By Zach Mereau |ContributorAugusta will be hosting a larger gaming event called “Smash for the Holidays," a Super Smash Bros. tournament, Dec. 7 at the Home2 Suites Hotel off of exit 190. Multiple people from the local scene, as well as outside players from Florida and South Carolina, have already marked their attendance on Facebook.Most people in the world have some kind of hobby. Whether it be biking, running or dancing to your favorite tunes, everyone beats to the sound of their own drum. Video games are no exception. Some of them take you on a grand adventure, some have you racking your brain to solve puzzles and others pit players against one another in fierce competition. One game in particular has captured the hearts of many all around the world: Super Smash Bros. Although we don't have grandiose tournaments, such as EVO in Las Vegas, the regional tournaments established in Georgia have built communities from the ground up and created lasting friendships that will span a lifetime through Smash Bros.Augusta’s Smash story is not an unusual one. Starting off with tournaments in a local bar and gaming lounge called Level Up, the scene began small. Veterans that have played multiple versions of Smash Bros. in a competitive setting have watched the “scene” change and grow to what it is today, such as John “Rango” Rinyu.“I’ve been playing the game since Smash Bros. 64, but I became more serious and competitive around 2014 when Smash for Wii U came out. In total, I’ve been competing for around five years," said Rinyu.Rinyu got his start from tournaments at Level Up and has been competing ever since. He plays the character Ike from the Fire Emblem video game series and believes that the heroic nature of Ike is what drives his competitive spirit. Rinyu also feels that another reason he continues to play to this day is because of the community.“I love my community. I love the amount of passion and dedication that our players bring to the table every single week. I love watching them grow…I love seeing them travel out of state to test their strength against the competition.”Rinyu says his personal goal is to win a major event someday.However, The story of Augusta Smash doesn’t stop there. A few months after hosting tournaments at Level Up in 2014, Rinyu went to Cardboard Castle Games, a local card game shop here in “The Garden City”. After a bit of negotiation, weekly tournaments began taking place at this new venue. From then on, Cardboard Castle Games, or CCG as many players refer to it, has been the local hotspot for most if not all competitive Smash get-togethers. Many players are veterans like John, competing for up to five years or more. Recently, with the addition of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on the Nintendo Switch, a lot of new faces have been showing up.Will “Nimbus” Caruso is one of those new faces. He has been playing competitively for around four years. He said he’s always played Smash for fun, but his competitive drive sparked once he got involved in tournaments with his brother. Caruso loves playing the character Roy, also from the Fire Emblem series, because of his flashy combos and the oppressive nature of the character.“I love the competitive aspect of tournaments. It really gets your heart pumping. However, my favorite part is being able to make friends and meet new, strong players to practice with," Caruso said.Rafael “rafmandx” Cumbermack began competing in Augusta around 2014. However, his role is different from a typical player. Cumbermack started his journey into Smash as a competitor, but has transitioned to being more of a tournament organizer.“I think the best part is the scene--the individuals. It’s like a little friend group, or a personal connection. The small community of Augusta is what makes me passionate about being here," Cumbermack said.At first, Cumbermack’s goals were to become one of the best at the game, but now, a more fervent passion has grown from helping run these local events. He feels that helping others get into the game and building the local scene is what’s most important to a healthy, competitive atmosphere.In late October, CCG hosted their 265th weekly Smash Bros. tournament. That alone is quite the milestone for such a small city like Augusta. Most events here accumulate anywhere from 15-30 players consistently, with new faces showing up every other week.Super Smash Bros., like most other legacy gaming titles, has seen several evolutions of its characters, game mechanics and visuals over the years. Many local gaming scenes can’t share that same sentiment since a lot of them die out due to disinterest or lack of a growing player base. However, Augusta has always held strong and been consistent with longtime regulars and budding newcomers almost every week. The Smash Bros. scene here in Augusta will always have a tight-knit family no matter who you are, how old you are or what character you play. The past five years at CCG have fostered a growing, prosperous community of competitors, spectators and friends. At the end of the day, these same players all come together for the simple love of the game, and that’s what really matters.Smash on, Augusta! Contact Zach Mereau at ZMEREAU@augusta.edu