This is part of why super smash bros is so good. Playing against friends who are decent but not as good as you? Play one of your secondaries. Friends are bad but learning? Play a low tier/a character you don't ever play. Friends are casual gamers/don't know how to play smash? Spam b moves as a low tier. No matter how good you are you can sandbag pretty hard without your opponent feeling like you aren't trying/not having fun.

Dad mode activated

This is exactly what I've had to end up doing in a few games. Some games I don't mind. Like Battlefront 2. I used to play, and win, tournaments in it so when friends call me in to help them with a game or something it's great because you get a ton of praise and hype. Your friends going "FUCK THEM UP DUDE! YEAH! GO FOR IT!" Or the thanks for helping a friend. But that same prowess meant that (even if there was easily accessible invite pvp) I can't fight any of my friends. There are ways you kind of can and everytime I've suggested it it's always a resounding and hard no. I've had similar levels of skill in other games that I actively tone down around my friends because I want to be able to play against them and not just play with them. I don't give a shit if I win or lose. I give a shit that I'm hanging out with people who I like and playing games I enjoy.

I'm not big on fighting games, don't they usually have a handicap setting? How do they work? I'm guessing good ones do stuff like break guard easier and do more damage, right?

This is the way! Group games are about everyone having fun, not winning.

I relate with this one. I cycle further and faster than my friends, so it feels like I have to slow down when I cycle with them, however I'm nowhere near professional level.

Having to carry every BLOPS game between two people while everyone else was average or worse. Every night for like 2 years lol.

But that's a single player game... 🤔

My kid could beat everyone at smash bros in high school. My friend's kid was number two in the state. My kid couldn't touch him.

My friend's kid could not touch the number one kid in the state and that kid wasn't good enough to go pro.

I have this problem playing smash bros with my kids. Solution? Pump up my handicap to >100% and play Kirby. Basic hits knock Kirby out, so it actually becomes a challenge for me, and they love beating me up. Win win!

Love me some Forza. Been playing 5 lately for the first time. Feels lonely not having friends to play with anymore but I gotta start messing with this Horizon Open shit.

I’ll play with you toomanypancakes

I really genuinely enjoyed learning to get better at super smash bros. But then I fell into the awkward zone described in a meme. It sucks.

Also me at 2k hours but I got a few friends into it. Then they’re better at it than me in like 200-400 hours lol

I’m a speed runner, I think i can compete but im not sure where to submit my runs

Reminds me of the one time I played 4 online. I played maxi as I always do, even though he got gimped hard. This guy played Asteroth and he let me win for 2 rounds. Then he schooled me. Hard.

He let me win the first 2 rounds to give himself the handicap. 5th round came, and I tried. Harder than ever. Sidestepped at the right moments, blocked, the whole shebang. We both had a sliver of health left, and I jabbed him. Simple little doosh. And I won.

I've never sweat harder from a game in my life. It was a waterfall coming from my armpits. My heart rate was so high that I felt it in my arms.

I will always remember and relish that victory, and I will never play soul calibur online ever again.