AMIIBO WARS: SEASON 6 CHALLENGER SERIES
JOURNEY TO THE TOP 20
*UPDATED 12/27*
*The Amiibo Wars Biographies are finally completed. Check out the Rankings tab for more info!! The Challenger Series will continue at some point, I don't have the passion atm to do consistent updates. My blog has been pretty dead for a while anyway, I feel like people don't care anymore about it since it's been so long. I'll continue it when I feel passionate about it again.*
THE SEASON began with 51 hopefuls, looking for a shot to compete for the Season 6 Championship. The 3 amiibos who had the highest scores last season were given a by to the Top 20, leaving the other 48 to battle it out for those other 17 spots. Wildcard was our Preseason event to dwindle down the competitors. The competitor pool has been cut in half, leaving only 24 left to fight for that chance to compete in Season 6: Team Turmoil. My original plan was to have all of these amiibos battle once again for the remaining spots, but to make sure the groups are evenly matched I was forced to Promote the Highest Scoring Amiibo in Wildcard to the Top 20 and bring back the highest scoring eliminated amiibo. This is the only way I could even out the groups. If you haven't read the Wildcard Series yet, Check it out here! Spoilers Ahead!!
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THE WILDCARD MVP IS REWARDED
THE TOP SCORE from Wildcard went to LINK. He was the only amiibo out of all 8 Wildcard Events to get a perfect score in both phases. This has awarded him the honor of advancing to the Top 20, and bypassing the Challenger Series completely. Link finished with an impressive 19 points, with 3 behind him only managing 16 points each. Judging from Link's recent past, this is a huge accomplishment and a major step forward for him. I believe his chances this season are very good, because his team fighting abilities are top notch. Can he finally win another Championship?!
A 2ND CHANCE IS GIVEN
BECAUSE of a need to promote Link to the Top 20, I needed one more to even out the rest of the groups in the Challenger Series. Out of all the eliminated competitors, I looked for the one with the most points in any given Wildcard. That amiibo was MII SWORDSMAN. He was 1 point ahead of the rest, so he will be placed back into the pool of competitors competing for a shot at the Top 20. Considering how his Wildcard went, I think it worked out best for him to get another chance. His spot was basically stolen away from him by Palutena even though he performed well. This is his second chance to prove himself, can he hang with these Top Amiibos? Or will he once again see an early exit? 24 Competitors Remain, 8 must be eliminated, Lets do this!
MEET THE S6 CHALLENGER SERIES!
THE RULES
THE CHALLENGER SERIES will be split into groups of 3 amiibos. All 3 amiibos will face their 2 opponents in a Best of 5, elimination style, rolling for match types at random. All 5 Matches will be played out to allow the maximum allocation of points. Each series, a Teammate from all Challenger Series Competitors will be selected randomly. These amiibos will be assisting in however many Team Matches are required, and Teammates will not change until the next Best of 5. These Teammates won't gain any points for their participation. Since it's random, it'd give unfair advantages. At the end of each group, the amiibo with the least amount of points is eliminated and the other two will move on to the Top 20! I think this will be the first time they really have to push themselves to stay in the game. There isn't anywhere to hide in this Challenger Series. Every match will count, so a couple of bad performances could send any amiibo out the door. A difficult group could mean the end for some great amiibos here, but it's that randomization that makes things interesting. Group 1 of The Season 6 Challenger Series is up next! Who will be the first amiibos sent into The Thunder Dome?!
GROUP 1
BOWSER JR/IKE/MII SWORDSMAN
GROUP 1 houses a couple of the more unknown competitors and a rising star. BOWSER JR put up a great fight in his group, which ironically, Ike was in as well. Junior performed well in both phases to secure his spot. Will his previous experience fighting Ike be an advantage or a detriment? IKE has proven himself on many occasions. He dominated Wildcard #6's Phase 1 Matches, not dropping a single game. If he manages to roll a lot of 1v1's, I think he's going to be happy. But his Team Match scores could possibly put him behind. MII SWORDSMAN was given a second chance! Being eliminated in the Wildcard rounds by Palutena's last minute Phase 2 blowout, Mii Swordsman's chances of advancing got ripped away. Luckily, fate has smiled upon him, Link was promoted to the Top 20 and that left open a spot. Can he prove himself here or will he fail once more? The first group of The Season 6 Challenger Series is up next!
BOWSER JR vs IKE
RANDOM TEAMMATE SELECTION:
MATCH 1 was rolled to be a Smash Ball Team Match. For this series Lucas will be Bowser Jr's Teammate and Mario will be Ike's if they are needed. The match starts out heavily in the favor of long time veterans, Mario and Ike. But the newcomers adapt and even things back out. Mario is able to take the first stock and the rest trickle down, back to an even playing field. With 2 stocks remaining for all competitors, a Smash Ball drops in Bowser Jr's lap. Ike loses a stock but Mario keeps himself from falling. It just wasn't enough to save the two though, with the match remaining close to the very end, a few miss steps by Ike puts them at a disadvantage, ultimately leading to a win for BOWSER JR, with the help of Lucas.
MATCH 2 is rolled to be an Items 1v1 Match. More in Ike's court, this is his chance to get some points in his favor. Bowser Jr's history with Ike seems to have put him in more of a defensive mode out the gate. Not effected by this, Ike gets him to 70% before taking a hit himself. Junior is a fighter and evens things out, eventually even gaining a percent advantage. Items are dropping and they both take full advantage. Ike takes the first stock, but junior retaliates, taking a stock of his own quickly after. Making use of the Homerun Bat, Ike manages to read junior into another kill, very early. IKE sits in the driver seat for the rest of the match, taking a win for himself. That early item kill on the 2nd stock put Bowser Jr too far behind to catch back up.
MATCH 3 is rolled to be an Items Team Match. Lucas and Mario make another appearance. Judging from how close the last team match was, this one could be very close as well. The start of this one is the same as the last, all percent gains are even into the red. Laser Swords drop like candy and a sword fight ensues. Ike evades losing a stock as all the others drop to 2. Mario's cape comes in handy as he deflects many item projectiles flying his direction. Junior and Lucas manage to team up on the plumber, knocking him down to his final stock. Shortly after, Junior and Ike join him as Lucas remains at 2. The fight heats up as Mario and Junior both enter the danger zone. This time it's Junior who leaves his teammate Lucas to fend for himself. He does his best to fight off the 2v1 Onslaught, but a strong counter from IKE sends him flying. Giving Ike another victory to add to his resume for the Top 20.
MATCH 4 is a ditto, another Item Team Match. Ike starts to gain a rhythm in this match, and it looks like good practice for him to prepare for Season 6. An extremely early death from Bowser Jr puts Mario/Ike in the driver seat. Junior gets completely schooled, dropping to 1 stock before Mario/Ike lose any. Junior completely bombs in this match, giving another dominant victory to IKE. He seems to have Bowser Jr completely figured out at this point. This was one of the quickest Team Fights I've seen in a long time.
MATCH 5 is rolled to be another Team Match, this time a Smash Ball Team Match like Match 1. Ike is looking very dominant in this pairing and is even making a weak teamfighter like Mario look great. This is good practice for the both of them heading into Team Turmoil. That is, if they can make it there. Multiple SD's in the last match seemed like Bowser Jr was on tilt, he needs to pull it together. Once again, Ike/Mario take a dominant advantage, putting them in the red very quickly. Lucas/Junior turn their sights to Mario, noticing his weak recovery and using it against him. The team manages to SD Mario twice, ganging up on him to take him out asap. Ike sits at 3 stocks, but you're only as good as your teammate. Ike manages a crucial smashball, catching both opponents in it to even out the scores. With Mario managing to hold on to his last stock, Ike racks up the percent and manages a kill on Lucas first. The double team is too much for Junior and once again, IKE takes a Team Match Win. It's looking good for this veteran to make it to Season 6.
IKE vs MII SWORDSMAN
RANDOM TEAMMATE SELECTION:
MATCH 1 starts out much like the last series, with a Smash Ball Team Match. In this pairing, Roy was selected as Ike's teammate and Toon Link as Mii Swordsman's. If needed in the rest of the series, Roy will be Ike's teammate and Toon Link will remain as Mii Swordsman's. This match starts with the hammer falling hard on Mii Swordsman, skyrocketing his percent. Ike begins taking the same punishment as the supports keep theirs low. Ike manages to SD Swordsmman early, putting him a bit behind. Luckily, as Ike/Roy fall to 2 stocks, Toon Link keeps 3. When it seemed like Toon Link was going to carry Swordsman through this, a crucial smashball evens the odds for Ike/Roy, brining down Toon Link to their level. Swordsman is bullied heavily in this match up, ending his final stock and ultimately IKE takes another win for himself. It was too difficult for Toon Link to 2v1 against those powerhouses.
MATCH 2 is rolled to be an Item Team Match. Roy is Ike's Partner and Toon Link is Mii Swordsman's. This match starts off a lot closer, with stocks remaining around the same percent. Toon Link is looking very in control of this match, keeping himself out of harms way as they tear their opponents down to 2 stocks. As the match goes on, Roy gains an affinity for the Home Run bat, catching them both in a brutal swing TWICE!! Putting the opposing team so far behind, Roy's Batting Practice gives IKE another win for his collection.
MATCH 3 is rolled to be an Omega 1v1 Match. Will this work in favor of the Mii Swordsman? These two haven't fought in a 1v1 before so it will be interesting to see how this plays out. So far Ike has been a powerhouse in both series', certainly securing his spot in the Top 20. Mii Swordsman is going to have to win atleast 1 match here to tie with Bowser Jr and give himself a better chance of advancing. This match begins with some great reads from Swordsman, landing two great counters early. He manages to end Ike's first stock with only 38% on himself. Swordsman remains in the driver seat, answering all of Ike's attempts to turn things around. Ike is down to his last stock and Swordsman still has 3. Ike finally manages to read Swordsman into a Smash Attack for a kill, but is it too late? Amazing "Counter" play from MII SWORDSMAN gives him his first win in dominant fashion.
MATCH 4 is rolled to be a Smash Ball 1v1. Can Ike come back from that devastating defeat? Or will Swordsman continue to dominate this pairing? The match starts with safer play out of Ike, but Swordsman seems to still be reading him like a book. Throwing him off the ledge into an early ledge guard. Ike loses his first stock with Swordsman only at 12%. This isn't looking good for Ike. Swordsman confidently continues his assault and advantage. A Smashball drops in Ike's lap to at least even the stocks, but he's still very far behind. MII SWORDSMAN reads him like a book and once again takes a dominant victory.
MATCH 5 is the second Smash Ball Team Match of the series. Roy/Toon Link are back to support their respective teammates. With the 1v1's not going in Ike's favor, will he tilt in this team match? Mii Swordsman is on a roll here but his team fighting didn't look as strong as Ike's. It will be interesting to see how this one unfolds. This match starts differently than the others, it seems that Roy/Ike feel a need to team up on Toon Link, taking him down a stock fairly early. Swordsman/Toon Link both drop to 2 stocks before their opponents. Even though the power of Roy/Ike is immense, some great kiting and evasive maneuvers allow for Swordsman/Toon Link to catch back up. An SD from Ike puts them in the driver seat and as an excellently timed Smash Ball goes to MII SWORDSMAN, he manages to eliminate both opponents with it on their final stock. Swordsman is showing that his 2nd chance was warranted.
MII SWORDSMAN vs BOWSER JR
RANDOM TEAMMATE SELECTION:
MATCH 1 is rolled to be a good old fashioned Team Match. With Ike already securing his spot in the Top 20, it comes down to Mii Swordsman and Bowser Jr fighting for their lives in the competition. One will move on to the Top 20 and one will be eliminated from the competition. This time around, Mii Brawler is ironically paired with Mii Swordsman and Bowser Jr rolls the veteran Pit as his teammate. The match starts out pretty even for both sides. Great ledge guarding from Swordsman leads to Bowser Jr/Pit being the first two to lose stocks. The Miis maintain a percent advantage with Mii Swordsman staying much healthier than the other 3 participants. Pit and Mii Brawler both fall to 1 stock first, at the same time. It's close all the way to the very end, both participants fight their hearts out to get a victory here. Bowser Jr sadly drops out first, leaving Pit to fend for himself. Though he holds his own for a short time, it becomes too much, MII SWORDSMAN grabs another win, moving one step closer to the Top 20.
MATCH 2 is rolled to be a 1v1 Smashball Match. Judging from past encounters, I'd say that Mii Swordsman probably will have the upper hand in this match up and if he wins it will definitely spell the end for Bowser Jr this season. Surprisingly, Bowser Jr takes a commanding lead, pushing Swordsman to 140% before taking any significant damage. Unable to finish the stock on Swordsman, he begins to catch himself back up. When a smashball falls from the sky, Swordsman jumps on the opportunity and finishes Juniors stock. Swordsman, now in the driver seat, carves a hefty advantage for himself. As the match rages on, Bowser Jr starts playing safe, landing enough chip damage to even things out once again. The match is close, but in the end, BOWSER JR is able to land a stock on the Swordsman, and a victory for himself.
MATCH 3 brings the teammates back into the picture as we now go into a Smashball Team Match. Mii Brawler once again joins Mii Swordsman, and Pit joins Bowser Jr. Junior takes a heavy early beating, bringing him to 144% before anyone else even leaves the teens. Junior is the first one to lose a stock with Pit not too far behind. These two don't seem to be working well as a team and it doesn't look good for the majority of the match. When Junior drops to 1 stock, Mii Swordsman is still sitting at 3.. Swordsman is really shaping up to be a great teamfighter going into Season 6. The Miis dominate once again, putting another notch in MII SWORDSMAN's belt. As the match ends, Swordsman sits at 5 eliminations with his teammate holding 1. It's good to see him making the most of that 2nd chance.
MATCH 4 is rolled to be another Team Match, this time with items in the mix. Judging from the last two Team Fights in this set, the Miis have had a dominating presence. Bowser Jr has technically already been eliminated due to the point system, but he's now fighting for his placement in the overall standings. Very early on, Mii Swordsman finds a Homerun Bat to play with. He manages to catch Pit very early and ending his first stock in almost no time at all. However, with items flying, the stocks even out pretty quickly. Pit/Junior team up on the weaker link, knocking Brawler down to 1 stock in an attempt to gimp the unstoppable Swordsman. Sadly, their valiant effort is in vain as Brawler is able to hang on to that last stock, as Swordsman catches them in a brutal double counter for the clean up, knocking both of them out at the same time. MII SWORDSMAN yet again triumphs in a team setting.
MATCH 5 is Bowser Jr's last chance to earn a few more points for himself to maybe gain a decent placement at the end of the season. This match is rolled to be another Smashball Singles Match. Bowser Jr beat Swordsman in this match type earlier on, so can he score a few more points for himself? Bowser Jr regains his confidence due to the change of pace, taking Swordsman all the way to 80% before taking any damage. As a Smashball drops, Swordsman grasps at the opportunity to even the odds and landing back on an even playing field. Though he has a slow start, Swordsman adapts and is able to take the first stock. Things are looking much better for Swordsman than the last time they met in a 1v1. Great spacing and edge guarding gives the Mii a tremendous advantage that Bowser Jr struggles to come back from and a well placed counter ends it all. MII SWORDSMAN dominates Bowser Jr in this series, easily landing a spot in the Top 20 alongside Ike for this group.
FINAL SCORES
TWO ADVANCE
MII SWORDSMAN has a great showing, scoring the most points in the group. After his shocking elimination in Wildcard, his second chance is proof that you can come back from a bad series and really do well. We've seen a lot of ups and downs in Amiibo Wars and I think this is the perfect Season for the Swordsman to show what he's made of. He has proven to be a force in Team Fights, I'm curious to see how far he makes it in the Top 20. IKE was a shoe in for the Top 20, he's no stranger to the main stage. From 24th, to 16th, to 12th, Ike continues to improve and rise in the rankings. and I'd love to see him make it further this season. This is the 3rd time he's made the Top 20, which is an accomplishment in itself.
THE END OF THE ROAD
BOWSER JR may be eliminated, but you have to give him an A for effort. Amiibo Wars isn't the easiest club to break into, so being new is more times than not, a detriment. His performance overall was pretty average, but I think he will progress with time like a lot of other past contenders who started off a little slow. I think he did do a good job. I predict he will make slow progress in the rankings. I think his weak Ultimate Smash could be a setback for him as an amiibo though. Easily avoidable and amiibos typically don't get caught in it. I'm not sure if that will be a game breaker, but considering Smashball Matches are pretty prominent in this series, it definitely might hold him back.
GROUP 2
LITTLE MAC/OLIMAR/PALUTENA
GROUP 2 will see two underdogs collide with a Legendary Career Killer. LITTLE MAC has time and time again proven himself to be a top Amiibo Wars competitor. Though his past struggles showed weakness in his Team Match abilities, he has shown major improvement recently, which could definitely heighten his chances at finally winning a Championship. OLIMAR is fairly new on the scene. Making his debut in Season 5, he didn't have the best showing. Making improvements in Wildcard means he could be solid with time, but I honestly don't think he's ready quite yet. He could prove me wrong though, and I will be shocked if he manages to advance. PALUTENA has had quite a showing this season. Striking up a rivalry with newcomer Mii Swordsman, Palutena narrowly snatched away the Swordsmans spot to advance. After some changes to the format, Mii Swordsman was added to the lineup and even made it to the Top 20. Could we see a rematch between the two on the main stage? Judging from her performances, I think Palutena will have an edge here over Olimar. She does fair well in Team Matches but has struggled some in 1v1's. It will be interesting to see how this one plays out. Who will be the next two competitors to advance to Season 6? Group 2 of the S6 Challenger Series is coming up next!
LITTLE MAC vs OLIMAR
RANDOM TEAMMATE SELECTION:
MATCH 1 is rolled to be an Omega 1v1, playing right into the hands of Little Mac. Does Olimar really have a chance against a proven 1v1 powerhouse? The teammates selected for this series will be Pit (again) and Robin. Robin is a Team Match legend, so Olimar is in good hands if he can manage any Team Matches this series. Sadly for the explorer, he has to rely on his own skills in this one. Little Mac takes to a slow approach, cautiously landing great damage to put himself ahead. This leads to an insanely quick first stock, Olimar struggles to make any headway for himself. After losing 2 of his stocks he finally finds a rhythm, managing to SD Mac. He plays a little more cautious, managing to keep Mac off the stage. Some amazing ledge guards even out the stocks. Even though his defense improves, an unfortunate shield break leads to Olimar's demise and LITTLE MAC picks up the first win of the series. To be expected.
MATCH 2 is rolled to be an Item 1v1 Match. Sadly, another 1v1 for Olimar could spell trouble. But as he was given time to adapt to Mac's aggression, can he slow down the relentless assault with Items at play? Olimar takes to a much more aggressive approach this time, grabbing a hefty % lead on his opponent, but a great ledge guard into a Homerun Swing even the odds in Mac's favor. It becomes batting practice as Mac manages to unknowingly catch him in another full charged swing, gaining a massive lead for himself. Olimar keeps his distance and tries to play as safe as he can to gain some ground, but once again he's just too far behind to turn things around. LITTLE MAC takes another win for himself. So far, it's looking like Mac is on a warpath to the main stage.
MATCH 3 will bring in the teammates, Pit and Robin to mix things up a bit. The match is rolled to be a Smashball Team Match. This may be Olimar's chance to get some points for himself and maybe help secure a spot in the Top 20. The match begins in favor of Pit/Mac who manage to put out some serious early damage on both opponents. Olimar is the first to drop a stock, but Robin is able to even things out, as well as take down Mac shortly following. Really grabbing this match by the horns, Robin schools Mac twice and drops him down to 1 stock really early. The early SD's put Mac/Pit pretty far behind. This isn't the first time Mac has dropped the ball in a Team Match. If this is any indication of whats to come in the Top 20, Little Mac may not make it very far this time around. Robin handedly secures OLIMAR's first win of the series. Judging from this and the last series he was in, Pit isn't looking to be the best teammate. So if he manages to progress to the Top 20, I'm not so sure he will make it far either.
MATCH 4 is rolled to be another Team Match, this time with Items. Pit/Mac/Olimar take an early beating as Robin stays pretty healthy. Sadly for him, Mac is out for revenge. A perfectly placed K.O. Punch on Robin puts him down to 2 stocks before anyone else, even though he was the healthiest of the 4. From then on, things stay pretty even as the other 3 drop to 2 stocks. The items play a big part in some serious K.O's. Mac/Pit get on the receiving end of some serious punishment that places them pretty behind. As Robin/Olimar manage to control the items and the map, their opponents get stuck between a rock and a hard place. Wearing them down and finishing them off, OLIMAR wins another match thanks to some great support from his teammate.
MATCH 5 is the tie breaker to this interesting series. The match is rolled to be a good old fashioned 1v1 Match. Back in the court of Little Mac, can he take the advantage or is he still on tilt from his last two losses? Olimar tries to go from some trades early on that really don't go in his favor but some safe play following puts things back on even ground. Olimar manages an impressive edge guard with down smash, taking the first stock of the match. He keeps himself alive against the assault longer than anticipated and even manages a shieldbreak on Mac. Keeping himself in the lead for the majority of the match, his hold begins to fade as he struggles to end the stock and Mac's rage damage puts him back in the driver seat. Olimar just can't seem to finish that 2nd stock, giving his deadly opponent the opportunity to take the whole series. Some good evasive play from LITTLE MAC while in rage mode gives him another win for himself. I definitely think Olimar improved as the matches progressed but he just wasn't quite there. I think the two will have to spar a little more before Olimar can manage a win off of this powerhouse. He did a lot better than I expected and I did see some improvement, so only time will tell.
OLIMAR vs PALUTENA
RANDOM TEAMMATE SELECTION:
MATCH 1 will be a Smashball Team Match. Judging from past events, both of these competitors do better in a team setting than in a 1v1, so it'll be interesting to see which one has the edge in this match up. For Teammates, Diddy Kong was randomly selected for Olimar and Jigglypuff for Palutena. I'm not really sure how this series is going to turn out, neither competitor has really shown any major strengths in the past, so it'll be interesting to see how this goes. This match begins with some major punishment raining down on Palutena and Jigglypuff. Diddy Kong seems to be taking control over the match but the girls manage to hold on to their stocks well into the 200% range before dropping. This allowed them to catch up with some damage on their opponents. Olimar does a good job of staying alive, keeping all 3 stocks for the majority of the match as the others start dropping. By the end of things, Diddy/Jiggly both sit at 1 stock each as the other two fight to keep theirs. Puff/Palu gang up on Diddy for most of the match and Olimar struggles to make an impact. Palu/Puff manage to get Diddy out of the match and Olimar is left all alone. Unable to fend for himself, PALUTENA picks up the first win of this series. Olimar needs to be more of a team player if he wants to win this series and actually make it to the Top 20.
MATCH 2 is rolled to be an Item Team Match. With items in the mix will things go differently? Olimar really needs to step up his game in this one. Diddy did a good job, had Olimar supported him more, they probably would've won. Palutena/Jigglypuff seem confident going into this match, hot off of their win. The two quickly take control of the items, zoning out their opponents and keeping them off stage. Diddy/Olimar fall pretty far behind but a surprise early stock kill on Jiggly may be what they needed to turn things around. Palutena's zoning and avoidance is so good, able to share a stock with Jiggly as she gets knocked out of the match. Sitting at 170%, Palutena really does her best to avoid being eliminated, giving them time to catch the stocks back up. Olimar gets taken out and Diddy is left alone. Diddy 50%/ Palu 189%/ Jiggly 140% on their final stocks. Diddy takes a beating but hangs in there. As he tries to avoid the incoming assault, he manages a great up air kill on Palutena out of no where. This leaves Jiggly to 1v1 the animal. Both competitors are well into the red as Diddy finds a health pack, giving himself an edge. A strong ledgeguard on the Puff and Diddy Kong manages to 2v1, giving his teammate OLIMAR a not so deserved win. Olimar is once again blessed with a great partner. I do think Jigglypuff's bad performance is what ultimately led to the loss for Palutena here though.
MATCH 3, another Smashball Team Match. This series is seeming pretty close and could really go either way. Diddy Kong's peformance has been excellent, seemingly out of the league of the other 3. I can see him doing well if he makes it to the Top 20. The match starts out very even, all percents hovering around the same numbers. Diddy/Olimar do gain a slight edge however, as Jiggly is the first one to drop a stock once again. Olimar is doing a good job supporting Diddy in this one and the two really take control of the match. Jigglypuff really seems out of her element in this matchup, she falls really far behind for the 3rd time in a row. This is making me think Palutena's teammate is what's holding her back because she isn't doing a bad job for herself. Late in the game, an amazing Smashball from Olimar scores him an epic double kill as Diddy keeps them busy. This knocks Jiggly out of the match and the 2v1 is too much for Palutena. This time, OLIMAR earns his victory.
MATCH 4 oddly enough, is rolled to be another Item Team Match. Great practice for these competitors going into Season 6, which will be all Team Matches. Jigglypuff seems to be a detriment for Palutena. Each match seems to put Jigglypuff out first. I know Jigglypuff does well in 3-4 Mans, but in a Team Environment, it seems she is struggling. It could just be that these two aren't a good fit for eachother. If Paulutena wants to advance to the Top 20, she really needs to think of something to get some wins. I'm really not so sure she will have the best time against Little Mac later on. The match begins with Diddy/Olimar once again working well as a team. As the past repeats itself, Jiggly is the first one to drop a stock. Some great Homerun Bat play from Diddy Kong as Olimar holds them down really puts Oli/Did in a great spot. However, some convenient health drops allow Palu/Jiggly to even things back out. Olimar falls behind and the two take the opportunity to gimp Diddy by eliminating him. With Diddy at 166% on 2 stocks, he had to share one to keep them in the game. Knowing this, Palu/Jiggly turn their sites on the legend, taking him out and turning this match into a 2v1 against the weaker Olimar. Unable to endure this assualt, Olimar falls prey to the ladies. Some crafty play earns PALUTENA her second win of the series, evening things out heading into the final match.
MATCH 5 is once again a Team Match. This time, no Smashball, no Items, just a good old fashioned Team Match. This is the tie breaker, Olimar has 2 wins and Palutena has 2 wins. This could make or break one of their chances of making it to the Top 20. The random stage is set to be Omega, so there is no where to hide. Olimar/Diddy overpower Palu/Jiggly early, but the two come right back with some serious damage of their own. Palu/Jiggly mainly focus attention towards Diddy who is the first to drop a stock. This is the first time Jiggly has managed to outlast anyone in this series and not drop first. Palutena does a great job, evading losing her stock well into 200%'s before dropping. This time, it's Diddy who falls behind in percent. Palu/Jiggly realize that they have to eliminate the biggest threat. I think this map is really playing into the hands of Jigglypuff's hard hitting aggression and gives them a bit of an edge. With Palutena able to take a lot of punishment, Jiggly does a good job letting her take the hits and comes in from the sides to break it up. Great teamplay from Palu/Jiggly makes it seem like they have their opponents all figured out. They make it look easy, and PALUTENA manages to win the series with 3 wins. Now it's down to the 3rd series to determine whether or not Olimar will be able to advance. If Palutena manages to do well, Olimar's fate will be sealed for Season 6.
LITTLE MAC vs PALUTENA
RANDOM TEAMMATE SELECTION:
MATCH 1 will be a Item 1v1 Match. If Palutena has any hope of making it to the Top 20, I think she should really be hoping for some Team Matches. If needed, Mario will be Little Mac's partner for this Bo5 Series, and Lucario will be Palutena's. Mario/Little Mac both aren't the strongest Team Match competitors, so it could give her an edge. But were kicking things off with a 1v1, and it may be brutal. Palutena plays very safe, trying to avoid the incoming assault. Items quickly come into play and Palutena's patient playstyle earns her the first stock of Mac. Falling quickly after, the two are on an even playing field. Little Mac struggles to make headway against Palutena's super passive/defensive playstyle and she pulls far ahead. Little Mac hangs on tight and Palutena struggles to finish him off, eventually putting them even again. The match was close all the way to the very end, but Palutena's inability to finish him off led to a win for LITTLE MAC. Both Mac/Palutena need to win at least two matches to put Olimar out of the competition. Since Mac has already won one match, he's currently safe and tied with Olimar, he will need to win one more to secure his spot in the Top 20.
MATCH 2 is rolled to be an Item Team Match. This is where Palutena wants to be. Can Little Mac pull off a Team Match win here? Or does Palutena have him right where she wants him? The match kicks off with a great Baseball Bat kill early on from Palutena, taking a stock off of Mac. Lucario does a lot of work with his Rage Mode, taking another stock from Mac. He is really taking a beating. Mario does a good job of keeping 3 stocks, well into 200%. Little Mac holds the team back, forcing Mario to share one of his stocks and an impressive ledgeguard from Lucario, killing both of them at the same time, leads to a win for PALUTENA. Palutena/Mac are both now tied with Olimar, whoever wins the next match will be advancing to the Top 20. The other may be seeing a tie breaker with Olimar if they fail to win any more matches in this series.
MATCH 3 is another Team Match. This could be bad for Mac. His performance was pretty bad in the last one and Mario couldn't carry him through. This match is rolled to be a Smashball Team Match, only smashballs will be active, so maybe the dynamic will shift a bit. With the map being Final Destination, it really plays into the favor of Mac/Mario. The two go all out on their opponents, skyrocketing their percents very early on. But Rage Mode Lucario evens the odds, managing to kill Little Mac early. Mac is once again the first to die. Lucario/Palutena hold on to their stocks for dear life and Mario drops before them. An unfortunate SD from Lucario could cause problems for their team as Mac and Lucario are now both in the danger zone. Forced to share his stock with Mac, Mario's high percent puts him out of the match almost instantly and Mac is left to fend for himself. PALUTENA's amazing defense kept her well above the other amiibos in percent. At 33% on her 2nd stock, she saves Lucario from elimination, allowing them to team up on Mac and give her her second win and a pass to the Top 20!! I'm happy to see her advance, I think she's earned it. Little Mac needs to win one of the next 2 matches to advance. If not, he will be facing Olimar in a Tie Breaker Bo3.
MATCH 4 may give Little Mac what he needs to advance. The 4th Match is rolled to be a Smashball 1v1, his specialty. If Palutena manages to beat him here, it could give Olimar a chance at redemption. But judging from his resume, I'd put money on Mac to take this one. Palutena plays very safe trying to keep the assault at bay, the two stay even until a Smashball drops and Palutena does everything in her power to grab it. A nice shot from her ultimate puts Mac out first. His damage output quickly catches him up and he takes the lead, landing a K.O. Punch on the 2nd stock. The damage is a bit too much to bare. He manages to break her shield and it's over at that point. LITTLE MAC wins and secure his spot in the Top 20. That means it's the end of the road for Olimar.
MATCH 5 isn't necessary but will be played out anyway just to give them more match experience. The 5th Match is a Non-Item Team Match and if the past proves anything, Palutena seems to have quite an edge here. So far Lucario and Palutena have made a pretty good team, but Mario and Little Mac seem out for blood. Mac does a lot better at not getting K.Oed instantly and it works out. Palutena/Lucario are the first ones to drop and Mario/Mac are looking good. Though they landed pretty far behind, Palutena/Lucario adapt and start playing defensive to even things out. Lucario drops to 1 stock well before anyone else and it's not looking good. Palutena is left with two thirsty monsters to fend for herself and it's just too much. The power of Mac/Mario finally puts gets LITTLE MAC and Team Match win. He needs it going into Team Turmoil, because in the Top 20, it's going to be a lot tougher.
FINAL SCORES
TWO ADVANCE
LITTLE MAC really shows he's not going down without a fight. After losing his early advancement to Ness, Little Mac has been on a rampage to get through the preliminaries and he did just that. I don't think anyone is surprised to see Little Mac move on, he did manage to get two opponents who aren't considered to be Top Tier, but PALUTENA really had him on his heels. Surprisingly, Palutena put up a great fight against Mac, even in the 1v1 rounds. She has come such a long way since her debut, and I'm glad to see her joining the ranks for the Top 20. Team Turmoil is a gimmick I think she will do very well in. If any tournament has catered to her playstyle, it's this one. It will be interesting to see where her placement lands in the end.
THE END OF THE ROAD
OLIMAR is out of the competition. I predicted this in his Wildcard. I didn't think he would make it to the Top 20, and I was right. Olimar still has some issues in his AI that hold him back, these will probably never be addressed and it sucks but he may never get past the Mid Tier range. He has a lot of potential so it's kind of depressing to watch him just completely derp out because the AI is faulty. Either way, it was only up from his placement last season, so I'm glad to see him make some progress. He definitely will be seeing a climb in the ranks this season.
GROUP 3
JIGGLYPUFF/RYU/DIDDY KONG
GROUP 3 will be very interesting. We have two fairly new amiibos colliding with a veteran who's out to reclaim a place in the spotlight. JIGGLYPUFF had a good run last season. Her debut landed her in the Top 20, a rarity these days. Jigglypuff has a reputation of doing pretty well in an FFA situation but as a Teammate, i'm not so sure. She can be pretty hit or miss, so it will be interesting to see how things play out. RYU is brand new to the scene so I'm not really sure how well he's going to do. He did good in his Wildcard, but how will he fair against two seasoned amiibos? Less room to hide when there's only 3 of them. Can he step up to the plate and put out an Amiibo Wars Veteran? DIDDY KONG has had a rough couple of seasons, but if the Wildcard is any indication of what's to come, Diddy is looking better than ever. Diddy may finally be back to his former glory and I'd love to see him back in the Top 20 and hanging with the Amiibo Wars Elite. Who will be the next two amiibos headed to The Top 20? Group 3 is up next!
MORE GROUP 3 COMING SOON!!
