So my gamertag was actually given to me in the fifth grade by one of my school friends.
We were at a LAN center because we didn't have computer at the time
so I would go there to play Counter-Strike 1.6. And I was really hungry while I was playing.
You can change your name. I changed it to "I want a mango." So the next day at school he was like "Hey Mango, what's up?"
And then for some reason it stuck. And then everyone just called me Mango ever since.
What inspired me? Well, it kind of just happen naturally because when we were kids.
Melee for Super Smash Brothers came out in 2001. So we played it for fun as kids.
And we think we are really good and then we find out that there's tournament for the game and we thought "We got to go to these tournaments!"
So that was my first real taste of competition and I fell in love with it.
I wanted to get better and better and I've pretty much been hooked ever since.
There was a Puff player called King and he made this column video and I saw it and
I was like "I want to play Jigglypuff." That's what I started.
I though "I want to do exactly what he's doing, that's really cool."
My all-time favorite person to play is probably Armada. We really push ourselves to get better and better
so when I play him I have got to be on my A-game. I have got to come up with some new stuff.
I probably enjoy playing him the most because we bring the best out of each other, I think.
My tattoos are pretty simple. There is no too much meaning behind them.
Like this one. I love America, obviously. This one is for me my friend.
This is where I grew up. And then I have my Fox and Falco.
You know, my characters I play. And then they are pretty simple.
Like nothing too complicated. Like I got my mom tattoo.
I want to remember what I liked at this age. So, when I am 40 or whatever. People ask "Aren't those going to be dumb?"
And I'll be like "No." I'll remember how I was when I was younger.
If I could join any team it would definitely be CS:GO. Just one round. I come in. I get three kills. Then I'm done.
And then I'm retired. That's it.
I just bought Star Wars. I really like Starcraft. I play Counter-Strike. I played League for a while.
There are a lot of bad ones. I mean they get pretty ugly. Especially right after I lose.
Any top player from any game will tell you that after they lose a tournament checking Twitter is the worst thing in the world.
For some reason all the haters come out of the woodwork and just scroll and think "Man, that is mean!."
And then you just have to ignore it and scroll past them.
My perfect pizzas probably just mushrooms, onions, pineapple and
if I'm in the mood throw on some meatballs on.
Crash Bandicoot is my favorite all-time game character and if I get him added that would be great. That's my dream character.
When I played Armada at Genesis for the first time and I was losing the set
and he completely out-playing me but then there was a moment we're
I pretty much read his soul I knew exactly what he was going do it and I punished him.
everyone goes nuts and I'm like "Oh my god" and then the momentum just momentum actually just came to me.
I felt it. And after that I ended up winning.
I would say that moment, even talking about it gives me the chills. That is probably my all-time favorite movement.
It's pretty a pretty hard game. Anyone who's ever played it
will tell you that it's actually a very different game.
And if you want to get good at it you kind of have to sell your soul in terms of like putting in the time.
You have to think melee when you wake up. And if you are not thinking then you are playing.
There's no online version so your friend’s house constantly.
It actually becomes like a lifestyle when you get into melee.
So my tip is to stay motivated. It takes time to get better.
If you don't see results right away its ok. It takes a long time to get better.
So, just don't be discouraged keep trucking along.
This happens at least once every tournament. Someone will say "oh my god Mango, hey what's up!" And I'll say "Hey man, nice to meet you."
And they don't say anything back. And then we are just kind of standing there awkwardly. And I'm like...
Ok you have got to say something. What do you what me to say to you?
That's the strange thing that happens at least once every tournament.
Then I'll say "Nice to meet you," and then I have to walk away. And I think "Aw, damn it."
Losing is my biggest motivation. You know when you lose, and then you check your Twitter and then you go.
My mom calls me and makes fun of me and then it's like, aw!
Everywhere I go I can't escape it. So I my motivations is to avoid feeling that way.
I don't want to go through all that again.
For me it's losing is my biggest motivation so that it does not happen again.
I've only gone through three controllers in my career which is funny
because a lot of melee players go through two a year.
They just break them. I guess when I play a very delicate with my controller.
I pack it up nicely. This one two years old.
But I use my other one for seven years. For most of my career I use my original one. I have only gone through three.
My favorite meal is burger and fries.
When it comes to beer I'm not picky.
I like 40oz, Bud Lite. But I also like craft beer. One of my favorites is Victory At Sea.
I only drink to get drunk so I am not picky.
One thing I will say is that I cry a lot when I watch movies.
Emotional movie scenes make me cry.
Most people don't know I am a big baby when it comes to movies.
Ideally I would like to work in eSports. I would probably still stream. As long as there is melee live
I want to be part of the community. So I'll always be a part of that.
The last time I shaved it? I don't even remember. It's been at least 1.5 or 2 years that I have been rocking it.
Regarding Jigglypuff, people always ask. My oldest fans ask since that is what I played 10 years ago.
And they always ask "When is Puff coming back?" and I hate breaking their heart and telling them no.
Just let it go. But she might come back when I play teams.
Maybe for singles. Maybe. There is a 2% chance in singles.
Can I shotgun a beer?