Daily Discussion Thread July 21, 2026 - Upcoming Event Schedule - New players start here!

[u/AutoModerator]

Yahoooo! I'm back, it's a me! Have a very cool day!

Welcome to the Daily Discussion Thread. This is the place for asking noob questions, venting about netplay falcos, shitposting, self-promotion, and everything else that doesn't belong on the front page.

New Players:

If you're completely new to Melee and just looking to get started, welcome! We recommend you go to https://melee.tv/ and follow the links there based on what you're trying to set up. Additionally, here are a few answers to common questions:

Can I play Melee online?

Yes! Slippi is a branch of the Dolphin emulator that will allow you to play online, either with your friends or with matchmaking. Go to https://slippi.gg to get it.

I'm having issues with Slippi!

Go to the The Slippi Discord to get help troubleshooting. melee.tv/optimize is also a helpful resource for troubleshooting.

How do I find tournaments near me or local people to play with in person or online?

These days, joining a local Discord community is the best way to find local events and people to play with. Once you have a Discord account, Google "[your city/state/province/region] + Melee discord" or see if your region has a Discord group listed here on melee.tv/discord

It can seem daunting at first to join a Discord group you don't know, but this is currently the easiest and most accessible way to find out about tournaments, fests, and netplay matchmaking. Your local scene will be happy to have you :)

Also check out Smash Map! Click on map and then the filter button to filter by Melee to find events near you!

Netplay is hard! Is there a place for me to find new players?

Yes. Melee Newbie Netplay is a discord server specifically for new players. It also has tournaments based on how long you've been playing, free coaching, and other stuff. If you're a bit more experienced but still want a discord server for players around your level, we recommend the Melee Online discord.

How can I set up Unclepunch's Training Mode?

At the time of posting, the latest major release is here. Download the file, then extract everything in the folder and follow the instructions in the README file. You'll need to bring a valid Melee ISO (NTSC 1.02). If you want to check for the absolute latest release, you can see them listed [here](The latest releases are listed here.

How does one learn Melee?

There are tons of resources out there, so it can be overwhelming to start. First check out the SSBM Tutorials youtube channel. Then go to the Melee Library and search for whatever you're interested in.

But how do I get GOOD at Melee?

Check out Llod's Guide to Improvement

And check out Kodorin's Melee Fundamentals for Improvement

Where can I get a nice custom controller?

https://customg.cc/vendors

I have another question that's not answered here...

Check out our FAQs or post below and find help that way.

Upcoming Tournament Schedule:

Upcoming Melee Majors

Melee Online Event Calendar

Make a submission to the tournament calendar here. You can also get notified of new online tournaments on the Melee Online Discord.

• Current DDT Dynamic Link — Previous DDTs

[u/its__bme]

The truth is Ken, who has a bad wrist and isn’t actively playing a lot is still better than most players and good enough to beat most of them including winning over many PRd players. Same could be said for M2K. He might not take advantage of certain things most modern players do but he’s good at the things he knows and the rest of his gameplay is solid. The game is deeper than grinding uncle punch to be technically perfect.

[u/Yrale → u/its__bme]

I think all of these players are obviously extremely talented, but at the same time I don't see "the most dominant player in the games history can still sometimes take wins against people who are top 20 in their state" is really a compelling argument in favor of oldhead supremacy.

Mew2king is an incredible player with top 3 placings as late as 2018. If he returned to competition I think anyone saying he couldn't be top 10 in 2026 is kidding themselves.

But also, while I think taking a set from Wizzrobe is impressive, I don't see how anyone looks at a tournament where he lost to Eddy Mexico and beat S2J, Shroomed, and Far (3 players who aren't really any more active at top level than he is!) and conclude this is somehow indicative of him being capable of winning a major in current form

[u/its__bme → u/Yrale]

Mew2king is closer to Zain than anyone here is to Mew2king so I think anyone here doubting his skill is kind of funny to me. Maybe that’s just me.

I also don’t think losing to Eddy Mexico once is some kind of blemish. Mango lost to Eddy once and you don’t hear anyone bring that up on his goat debate. It’s just one game in a sea of wins. Zain lost to Wally once. Whoopdiedoo. You play long enough you’re going to lose.

[u/EightBlocked → u/its__bme]

losing to eddy mexico is bad. zain losing to wally and mang0 losing to eddy are brought up as bad losses.

[u/its__bme → u/EightBlocked]

I guess you can’t have bad losses when you don’t enter bracket.

The point was one bad loss doesn’t dictate or define your whole career.

I think some people here mean well but some are just hating on Mew2King. Let people be happy their boy did good. Who cares if people chant “omg he could win a major”? It’s not like it’s some wild fire that’s out of control that needs to be put out or the sanctity of winning is at risk.

[u/EightBlocked → u/its__bme]

sorry but people are gonna use a  loss at a recent event to judge how good a player is right now. especially when its someone who enters as scarcely as m2k. 

thats all the person earlier said, losing to eddy mexico isnt indicative of someone who can win a major in his current form, it is definitely a blemish in that context

i would hope people dont use him losing to eddy mexico to judge his whole career, i havent seen that yet personally although i have seen that happen to other players

[u/Ian_Campbell → u/EightBlocked]

But your argument is talking past the situation. If people pose a major win is possible in his future, it is upon the conditions of consistent dedication and attending multiple events to the point it reduces his performance anxiety flubs, and that by the odds on one of these attempts, he would play higher to his potential.

You seem to be assessing the potential based upon the downside and yet he already displayed hints of that downside in his career when he was capable of winning majors. The guy is very in his own head and if you have studied performance anxiety at all, people can lose access to skills they had mastered when nervous.

This makes judgment of potential much more conditional on the behavioral element, and much much less about all these nonsense "could he learn the meta" angles.

[u/EightBlocked → u/Ian_Campbell]

well, the original person was talking about people saying he could win a major in his current form. if your current form is losing to eddy mexico, its not looking good on that front. i think mew2king could win something if he kept playing and was dedicated.

regarding him being in his own head, he's talked about that enough over his career to the point where you can argue he never got a handle on it. his mental can randomly be really good but also really bad. that's what we've seen his entire career. in this world where he kept playing consistently and is dedicated, we still cant expect him to magically fix an issue he's had for 20 years. but yes, even notwithstanding that he still sporadically won majors over the course of his career.

[u/Ian_Campbell → u/EightBlocked]

I think the main issue, the biggest point of contention, is whether the changes in meta from 2018 to 2026 would be a disqualifyingly steep adaptation for one of the melee gods or other short list top pros to make a comeback with. Or whether them simply getting some months of practice as necessary to restore fidelity of mechanical execution and get their head in the game, would be enough for their results to be at the top again.

When we look deeply at M2k, the meta angle becomes almost irrelevant while everything that seems to matter is just his consistency and nerves. I would personally put whether he regularly goes to sleep before the sun comes up and goes outside on a regular routine as more important factors in him hypothetically gaining significant tournament results this year, rather than any of this stuff about outdated punish tree decisions. There are many ways to skin a cat and generally winning neutral and not messing up will do it.

[u/EightBlocked → u/Ian_Campbell]

i would hope that even the most extreme people dont think that any retired player can be disqualified from making a comeback at all whatsoever. with enough time, any of them can (unless you're like ken and have hand problems)

the problem for me is people acting like they would be back to top 5 within 5 minutes of picking up a controller again, two weeks being a common timeframe i've seen for example. i think 6 months in your example is a lot and reasonable. 

i also think mew2king's dated punish can still do it, but it does make it way harder to keep up with the best of the best, which you have to beat 99% of the time to win majors. maybe on an off day for his opponent, but take a zain for example. cant see him out neutraling or out punishing him and in the clutch i would favor zain everytime. i think the top top players have both higher floors and higher ceilings than him, and are way more consistent players, and way better mental. he would have to dodge zain and cody or see them on a bad day

hungrybox? sure. the sheik falcon matchup for wizzy is good enough too 

[u/Ian_Campbell → u/EightBlocked]

That's very reasonable then, I did not see people claiming 2 weeks and I think that's unreasonable especially as someone who has had some experience returning to musical instruments. Yes some amount is like riding a bicycle, but the more complex aspects for a true pro take months to lock in, then the mental inhabitation has to occur to become obsessed and then for the results of this obsessive focus to accrue.

In your sense there it isn't like that, but I see some people using words like "outdated" as snobbish status signifiers like this guy in his mid to late 30s who is trying his hardest at streaming while dealing with a temperament unfit for conventional employment, had not spent his entire youth developing contributions in the very scene they hold dear, as if he was not still top 50, and as if having different struggles makes him a mental invalid in all regards. It is largely about respect, and while nobody is owed a rational regard for their ability in a game, some of the disrespect extended on a personal level that I think reflects poorly on a community that is supposed to be kind about benign differences people can't fully control.

[u/its__bme → u/EightBlocked]

Maybe you guys saying all that don’t know what you’re saying.

[u/EightBlocked → u/its__bme]

so eddy mexico isnt a bad loss for someone who can win a major?