PATRICK Pagdato, also known as KKURA, became the Super Smash Bros Ultimate champion after outlasting his teammate “ARILELU” Ariel Lapuz in the grand finals of the Rotaract Rumble Gaming Tournament Vol. 1 at Marv’s Kitchen on the second floor of Saipan Vegas on Saturday.
Pagdato, 24, took his character Banjo & Kazooie to the grand finals with ease but went up against his own teammate, Lapuz and his character Ness. They went the distance with Pagdato winning the match, 3-2, to grasp the title.
What gave Pagdato the edge was Banjo & Kazooie’s dash ability, which he used frequently to set up his position and catch his opponent off guard.
However, if utilized incorrectly, it could place him at the losing end. Keeping his composure, Pagdato managed to hold on and clinch the victory.
When asked how he felt about winning the title, Pagdato said, “It feels freaking good. Especially playing with all these new faces compared to the last tournament. I’m also happy for the fact that my team showed up.” Besides Ariel Lapuz, his team, ZFG, included Alex Guevarra and Brian Deleon.
Pagdato has been playing Super Smash Bros Ultimate since its release in December 2018, when he purchased a Nintendo Switch and the game with his very first paycheck.
As for this year’s tournament, Pagdato said he was really happy he was able to join. He thanked the Rotaract Club of Saipan and the Northern Marianas Esports Federation for hosting it.
NMEF President-elect Simon Necesito shared a few words about the tournament: “We haven’t had a tournament since eSports Micronesia, so we would have never known there were people who are very passionate about gaming if not for events like this. It also gives people in the community something to look forward to.”
Necesito said he no longer wants to be a competitor, but would rather support local talent and help them move forward as a community.
The results of the Tekken 8 tournament will be featured in the next issue of Variety.
Patrick “KKURA” Pagdato poses as the Super Smash Bros Ultimate champion alongside Northern Marianas Esports Federation President Danielle “Dan” Acosta and Rotaract Club of Saipan President and Community Service Director Genelin Camacho during the awards ceremony of the Rotaract Rumble Gaming Tournament Vol. 1 at Marv’s Kitchen on the second floor of Saipan Vegas.
Photo by James F. Sablan Jr.
Team ZFG gamers wait for the start of the Rotaract Rumble Gaming Tournament Vol. 1 at Marv’s Kitchen on the second floor of Saipan Vegas.
Photo by James F. Sablan Jr.
