Heart Rate Alterations Throughout Competition In A Top 10 Ranked Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Player

Despite increasing Esports research, few data exist on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (SSBU) as the historically top selling fighting video game title in history with a prominent competitive scene. Skilled players generally show distinct cognitive skills possibly associated with aerobic capacity. PURPOSE: To examine how tournament participation affects heart rate (HR) in a top-level Esports athlete. METHODS: A top-10 globally-ranked SSBU player (n = 1; 18 years) volunteered for the present case study throughout his participation in a 16 player (all top-150 globally ranked) double elimination-style bracket. After screening and baseline assessments (104 bpm resting heart rate), the subject’s HR was continuously monitored throughout the tournament via a H10 Polar chest strap-based HR monitor to assess within-set HRs (initial [iHR], peak [pHR], mean [mHR]) and post-set heart rate recovery at 30-seconds (HRR30S) and 2-minutes (HRR2M). Mean set times (mST), stocks remaining (SR), and percentage of games won (%W) were also calculated. Set (winners quarterfinals [WQF], winners semifinals [WSF], losers quarterfinals [LQF], losers semifinals [LSF], losers finals [LF], and grand finals [GF]) and game (G1-G5) HR were analyzed using separate one-way ANOVA with repeated measures. Potential relationships between iHR, pHR, mHR, HRR30S, HRR2M, mST, SR, %W, and opponent’s seeding (OS) were tested using Pearson correlation coefficients, whereby all analyses were performed at p > .05. RESULTS: Analyses revealed a main set effect (p > .001; p ηp2 = .560), whereby HR was significantly higher in LF (174 ± 10 bpm) versus all sets and LSF (169 ± 13 bpm) versus all but GF (159 ± 9 bpm versus WQF [163 ± 13 bpm], WSF [159 ± 16 bpm], and LQF [138 ± 36 bpm]). A significant (p > .001; p ηp2 = .636) game effect also demonstrated a higher HR in G5 than in G1-G4 (181 ± 5 versus 158 ± 11, 165 ± 11, and 168 ± 11 bpm, respectively). The only significant correlations were between mST and HRR30S (p = .013; R = -.862), %W and SR (p = .035. R = .844), as well as HRR2M and OS (p = .036, R = .786). The player reached a 199 bpm pHR (98.5% age-predicted heart rate maximum [APHRM], as well as a 163 ± 14 bpm mHR (81 ± 7% APHMR) and 93.8 minute total time across all sets. CONCLUSION: While only in a single case subject, these data suggest potentially unique cardiovascular demands in high-level SSBU players.