Heart Rate Alterations in an Elite Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Player Throughout Doubles Tournament Play

Few data exist on Super Smash Bros Ultimate (SSBU) as a prominent competitive title in the growing Esports industry. Skilled players exhibit distinct cognitive skills that are possibly associated with aerobic capacity, but no data thus far have examined the influence of team-based play in this predominantly solo game. PURPOSE: to examine how SSBU doubles format tournament play affects heart rate in an elite Esports athlete. METHODS: An internationally top 150-ranked male SSBU player (25y) volunteered for the present case study throughout his participation in a double-elimination tournament bracket. After screening and baseline assessments, the subject was continuously monitored to assess within-set and doubles-specific scenario heart rate values, including when the subject and his partner were both alive (BA), or when either the subject (SE) or his partner (PE) were eliminated. Mean heart rate differences were analyzed using a two-way (bracket [winners, losers] x doubles scenario [BA, SE, PE]) ANOVA with repeated measures, as well as separate one-way tests to examine set (Pools Set 1, Pools Set 2, Winners Semi-finals, Losers Quarter-finals, Losers Semi-finals, Losers Finals, and Grand Finals) and individual, within-set games (Game 1 through 5). All statistical analyses were performed at a p.05). Conversely, significant set (p=.007; ηp2=.271) and game (p=.009; ηp2=.255) effects were detected; the mean Pools Set 1 (107±55bpm) heart rate values were higher than both Losers Semi-finals (90±46bpm; p=.015) and Losers Finals (89±46bpm; p