The event, formerly known as Super Smash Con, now rebranded as SuperNova (SNOVA), continues to uphold its reputation as the largest and most competitive Super Smash Bros. 64 tournament of the year. 2024 is no exception. With 241 entrants this is the 7th largest Smash 64 tournament ever, just edging out Genesis 3. Despite the absence of some top-tier players such as Alvin, JaimeHR, KYSK, Shihman, Zero, and reigning champion Isai, the event promises intense competition across all divisions, from Division 4 through Division 1.
This year’s tournament features a formidable lineup of heavy hitters, with Kurabba, SuPeRbOoMfAn, Nax, Wario, KeroKeroppi, Wizzrobe, Mercy, and Josh Brody leading the pack as the top 8 seeds. Additionally, other skilled competitors such as KD3, Dogs_Johnson, Lowww, Kix, Robert, Crovy, and Jar Jar Breaks are right on their heels, all aiming to secure a coveted top 8 placement.
The absence of some of the biggest names in the Smash 64 community might leave a gap at the top, but it also opens the field for emerging talent and underdogs to make their mark. The competitive pools and matchups are expected to deliver high-octane action and thrilling upsets, ensuring that SNOVA remains the pinnacle of the Smash 64 scene.
64 Combo Contest
Things kick off at 7:00PM EST Thursday, August 8 with the premier Smash 64 showcase and fan-favorite event, the 64 Combo Contest. This exciting competition will feature top-tier players Combo Blaze, Razz, Raychu, Tacos, and Tylo Ren, all vying to dazzle both the audience and the judges with their incredible skills. They will attempt to take home the coveted combo contest trophy, a symbol of mastery and creativity in the Smash 64 community.
For the second straight year, the reigning Combo Contest champion will not be defending his title, ensuring that we will crown a new combo king. This year’s contest introduces a fresh format that promises to heighten the excitement. Unlike previous years where competitors showcased their combos on a round-by-round basis and faced elimination, this year each player will present two combos in the first round. These combos will be scored, and the players with the highest combined totals will face off head-to-head in the final round until one is crowned champion.
Last year’s competition saw Huntsman earning two (nearly three!) perfect scores, setting a high bar for future contestants. His impressive performance en route to winning the Combo Contest trophy showcased the pinnacle of skill and creativity, a feat that will be extremely difficult to top. However, each year brings new surprises and even more unique combos, ensuring that the contest remains thrilling and unpredictable. The Combo Contest is an event you wont want to miss!
International Competition
One of the greatest aspects of SNOVA is the diverse international talent it attracts. This year, players from Japan, Chile, Canada, Austrailia, and Germany will converge in Chantilly, Virginia, each eager to prove they are the best Super Smash Bros. 64 player in the world. This international presence not only elevates the level of competition but also fosters a rich, multicultural atmosphere that celebrates the global Smash 64 community. Prior to Isai’s triumphant win at Super Smash Con 2023, no American player had claimed the Super Smash Con trophy or any world championship title since Isai’s victory over a decade ago at Apex 2014. This long-standing dominance by international players underscores the extraordinary level of skill and dedication present in the global Smash 64 scene.
Despite the rising talent among U.S. players, they still face the daunting challenge of overcoming their international counterparts, who have consistently set the bar high year after year. The likes of Kurabba and Wario from Japan, SuPeRbOoMfAn from Canada, Nax from Chile, and other top contenders from around the world have demonstrated exceptional prowess, often outshining their American rivals on the biggest stages.
Division 1 Preview
Division 1 promises to deliver some of the best matchups every year at SNOVA, with almost every game having the potential to be a Grand Finals showdown at any major Smash 64 tournament. Instead, these top-tier players are battling for a spot in the coveted top 32 bracket.
Leading the pack is the number 1 seed overall and Super Smash Con 2022 Champion, Kurabba. He finds himself in a challenging pool with the number 10 seed Dogs_Johnson and the number 11 seed Lowww. Dogs_Johnson, who has suffered losses to both players in recent ranked matches going back to Super Smash Con 2023, is eager to prove he belongs among the top talent. Meanwhile, Kurabba is aiming for his unprecedented fourth appearance in the Grand Finals at SNOVA, making this pool one to watch closely.
The number 2 overall seed, SuPeRbOoMfAn (Boom), brings an intriguing storyline since his return to competitive play in 2023. Following community character polls on X, it has been decided that he will play Captain Falcon and Jigglypuff for SNOVA. While Boom excels with any character, Captain Falcon is his strongest. Yet, in his pool, he faces number 9 seed KD3 and number 13 seed Jar Jar Breaks (formerly known as HAMMERHEART), both of whom play high-level Jigglypuff and Kirby, respectively. These matchups could pose significant challenges for Captain Falcon, making potential upsets a real possibility. KD3 holds a 1-2 record against Boom, with his sole victory coming in a Grand Finals reset against Boom’s DK (another community poll choice), and Jar Jar Breaks stands at 0-2 against Boom.
The number 3 overall seed, Nax, follows an impressive competitive run. After securing 4th place at Super Smash Con 2023, Nax remained in the United States and clinched victories at WisePheno 5, The Offseason 2, and SmashtoVerfest before returning to South America and finishing second at Inkafest 2. During this streak, he won 41 consecutive sets, losing only 8 games, before being double eliminated by Kurabba at Inkafest 2. Nax’s consistency and skill have many believing he could be this year’s champion. In his pool, he faces number 8 seed Josh Brody and number 13 seed Crovy. These two players have recently clashed at Ghost Town 2 and No Contest, with Crovy winning the former and Josh Brody the latter. Despite the uphill battle, both players have the potential to upset Nax and claim the pool’s top seed.
Traveling from Japan, the 4th overall seed is Genesis 3 champion and Super Smash Con 2019 runner-up Wario. One of only two players worldwide with a positive record against SuPeRbOoMfAn, Wario has long been a top player in Japan and globally for many years. He faces number 7 seed Mercy and number 13 seed and fellow countryman Kix in his pool. With no recorded tournament games against each other, the Wario versus Mercy matchup is particularly intriguing, as Mercy has proven capable of defeating world-class talent.
KeroKeroppi (Kero), the number 5 seed, has been striving to become the best Smash 64 player in the world for many years, yet has continually faced tough competition he has been unable to overcome on the biggest stage. While he has never played Nax in a tournament set, he holds a 1-11 record against all other players seeded above him. The community is rooting for Kero to pull off upsets and take home the title, but he must first navigate what may be the most contentious Division 1 pool. Paired with number 6 seed Wizzrobe and number 15 seed Robert, all these players have been ranked in the top 10 in North America and/or the world. Kero boasts a 3-0 combined tournament record against these two, but each possesses the skill to defeat one another, ensuring high-stakes matches throughout.
Rising Talent
Every year new players make an incredible push through the divisions and some even able to compete in bracket and it is expected that this year is no different. Placed in Division 2, player Merakissb travels in from Chile and is looking to make a name for himself on an international stage. Merakissb has played competitive tournament sets against Nax in Chile, even taking him to game 5. He will be put to the test against other emerging strong player Bobakonoosh and veterans KrisKringle and Qapples.
Pool J403 in division two will certainly be one we will want to watch, featuring Antwon420, Janitor, Raychu, and Combo Blaze — four players who are known to not only be skilled at the game, but very creative in their combo routes. This will be Janitor’s first event since SNOSA 5 over four years ago. At SNOSA 5 he had a strong performance with wins over Hero Pie, CTG, and Isai. Despite starting in Division 2, expect Janitor to make a deep top 32 bracket run.
Skilled players populate the entire tournament all the way through Division 4. In Pool G407 the 2nd seed Hunter has been training and honing his skills, and even starting his own online tournament series. Being that he has not traveled to many tournaments he wants to have a strong performance at Supernova. Standing in his way of first place in the pool is the number 1 seed Isildur. Isildur started his career in Wisconsin learning from players like Mando, OutLANDISh and trained with #44 ranked OJ. As a pika main, Isildur may have his hands full against Hunter’s Falcon. Also watch out for Ed Sheeran, huevos and the last seed, Mello, to earn some upsets.
Pool G405 features Slatts as the top seed. Over 2024, he has massively improved, securing wins over Sebula, MissingNo., White Jesus (Papa Louie), and notably, #61 ranked Bo. TyloRen_, a well-known and well-traveled player and combo contest participate, will be aiming to secure his 4th seed position to move onto D3. This pool should be closely watched.
Another highly contested pool is F405, with players Maniac379, Cagt, ParryManilow, Cashbandicoot, Flathead, and K-Phat. Predicting which four players will advance is challenging. Maniac379 recently secured a win over Combo Blaze at Kirbstompd 9 is plenty skilled to sweep the field but may lack the consistency to do so. Cagt, a well-known tournament organizer for Smash Ultimate, has recently become very interested in 64 and has been training hard and promoting 64 at other Smash Bros tournaments. ParryManilow has also been attending many tournaments across the Midwest and training often. This pool promises excitement.
Pool F402 will surely be a feisty one! The top seed, A1, a Falcon main, has recently achieved significant wins against the likes of Sextc, Shredgar, Smurf, Heny, Afro, and PYT. BlueBear from Virginia, also a Falcon main, is a veteran with a smart, patient playstyle. Conceit, the third seed, a Kirby main from Rochester, is another one of Bobakanoosh’s recruits. He plays a fast and calculated neutral. MaximumJugs (Jugs), the fourth seed, is a newer player rapidly climbing in skill. Jugs has his sights set on being ranked in the top 64 this year and this pools is a big test to see if he will be able to achieve that goal.
Community Predictions
| Dr. Sauce | Wiseacre | Epad10 | Closenberg | Supa | LuigiT0ilet |
| 1. Kurabba | 1. Wario | 1. SuPeRbOoMfAn | 1. Nax | 1. SuPeRbOoMfAn | 1. Nax |
| 2. Nax | 2. Nax | 2 Kurabba | 2. KeroKeroppi | 2. Kurabba | 2. SuPeRbOoMfAn |
| 3. SuPeRbOoMfAn | 3. Wizzrobe | 3. Nax | 3. SuPeRbOoMfAn | 3. Wario | 3. Wizzrobe |
| 4. Wario | 4. Kurabba | 4. Wario | 4. Kurabba | 4. Nax | 4. Kurabba |
| 5. KeroKeroppi | 5. KeroKeroppi | 5. Lowww | 5. Wizzrobe | 5. KeroKeroppi | 5. KeroKeroppi |
| 5. Wizzrobe | 5. SuPeRbOoMfAn | 5. KeroKeroppi | 5. Josh Brody | 5. Wizzrobe | 5. KD3 |
| 7. Dogs_Johnson | 7. Crovy | 7. Dogs_Johnson | 7. Jar Jar Breaks | 7. Mercy | 7. Dogs_Johnson |
| 7. Lowww | 7. Mercy | 7. Wizzrobe | 7. Crovy | 7. Robert | 7. Robert |
64 Stream Schedule
All Times EST
Thursday
7:00PM Combo Contest on VGBootCamp
Friday
7:00PM Division 3 Singles on VGBootCamp4
Saturday
4:00PM Top 16 on VGBootCamp2
View Side Streams all weekend at 64 League Twitch
Thank you to Wiseacre help and article content