The fourth annual Super Smash Bros. Tournament was held on Oct. 18 at California Lutheran University. This year’s tournament was co-directed by resident assistants Keanu Quick and Ricky Mendoza.
“I’ve always been into playing games and since I’m an RA, it was a nice way to bring people together,” Quick said.

It was a single-elimination tournament and there was a total of 24 student participants, making for a full afternoon of video games in Nygreen 3.

“I am always satisfied with an event where there was at least one person that enjoyed the program. I am even more satisfied that a lot more people came to enjoy an hour or two of playing video games together,” Mendoza said in an email interview.

Recent Cal Lutheran graduate and previous improv troupe member, Nolan Monsibay, came in first place in the tournament and second place went to Chukwudi Oguejiofor.

“The final game was very close and could have gone either way. He barely beat me with a nice combo using Pikachu’s Thunder,” Oguejiofor said.

Monsibay started this event his sophomore year at Cal Lutheran and Quick continued his Super Smash Bros. Tournament after Monsibay graduated in May 2015.

“This is my first year just as a participant. I used to live with Keanu [Quick] so I was happy that my legacy was carried on,” Monsibay said.

Quick said RAs are required to hold at least two events every month.

“It’s a program to get people together across campus and get them to meet new people,” Monsibay said.

Monsibay said the first year he put this event on there were almost 100 participants.

“It was in the beginning of the year when people were way more social,” Monsibay said.

Even in the midst of Cal Lutheran’s three day weekend and midterms that have been taking place in the last two weeks, the room was packed with video game frenzies.

“People can share experiences playing video games together,” Mendoza said.

For Cal Lutheran students that wished they attended the event but could not make it, Thousand Oaks hosts several video game tournaments that offer cash prizes according to Monsibay.

“I think it’s a benefit to us as students to be able to make friends through games,” Quick said.

The majority of the population was primarily male dominated, but whether male or female, playing video games does not have to be a private activity with events like this thanks to RAs like Quick and Mendoza.

“Due to popular demand, we are thinking of starting a video game club or just organizing days where we play video games with a group and just have some fun to pass time during the semester,” Mendoza said.

Katy Lindor
Staff Writer
Published October 28th, 2015