Not many gaming franchises can sustain an entire fan convention on their own. The second annual Super Smash Con proves that Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. is one of those franchises.

A diverse audience of thousands of fans descended on Chantilly, Virginia for the four-day event this weekend. Most were there for the multi-tiered double-elimination tournaments, fought on everything from the Wii U to the Nintendo 64 where Super Smash Bros. first appeared. Other attendees were there for a celebration of gaming's past and present, including a bustling arcade, fully stocked classic gaming vendors, a variety of game-themed musical and variety acts, and a selection of indie "platform fighters" inspired by the Smash phenomenon.

Attendees mixed and mingled between both parts of the convention throughout the day. But every time the tournament audience let out a loud, synchronized "Ohhhh!" at some amazing takedown or comeback, minglers from around the convention hall literally came running to see what the fuss was about. As fun as it is to watch Smash Bros. tournaments on a livestream, nothing compares to the electricity of a live crowd.