Nintendo UK alongside the government-funded Digital Schoolhouse (DSH) programme are holding a Super Smash Bros tournament. Yes you read that right, a Super Smash Bros School Tournament.

The idea behind this initiative is to give school children a taste of the wider industry. Which includes the various roles from within the gaming industry. The DSH programme works with a total of 55 schools nationwide. Nintendo will help them run a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Team Battle. The schools themselves will initially run an in-house tournament to find their best players. Then the top teams from each school will go on to face each other in a grand final. Sounds pretty cool right! Where was this when I was a kid?!

This isn’t just some small time tournament either. It will be run in the form of a proper eSports show. Therefore important roles such as team management, production and commentators will be there. Nintendo will be providing all of the equipment and materials required too. The hope with this is that it will reach at least 60 schools and 6,000 pupils.

“uniquely combines computing, fun, creativity and innovation, all of which are synonymous and at the heart of Nintendo’s values […] we want to be able to provide young adults with fun and unique experiences that will form positive lasting memories as well as foster the development of skillsets within students which they can take with them into their future.” Kalpesh Tailor, Nintendo UK’s head of communications

Schools can sign up to the Super Smash Bros School Tournament via the DSH website, so ask your teachers nicely! Then if selected schools have from September 2019 until February 2020 to run their in-house tournaments to determine their best team.

After the ‘heats’, from February/March 2020 each of the winning teams from each of the schools will compete in regional qualifiers. Then there’s a North vs South Semi Final. The North/South qualifier will see the teams face-to-face at a single venue. So at this point it gets pretty serious. The event is run by presenters, casters, and various other eSports / production roles for students.

Until it comes to the final. In April 2020, it will be held at the London Games Festival.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Team Battle isn’t the only game getting DSH love. Nintendo UK are working with them to create 2 further workshops using the Switch. The games are Super Mario Maker 2 and Labo. These games will teach parts of the curriculum. Though there isn’t much details on what yet.

(Kotaku)

Wish I had a Super Smash Bros School Tournament when I went to school! How cool would that have been?

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