40. The Yid
To say that Nick “The Yid” Yidaris is a household name is an understatement to his long-term standing in the Smash 64 community. Hailing from New England emblem of Massachusetts, The Yid has been one of the region’s most consistent players, making great performances in his local events, and being known as one of the game’s most fearsome Yoshi players. Even if the neighboring Tri-state and MD/VA regions held some of the nation’s best players, it did not discourage him from continuing to do his best and keeping up with the ever-growing talent. And this season, he has decided to step it up a notch and remind folks of his tenure.
Boasting a 4th place finish at Prototype 4, and a 9th place finish at Frame 14, The Yid has secured wins over the likes of Mercy, Hotline, and Andykins in tournament, overcoming some of the game’s most tenacious opponents. While he may not be a player that you will often see stray far away from home, it does not mean that he is not one you should undermine in any way. Beyond his impressive skills in bracket, The Yid is one of the most respected individuals there is, and one that will always put a smile on your face as you see him enter the venue to play with everyone. He has competed for many years, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. You can always count on him to be present when a big gathering occurs amongst Smash 64 players.
– Cagt
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39. Natty
“It is hard being bad at your favorite game.” At rank #39, self-proclaimed “Bonafide Scrub” Nathan “Natty” Fastman secures his spot in the UPR Top 50 for the second consecutive year, proving that even self-deprecation can’t overshadow undeniable talent. Before his rise in the competitive scene, Natty was primarily known for his stylish and creative combo videos, showcasing an impressive array of characters. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced in-person events to a halt, Natty turned to netplay— and that’s when everything changed. The online grind became the catalyst for his rapid improvement, transforming him from a highlight reel creator into a serious tournament threat. With a deep roster of characters and an ever-evolving playstyle, Natty has carved out a name for himself on the biggest stages. Meanwhile, back home, the NorCal community continues to plead for his return to local tournaments, with community leader Paco’s infamous “Days Since Natty’s Last Local” counter approaching 500. But until that day comes, Natty will keep making waves where it matters most—at the world’s largest majors.
– Shihman
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38. Heny935
It is no secret that Smash 64 is a difficult game to improve in given the veteran status that the majority of the community holds. Improvement is a slow, steady burn that can take years to come into fruition. Opportunities to prove yourself are far and few in-between, and it can be discouraging for many to not be able to overcome that obstacle as they traverse through each bracket.
However, that didn’t stop Adam “Heny935” Henderson from breaking that mold.
As one of the rising stars of the Northeast, bouncing between his home of Boston, Massachusetts and his college residence of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Heny has made significant breakthroughs in the competitive scene that have led him to gain profound respect from his peers. With a consistent friend & mentor in KD3, Heny was able to cement himself as one of the most dangerous, threatening Falcons there is, securing wins over the likes of Josh Brody, Hotline, Raychu, and The Yid this season. His explosive Captain Falcon has shocked many who come his way, and that’s not even taking his Pikachu or Donkey Kong into consideration.
Beyond his impressive wins, he has made Top 8 at the ever-so-stacked Frame 14, where he really left his mark as one of the game’s most impressive players that day. Beyond that, he has gotten 9th at Victory Road, and place in Top 32 at Keystoned VII, another incredibly packed tournament where many struggled to move forward through some of the community’s most fearsome opponents.
Heny is far from reaching his peak – he continues to improve day after day, showing others he will be reaching greater heights anytime soon. Where he will end up, only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure: he is here to stay, and you will respect his name
– Cagt
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37. Dmolz
Dmolz makes his debut into the top 64 rankings after being absolutely shafted last year! A Falcon main at heart with a Pikachu secondary, he has been on the rise these past few years. With impressive wins against B33F, PYT, and Lowww, it was only a matter of time before Dmolz made a grand entrance into the top 64 players. His Falcon is methodical, always executing combos with precision. Dmolz is also a technical player, having been a pupil of Mercy at the beginning of his smash career. He often flies under the radar at tournaments, catching players off guard with quick 2-0 victories. Keep an eye on Dmolz, as big things are expected from him in 2025!
– Waxy:joe
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36. Raychu
On October 23, 2024 Ray “Raychu” Miller unexpectedly passed away at the age of 35. He was loved by many both inside and outside the Super Smash Bros. 64 community. Below is a place to share your stories and memories of Ray to pay homage to the wonderful person he was.
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35. Hooded
This guy moves fast and punishes hard. Hooded joined the Seattle scene 2 years ago and within his first year proved that he is THE player to beat in Washington. While known primarily for his Yoshi, his Kirby is no joke taking a huge set off of Crovy at Ghost Town 2. With a podium finish at Genesis and a willingness to continually evolve his game, the sky is the limit for Hooded as he continues his ascent up the North America ranks.
– ReefyBeefy
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34. Killer
Getting another mention on the year-end rankings? Part of the old guard in a niche community? Big wins on top talent such as Crovy and Finio at Supernova?
Some would say it’s still too EZ for Killer.
Though he is generally only seen in long practice sessions on Wizzrobe’s stream, he still appears once in a blue Kirby moon, keyboard in tow, to remind the competition that he is still a threat. Killer has been a renowned figure in the scene since the bygone days of SmashBoards, Apex tournaments, and netplay matches on Hyrule. Over a decade later, he remains an imposing—yet enigmatic—force in brackets, capable of putting the toughest of opponents to the test.
– Supa
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33. Paco
Jordan “Paco” Valdez makes his return to the Top 40 this year, bouncing back from a disappointing ranking last year and reaffirming his place with a Top 2 finish at Genesis X and a Top 32 placement at Supernova. A staple of the NorCal Smash 64 scene both as a player and a community leader, Paco has long been known for his consistent tech skill and unwavering dedication to the game.
With wins over players like JaimeHR and Joshi under his belt in prior years, Paco has proven he can go toe-to-toe with the best. Now, with his rank back on the rise, he’s once again reminding the world why he’s a constant threat in any bracket.
– Shihman
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32. B33F
B33F is the essence and prototype of what it means to be a 64 player. He’s affable, he’s flashy, he plays the cast, and he knows how to have a damn good time. Regardless of how many beers he’s had the day before, how many spliffs he smoked, or how few hours (or minutes) of sleep he’s running on you can be sure that he’s giving it his all in every competitive bracket he’s able to participate in. B33F just wants to have a good time and play close sets in his favorite competitive game and there’s few things that will get in the way of him doing so. Inside and out of the game, it’s hard not to be a fan of him, as his joy for life and the game itself is so very evident and infectious. The Smashie-Award winning “Most Improved Player of the Year” managed to build up an impressive resume of taking names – beating highly skilled players like Antwon420, Andykins, PYT, JPX, The Yid, Raychu, CTG, Huntsman, and ReefyBeefy. With an almost undefinable ceiling, it’s hard to know how far up B33F will punch up as long as he’s able to actualize his version of Smash.
– Dogs_Johnson & Queso
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31. Qapples
From the innocent days of neutral B’ing Korobeniki back at Let’s Go Baltimore to present day, Qapples has turned into an absolute monster at platform fighting games. Young Qap was ranked second in the Smash Online 2020 rankings, next to only Superboomfan – all with his lightning fast Kirby. Qapples managed to fend off Northeast talent such as MHJ and dmolz in his D1 pool at Supernova while also taking a set off Hotline. He also managed to take Crovy to the distance in a tense set that went all the way to game 5, but eventually fell to him for an impressive 17th place finish. These days his focus has shifted more towards Rivals of Aether – where he placed 19th on the Season 6 rankings for the game using another character with multiple jumps. Whether he’s focused on Smash, Rivals 1, or 2, we all know Qapples can make huge waves in whatever game captivates his interest when he sets his mind to it.
– Dogs_Johnson
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Being a younger member of a competitive gaming scene with a predominately older playerbase can be a bit isolating at times, but Raychu was always someone I could go to at tournaments and was someone I really could truly call a friend in the 64 scene. Whenever I saw him in bracket, I would always go up to talk to him and he would always be more than happy hold a conversation. Easily one of the most approachable and friendliest people in the 64 scene. Wherever it would be at Super Smash Con, Keystoned, Smashtoberfest, online frinedlies, or online tournies, he was always happy to play, always happy to talk to, and always took his wins and losses with grace.
Tournaments will never be the same without him. He will be missed. RIP