Wi-fi Warrior Rank: #1-10
Cloudhead - July 22, 2018Welcome to the top 10 reveal of the Wi-fi Warrior Rank! I'm assuming that most people here already know that the WWR is a top 50 ranking for the ten biggest open-entry wi-fi series. So in lieu of the standard introduction, I want to say a few things about the WWR. (Feel free to skip this if you want to just see the rankings! We won't be that offended.)
You might not know how much it means, but even just a small message or "wow, this is cool!" goes a long way in making the time we put in feel worth it. We're aware that the ranking as it currently stands is imperfect, which has come into focus as we've prepared the final product. There are things we now know we could do better, and some of those things we know how to fix and will fix in the next iteration. Some of those things, we don't know how yet, and we're going to spend a lot of time working on that. But every ounce of positivity that's come toward this imperfect ranking means a hell of a lot. So to every single person out there who's sent their support our way, and to everyone who's given us criticism in the hopes that the next WWR will use it to improve: Thank you so much, and we promise we'll make this thing even bigger and better for you next time.
But for now, we've still got a few more imperfections left to go! Strap in, and let's get right to the top 10 of the Wi-fi Warrior Rank!
- Saturday, July 14th: #41-50
- Monday, July 16th: #31-40
- Wednesday, July 18th: #21-30
- Friday, July 20th: #11-20
- Sunday, July 22nd: #1-10
Please note that the results outlined in the graphics and paragraphs are not the full extent of the WWR's data. So long as a placing or win occurred at a tournament included in the ranking, it is represented in the full WWR data and properly contributed to the final product.
#10
We begin our top 10 with a monster of a player who's sure to turn some heads - at least the ones he doesn't KO punch into oblivion. Naoto, a master of Little Mac and Corrin, didn't attend many tournaments until the second half of the season, but quickly took hold and wreaked havoc upon as many series as he could find. With victories at monthlies of both Smashurai and SL, and another at Smash Bash's special edition, he proved able to rise to the occasion when the stakes were highest. His positive record against the rest of the top 10 speaks for itself, as do his countless wins against the rest of the WWR; he's notably one of only two people to have taken two sets off of Luisfer this season. There's not many spots left to climb on the ranking, but in a full season, Naoto has the potential to climb it all - and for now, sits proudly at #10 on the Wi-fi Warrior Rank.
#9
Soaring to #9 on the Wi-fi Warrior Rank is another second-half star who wasted no time in taking himself - and his opponents - to the top. The most dangerous Meta Knight player on the ranking, Urameshi demonstrated the ability to win anywhere over the course of the season. His record includes first place at three consecutive Smash Station events, three Flamewave Neo tournaments, and additional wins at Eclipse Smash, Smashurai, and Breaking Point. His hold on the Eclipse Series was a unique and impressive one; while RobinGG typically held a firm grasp over its tournaments and others, Urameshi was his kryptonite, holding a truly dominating 8-0 record against him and a 13-5 record against the entire top 10. In his home town of Vegas and on the Wi-fi circuit, the same thing seems to hold true: the odds are never against Urameshi.
#8
As for our #8 on the Wi-fi Warrior Rank, you know him well: Zaxel stakes his claim to the top 10, thanks to many devastating ding-dongs and what I can only assume were five to six other kills. His tournament resume was as diverse as it was successful, notching wins at almost every tournament series included in the WWR, and culminating at a victory at an A-tier Smashurai Summit weekly. His win records are equally impressve; in addition to sets over Chusam, Rax, and RobinGG, he has at least four wins on each of Le Elin, Horse, and Otakuni this season. You'd better be good at playing keep away, because those cargo throws deal damage in spurts - when he grabs you, it's gonna hurt. Zaxel stands tall in 8th place, and there's few taller tasks than trying to knock him down.
#7
Nowhere is Little Mac more prevalent than on Wi-fi, but that's not all the fault of the environment - part of it is because of stellar players like Rax. Widely lauded for his excellent defensive play and unshakable patience, Rax finishes as the highest-ranking Mac on a WWR full of them, and for good reason. He's notched first place at many events over the course of the season; winning both Smashurai Circuit Weekly 1 and Flamewave Neo 1, he takes the phrase "taking first" to a whole new level. He's undeterred by matchups that most would think invalidate his character, notably holding positive records over both Chusam and grayclash, two immensely skilled Bayonetta players in their own right. Rax is more than comfortable waiting for you to mess up and then capitalizing as hard as humanly possible. It's that impeccable execution that puts Rax at 7th place on the WWR, an accomplishment that he both deserves and is prepared to defend at every turn.
#6
Things went just peachy this season for RobinGG, who lands at #6 on the Wi-fi Warrior Ranking after nothing short of a spectacular six months. Robin's season was centered around an amazing and unique level of domination at the Eclipse series, where he won ten tournaments in three months, and placed below second only three times all season. Coupled with 1st place at a Smashurai Mini and several more top 8s there, he leaves absolutely nothing to be desired when it comes to winning. His set counts reflect this as well, with definitive edges over Rax, Zaxel, Le Elin, Blank, and many more. Reaching victory with one of the most technical and difficult-to-use characters on a regular basis, Robin is a model of strength and consistency that few can hope to match. So long as he can keep doing as he's done this season, his 6th place finish will be in no sort of jeopardy.
#5
Pac-Man has a notoriously ridiculous amount of tricks up his sleeve, and Copper knows how to pull them all off and look good doing it. He certainly looks good as the first member of our top 5, an achievement he's earned thanks to an excellent record no matter where he goes. A victory at Smashurai Circuit 11 serves as the perfect centerpiece to a season that saw him take top placings everywhere from Flamewave Neo to Breaking Point. In addition, his set counts against players are more than impressive; in addition to wins over Rax, Grayclash, and SdN, he has taken sets from all but one of the players above him. With solo Pac-Man, it's clear that Copper has found the key to victory, and he's got it in him to compete with anyone who comes his way. If he plays at all like he did this past season, his spot in the top 5 is his to lose.
#4
A jack of all trades and master of pretty darn many of 'em, Chusam lands in 4th place on the inaugural Wi-fi Warrior Rank. Not only is his skill with Bayonetta among the absolute best in the Wi-fi scene, but he also carries with him a number of capable secondaries and pockets, including his famed Mii Brawler that can rip through brackets with defaults and customs alike. Between all of his strong characters, he's scored victories at The Smash Bash, Smashing Legends, Dragonborn, and WFW, with several silver medals and top 8 showings in Smashurai as well. He's also taken sets off of nearly every other player in the top 20, including wins on seven members of the top 10; Chusam is rarely if ever truly outmatched. He takes a strong 4th place on the WWR, and stands more than ready to repeat this season's performance, or even better it, in the future.
#3
Hailing as the highest-ranked Bayonetta main and U.K. player, Simon shoots into a decisive 3rd place on the Wi-fi Warrior Rank. Needing no one else but his trusty Bayo, he achieves the unique feat of making it to the top 10 through almost exclusively one series. His talent is unquestionable to anyone familiar with the Smashurai series; he won their Circuit Weekly 12 and placed top three at their first two S-tier monthlies. His win records are perhaps his greatest strength, as he holds three wins against each of the two players ranked above him, the highest amount for one player against either of them. His illustrious record makes him the perfect player to hold the third place spot, and he stands as one of the greatest challenges to face in tournament, even for the best of players. Simon should be held in high regard for as long as he continues to play and seek to repeat this season's magic.
#2
You won't have to wait long for Loading... to take care of his opponents; likewise, he didn't have to wait long to reach second place on the WWR, having held that position for almost the entire season in-progress. An incredible solo Mega Man player also ranked in his home continent, he prevailed at almost every chance he got in the Smashurai series, winning every Circuit Weekly he attended. He commands an astounding record against the top 50, without question the best ratio so far, and along with Simon is the only player to have defeated this season's #1 more than once. Loading is an incredible player both offline and online, and all those who have seen him play know there's big things in store for him. Today, he solidifies his Wi-fi legacy as the #2 player on the first ever Wi-fi Warrior Rank, and will continue to be a star no matter where he goes.
#1
Coming as no surprise to anyone who's even touched an online tournament, IcyMist slots in as our top Wi-fi Warrior and the champion of the inaugural WWR. Laying waste to every bracket she competed in, IcyMist entered three S-tier tournaments and won every single one of them, and added far too many other victories to list in this paragraph, taking gold at Smash Station, TVSeries, and Flamewave Neo, just to name a few. The superstar Samus took at least one set from every single WWR member she encountered this season, with 64 total wins against her fellow top 50 and a mind-boggling 23 wins on the top 10 alone. "Dominance" is a word that can be thrown around a lot, but IcyMist's dominance of Wi-fi tournaments is a feat unlike anything else in the scene. It's a given that in any tournament she attends, she's absolutely the player to beat, and very, very few players manage to steal a set away from her. It's hard to predict the future, but IcyMist looks like the undeniable ruler of Wi-fi for as long as she plays it. Now, the WWR crown is officially hers to show for it.
Congratulations to the inaugural Wi-fi Warrior Rank!
It's been a weird, unprecedented, painstaking, and above all else amazing journey to bring you guys this ranking. Wi-fi truly is our home scene, and we know that it's the same way for many, many people who don't get a chance to compete elsewhere, or who do and simply come for the love of competition and the game. Or for the people who like winning prize money without leaving their houses! No matter the reason everyone plays, we're honored to have completed this ranking for the Wi-fi scene, and we hope to improve upon it and deliver an even better one in six months. Because just to set the record straight, there is absolutely going to be a Wi-fi Warrior Ranking v2, spanning from the beginning of July to the release of Smash Ultimate in December.
We're excited to bring you another edition of the WWR, but most importantly, we're excited to see everyone back in our weekly discords for the rest of Smash 4's lifespan!
One final, huge congratulations to everyone who made it on the WWR, and best of luck to everyone gunning for the next one!
-The WWR Team: Tacos & Cloudhead
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