Colorado Anime Fest 2024 Gaming Tournament Rules

TOURNAMENT RULEBOOK

Last updated: February 18, 2024

The Final Revival hosted by Colorado Anime Fest will be returning to the Denver Marriott Tech Center on March 15-17th, 2024.

Registration 

To enter the tournament, you must first purchase a pass to Colorado Anime Fest 2024. If you are purchasing a single-day pass, be sure to check the schedule to see the games that are being played the day you are at the venue. You must also apply for the tournament through our Start.gg page. There will be a $10 entry fee for each game you enter.

Tournament Format

Tournament play is as follows except for where otherwise specified in the individual game rules. Be sure to check the rules for the individual game for any changes in this format.

  • Tournaments are played in double-elimination format.

  • All games will be played on default settings except where otherwise noted.

  • You must win a set in order to move on to your next opponent in the tournament.

  • To win a set you must win 2 out of 3 games.

  • A game consists of up to 5 in-game rounds.

  • Winners of every game must keep the same character within that set. If the winner used Random Select to pick their character, they must use Random Select again for the next game.

  • Players may opt for double-blind character selection for any tournament.

  • Players may opt to skip any stage selection rule for any stage agreed upon by both players.

  • There is a maximum of 60 seconds allowed between games in a set.

Double-blind Character Selection

Either player may request the double-blind character selection option for the first game in a set. If requested, then both players must secretly tell a judge their intended character selection before selecting. Once both players have told their selection to a judge, they then select their requested character with the judge confirming the character selected was the one requested.

Checking In

On-site/late registrations will end 5 minutes before each tournament. You are responsible for checking into your pool before the official start time. It is highly suggested that you stay near the Video Game Room before the tournament you registered for starts. Competitors on the winners side of the bracket who are more than 10 minutes late for their set will be disqualified and sent to the Losers side of the bracket. Competitors on the losers side of the bracket who are more than 10 minutes late for their set will be disqualified and eliminated from the tournament.

Competition

If both players cannot agree on a stage within 10 seconds after selecting their characters, stage selection is random, unless noted otherwise in specific game rules. If a banned stage is selected randomly, the stage will be selected again until a legal stage is selected. Accidentally pausing the game at any time during your set will force you to forfeit the round. In case a pause occurs, notify a judge immediately before resuming play.

If players disagree on which side they play on or have any other disputes, the selection will be determined by playing Rock, Paper, Scissors (Best of 1). The winner may choose.

Players are responsible for bringing their own arcade sticks/control pads as we cannot provide controllers for all competitors. If you wish to use converters, you must bring your own. Any turbo or macro modifications are banned.

Collusion of any kind with your competitors is considered cheating and will result in the collaborating players being immediately disqualified. This determination is to be made at the sole discretion of the Tournament Director. Anyone disqualified in this manner forfeits all rights to any titles or prizes they might have otherwise earned for that tournament.

Pad players are responsible for desyncing their pads from the console after their sets. Failure to do so, if they accidentally interrupt another set, will result in penalties at the discretion of tournament directors.

Other General Rules

If a new character is released for any of the games listed in the tournament, that character may only be selected if it is available for at least 14 days prior to the first day of the convention.

If you choose to enter the event, know that you are to fully adhere to the Rules and Guidelines of Colorado Anime Fest. You are to follow said Code, dress code regulations, and everything in between. NO EXCEPTIONS. Failure to adhere to these rules will result in the player(s) involved being immediately disqualified from all tournaments they have registered for and potentially being ejected from the venue. This determination is to be made at the discretion of the Tournament Director, the staff of Colorado Anime Fest, and/or the staff of the hotel. Anyone disqualified in this manner forfeits all rights to any titles, prizes, or refunds.

Payout Structure

All tournament entry fees are added to the total prize pot. The venue will add bonuses to the total prize pot based on the number of players in the tournament.

8 players or more

16 players or more

24 players or more

32 players or more

$15 pot bonus

$25 pot bonus

$40 pot bonus

$50 pot bonus

The top 3 players of a tournament will win a cash prize equivalent to a percentage of the total pot plus any pot bonuses.

  • 1st Place: 60% of total pot.

  • 2nd Place: 25% of total pot.

  • 3rd Place: 15% of total pot.

Games

Street Fighter 6 (PlayStation 5)

Game Settings

  • Tournament legal controls: Classic and Modern

  • Random stage select.

  • Motion Blur: Off 

  • Timer: 99

  • Input Delay Reduction: On

  • Commentary Settings: Off

  • Banned Stage: Training Room

Tournament Format

  • Best 2/3 rounds per game.

  • Best 2/3 games per set for non-finals. 

  • Best 3/5 games per set for grand finals.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Nintendo Switch)

Game Settings

  • 150cc

  • No Teams

  • Frantic Items

  • No COM Players

  • All Vehicles

  • Courses: Random

Tournament Format

  • This is a single-elimination tournament.

  • A complete set consists of four races.

  • Each set is played with up to four players.

  • Top two players with the most points win the set and advance in the tournament.

  • The final four players will play six races.

Guilty Gear Strive (PlayStation 4/5)

Game Settings

  • Random stage select.

Tournament Format

  • Best ⅔ rounds per game.

  • Best ⅗ games per set for the entire tournament.

Super Smash Bros: Ultimate (Nintendo Switch)

Game Settings

Ruleset

  • Style: Stock

  • Stock: 3

  • Time Limit: 7:00

  • FS Meter: Off

  • Spirits: Off

  • Damage Handicap: Off

  • Stage Selection: Loser’s Pick

  • Items: None

  • Stage Morph: Off

  • Stage Hazards: Off

  • Team Attack: On

  • Launch Rate: 1.0x

  • Underdog Boost: Off

  • Pausing: Off

  • Score Display: Off

  • Show Damage: Yes

Game Options

  • Custom Balance: Off

  • Radar: Small

  • Echo Fighters: Separate

Tournament Format

  • Best 2/3 rounds per game.

  • Best 2/3 games per set for non-finals.

  • Best 3/5 games per set for grand finals.

Stage Selection Rules

Before the first game of a set, players play a best-of-1 game of Rock-Paper-Scissors. The winner chooses to either strike a game first or select a port first. The Stage Striking process then begins unless both players agree on a starting stage from the Starter Stages list.

After the first game, the winner chooses a total of two stages to ban for the next game from both the lists of Starter Stages and Counterpick Stages. This ban is only for the next game and does not persist throughout the set. The loser of the game then selects from the remaining available stages from the Starter Stages and Counterpick Stages lists.

Stage Striking

This process may be skipped if both players agree on a starting stage from the Starter Stages list. The stage striking process is only used for the first game of a set. The player selected through Rock-Paper-Scissors removes one stage from the Starter Stage list. The other player then removes two stages from the list. Finally, the first player choses from the remaining stages.

Starter Stages

All below stages must be selected in Normal form.

  • Battlefield

  • Kalos Pokémon League

  • Pokémon Stadium 2

  • Smashville

  • Town & City

Counterpick Stages

All below stages must be selected in Normal form.

  • Final Destination

  • Hollow Bastion

  • Small Battlefield

  • Wuhu Island

Other Rules

  • Mii Fighters are permitted with any combination of specials.

Tekken 8 (PlayStation 5)

Game Settings

  • Random stage select for the first game in a set only.

  • Timer: 60 seconds

  • Character Customizations: Off

Tournament Format

  • Best of 3/5 rounds per game.

  • Best of 2/3 games per set for non-finals.

  • Best 3/5 games per set for grand finals.

  • Losers may either switch to a non-random stage while keeping the same character or switch character while using a random stage.

Granblue Fantasy Versus:Rising (PlayStation 5)

Game Settings

  • Random stage select.

Tournament Format

  • Best ⅔ rounds per game.

  • Best ⅔ games per set for non-finals. 

  • Best ⅗ games per set for grand finals.

Mortal Kombat 1 (PlayStation 5)

Game Settings

  • Random stage select

  • 90-second timer

  • Delayed Final Blow armor: Off

Tournament Format

  • Best ⅔ rounds per game.

  • Best ⅗ games per set for the entire tournament.

  • Losers may switch their main character and Kameo between games.

  • Winners may only switch their Kameo between games.


Console Game Library

We’ve increased our game library with more games directly available on the console. All games are free to play but you will need to provide your convention badge to check-out any games on disc.

Staff Game Picks

In case our extensive library is too much to choose from, take a look at the titles recommended by our staff.