With this season drawing to a close and Lumirank 2024.2 just around the corner, we’re sure to see some big changes compared to the last rankings. People such as Ryu main Asimo and Bayonetta main Lima tore it up, and have solidified themselves among the absolute top level, and other big hitters such as Corrin main Shadic and another Bayonetta main TamaPDaifuku, who are considered to have slightly underwhelming seasons compared to the first half of 2024. There’s people who continue to be heavy hitters such as Sparg0, who plays many characters with Cloud being on top, and Mr. Game and Watch main Miya. But there’s one player who is scarily consistent, but not in the way you might think. That player is Sonix, full name being Carlos Peŕez. The best Sonic main in the world has had a very impressive yet equally strange 2024 portfolio.
Super Smash Bros Ultimate is a fighting game involving characters from many different franchises coming together to do battle. Whether it’s Mario, Zelda, Pokemon, Kirby, Fire Emblem, even non-Nintendo IPs like Metal Gear and Street Fighter. There’s no need to explain that some characters are gonna be better than others, but out of the 80 + characters in the game, there is one that is notorious the most alongside Steve from Minecraft. He is Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic is a character who’s top 2 best character status has been set in stone at this point. Whether it be it being near impossible to catch, a time out, or his through-the-roof damage output, immaculate edgeguarding and recovery, a burst option that is near impossible to react to and has I-frames, although he can sometimes struggle to close out the stock off a stray hit, he’s got plenty kill confirms such as down b into forward air to help give the lead. It’s no surprise the Blue Blur is doing really well in Smash, for better or worse. Many people do not like Sonic because his optimal game plan is ironically slow-paced and actively goes against a core element of fighting games: interaction. On top of many finding his Spin Dash and Spin Charge ear grating, Sonic certainly isn’t the people’s champion.
But that won’t stop Sonix from toppling any player that stands in his way. He’s racked up multiple wins against the top 15 players of Lumirank 2024.1, the most recent ranking of the top 150 Smash players. Sonix has gotten wins over Olimar and Pyra Mythra co-main Shuton, Rob main Zomba, Luigi main Raru, and multiple wins over the aforementioned Shadic, Fox main Light, Diddy Kong main Tweek, and also wins over the number 1 and 2 players in Steve main Acola and Miya mentioned prior. With wins such as these, it feels like Sonix can win anything he enters, but we’ve yet to see him win a single major this year.
Sonix has had a very polarizing year. According to Smashers App, his 2024 record (B+ tier being the cutoff point) is 2nd at Luminosity Makes Big Moves 2024, 2nd at Genesis X, 2nd at the first Luminosity Invitational, 2nd at Lvl Up Expo, 2nd at Get On My Level X, 2nd at Smash Factor 11, 2nd at Supernova 2024, 3rd at Riptide 2024, 13th at Luminosity Invitational 2, 2nd at Luminosity Makes Moves Miami 2024. Except two events, Riptide and Luminosity Invitational 2, he is very consistent and always makes it to the Grand Finals, but he can’t seem to take that gold despite being very capable of doing so.
Luminosity Makes Moves Miami 2024 commentator Max Ketchum has a good way to describe this “Second Place Curse” as people call it: “Oh dude so many times we’ve seen this Sonix gets right to the finish line and can’t close it out.”
Youtuber Proofblock has something to say concerning Sonix’s chances for number 1 next Lumirank after the Luminosity Invitational 2. “This is going to be a very bad placement for Sonix this is the worst placement that he’s had since Smashcon 2023 he went from getting second place at literally every single event in 2024 the streak was finally broken with that third place at Riptide and now we just immediately get a 13th Place it’s definitely a little bit unfortunate and it’s going to be hurting Sonix’ chance for being the best player in the world especially considering that the other person who’s in contention for best in the world just had a monster losers run at this event now is it impossible for Sonix wins yet this season now he’s got this 13th Place again doesn’t take any bad losses at this event but he also only really gets a win on Kola is it going to be enough I don’t think it will be”
With there not being many more majors left this year and Lumirank 2024.2 drawing closer by the day, the question of if Sonix will take a major win this year remains to be seen.
