The tournament saw 14 gamers compete in Mario Kart 8 for the Nintendo Switch, a racing game that involves Mario characters in vehicles using power-ups like turtle shells, mushrooms and bananas to get an advantage over their opponents.

“There’s nothing like this in Coulonge or anywhere in the Pontiac really,” said Alexandre Romain, co-owner of the Café Downtown said.

Both Romain and his fellow organizer, Justin Chabot, explained that this was a way to get people to come out and engage in a competitive activity in the winter.

“If you don’t go sledding, skidooing or skating and you’re someone that’s a homebody that likes to be inside all day, it gives you a chance to game and show your skills.”

They said they chose Mario Kart because it is an accessible classic.

“It’s easy for newcomers and pros alike, it’s for all ages,” said Chabot.

And while the game is accessible, there’s a lot of room for skill and technique, which Romain and Chabot said they saw on display during the tournament.

The competition cost $10 to enter, with the winner winning the entire pot of the entry fees. The runner-up received a Café Downtown gift certificate worth $20.

Match ups were chosen randomly, with the player moving up if they won two out three games. The tournament was organized into a winner and a loser bracket, with the winner of the loser bracket being given a second chance to get into the finals, explained Chabot.

Romain and Chabot are hoping to do more tournaments in the future if there is a demand for it.

“We were thinking about doing Super Smash Bros, Mario Party, trying to stick with the Nintendo genre, but we could also go look at other games like NHL, FIFA or Call of Duty. We’re just testing right now to see if it works,” said Romain.

“It’s a different thing that came to town, you don’t really see these kinds of things like you do in the city where there’s like gaming cafés, and board games, video games and stuff like that,” Romain concluded. “We are bringing something new to the Pontiac.”

Justin Chabot, on the left not only co-organized the tournament but competed in it.

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