Pokémon: 'Setting the Stage for Pokkén Tournament at Worlds'

“If I win, sweet. If I lose, I met a lot of people and played a good game.”

☆ NintendObs Event – Pokémon World Championships 2016.

Pokémon World Championships 2016

Setting the Stage for Pokkén Tournament at Worlds

The Pokkén Tournament competition at Worlds kicks off with an exciting last chance qualifier.

August 19, 2016

This year’s Pokémon World Championships are finally underway, giving players from around the globe the opportunity to test their skills in their favorite games. The newest addition to the festivities is Pokkén Tournament, which kicks off with a last chance qualifier to round out the tournament field. With only a few seats available, the last chance qualifier puts unique pressure on the competitors who hope to earn their spot.

One such competitor is Jonathan “Milln” Conaway, a Lucario main from Tennessee. In addition to the stress of simply taking part in the last chance qualifier, Conaway is also worried about making his supporters proud. “People think I’m a good player and cheer me on,” he explained. “A couple players are here just because I do so well with Lucario.”

Even so, Conaway is confident in his ability to make it out of his pool thanks to the new pressure tools he has in his back pocket. By utilizing Lucario’s forward strong attack in Duel Phase, he’s able to put his opponent in a disadvantageous position as they recover from the attack. If they block, the move’s safe nature makes additional pressure possible, and if they perform a counter attack, he can respond with Extreme Speed.

“I’m here to hang out, play Pokkén Tournament, and see people I don’t get to see very often,” Conaway said, summing up his goals for the weekend.

This sentiment was echoed by two other players hoping to find fortune in the last chance qualifiers, Faye “Princess Aura” Mata and Evan “The Muscle” Russell. While their main characters (Suicune and Machamp, respectively) couldn’t be more different in terms of playstyle, their thoughts align when it comes to mindset.

“I don’t really know anyone in my bracket, so I’m just trying to keep an open mind,” Russell said. “I take things as they come. There could be someone that’s really good that no one knows about.” Russell has enjoyed the opportunity to battle against international competition at the Pokémon World Championships. Practicing with some of the visiting European players has given Russell a few new ideas with Machamp that he hopes will carry him through to the finals.

Mata, on the other hand, embraces the social aspects of tournament play. She’s a serious competitor, but she does what she can to bring a little noise to the proceedings, even during her own matches.

“When I enter tournaments, I try not to separate my mindset from when I’m playing casually,” Mata said. “If I win, sweet. If I lose, I met a lot of people and played a good game. I like joking and saying random stuff to my friends. I hope my opponents are ready for my outbursts, but it’s really just friendly trash talk.”

This attitude carried Mata to a strong finish at Evo 2016, where she tied for 33rd out of a staggering 1165 players. Even if she doesn’t find the same success at Worlds that she had at Evo, it’s clear that she’ll still have a good time with the rest of the Pokkén Tournament community at the Pokémon World Championships.

While players like Mata and Russell are more focused on pool play, Teddy “Tspeeds” Meskimen is already looking towards the main event. “I don’t know any of the players in my pool, so I’m pretty confident in winning and getting to finals,” he said. “Once I get there, though, I have no idea how it’s going to look.”

Pools may not be much of a concern for Meskimen, but he’s wary of running into Nobuhiro “Uho” Suganuma after a devastating loss to him at Evo. That said, Meskimen believes practice in the matchup will give him an opportunity to avenge that defeat.

“I think I just need to play smart and not doubt myself too much,” Meskimen concluded.

No matter where you stand, it’s easy to see just how difficult these last chance qualifiers can be. High-level players from across the world have descended on San Francisco for their final shot at playing in Worlds proper. Making it through the early pools is a daunting task even for experienced players with so much on the line. Positive attitudes and a desire to simply play Pokkén Tournament with other fans, win or lose, has already made the first Pokkén Tournament World Championships special.

Remember to follow Pokkén Tournament play on Pokemon.com/Live today and tomorrow, when we will find out who will become our first Pokkén Tournament World Champion.

— Pokémon News
Source: Pokémon.