As we reported last month, April 28th marks a historic moment in the history of New York City competitive Smash: the closing of the current Nebulous venue, a gaming shop on the city’s Lower East Side whose halls have been graced by many of the greats of the game.
The last Nebulous event, Apollo XIII, already promises to be stacked with talented competitors. As semi-retired or inactive players come out to pay their respect, multiple generations of New York Smash will be represented; already, old-school legends such as Alex “Zanguzen” Shnayder and Mirllan “Warriorknight” Quintero have pre-registered. These veterans will rub elbows with new-age New York greats, including Cody “iBDW” Schwab, Rosario “Darktooth” Fuschetto, and more. Additionally, players who have been in the spotlight during multiple eras, such as Anthony “Slox” Detres will vie for ultimate Nebulous glory at Apollo XIII.
As netplay consumes an increasing amount of new players' interest, Nebulous has fought to remain on the forefront of competitive Melee, putting together innovative online tournaments and regularly hosting two in-person locals each week. From its humble origins in New York's Chinatown, the local has become one of the most well-known and recognizable weeklies in the Smash scene.
While rising rent costs have temporarily brought Nebulous events to a halt, the organization has promised to find a new venue and continue to host tournaments for the Tri-State scene. However, at the time of publishing, an alternative venue has not yet been found. If you live anywhere in the Northeast and want to experience a bit of Melee history before it disappears forever, pre-register now and help make the last Nebs the best one!
