Super Smash Bros. tournaments come and go, but few have the lasting impact of a Major event like Shine. Unfortunately, the recent showdown between Cody Schwab and Zain at Shine 2023 marked the end of an era for this beloved tournament series. Despite its popularity and success, Shine will no longer continue as a staple event for both Melee and newer Smash titles.
Shine emerged as one of the prominent Melee-focused events after the release of The Smash Brothers documentary in 2013, which introduced a whole new audience to the 2001 game. Since then, Melee has steadily gained popularity as a competitive esport. Shine quickly became one of the major tournaments in the scene when it debuted in August 2016.
However, Shine’s journey has been plagued by ongoing financial issues, which the organizers first addressed in April. Regrettably, these challenges have now led to the conclusion of the Boston-born and community-supported tournament series.
Despite the unfortunate circumstances surrounding its finale, Shine 2023 attracted a significant number of Melee players, making it the largest event in the series since Shine 2018. Notable players like Hungrybox and Mang0 were absent from the bracket, but the competition remained fierce, with Zain aiming for his third Shine title.
In a surprising turn of events, Cody Schwab dominated Zain with a clean 3-0 victory in the winner’s finals. This was a remarkable achievement considering Zain’s historical 69 percent win rate against Cody dating back to their first encounter at Smash Valley V in February 2017. Although Zain had previously ended Cody’s run at the Ludwig Ahgren Championship Series 5 and Super Smash Con 2023, Cody managed to defeat him at Battle of BC5 before ultimately winning the entire tournament.
The grand finals saw Zain seeking redemption as he swept Cody 3-0 to reset the bracket, leaving the world’s top fox player without any momentum. The reset led to an intense back-and-forth battle between the two players, culminating in a nail-biting final game with both competitors on their last stock. Despite Zain’s valiant efforts to recover, Cody secured the victory with a classic Fox Shine into Up Throw Up Air combo.
While it is bittersweet to bid farewell to Shine, it is fitting to see a Fox player emerge victorious in both Melee and Ultimate. In the Ultimate tournament, Light’s Spacie triumphed over Zomba with a close 3-2 score.
Shine may be coming to an end, but the memories and moments created throughout its existence will forever remain in the hearts of the Smash community. It has been an incredible journey, and we hope you enjoyed the final showdown at Shine 2023.
Source: DOTESPORTS
