I recently found out that, not only has Barack Obama playedSuper Smash Bros., but he also uses one of the best characters in the game. This was a little surprising to me, as the only connection I could remember between Obama and video games was when the former president asked the CDC to research if violent games had an impact on the minds of young people. This is the type of stance I typically associate with politicians that don’t actually play games themselves, and I just assumed Obama was another one.
Apparently, this isn’t the case, andPresident Obama knows his way around a joystick, at least when it comes to theN64 version ofSmash. Whether he’s aware of the character rankings or not, Obama also seems to have a good sense of whom to play, as evidenced by his use of a high-tier fighter. As someone who stubbornly played Link for far too long inSuper Smash Bros.before sort of learning how to play Fox, I don’t think I’d want to go up against the former president if he has truly mastered his fighter of choice.
Barack Obama Mains Captain Falcon In Super Smash Bros. 64
Barack Obama Played Super Smash Bros. Against Competitive Player Cody Daniels
According to a post fromSmash Bros. MeleeplayerTafokints (real name Daniel Lee) onTwitter,Barack Obama’s favoriteSuper Smash Bros.character to play is Captain Falcon. Lee’s information comes from a secondhand account, relayed to him bySuper Smash Bros.player and event organizer, Cody Daniels. Daniels was the recipient of a Make-A-Wish experience where he got to visit the White House and play someSuper Smash Bros.with Obama, who was president at the time.
By Daniels' account,the president was better atSuper Smash Bros.than the average casual player. Whether this means Obama is secretly logging hours on the game, or just has a natural aptitude for gaming is unclear. Either way, it’s interesting to learn that the former president could hold his own in a friendly match against a competitiveSmashplayer. It probably helps to a certain degree that Captain Falcon is one of the better fighters inSuper Smash Bros.on N64.
Captain Falcon Is One Of The Best Fighters In Smash 64
Captain Falcon Is Only Bested By Kirby And Pikachu
Captain Falcon isn’t the absolute best character inSuper Smash Bros.; That distinction goes toPikachu and Kirby. With Pikachu’s quick aerial movements and Kirby’s powerful spike, both are dangerous edgeguards, especially against characters with a bad recovery. Still,Captain Falcon is considered one of the best characters in the gameafter Kirby and Pikachu, and can be pretty deadly when played effectively.
Perhaps one of the deadliest moves in Captain Falcon’s arsenal is his up air attack. It is possible to juggle enemies with it for prolonged periods, sometimes even taking a stock from an opponent who had no damage when the combo started. Captain Falcon also has the fastest falling speed in the game, making him harder to knock out at the top of the stage. However, he lacks a solid recovery, which can make it difficult to make it back to the stage if you’re hit off the sides of the map, especially against an effective edgeguard like Kirby.
If I had to guess, Obama probably wasn’t pulling off any zero-to-death combos against Cody Daniels when the two played together. Still, the president likely benefited from Captain Falcon’s natural strengths, allowing him to hold his own in casual matches. Now that I know he’s a half-way decentSuper Smash Bros.player, I’d be interested to know what other games the former president has hidden talents in. Perhaps he and Michelle Obama’s media company, Higher Ground, should set up a live stream for Barack to show off his skills.
