24)

Best Win(s): Tweek, Cosmos, Kameme, K9sbruce

Peak Placements: 1st, Sumabato 23 | 17th, GENESIS 5 | 7th, Switchfest

Main: Duck Hunt

Secondary: Lucina

Sponsor/Crew: Candee (CD)

Region: Kanto (Japan)

Japan’s activity this year has been relativity scarce, especially in comparison to the explosion of attendance seen in 2017. However, as of Switchfest, Raito has become Japan’s most prolific player this year.

Not only did he achieve a stunning upset over Tweek in what is widely regarded as an extremely difficult match-up, he made Top 8 at the same event – Switchfest – becoming the first Duck Hunt main to ever make Top 8 at a major after a year of being on the cusp.

Day 1 Conclusion

Day 2 will be tomorrow and will cover #15-#1. Share & enjoy!

Additional Links

Panda Global Rankings: https://www.ssbwiki.com/Panda_Global_Rankings

OrionRank 2017: https://www.ssbwiki.com/OrionRank_2017

CloudHead: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1iGovSC6JqzIwVvPkfGZ7Dwo_TvozGGLzbhk_Z7TTq1A/edit#gid=0