Intro
With over five years since its official reveal at PGH Smash Presents: The Dark Frames, Melee Triples has become an entirely new competitive format invigorating the community.
PGH Melee and Melee Stats are proud to present SSBMRank Triples, the definitive, world-class ranking of teams that have competed in Melee Triples since its re-introduction at the PGH/NEOH Reunion. Once thought to be lost, creator DigitalCannon continued working on Triples and publicly released the build in December 2024.
These rankings celebrate the majestic, cerebral regions that have promoted the format throughout these past few months, and we hope you’ll join us in honoring the teams that have defined this new metagame.
Methodology
The idea to make Triples Rank spawned from Zuppy, who expressed interest in an SSBMRank for Teams. However, there are now two Melee Teams formats (Doubles and Triples), so what ranking made more sense? It only made sense to make the Triples Rank. But how would we decide on the ranking?
Editor’s Note – the beef with Zuppy over hating Triples has been squashed. 💚
At first, we tried a panel consisting of the most prominent TOs who run Triples events: Coin and Gumball. However, we quickly realized that a panel wouldn’t work due to a blood feud about whether Michigan or Pittsburgh is better at Triples (Editor’s Note: Pittsburgh actually defeated Michigan the last time that they crew battled in Singles at Carroll Fest 5 due to Green Ranger’s 6 stock comeback). Also, Gumball simply forgot to ask Coin if she wanted to help.
Desperate for a solution,we turned to the experts on Reddit who told us that ELO was the best ranking format. Gumball worked tirelessly coding a SQL database to track Triples results, using NorCal’s “GarPR” cerebral ranking system as a base to develop. With over 0.25 hours of work, the ELO system spat out a ranking with only one problem: Abate wasn’t on it.
Distraught with the results of his hard work, Gumball made a hard decision: scrap the ELO model and just ask DigitalCannon what he thought. We threw everything out and went with his list. DigitalCannon brought Triples into the world and can take it out, so he’s the only resource to trust.
Why use a Top 12 instead of a Top 10?
Because ten isn’t divisible by three! Use your brain next time, bozo!
Rank 12
The meanest Foxes this side of Uranus, this old-school PGH crew will beat you as bad in Melee as trash-talking you before, during, and after the set. You’ve never played Triples until S1’s asked you to rank your favorite relatives to watch shower mid-set.
Don’t think it’s limited to just these three though; sub in Mach, Taki, or Sp1nda—these mean Foxes will win just as badly.
Rank 11
A redditor might tell you that Luigi/DK/Luigi isn’t a good team composition; a Pittsburgher will tell you that’s bullshit. While some teams may try to win by simply better-playering you (trying to play 3 1v1s), Abate/GR/Vudujin innovated a strategy akin to zone-defense in football.
Abate and Vudu played outside while GR stayed in the middle, allowing the Luigis to break-up any team-ups while DK could hit players back to them. This strategy has since been adopted by many Triples teams, proving the effect they’ve had on the metagame.
Fun Fact: this was originally going to be Kalvar / 22K / BBQ for winning Triple Tactics Talent in New England, but it’s our list and we’re putting Abate on there. Fuck ‘em.
Rank 10
The most recent Triples champion, this crew just won MOAL last Friday. While you surely know how amazing DigitalCannon is as the inventor of Triples, his long-time practice partner Charlie Brown is practically cheating with his play. Meanwhile, there’s a real argument that Nikita from MOAL is the true GOAT of Triples, as it won Triples at MOAL 565 and MOAL 543.
Rank 9
It’s easy to picture a world where Falco struggles in Triples. Peach Down Smashes, Sheik gimps, Fox shine spikes: it’s a world of peril for the bird. However, I saw some sick-ass laser saves from Figment and TRT watching them play Triples at the Reunion, their first time ever playing Triples mind you. Who’s to say that they won’t get even better in the future?!
Rank 8
To quote legendary West Virginia player ViSQ, this team exemplifies the three genders: Straight, ‘Gay’, and Gay. These West Virginians would down a Pepperoni Roll, go to COAL, and beat you in Triples, so keep an ear out for “Country Roads” when you see this team play.
Rank 7
Of all the results in Triples so far, Holiday / Blesse / 4%’s second place run at the PGH/NEOH Reunion may have been the most surprising. You have two players playing “out-of-position” so to speak, with Sheik-main Holiday and Puff-main 4% both playing Fox instead. Blesse got in on the action and played a game with his Fox (Editor’s Note: my ass was NOT remaking this damn photo again to show a Fox secondary though). Their second place run just goes to show that team chemistry and understanding of the game go farther than simple character choice in Triples.
Rank 6
Oh shit, is that Gumball on the left-side of the screen behind the Beetle King? Wow that’s sick, if only he didn’t have to TO all these damn events, we could have seen him on this list. Anyway, this team did great at Bodied 11, but unfortunately not enough to bring home first place. Yeah whatever; this is like the only event that PGH entered Triples but didn’t win, so, fuck it
Rank 5
There were droves of Twitch randoms that thought this team was cooked after getting 3-0’d by Ben / Negat!ve / Ossify in Winner’s Finals of Bodied 9, but one set does not define an entire team. With more experience under their belt, Team Columbus-poles came back and steamed through losers bracket to win two straight sets in Grands to win Bodied 9. It would’ve been way different if Pittsburgh was there, but enjoy your win.
Rank 4
You could make a reasonable argument that this is the best Triples team in the world. Despite losing Bodied 9, they came back new-and-improved two months later to win Bodied 11, a synergy that no other teams on this list showcased. They also have a moral high ground in that they’re the only static team on this list, i.e. I had to change the image template to have room for two tournaments just for them.
However, I’ve never seen any of these three in Pittsburgh so they can’t be in the Top 3. Too bad—come to Fight Pitt next time!
Rank 3
Ah, c’mon! They have the perfect championship photo yet they’re only #3?! Who made this list? Anyway, what a team to showcase the return of Triples to the world! Couldn’t have happened to three better people; them raising their trophies together is so heartwarming.
Rank 2
Most people know “Famelee” for the amazing Doubles Team of i4/Fecfec, but there is so much more to their family! Mr.Rit is another sister who plays amazingly, not to speak of Gilbeurt who unfortunately couldn’t make it on the trip too. Anyway, the main reason why PGH flew them out to Fight Pitt 10 was actually to play Triples. It was so cool seeing them play all together at Man on a Ledge #561, the sibling-synergy made quick work of the rest of the competitors to win the event for the Paris of Appalachia.
Here’s hoping that we can eventually see a “Melee Quadruples” so we can get the full Famelee together.
Rank 1
Who else could have taken first place other than the team who won the largest Triples event of all time? Coin, saucymain, and iphone exemplify the love of the game that so many of us have for Melee.
Haters will claim their win is fraudulent; that Arcadian Triples wins shouldn’t count the same as top players’ wins, but those haters weren’t there at Fight Pitt 10 seeing the work they put in. Coin literally made Top 64 and then DQed the set beforehand so she could compete in Triples instead. Iphone and saucymain were on the brink of making it out but a higher power knew that they had a more important purpose to accomplish.
And accomplish that mission they did, all the while having a great time. Look at the smiles on their faces! That’s love for Melee, love for Triples, and love for a good time with friends. Maybe the true Triples were the friends we made along the way.
Balloted Teams
- Carnival / Brazmonkey / Cob
- Zoc / Jada / Just
- Charlie Brown / DigitalCannon / Squatch$
- Kalvar / 22K / BBQ
- tenacity / Dragoid / Phalanx
- Coin / Preeminent / Knubs
- Kandayo / Ideas Guy / SDJ
- Coin / Ravian / Zam
- Fahey / Freezus / Greg
- Flow / Ghast / Gumball
Event Links
- PGH/NEOH Reunion (PGH)
- Bodied 9 (MI)
- MOAL 539 (PGH)
- Triple Tactics Talent (NE)
- MOAL 543 (PGH)
- Bodied 11 (MI)
- MOAL 561 (PGH)
- Fight Pitt 10 (PGH)
- MOAL 565 (PGH)