Gamers prep for Brawl

Robert Benge, 18, is working on putting Yuba City on the map for the computer gaming community with the first Smashapalooza video game tournament this Sunday at The Plaza Room in Hillcrest Plaza.

While showcasing competitive play, Benge's main reason for the event is to boost the game scene in Yuba City.

"I really want the community to be seen," he said.

With more than 100 participants expected from all over the West Coast, Benge hopes the tournament will also get more local people involved in the games.

Registration starts at 10:30 a.m., with the one-on-one in-person games starting at noon. The cost for registration is $10 per person.

The tournament features "Super Smash Brothers Brawl" on Nintendo Wii. Participants are asked to bring their own controller.

People are also invited to attend and watch the gamers. The site will include games there "just for fun," Benge said, and food for purchase.

Information about the tournament is available at www.allisbrawl.com.

A smaller warm-up tournament will be held Saturday at Powerplay Internet Gaming Lounge on Plumas Street in Yuba City.

Gaming is "a really healthy outlet," said Benge, known as RareTruffle in the gaming community. Most players are in their mid-teens to mid-20s, he added.

The Yuba City resident, a regular at PowerPlay, has been playing the series since about 2001, he said, and playing competitively since 2005. He has traveled all over the West Coast, into Oregon and into Nevada.

"It's been amazing traveling everywhere," he said. "Winning money is nice, too, but traveling everywhere and being with people who share a common interest with you" is fun.

Yuba City's Powerplay already hosts monthly tournaments usually the third Saturday of each month. Benge hopes to have a larger community tournament more often.

Benge has personally paid the more than $1,000 for the inaugural tournament and will not recoup the cost.

"(Gaming is) a really great pastime," he said. He wants that idea to come to this area.

Know and go

• What: Smashapalooza video game tournament

• When: Sunday — registration starts at 10:30 a.m., games start at noon

• Where: Plaza Room, 210 Julie Drive, Yuba City

• Cost: $10

• Call: Robert Benge, 566-7396