Beyond the Metagame: A Smash Bros. Podcast

AV and Peon are all fired up due to one of the most notoriously abused concepts in the Smash community: aggression. Where is it useful? What is it? Are you too aggressive? Find out on this contentious episode!

This week, AV and Peon take some calls from the BTM community. We chat with each caller about a problem they may be having, and we get to the bottom of it.

This week, AV and Peon talk about cheating on Smash. At what point is spending time with other games or other hobbies detrimental to Smash goals? How do we best leverage time away from Smash to fulfill our improvement goals?

AV and Peon talk camping. What about defensive play makes it so frustrating to deal with? What does this say about our mid-match psychology? When can camping be best utilized to win an important set or to tilt your opponent past the edge?

AV and Peon breakdown the newest iteration of Project M, "Project+." Who is this game for, what are our impressions, and is it worth your time?

This week, AV and Peon discuss whether the concept of being carried is something we should give any credence to, and if so, how to know if you are carried. The team dives into the weeds, examining if this concept is only meant to be derogatory, or if there deeper implications that we may leverage to improve.

With the recent global pandemic, your home is now the main venue for improving at Smash! In this topical season opener, AV and Peon dive into getting the most out of playing Smash alone, analyzing the pitfalls of solo play, their thoughts about WiFi, and if online tournaments are worth your time.

Thinking about switching mains? What's gonna be different? What will stay the same? AV and Peon tackle all the hard questions for you in your journey to make one of the hardest changes to your Smash Bros gameplay.

Byleth and their arsenal have been deployed to the Smash battlefield. Join AV and Peon as they discuss the new addition to the smash roster, the gamut of balance changes made to the game, and a recap of their respective Genesis experiences.

Peon and AV react to the newest addition to the roster, Byleth! Who is this character for? What will their place in the meta be? All will be answered and more in this week's episode.

Peon hits the therapy couch again as AV walks him through his recent slump. Through this, the two lay down a game plan for diagnosing, accepting, and treating rough patches in your gameplay.

Our co-hosts take on the challenge of producing a retrospective on the narratives, development, and highlights of Super Smash Bros. through the last ten years. In this episode, they break down the stories told through the game to underline the importance of narrative in a burgeoning esport.

This week, AV and Peon discuss GimR's new technology and its relevance to the metagame. Later, the two breakdown the concept of cheese, and debate when and if it is worth complaining about.

Beyond the Metagame celebrates Smash Ultimate's one year anniversary with a retrospective on expectations, lessons learned, and game experience highlights.

This week, Peon and AV have some fun with their second annual Thanksgiving special. The hosts give thanks regarding their favorite aspects of Smash Bros in and out of the game.