A Lesson On Emotion, Courtesy Of Super Smash Bros

For those with any competitive aspirations, there’s one topic that’s often not discussed: how do you mentally deal with the rigours of competition? It’s not just a case of training regimes, but also the ignominy of losing, the pressure that comes with winning, and the mental frustration throughout.

“In school, we give you a lesson and then a test. In games, you get a lesson and a test and you can retake a test. In life, you get the test then the lesson.”

That’s perhaps the most powerful line from Meet Panda Global: Wobbles the Phoenix. It’s a documentary produced by Last Stock Legends concentrating on Robert “Wobbles” Wright, perhaps the world’s best player of Ice Climbers in Super Smash Bros.

But what’s so engrossing about the documentary is how Wright talks about his mental demons, ranging from having unprompted thoughts about suicide at the age of 11, breaking controllers, losing focus, and being bitterly disappointed in yourself.

It’s not the kind of documentary that explains a great deal about Smash, the personalities behind it or the overall scene. But it’s incredibly watchable because Wright is so open and forthright about the value of controlling your anger, and the trials he went through to learn those lessons.

“If you get good at the game, then you’re good at the game … if you work on yourself, then that improvement goes everywhere with you.”

Good advice for any competitor.