**UPDATED 8/11**
-The Challenger Series is Complete!
-The Top 20 Has Been Decided!
LAST SEASON was a long grueling war for the top spot. We crowned another champion who was able to best 31 other contenders. (Check Out The Season 4 Championship To Find Out Who! Spoilers to come.) Now it's time to do it again. But this time, only 20 will be advancing to the main tournament for the prize. This is the Amiibo Wars Challenger Series where every amiibo will compete for their spot on the big stage. Over 10 new amiibos will be looking to make their mark this season, can they make it to the main tournament and win the championship? Wii Fit Trainer and Donkey Kong make their return to action after being retrained. Hopefully we will see improvement in them. Alongside these newcomers and returning fighters are the veterans, hungry to compete again and prove themselves. Who has what it takes to make it to the Top 20? Perma-Elimination is back for round 2 and now that they've experienced it, I'm wondering if things will change.
NEWCOMERS
GRENINJA and JIGGLYPUFF join the fight! Can these two newbies make a mark on the competition and even make it to the Top 20 to compete for the prize? Greninja is a quick powerhouse that isn't like anything the amiibos have seen before. Can he catch the veterans off guard with his speed and sneak his way into the Top 20? Jigglypuff is aggressive and evasive, she sticks to her targets til they are missing a stock. I feel like the ranged veterans are going to struggle with this one, I wonder if it's enough to get her to the Top 20 as well.
PALUTENA and DARK PIT are ready for war! Palutena is a defensive force. She baits so well and currently most of the veterans haven't experienced her style. This may put them at a disadvantage. Dark Pit might be similar to Pit but he definitely has his differences. Will his hard hitting smashes and increased damage potential put people off guard and get him to the Top 20? These two I think are going to make waves in the Amiibo Wars scene.
SAMUS and ZERO SUIT SAMUS may be the same person but they are completely different in Smash. Samus is a hard hitting projectile machine, can she blow away her competition for a spot in the Top 20? Or will she drop the ball? Zero Suit Samus brings speed and power to the competition, she hits hard and will leave a mark. I don't know if the scene is ready for these two new forces. I'm excited to see how things play out.
THERE'S a new heavy in town. Can GANONDORF make an impact like Bowser did on the tournament scene? His hard hitting playstyle will definitely throw off some of the veterans, with his ability to kill them in one good combo. I think he is definitely going to shake things up and hopefully give Bowser a run for his money. Will he make it to The Top 20? Hopefully. I'd like to see any heavies make it to The Top 20.
LATE NEWCOMERS
LATE to the party, OLIMAR, DR. MARIO and BOWSER JR will be given a shot at the Top 20 as they arrive. But considering they are not here, nor are they trained, the show must go on. These three are on their way now so I hope to see them soon and prepare them for battle.
CHALLENGER SERIES
CHALLENGER SERIES will feature 44 amiibos. In the end only 20 will move on to compete for the Season 5 Championship. This tournament will be point based and only those with the top points at the end of the series will be advancing. Each amiibo will be set to face multiple obstacles, including Free For Alls, Team Matches, Omega 1v1s, Item 1v1s and a variation of item matches in Free For Alls/Team Matches. The Top 20 will be the most consistent out of the lot and then compete in a perma-elimination group setting just like last season. With so many amiibos, they have to stand out to be successful, but they will all be given the same opportunities to make it to the grand stage. Are you ready for the Amiibo Wars Challenger Series for Season 5?! I am! Each round will be split into groups of 11 where they must face each opponent in a 1v1 and random opponents in ffa/team matches as well as item matches. Each group will be selected at random and there will be 2 phases. After the 2nd phase for each group is complete, the Top 5 with the most points of each group will advance. That Top 20 will be competing for the Season 5 Championship. Phase 1 is 1v1s vs all opponents, Phase 2 will be Free For Alls, Team Matches, and Item Matches selected at random. 1v1 wins will receive 2 points, FFA wins receive 3 points, Team wins receive 3 pts. All losses are -1 point.
GROUP 1
GROUP 1 PHASE 1
DONKEY KONG is up first for his singles matches. Going into this I was expecting the worst, Donkey Kong has a reputation for being terrible in these tournaments, but to my surprise he didn't do too bad. Out of 10 1v1s, DK was able to win 5 of them, putting him in an okay spot to start off the Challenger Series. If he can consistently keep winning in the FFAs and Team Matches later on, he may put himself in a good spot to make it to the Top 20. Do I expect him to? No, but it'd be interesting to see him actually do well for a change.
WARIO also makes a mediocre impression. With the same score as DK, I'm a bit worried about his chances making it to the Top 20. Wario was able to snag 5 out of 10 victories and I'm not so sure if that's going to be enough for this bracket. Lucina and Shulk have yet to drop a game but we will have to wait and see what happens. Just like Donkey Kong, he still has a chance in the second phase to bring his points up higher, but with some of the greats in this group, it's highly unlikely he will win all of his FFA/Team matches.
SHULK the reigning Season 4 Champion doesn't disappoint. He obliterates his competition, winning 9 out of 10 matches, only dropping one game to newcomer Ganondorf. The Champ will be moving on to the Top 20 after that performance, the next phase wont even matter. But four more will be set to join him out of this group. Only 5 get to move on, and right now, Shulk looks to be our first Top 20 Contender. Is he going to win another championship? Only time will tell.
LUCINA was in the final 4 last season for good reason. She's a beast. But this season seems to have shaken things up a bit, she dropped 4 games out of 10 which doesn't really ensure her safety of getting into the Top 20. But she does have a slight advantage over most in this group. Can she ensure her safety in the next phase? Or will her chances at the Season 5 Championship be dashed early? With the competition bringing 10+ new contenders, there is no telling what will happen. It's going to be interesting.
ZELDA has less than impressed in the Challenger Series. Sadly only getting 3 wins out of 10 it's looking quite grim for the princess. Her chances of making it to the Top 20 are very low, but it's still a possibility. This is the first time Zelda has been in this predicament in five seasons. Can she pull out a miracle and make a comeback? Because that is what she needs right now.
KING DEDEDE has a good chance of making it to the Top 20. Dedede managed to win 5 out of 10 of his matches which put him around the middle of the pack. It's all down to the next phase, will he be able to hang on, or will he be passed up by someone more hungry for the championship? Since last season Dedede has made major improvements and he's starting to become a force in Amiibo Wars. Do I think he's ready to take a championship? No, but I think he has what it takes to make it to the Top 20.
BOWSER stuggled to make an impact in the 1v1 stage. Coming close in almost every match, he just kept falling short. Bowser was only able to score 4 out of 10 wins. Given that 1v1s aren't really his strong suit, I hope to see him dominate the FFA/Team bracket and make it to the Top 20. He has a long road ahead, and one mistake could dash his chances. Bowser needs to win every match to ensure his safety this season.
META KNIGHT did a lot better than I expected him to. He was able to win 4 out of 10 matches which is a big deal considering he is a weaker amiibo and his skills just aren't that great for one. He's still in it and has a chance of making it to the Top 20. I would like to see him get far, maybe my opinion about the amiibo could be changed as I watch him compete with the best of them. Meta Knight was able to take down two S4 Final 4 amiibos and a previous champion. Could he make it to the Top 20? It's definitely possible but it would take a lot of work.
SONIC seems to have hit a wall. His performance in the past two tournaments have been very poor and I don't know how he went from being a top 10 contender to a low-mid tier amiibo. He seems to have trouble getting in on his opponents without getting punished and it's really starting to lessen his effectiveness on the tournament scene. Do I think Sonic will make it out of the Challenger Series? Not this season, but I hope to see him improve. I may put him through some extra training and see if it helps. Sonic scored 4 wins out of 10, he still has a chance but it'd be difficult for him to make the Top 20 with his current score.
GANONDORF shows that Shulk isn't the only one that can dominate a tournament. Ganondorf matches Shulks score with 9 out of 10 wins, only dropping one game to Lucina. Ganondorf was the only one able to beat Shulk in a 1v1 and now he is 100% joining Shulk in the Top 20. Does Shulk have a new rival vying for that top spot? It seems that way. Ganondorf looks to make a name for heavies this season and win the Season 5 Championship.
SAMUS receives an abysmally low score. Only winning 1 out of 10 matches, this amiibo really needs some more training. Clearly not ready for this competition, Samus is 100% eliminated with no chance of making a comeback. Hopefully after some intense training she will come back next season and place higher, but this score was unacceptable. UPDATE: After putting extensive training and effort into this amiibo, I just don't see her as a viable contender and she won't be returning to action in Amiibo Wars until I find a way to make her viable. (Which may be never)
GROUP 1 PHASE 2
THIS phase was split into 3 rounds. Each round had a Team Match, Item 3 Man and 4 Man Free For All. Each contestant was randomly rolled to fill a spot in one of these 3 match types each round. The results are in and only 5 remain from group 1. The battle waged on and some top contenders are already out of the tournament. Are you ready to meet The First 5 of the Top 20 for Season 5?!
THE FIRST 5 include SHULK, power player and previous S4 Champion. He's showing that he hasn't let off steam, only dropping 1 singles match to Ganondorf and winning every match in phase 2. He ended the group with an astounding 26 pts, blowing everyone in this group out of the water. Newcomer GANONDORF has proved to be a serious force, taking a game off reigning champion Shulk and only dropping one game in the 1v1 stage himself to Lucina. He ended the group with 18 pts. (Very impressive for a newbie) This powerhouse is one to watch and I wouldn't be surprised to see him make it to the end this season. META KNIGHT may have went out early last season but he looks ready to redeem himself. His performance in the 1v1 stage wasn't the best but he didn't drop a single game in stage 2, securing himself a spot in the Top 20. His end score was 11 pts. LUCINA has proven herself, coming in 3rd Place last season. She is a serious force to be reckoned with and consistently performed in the group stages. She won 6 out of 10 of her singles matches and won 1 out of 3 in phase 2. She may not be as flashy or consistent but I wouldn't put it past her to pull an upset at the end of the season and become the champion. Her end score was 9 pts. WARIO rounds out the First 5 in group 1. He hovered around the middle in the group stages getting 5 out of 10 1v1 victories and 1 out of 3 in phase 2. (He finished with an unimpressive 6 pts) Wario's placement in the Top 20 was out of pure luck, can he turn things around and step up his game to become the champion, or will he crumble under the pressure of the competition?! Who will be the next 15 to join them?! Only time will tell.
SIX amiibos have their tournament dreams cut short. BOWSER last seasons runner up failed to make an impact. He struggled in the 1v1s and didn't even perform in phase 2 where he shines. It's shocking to see such a powerhouse out in round 1 but that just makes things more interesting. ZELDA has finally fallen from grace. This amiibo has consistently stayed at the top of the ranks and for the first time she is eliminated in round 1. It's a shame, but I'm curious to see how things change in her absence, I'm sure she will do better next season. SONIC started off strong in Amiibo Wars but he has fizzled, idk if the newer ones just over shadow him but he can't seem to keep up anymore, he may need to go through a retraining process. DONKEY KONG fails to impress as usual. He did better than I expected but not good enough to keep him on the active roster. Donkey Kong is going back to the shelf and probably won't make a return. KING DEDEDE just wasn't lucky. He had a chance to make it to the Top 20 but he didn't perform in phase 2. Had he done better in those matches he would've definitely made it through this group. Sad to see him under perform again, I have my eye on him, he may need some training tweaks as well. SAMUS has the most abysmal run I've ever seen in Amiibo Wars, sure she got a win off of Bowser and a win in phase 2 but let's be fair, she won those matches on a fluke. This amiibo can't keep up, her moves are way too laggy and she won't be returning next season. Another amiibo that will be sitting on the shelf from now on.
GROUP 2
GROUP 2 brings veterans Pikachu/Peach/Marth who were all Amiibo Wars Originals. These 3 have consistently controlled top spots in tournaments and continue to leave an impression. As new arrivals challenge their ranks, are they going to continue this tradition? Or is it time for a takeover? Diddy Kong started his journey in S2 where he dominated a large portion of the tournament and consistently placed in the Top 3. In S3 and S4 he hit a bit of a slump but now is his chance to make a comeback. New kids on the block Pac Man/Charizard/Ike/Ness all got their start at the end of S3 not really having the opportunity to make an impact. In S4 Ness had everyone watching him as a favorite to win the whole thing. Tragically he fell under the Shulk Hype Train who deservedly earned his S4 Championship Win. Pac Man/Charizard/Ike failed to impress last season, with Charizard being the first one out of the entire Season. Pac Man didn't make it far with his wonky playstyle and poor ai. Ike scored around the middle of the pack. I think Ike has potential to get much farther this season and I hope to see him do it, as for Charizard and Pac Man, I'm not expecting much. Ness is a shoe in for the Top 20 and if he doesn't make it, I will definitely be shocked. Among these veterans are 3 new challengers. Palutena/Zero Suit Samus/Greninja join Amiibo Wars, looking to make an impact. Can they make it to the Top 20 and upset some top players? We will see.
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IKE makes a comeback from his previous Season 4 experience. Ike was able to score fairly high in his group, winning 7 out of 10 of his matches. Ike dropped games to veterans and previous front runners, so he did pretty well. I think Ike has a definite shot of making it to the Top 20 out of this group, the only way he wouldn't make would be by an unbelievable miracle. He's sitting pretty in the standings and is on his way to bigger and better things this season.
CHARIZARD has redeemed himself as well. Being the first one out in Season 4, Charizard had a lot to prove. I think it comes as a shock to everyone that Charizard was able to tie Ike by winning 7 out of 10 of his matches. Much like Ike, this has put Charizard in a great position for the Top 20. With two contenders now having amazing phase 1 results, that means that some of the challengers are going to score very poorly. Who will it be now that these low tier contenders are making astounding pushes towards the Season 5 Championship? Could more top contenders see an early end? Charizard has surprised and impressed me this season, and definitely changed my opinion of him as an amiibo.
GRENINJA splashes on to the scene, but it was more of a drizzle. Being new in Amiibo Wars typically means your first impression isn't going to be your best. Judging from Charizard's horrible performance in Season 4, to his impressive 7 out of 10 wins this season, It's safe to say things can change on a dime. Greninja had a horrible showing, only winning 3 out of 10 of his matches. This amiibo put up a good fight but it seems he isn't quite ready to make a push to the top. I don't see him making it to the Top 20 considering his current standing, but you never know what could happen in phase 2.
MARTH has struggled to impress the past two seasons. Being an original and coming so close to winning the championship in Season 1, Marth's performance has been on the down slope. He has recently been overshadowed by his clone Lucina who managed to score 3rd place overall last season. This seems to have awakened a fire in Marth who managed to win an impressive 8 out of 10 matches in phase 1. Marth has set himself up to make it to the Top 20. It's certain that he has moved on regardless of what happens in phase 2. Marth destroyed his competition in this group and it's good to see him make a comeback. Can he make it past Lucina this season, or will she prove once again to be the better Swordsman? Marth is on his way back, and it currently seems no one can stop him.
PEACH has put herself in a do or die situation. Her placement was right in the middle, scoring only 5 out of 10 wins. She has an opportunity in phase 2 to redeem herself and secure a spot in the Top 20, but she could just as well fail to impress and see an early end, just like her rival Zelda did in group 1. Peach has been a consistent front runner since season 2, and even had a high placement last season. Right now she has to really put in work to make it to the Top 20. These new comers are hungry and veterans are dropping out early. Can she make a comback and secure a spot? Or is this original's spot going to a newbie?
DIDDY KONG much like Sonic in the previous group, has fallen from grace. A previous front runner, this monkey has seemingly lost his bananas. Diddy Kong scored the worst of any amiibo in group 2 and has insured that he will not be continuing his journey to the Top 20. This means that all of his efforts in phase 2 will be for naught because he has no chance of making the Top 5 after his abysmal performance. Diddy Kong was only able to score 1 out of 10 wins in phase 1. I'm not really sure what has happened to this amiibo but every match he came close, he just couldn't seem to finish the job. He almost even took a game off of Ness! Diddy Kong needs to improve, and rekindle his former flame. This amiibo is strong but he may need a little extra training to put him back to where he was. Maybe next season Diddy!
PIKACHU is another ex-front runner that has taken a plummet to the bottom of the pack. This amiibo has what it takes to be a champion but he alway seems to drop the ball at the end. What worries me is that traditionally he starts out strong and fizzles at the end, but this season has proven, the cute little mouse just isn't where he needs to be and has almost no chance of making it to the Top 20. He scored only 3 out of 10 victories in phase 1, sadly this puts him in a terrible spot requiring a miracle to make it past this group. Will Pikachu ever get back to his previous success? Or will he continue to fall to the bottom. I hope to see a change in his performance soon!
ZERO SUIT SAMUS scores better than most but only by a hair. She manages to take 4 out of 10 victories, putting her in a spot much like Peach where she really has to perform in phase 2 to progress to the Top 20. This group has seemingly left the door wide open for a couple of contenders to redeem themselves. Can she make a lasting impression by climbing the ranks? Or will she stick to the tradition of newbies not making it very far in Amiibo Wars? Only time will tell, but I hope to see some newbies in the Top 20!
PALUTENA has sadly left me a little disappointed. After watching her beat some of my best amiibos in 1v1s, I was expecting her to definitely make it to the Top 20. But sadly, her score has put her in a position where she will most likely not make it. She only managed to win 3 out of 10 matches in this group, I'm thinking that it's mostly because this group consists of quick rushdown. (Her weakness.) Palutena still has phase 2 to possibly make it to the Top 20, but it will be very difficult and probably require her to win every single match. Here's hoping!
PAC MAN may actually do the unthinkable. Scoring 4 out of 10 victories, Pac Man is placed at the middle of the pack. This means there's a chance he could make it to the Top 20. Pac Man has consistently performed poorly, overall due to his AI not being where it should be for this amiibo. He doesn't do anything that sets him apart as an advantage, other than the hydrant which has seemed to throw off a few of his opponents and grab him some victories. Who knew water pushing them around would have such a profound effect?! Pac Man winning even 1 match was a surprise to me, so let's see if he continues to improve and change my opinion of him.
NESS makes history. He is the first challenger this season to win every match in phase 1. Ness obliterated his competition, making quick work of almost all of them. He has a couple of close calls but Ness always seems to find a way to come out on top. This amiibo has proven to be an absolute force in Amiibo Wars and it's no question that he has easily earned his spot in the Top 20. Did anyone ever have any doubt in the boy? A top contender through and through, I don't think Ness will ever be below the Top 10. Shulk, Ness is coming for you and I don't know if you can stop him this time.
GROUP 2 PHASE 2
GROUP 2 had a very close battle between the challengers in phase 2. Almost every contender scored atleast 1 win in this group stage, shaking things up a bit and leaving me without a clue who was going to move on. After putting in an amazing effort, Peach, Marth and Ness all managed to win 2 out of their 3 matches. Are you ready to meet the next 5 contenders to battle it out in season 5? They fought hard in this group stage to make it and all 5 of them deserve their spot.
THE SECOND 5 contenders to advance through to Season 5 are.. IKE the hard hitting power player. Ike scored well in his 1v1 matches and was consistent in the FFA stage. He handily earned his position and is well deserving of his standing. Ike failed to make it to the Top 20 in Season 3 and finished in 16th last season. He is making a slow climb higher each tournament, but can he finally win the prize? CHARIZARD didn't have the chance to really compete last season, being the first one of the entire tournament elminated. This season he has shown he's not going out like that again and has insured his spot in the Top 20, a major improvement. Charizard has greatly improved and I'm excited to see how far he goes. MARTH is an OG power player who has had a couple of bad seasons. Coming off of a terrible 24th placement last season, Marth has already made an improvement, being guaranteed Top 20. Marth dominated the solo bracket and managed 2 out of 3 wins in the FFA stage. Marth is ready to make his climb back to the top and I'm rooting for him. PEACH struggled a bit in this group in her 1v1s but has handily proven she is not going out without a fight. Peach fought hard in phase 2 to secure herself a spot in the Top 20. She has placed in the Top 10 every season and proved she's a consistent top contender. Can she do it again? Or is she ready to take it a step further and win the whole thing? NESS terrorized this group bracket, making quick work of all of his opponents and was the first challenger this season to win all 10 of their 1v1 matches. He dropped only 1 game in phase 2 and ended with 25 points, only 1 point less than Shulk in group 1. Ness is out for blood and I think he has a great chance of winning this season. Can he get his revenge on Shulk? Or is Shulk going to shut him down once more? You'll have to check out Season 5 to find out!
SIX MORE amiibos have their Season 5 hopes dashed. GRENINJA was a newcomer, and with that comes the newbie curse. Typically when a new amiibo joins Amiibo Wars they aren't as developed as the veterans and just don't do as well, this was the case with Greninja. He put up a good fight but it just wasn't enough. PIKACHU is an OG and veteran to Amiibo Wars. It's surprising to see him go out in the first round. Much like Zelda, Pikachu typically makes it pretty far every season. It'll be interesting to see how things pan out with these top tier veterans exiting early. DIDDY KONG has had even less success than some of the weaker amiibos. Diddy Kong just can't seem to finish people off and it's looking like it's time to take him back to the training room. Diddy Kong got retrained when I revamped all my amiibos in a new training method and it hasn't worked out for him like the old one. He definitely needs some special attention to get him back to his former glory. ZERO SUIT SAMUS is another newbie to Amiibo Wars and put up a good fight, but veteran Peach was able to beat her to that 5th place spot. ZSS is going to need to improve a bit more before making it far in Amiibo Wars but I can definitely see her improving and placing higher next season. PALUTENA didn't do as well as I'd hoped. I feel like this group was not suited to her strengths with all the quick rush down amiibos in the mix. That being said I think Palutena has a lot of potential and it's a shame to see her out so early but I am definitely not worried about her effectiveness, I think she will do better in the future. PAC MAN surprised me, his wonky skill set and hydrant mechanic managed to get him a few wins, I actually thought he might make it to the Top 20. But he just didn't have enough points to move forward. Even so, I'm glad to see he's not completely useless, I may tweak him with some new customs and see if it helps him out.
GROUP 3
GROUP 3 brings quite a mix of veterans and newbies as well as one returning to action. Rosalina was out very early last season. She has always been a power player so I expect big things from her. I will be surprised if she doesn't make it to the Top 20, she definitely has what it takes to win the whole thing. Newbies Dark Pit, Olimar, Jigglypuff and Dr. Mario are looking to make a great first impression on the scene. Can the clones Dr. Mario and Dark Pit live up to Mario and Pit's dominating performances here? Fox has always left a mediocre impression on Amiibo Wars, I don't expect much from him but I'm hoping he improves. Last season, Robin was out surprisingly early. Considering his debut in season 3 where he ran a 9 man gauntlet without dropping a game, I thought he'd make it farther than he did. Is he going to be inconsistent? Or was it just a momentary falter? Little Mac was a force to be reckoned with in season 3, but in season 4 he was the first big player to shockingly be eliminated. Can he bring back the momentum and return to his former glory? Toon Link and Villager made a big splash last season, dominating the first half of the season before being eliminated. Both of them have proven to be strong forces in Amiibo Wars and I hope to see both of them move on. Wii Fit Trainer makes her return to action after an extensive retraining regiment. Can she finally make an impact on Amiibo Wars? Or is it back to the shelf for this one? This group will be an interesting one, I really have no clue who will be making it to the Top 20, it's going to be the closest one so far.
ROSALINA really seemed to struggle in this group. She failed to beat a lot of the newcomers, as if they threw her off of her game. Rosalina was only able to win 4 out of 10 matches, much like Zelda and Peach, she is in a do or die predicament. If she doesn't perform in phase 2, she will meet the same fate as Zelda, leaving the tournament early and spelling out the end of another top contender in Amiibo Wars. Rosalina amiibo's effectiveness has definitely taken a bit of a plummet since the nerfs to the character, she's not nearly as strong as she used to be. I'd like to see her improve, I'm just not sure she can hang with the big dogs anymore.
DARK PIT leaves a lasting impression. Proving that Pit isn't the only Dominant Angel on the scene. Dark Pit obliterated the first phase, scoring the highest points in phase 1. Dark Pit only dropped 1 game, scoring 9 out of 10 wins. This newcomer, much like Ganondorf, guaranteed his spot in the Top 20 in Phase 1 alone. Phase 2 won't even matter for this one, he could lose every match and will still place Top 5. I'm glad to see some newcomers shaking things up a bit. This amiibo seems to be a force to be reckoned with and I wonder if he is going to make it all the way to the end and surprise us all by becoming the champion.
VILLAGER is unable to make an impact in this group. He scored pretty low with only 3 out of 10 victories. This has placed him in a terrible spot. Luckily for him though, this group is extremely close and there are a lot of spots up for grabs going into phase 2. If he wins all 3 matches, he may secure a spot in the Top 20, but he's going to have to work hard to get there. Is another top contender going to be out in round 1? I hope not, but this doesn't seem to look good for Villager.
DR. MARIO doesn't disappoint. Living up to the Mario hype, Dr. Mario proves that he's just as strong. Dr. Mario wins 7 out of 10 matches, this has placed him in a great spot to place into The Top 20. But, this group was very close, and if he doesn't perform in phase 2, his spot could be snatched away from him. It's a rare chance this will happy, I'm pretty sure Dr. Mario is a shoe in for the Top 20. The newbies are definitely making an impact in Amiibo Wars.
OLIMAR much like Palutena, left me a bit disappointed. Benefit of the doubt, he is new and it takes a little time for some of them to come into their own. But considering his performances out of tournament against some top tier amiibos, Olimar had a good chance to make it to the Top 20. Now, I'm not so sure. Olimar scored only 3 out of 10 wins in phase 1. The group is very close and he still has a chance to make it, but it'd be a miracle. There are a lot of great contenders in this group, it's looking like Olimar doesn't have a chance of making it this season.
LITTLE MAC is back. Dropping only 3 games, Little Mac is set up for a Top 20 spot. He isn't guaranteed a Top 20 placement though, it all comes down to phase 2. If he struggles and doesn't win any matches, there is a small chance he could be passed up again this season. But as it stands, it's looking very good for Mac. He had a dominant performance in the 1v1 bracket, to be expected and looks to make an impact once more on Amiibo Wars. Can he make it to the end and snatch a title this time? He seems to be hungry this season, I hope to see him make it far.
JIGGLYPUFF scores around the middle of the pack. She consistently gave every opponent a run for their money in the 1v1 phase, taking games off some seasoned veterans. Jigglypuff scored 4 out of 10 wins. This wasn't the best placement but she still has a good chance of making it to the Top 20. Most of the contenders in this group scored around the same amount of points so it's anyones game. Jigglypuff came so close to winning every match, it just came down to range issues and not being able to get in on some of them. Jigglypuff is going to make an impact, it just may take her a little bit longer to do so.
ROBIN does a fantastic job considering how difficult and evenly matched this group is. He was able to take games off of seasoned vets and gave everyone a hard fight. Robin scored 5 out of 10 wins, currently putting him a little ahead of the pack. He has proven to be a definite force in the past and has a great chance of making it to the Top 20. Robin seems to thrive in Team/FFA matches and I'm expecting him to do well in phase 2, Here's hoping that he makes it to the Top 20 this season.
FOX holds true to his reputation. This amiibo can't seem to get a break. He consistently scores low and just cant make an impact. Fox gets 3 out of 10 wins, not the worst score considering this group is so close, but at the same time I really don't have faith in him winning any sort of team/ffa matches. Fox is teetering on being retired. If he can't ever get past the bottom 10, he doesn't belong in Amiibo Wars. I wan't to keep things fair, not give amiibos free wins. I may try to tweak him with customs in the future and see if it changes things but he currently isn't able to keep up with the other amiibos.
WII FIT TRAINER surprised me this season. I wasn't expecting much out of her, I figured she might win 1 or 2 matches but I didn't think she'd win 5 out of 10. Wii Fit hasn't had the same opportunities as other vets because I felt like the amiibo was broken. But since it seems Nintendo patched amiibo recovery issues, she is now viable again. Wii Fit took down a couple strong contenders and has proven that maybe she could even make it to the Top 20. She was able to score a little ahead of the pack and now it comes down to phase 2. Does she have what it takes to get to the Top 20?
TOON LINK much like Rosalina, struggled in this group. I was a bit shocked to see him only win 5 out of 10 matches. I definitely expected a better score from this one. Toon Link is a consistent top contender, but these newbies seemed to take him down a peg. Toon Link is in a tough position and definitely not guaranteed a spot in the Top 20. He is really going to have to step up his game in phase 2 to ensure his safety. This group has been crazy close, there is absolutely no telling who will be moving on, it all comes down to phase 2.. Will another top contender see an early exit? It's all up in the air, phase 2 is going to be crazy.
GROUP 3 PHASE 2
GROUP 3 sees the rise of newcomers and the fall of top tier veterans. 2 Amiibos managed to win every match in phase 2 and that was Jigglypuff and Robin. Both of their dominant performance propelled them to top scores. While they had success, others struggled. Villager and Rosalina, two strong contenders, failed to win any matches in this phase, insuring that they wont be continuing this season to the Top 20. But where does that leave everyone else? Are you ready to meet the next 5 challengers on their way to the Top 20?
THE NEXT 5 to advance to the Top 20 include.. DARK PIT who absolutely dominated this group. Winning 9 out of 10 of his 1v1's as well as 1 out of 3 of the FFA/TEAM matches, Dark Pit secured the most points in the group and sets the bar high for Pit to live up to. DR. MARIO, also a clone, did consistently well in both phases. He didn't score the highest in either area but he definitely did enough to secure himself a spot in the Top 20. But considering the powerhouse players that have already advanced, he's going to have to step his game up a bit if he wants to stay in it to the end. LITTLE MAC redeemed himself after his abysmal performance last season. With winning 7 out of 10 of his 1v1's and 1 out of 3 of his phase 2 FFA/TEAM matches, he definitely earned his spot in the Top 20. Huge improvement over last season. Can he make it back to the top? ROBIN scores another big win for Fire Emblem, insuring that every Fire Emblem Character has made it to the Top 20. Robin's 1v1's were up and down, but he dominated the FFA/TEAM match phase, winning 3 out of 3 of his matches. This boosted him up to 2nd for the whole group in points. Robin is really starting to become a challenger to watch in Amiibo Wars, I can see him going far this season. JIGGLYPUFF is another newbie who has proven to be a terrorizing force. In her 1v1's she gave everyone a tough time. Winning only 4 out of 10 of her matches though, she had a big task ahead of her in phase 2. Jigglypuff managed to win all 3 of her phase 2 matches and made it into the Top 20 by only 1 point. It was a very close call for The Puff, and I am happy to see another newbie make it to the Top 20.
SIX MORE tournament dreams are crushed. ROSALINA failed to impress this season. I think the nerfs to her character have definitely put her behind as an amiibo. She's so much easier to kill and she struggles a lot with getting rushed down. Rosalina had a chance to make it but she dropped the ball in phase 2, not winning a single match. Hopefully she will be able to make a comeback soon and continue on her road to the championship. VILLAGER was a front runner last season but has since fallen short. His 1v1 performance was weak and he didn't win any matches in phase 2. Villager is not having a good season, I hope to see things change next time. OLIMAR is a new amiibo and his AI has a few issues. I'm hoping that these issues get worked out so he doesn't stand around randomly, because it does have an effect on his performance. This amiibo has so much potential and as time goes on, I'm hoping he will improve and be a top contender in Amiibo Wars. FOX continues to underperform, Jigglypuff completely carried him in a team match, otherwise he wouldn't have won anything in phase 2. Fox never makes it past the bottom 5 and I think it's time for him to be retired. Possibly customs could improve his performance, I'll have to go back to the drawing board on this one. But currently, he wont be returning next season. WII FIT TRAINER did surprisingly very well. She scored above average in phase 1 and even scored 2 wins in phase 2. 1 point separated her and Jigglypuff for the 5th spot in the Top 20. Sadly, Wii Fit will not be making it further but A for effort. TOON LINK had a disappointing run, only winning 5 out of 10 of his 1v1s, I was expecting him to be the one that pushes hard in phase 2 to secure his spot. That didn't happen, Toon Link didn't win any matches in the FFA/TEAM phase and it costed him the tournament. 3 major players have been ripped from the competition early, making way for many new comers to fight for that top spot. Only 1 group remains in the Amiibo Wars Challenger Series for Season 5, Stay Tuned!
GROUP 4
GROUP 4 is the toughest group in the entire Challenger Series. For Yoshi and Shiek I'm worried, these two sit lower on the spectrum of challengers in Amiibo Wars, and I really don't think they have any chance of making it out of this group with all of these A List amiibos. Previous champions Link and Mario will be looking to continue their dominance on their way to the Top 20. If either one of these amiibos drop out, I will be surprised. Luigi has been on the down slope recently, I'm curious to see whether he has pulled it together yet. In a group like this, is his best going to be enough to make it to the Top 20? Kirby and Captain Falcon had sub par performances last season, is it time for a comeback or will they continue to descend in the ranks? Lucario consistently has stayed at the top of the pack every season, with his history in Amiibo Wars I definitely expect him to make it to the Top 20. Maybe even win a championship this season. One newcomer joins the battle in this group, Bowser Jr makes his debut. Getting out of this group will be quite the task, and I would definitely be surprised if he did. There are way too many threats in this group and I have a feeling this one is going to come down to the wire. Phase 2 is going to play a huge part in deciding who the last 5 to round out the Top 20 will be. I'm excited to see who it will be! Season 5's contenders are about to be named, only one group remains on the road to the Top 20!
BOWSER JR does the best any newbie could do in this group. With some of Amiibo War's most notorious titans in this group, the chances of a newcomer making a big splash were rare. Bowser Jr managed to get 3 out of 10 victories, managing to take games off greats like Luigi and Mega Man. It's a good sign for him to be able to do that and I think over time, he will be able to win on a more consistent basis. I'm curious to see how he performs in Phase 2 but he's definitely not making it to the Top 20 this season.
CAPTAIN FALCON fails to impress. This group was rough and he only managed to take 3 out of 10 games, just like newcomer Bowser Jr. Captain Falcon seems to be very inconsistent and his performances each season fluctuate from the top to the bottom. Falcon doesn't seem to stand a chance of making it out of this group and considering the competition, I'm not really surprised. His performance in Phase 2 may derail some other contenders, but his journey to the Top 20 is completely over.
MEGA MAN finishes phase 1 strong. He is able to land 7 out of 10 wins, putting him in a very secure position moving forward. In previous groups, 7 out of 10 wins insured a spot in the Top 20 but with the competition so high in this group, I wouldn't be so sure it's going to be enough. Phase 2 is going to be more important in this group than it was in any other because right now the scores are very close between most of them. Sadly, only 5 get to move on.
LUIGI's mediocre performance leaves him in a tough position going forward. It's do or die for this plumber. He scored an unimpressive 5 out of 10 matches, though his wins were on some of Amiibo War's best. He dropped 5 games which does not insure his safety. Luigi is going to have to perform very well in phase 2 if he want's a chance of making it to the Top 20. Can he pull it together in a pinch and surprise us all?
MARIO shows no signs of slowing down. Since Season 3, this previous champion has been on a roll. This season is like no other, winning 7 out of 10 matches, Mario continues to stay at the top of the pack. If by some fluke, Mario doesn't make it to the Top 20, it will be a shock to everyone. Mario currently sits at #1 overall in the standings, and he's in a good spot to keep it that way.
LINK is out for revenge. His abysmal 20th from last season seems to have left a mark. This former champion proved he isn't a has been, and matched Mega Man and Mario by winning 7 out of 10 of his matches as well. Link consistently proves to be a force in Amiibo Wars. Last season seemed to be a fluke, and it's time for Link to make his way back to the top. Link currently sits in a great position to finish in the Top 5 and make it to the overall Top 20 for Season 5! I'm excited to see Link performing well again, I was getting a little worried after his season 4 flub up.
PIT puts up a great fight but falls a little short. Finishing in the Top 8 last season, Pit managed to save himself multiple times from elimination. He really seems to go all out when he is placed in a unfavorable predicament. That being said, Pit seems to be in one of those predicaments once more. Though he performed well in every match, he was falling short and only managed 5 out 10 wins. This top contender may meet an early end like other top challengers did before him this season. Pit is still in a position to make it to the Top 20, and I have faith in him. It just comes down to phase 2.
SHIEK performed what was expected of her. She scored 4 out of 10 wins which, for Shiek is pretty good. I love this amiibo, I love watching her fight. I just wish she had stronger kill options. In the amiibo world, this holds her back a lot. Sometimes Shiek is able to take matches off of Amiibo War's Elites and I love to see it. This group just seems to be a bit too hard for her. She has a small chance of making it to the Top 20 if she manages to win all her phase 2 matches but I'm not optimistic for this happening.
KIRBY has had a stint of dominance in the past. Sadly, this season is showing that those days are long past. To be fair, I think if Kirby got placed in another group he'd probably be in the Top 20. But comparing Kirby to these other amiibos, he just didn't seem to stand much chance. Just like Shiek, Kirby only managed to win 4 out of 10 matches. This isn't the best position to be in, but there is still a small glimmer of hope in phase 2. Do I think Kirby will make it this season? No, but I'm sure he will in future seasons. Kirby seems to have gotten unlucky in this Challenger Series.
YOSHI did much better last season than I would've ever expected. This season, all I can say is Poor Yoshi. (lol) Yoshi has been placed in the worst group possible for him having any chance of moving on to the Top 20. Yoshi does pretty well in FFA/Team Matches but 1v1's are not his strong suit. With 1v1's being important in the Challenger Series, Yoshi's horrible 3 out of 10 wins has pretty much sealed his fate. Yoshi isn't going to win against these Amiibo War vets in a 1v1 setting and his phase 2 performance is not going to be enough to keep him in the game. Sadly, this dinosaur has met his end, maybe next season we will see him do better. (Hopefully he wont be placed in a horrible group again, lol.)
LUCARIO makes an impact. This Amiibo Wars vet continues to land top spots every season. Lucario is last season's 5th place and overall 5th place in the standings. He seems to be in the running to win a championship, but there are a lot of tough contenders in Amiibo Wars now. Can Lucario knock them down a peg and finally make it to the top? Winning 7 out of 10 matches, he is a shoe in for a Top 20 spot. But with 3 other amiibos tying him for most points and 2 amiibos on their heels, Phase 2 is going to be crucial. This is the only group so far that has been so close that Phase 2 wins will be required to move forward. I can't wait to round out the Top 20. Season 5 is almost here and we're about to find out who the final 5 challengers will be! Are you ready?!
GROUP 4 PHASE 2
GROUP 4's phase 2 leaves me speechless. In an unpredictable turn of events, the low scoring amiibos take over and leave multiple amiibos whom I thought were safe in a dangerous position to save themselves from elimination. Two Top Scoring Phase 1 contenders easily secure their spot in the Top 20 while the other four fail to impress, not winning a single match. Luckily for two of them, their scores in the first phase was enough for them to advance to the big stage. The other two were not so lucky. Losing every match costed them their chances of making it and one bottom scoring amiibo was able to snatch that spot right out from under them. Are you ready to find out who it is and see who the Final 5 to round out the Top 20 will be?!
THE FINAL 5 amiibos to make it to Season 5 Include.... LUCARIO, famed top contender in Amiibo Wars. He managed to score the most points in the most difficult group in the entire Challenger Series. Scoring an incredible 20 points. This group proved to be very close, each contender was battling for a top spot. Lucario secured his spot by winning 7 out of 10 of his singles matches and won all 3 of his matches in phase 2. He is looking strong going into Season 5, and one to watch for winning the whole thing. MEGA MAN made quick work of most of his opponents, also scoring 7 out of 10 1v1's. He did well in the 2nd phase also, winning 2 out of 3 of his matches. Mega Man is really showing he has what it take to make it in Amiibo Wars, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him make it to the end. Mega Man finished 2nd in this group, that says a lot about his strength. LINK continues on his road to redemption. Embarrassed by his horrible Season 4 Performance, Link managed to win 7 out of 10 of his singles matches. Being that this is the toughest group, Link made a statement. Though, he is lucky he placed so well in phase 1 because his phase 2 score was terrible. Link didn't win a single match in phase 2, if he wants to make it anywhere in the Top 20, he's going to have to step up his game. MARIO is currently #1 in the overall standings for Amiibo Wars. He has consistently placed high every season, and it seems this one is no different. Mario scored 7 out of 10 which, much like Link, was lucky for him. Mario failed to impress in his phase 2 matches as well, losing all 3. If these 2 had not competed so well in phase 1, they'd most likely be out. Mario is going to have to step up his game if he wants to stay on top this season, there's a lot of strong contenders ready to snatch his #1 spot. Any bad placements could see him dropping and I don't think he wants that. SHIEK surprised us all. Shiek had a subpar performance in her 1v1's, only winning 4 out 10 matches. I was pretty certain she had no chance of winning with Pit and Luigi scoring higher than her. But like I said earlier, it came down to phase 2. Pit and Luigi failed to win any matches, leaving the door wide open to snatch that fifth spot. Shiek won 2 out 3 matches, very impressive in such a difficult group. She has clearly improved as time has progressed. How far is she gonna make it against all of these top tier amiibos in the Top 20? I'm curious to find out.
THE FINAL SIX to lose their spot in the Challenger Series for Season 5... KIRBY seems to be very hit or miss. Kirby was only able to win 4 out of 10 of his 1v1's, but unlike Shiek, he didn't perform well in phase 2, sealing his fate. Kirby won 1 out of 3 matches which wasn't enough to advance him to the Top 20. This amiibo has potential to be great, I'm just not sure he can reach it currently. YOSHI definitely has a lot of weaknesses and as I predicted, this group was just way too difficult for him to have a chance of advancing. I was happy to see him score fairly well last season, very close to the Top 10. But he has a long way to go before he has any chance of scoring big in Amiibo Wars. PIT only needed to win 1 match in phase 2 to advance and he blew it. I'm really disappointed. Pit has always done great in Amiibo Wars, but unlike Mario and Link, his phase 1 score wasn't high enough to secure his safety after his terrible performance in phase 2. Pit joins the other vets that seen an early departure this season. I'm positive next season he will perform better. LUIGI still hasn't seemed to conquer his slump. He did "okay" in his 1v1's, winning half of them and taking matches off some great challengers. But it came down to phase 2, he underperformed, not winning any matches and now he faces the consequences. Had he been placed into an easier group, he would've surely made it to the Top 20, but considering he's been failing to impress lately, I doubt he would've made it far this season anyway. CAPTAIN FALCON was proof to how difficult this group was. He just couldn't handle the pressure in phase 1 and 2 and I was sure after his terrible performance in the 1v1's, he didn't stand a chance in phase 2. I hope to see Falcon improve as time goes by, I'm just not sure he has the ability to be great. BOWSER JR makes his debut in the toughest group possible and I must say, he did pretty well considering how new he is to Amiibo Wars. This koopa put up a fight against some top contenders and took games off a few of them. I think he may be one to watch in the future but he needs a little more experience before he'll be able to shine.
THE TOP 20 has been decided and Season 5 is approaching quickly. With Three Former Champions in the mix, Four newcomers debuting in the Top 20 and some lower ranked amiibos surprising the world by making it to the grand stage, it's anyone's guess who will be walking out of it "The Season 5 Amiibo Wars Champion!" It's Time To Meet The Top 20!!
THE TOP 20
THESE 20 amiibos conquered all the odds. 44 amiibos competed in the Season 5 Challenger Series and these are the 20 that remain. After four grueling groups, only the Top 5 of each are given the opportunity to battle it out for the Season 5 Championship. This group includes former champions LINK, MARIO and SHULK who are all looking to be the first to claim 2 Championships in Amiibo Wars. PEACH, LUCINA, MEGA MAN, NESS and LUCARIO are all top contenders who time and time again prove they are worthy of their positions. Can they finally bring home a victory and the honor of saying they are Amiibo Wars Champions? MARTH and LITTLE MAC are former top contenders looking to make their way back into the spotlight. They may have had a bad season or two but seem to have worked out the kinks and look stronger than ever. Can these two shock us all and win this season? Speaking of shockers this season, IKE, CHARIZARD, SHIEK, WARIO and META KNIGHT improve immensely. These bottom contenders have stepped into the spotlight and are now given the opportunity to shock the world of Amiibo Wars. With their poor performances and low standings, can they change up the game and make it all the way to the end? Will they be able to compete with the best of the best? It will be interesting to see. Four newcomers burst on to the scene! JIGGLYPUFF, GANONDORF, DARK PIT and DR. MARIO have proven that the newbie curse doesn't apply to them. These four amiibos had strong performances in their groups and proved themselves to be strong contenders right out of the gate. Are we going to see a newbie crowned as Champion for the first time ever?! I'm excited for Season 5, there is no telling how it's going to play out. I hope you enjoyed the Season 5 Challenger Series!! Let me know in the comments if you did!!
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