RapMonster, an 18-year-old Super Smash Bros. Melee prodigy, has set the competitive scene ablaze with what many are calling the “clip of the tournament” during a recent high-level competition. The young player, currently ranked among the top 30 in the world, executed a spectacular combo sequence using Luigi – a character widely considered low-tier in the competitive Melee hierarchy.
What makes this achievement particularly impressive is not just the technical precision of the combo, but the choice of character. Luigi, with his quirky sliding movement and limited recovery options, rarely sees success at the highest levels of play, where characters like Fox, Falco, and Marth typically dominate.
The combo showed a masterful understanding of Luigi’s movement options, precise timing, and split-second decision-making that led to a decisive knockout against his opponent.
The fact that RapMonster had 6 years until he was even born when Melee was released in 2001, just goes to show how much staying power the GameCube classic still has. While newer Smash games have come and gone, Melee‘s technical depth and high skill ceiling have helped it stay a crowd favorite for over two decades.
RapMonster has now joined the ranks of legendary Luigi specialists like Eddy Mexico, Abate, and Ka-Master, players who have proven that with enough dedication, even supposedly weaker characters can grab the spotlight. His success has made a bunch of viewers want to revisit the game, with some joking about “dusting off their Wii” or trying out Slippi, the modern mod that lets fans play online.
