TOP 5: BEST GENL MATCHES IN GUNDAM EVOLUTION
As we approach the end of an era with Gundam Evolution closing its doors next month, Breakout Esports’ time as a tournament organizer for the game has reached its end.
As a rising group of friends and dreamers, we wanted to create a stage where new talent could take their spot in the limelight. Over the last year, we spent countless hours working to not only earn your trust but to create a community where everyone is welcome.
As we close the book on our venture within Gundam Evolution, we wanted to take a look back at the GENL Breakout Series and reminisce on the most hype games and insane plays that you, the community made throughout the year. From an absurd number of voyages to insane team wipes (We all love a little butterfly in the sky), let’s count down the top matches throughout the Gundam Evolution Newtype League.
5. LAST SECOND VS CHAR AZNABLE DSTI
BEST OF THE WEST | LOWER BRACKET FINAL
Choosing the top matches from over 70 streamed games was incredibly hard. From games like TEKKA Dynasty versus BOZOS (Celestial Assault) to Powerpuff Girls versus iQ (Gundam’s Grace), almost every match gave a reason for why it should be on the list.
Let’s start off with a banger of a match! Char Aznable came into this tournament with their original roster from Team Gundam Unicorn (with some differences). They would be going up against a hot Last Second team who had just won Breakout Series: Event #3. Now we all love a little Team Omni vs Last Second action and this game did not fail to deliver.
Char Aznable started off strong taking Underground Command Center 2-1. Last Second would then take a convincing 1-0 win on Quarry to force game 3. Harbor City would prove to be a struggle for both teams as they fought tooth and nail to get the second point. It quite literally came down to the wire where Last Second did their famed “last second” pushes. However, things would not go their way this time as Char Aznable held strong and took both the map and the series 2-1.
4. INARIZAKI VS POWERPUFF GIRLS
HALLOWEEN HAVOC | LOWER BRACKET SEMIFINAL
Okay, hear me out. Take one of the Top 3 teams from the preseason and throw them in a cage match against one of the original Team Omni rosters. Yeah, that match would be a barn-burner. Going into this game, if you told me Powerpuff Girls would win this matchup, I would have called you crazy.
Inarizaki would take a pretty convincing win on Flak Fort. Heck, Powerpuff Girls didn’t even touch the second point with close to 6 minutes on the clock. But it wasn’t about flashy plays or great moments that set this game apart, it was the determination to win. After being down and shut down multiple times on Harbor City, PPG was able to scratch out the win (yes, that was statistically one of Inarizaki’s best maps).
Going into the final round of Mountain R&D Lab, both teams kept trading points. With 50 seconds left and Inarizaki nearing 100%, extra time was inevitable. Powerpuff Girls had to make a play. When I think of great duos in Gundam Evolution competitive, I think of Kasino and Baddie. And let me tell you, they did not disappoint. The DOM Armor Gun into the Asshimar punch combo sealed the deal as they flipped the point and held on to win the map and the series.
3. IQ VS LAST SECOND
GENL BREAKOUT SERIES: EVENT #2 | LOWER BRACKET FINAL
Let’s throw it back to the birth of one of our strongest teams. Last Second came into this tournament essentially as a meme; a ragtag group of friends where most of their team’s players weren’t available. Little did they know, they would push their opponents to their limits. With zero practice, they made it all the way to the lower final where they would face iQ. Since iQ joined our tournament series, they have seen their way into many top 3 finishes but struggled to get over the hump.
Getting into the match, Quarry saw teams either dominate their opponents winning both objectives (without letting the other get the first), or both teams struggling to complete one. This match was the first game where both teams made it to the second objective where iQ would force extra time and secure the first map.
Last Second would force extra time on point 1 of Flak Fort and would wipe with 3 players left alive on the side of iQ. Nostalgia would make an insane clutch by stepping on the point and securing the kill on the first person. They then Overhead Threw the opposing Barbatos out of their G-Maneuver.
This series would take us to a rare Lunar Comm Station tiebreaker where Last Second would win and force game 3. iQ would end up securing their first-ever Grand Final appearance. Last Second gave it their all and man, what a game this was!
2. MAFTY DID NOTHING WRONG VS LAST SECOND
GENL BREAKOUT SERIES: EVENT #3 | GRAND FINAL
Wow was it hard to rank this match. Between this game and the next it was a tough decision. In the end I had to rank this at #2. Don’t get it twisted though, this game was still insane and is a staple match to the history of Breakout Esports.
Coming into this event, everyone thought Mafty would take this tournament. They had won almost every tournament before this, not just from our series either. Last Second had just lost the upper final to Mafty, but it was closer than everyone thought. This gave Last Second the hope they needed to get over the finish line. After winning their lower final match against TEKKA Dynasty, they swiftly made a plan to beat Mafty.
Things did not work out how they thought, however. Mafty would proceed to destroy each of Last Second’s plans winning convincingly on Underground Command Center, then on Thermal Plant (They secured a 2-0 win on both maps). However, the one thing that shifted the tide in this matchup was the release of Gundam Hyperion prior to the tournament. Mafty had not had as much practice on this mobile suit, and Last Second took advantage of that in Harbor City. They would proceed to win 2-1, then would take a stunning 2-1 victory on Flak Fort.
That was it; time was up for Mafty. The momentum had completely swung in the favor of Last Second as they continued on to dominate Mountain R&D Lab winning the map 2-0 and taking the series in the first-ever reverse sweep in a competitive Gundam Evolution grand final. They would also be the first team to win their rematch against a team they lost to earlier in the tournament in Gundam Evolution.
1. ASTICASSIA VS TOKYO MONKEYS
SUMMER CLASH 2023 | LOWER BRACKET FINAL
Alright, where do I start? This tournament was the first international tournament (Every region included) held within Gundam Evolution. Tokyo Monkeys was the only APAC team to participate and they carried their region on their shoulders. They would take the second seed in Groups and would win their first playoff game against Rizzards of Oz. After losing to Kamille’s A Man’s Name, they would proceed to make their Cinderella run through the lower bracket.
Going into the lower final, Asticassia was looking to get both their Gundam Evolution Showdown #3 semifinal and Summer Clash Upper final rematch against Kamille. Little did we know, we would be given the best match of the tournament and arguably of all time.
Every game was close with neither team willing to give an inch. Asticassia proved to be a very dominant team throughout this series, but Tokyo Monkeys would show that their teamwork and cohesion could stand up to that. Asticassia took Map 1 (Ministry of Defense) with a last-second defuse. Tokyo Monkeys would then survive a bombardment of G-Maneuvers to take the Missile Base. Seriously, they only had 3 to Asticassia’s 5; it was an insane moment.
To finish the set, Asticassia Retook the first objective killing all but two members of Tokyo Monkeys. However, VCY denied their victory and threw a clutch Beam Confuse killing four members of Asticassia before going down. LeeSangHyun would then follow up with the Guntank Core Fighter finishing off the final two members before they could get the defuse off. Unfortunately for Tokyo Monkeys, their Cinderella story would end there as they struggled to get a plant on the second objective.
This was the best game of Gundam Evolution we have ever witnessed. The best talent in the world competing against each other and what a way to close out our tenure with the game. This was our dream from the start and we are glad that we were able to make this possible in some manner.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for sticking with us through thick and thin and supporting us. We would not be here it wasn’t for the community and the players who participated in and supported our events. After 9 thrilling events, we are ending this chapter here, but this is not the end of our journey. We are looking forward to the next chapter in our adventure and we hope to see you all there!
