Just up the coast from AVP HQ, tens of thousands of video game fans are piling into the Los Angeles Convention Center for the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo. In the past, some attempts have been made to recreate our favorite sport in videogame form, but most of us would rather spend a day at the real beach instead of sitting in front of a virtual one. So instead of talking about volleyball videogames, we thought we’d take a look which videogame super powers would dominate in an AVP tournament. And since we know that’ll never happen, we’ll let you know which AVP superstar most closely fits that bill.
Mario’s Double Jump (Super Mario Bros.)
There isn’t a single AVP athlete that doesn’t wish they could get just a little bit higher over the net for a spike or a block. Jumping is one of the key skills for AVP competitors, and there’s no better known jumper in all of videogames than Mario! His ability to jump, and then stop in mid air and jump a second time would give him the edge he needs to shoot straight to the top of the AVP rankings. Mario even tried his hand at Beach Volleyball in 2017’s Super Mario Odyssey, where oddly enough, he competed against a snail.
AVP’s Closest Match: Troy Field and his inhuman vertical leap!
Sonic’s Super Speed (Sonic the Hedgehog)
When you mention speed and videogames together, one name immediately comes to mind: Sonic the Hedgehog. For 27 years he’s been setting land-speed records, and if he were to take his skills to the beaches of the AVP, he’d no doubt be one of the best defenders in the game. His ability to get anywhere on the court in the blink of an eye is a power all AVP teams would get behind. Fans with too much time on their hands have calculated his speed at 2500 MPH. Even Phil Dalhausser would have trouble getting a spike past Sonic with that sort of reaction time!
AVP’s Closest Match: Nicolette Martin and her super sonic speed!
Lara Croft’s Agility (Tomb Raider)
In the 23 years since her introduction back on the original Sony Playstation in the first Tomb Raider game, Lara Croft has grown from a pixelated sex symbol to a hi-res realistic role model. But one thing that has remained is Lara’s nearly supernatural agility and athleticism. Scaling walls, outrunning collapsing temples, and leaping from vine to vine have honed Lara’s mind and body into an unstoppable machine of domination. And while she may not have some of the super powers found in other members of this list, she’s survived 18 games on her strength and wits alone. Based on that, she’d fit right in on the AVP sand.
AVP’s Closest Match: Brittany Hochevar and her incredible athleticism.
Kirby’s Vacuum Power (Kirby’s Dream Land)
Nintendo’s iconic pink character Kirby may not look like the traditional AVP athlete… He’s short, round, and barely has arms. He’d be mistaken for the ball more often than a player! But Kirby’s physique isn’t what would make him the envy of AVP’ers; that honor goes to his vacuum powers. Kirby is able to suck up objects from a distance and shoot them out of his mouth at terrifying speeds. Just think of the possibilities of robbing a sure point from your opponent and rocketing the ball back into their face, all from the safety of center court! With that sort of ability, Kirby doesn’t need to be in shape!
AVP’s Closest Match: Geena Urango and her ability to steal points from opponents
Goro’s 4 Arms (Mortal Kombat)
Standing 8’2” tall, completely shredded, and equipped with 4 arms, Mortal Kombat’s main baddy Goro is a force to be reckoned with in Midway’s famous fighting game. If he ever decided to try his hand(s) at beach volleyball, he wouldn’t even need a teammate! Bumping with his lower set of arms, and spiking with his upper set, Goro’s one man wrecking squad would leave his AVP opponents in ruins… if they were even brave enough to step on the sand against him!
AVP’s Closest Match: The killer physique of Gold Medalist Rich Lambourne
Mega Man’s Arm Blaster (Mega Man)
Many AVP athletes have been told they’ve got a cannon for an arm, but Capcom’s iconic Mega Man literally fits that description. Appearing in over 50 games in his 32 year history, Mega Man’s “Mega Buster” cannon adapts to any situation and lays waste to all foes who stand in front of him. And his ability to take his opponents’ powers after he defeats them would make Mega Man unstoppable as the tournaments roll on.
AVP’s Closest Match: Jake Gibb and his unbelievable spike speed
Any other video game characters you think would dominate on the beach? Let us know on Twitter, FB and Instagram!