Category: USA

Here Comes a New Challenger: zombie_damage Interview

By yogaboy | February 17, 2026 | Posted in: USA

In a scene long defined by arcade veterans and OG legends, a fresh face is turning heads. At just 20 years old, zombie_damage from the United States is carving out a name in Super Street Fighter II Turbo, not just as a promising newcomer, but as a true competitor, holding his own (and winning) in tournaments filled with seasoned players.

While most of his generation grew up with modern fighters or esports titles, zombie_damage took an unexpected path into one of the most demanding and unforgiving fighting games of all time. His rapid rise, sharp fundamentals, and fearless mindset show that the ST flame isn’t just being kept alive, it’s being reignited by the next generation.

We sat down with zombie_Damage to talk about how he got into the game, the grind behind the scenes, what it’s like to compete in a legacy community, and where he sees the future of Super Turbo headed.

How did you first discover Super Street Fighter II Turbo, and what drew you to this specific version?

My first exposure to not only this game but fighting games as a whole was Christmas 2021, for whatever reason my dad made me play through the entirety of the CPU mode, and after that he made me fight him, did not go well. After this point, every night over my Christmas break we would play like 80 games straight and I would lose every single one, this put on a rabbit hole to get better. Eventually I found my way over to MAME and Fightcade just to practice. After about May of 2022 the game really fell on the backburner for me, and I forgot about it until about 2023. So, in short because I wanted to beat my dad at a super Nintendo game, and yes, I can beat him now.

At just 20 years old, you’re part of a new generation. What made you choose to compete in a game from before your time?

At first, I never wanted to compete, I never really expected to be good at the game I was just some guy playing the game for fun, it wasn’t until recently that I decided to really head out and compete. For some reason 2x has a special place in my heart.

Were you influenced by any older players or iconic matches when you started?

There are a few iconic players that made me keep going, many of the Japanese players like Koemon, Bunchin, and Hansashi and Noguchi before he went traitor. Big western influences are Jigglynoris and my no.1 pick for best Fei, Balcork. And Maybe not iconic but the most important matches are Jigglynoris’ 2019 Combo Breaker run. That run and his play is what made me start playing Fei.

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What were the hardest mechanics or matchups you had to learn to master the game?

The first mechanic I can remember having trouble with was chicken wing execution. That was a problem that was solved with tons of practice and general playtime. Really the hardest thing to master in this game is patience, it’s something I still struggle with, especially as a Fei Long player. When is it time to do things, when do I chill out, am I doing too much.

In terms of matchups, two stick out to me as being hard to both learn and be good at. Guile, and Chun. Guile is a tough matchup because he can always keep you out if played perfectly, there are just times when the guile player is just locked in and it’s over for you. This means that you must know all your safe jumps, frame traps, mix-ups, etc. Just so that you can capitalize on maybe that one time you get in.

As for Chun, some people say that it’s a good matchup for Fei, but those people are liars. Learning when you can Rekka when she is doing Cr.mk is still something I’m trying to do. This matchup has so many moving parts that take a ton of time to learn.

How crucial has been the online training (fightcade) for your success

I owe every bit of success I have ever had to fightcade pre-CEO 2025, it was the only way I was able to interact with the game at all. Every bit of knowledge comes from fightcade net play.

Are there any specific training routines or habits that helped you improve quickly?

I don’t have a solidified training routine, If I get the chance, I like to just hop into training mode and dick around doing whatever I’m feeling at that moment. I will never force myself into training mode for any reason though, at the end of the day it’s a video game and I’m trying to have fun.

Have you had any mentors or training partners who pushed you forward?

There are tons of people who pushed me to become a better player. I could be here all day listing them but here’s a few. Moook, Megamanx8, Had0k3n, MpG. These are just off the top of my head so many different people contributed to my development as a player it’s hard to list.

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How do you prepare mentally for a tournament?

If I’m perfectly honest, I don’t. I’m going into it raw, I know what I practiced for, the things that should make me nervous. If I win, good. If I don’t, then clearly I wasn’t meant to. In other words, Confidence.

What’s your most memorable match or comeback so far?

Out of every tournament match I played whether it be online or offline tournaments, the most memorable one was my pools match vs Neoturfmaster at CEO. Neo is a homie, and we have played with each other tons of times. That’s why its so memorable to me, we were playing with each other not the matchup.

How do you deal with nerves when playing against legends or in grand finals?

A lot of it is the confidence I have in my skills, another part of it is just getting adjusted to the stage after pools and top 8, most tournaments have you being there all day. By grands I’ve had all day to get acclimated and it’s just taking care of business.

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What has your experience been like with the ST community, especially as a younger player?

My personal experience with the ST community is almost entirely positive. Very little of my interaction is negative especially offline, of course online always has people who say and do dubious things but that is par for the course with any online community.

Do you feel welcomed and supported by the OGs of the scene?

Many of the scenes’ OGs are super experienced and willing to give help and advice to those seeking it. Along with being super hospitable to those willing to go out and support the game.

Are there enough opportunities for young players to get into ST, or is it still niche?

In the states at least, offline is a niche. You just need to be in the know. If you aren’t in the right online spaces or don’t know anyone who is, you just aren’t going to know about offline events and places to play. Online is much more accessible for new players, just hop on fightcade and play. Only problem is that most online tournaments have stopped running so if you really crave competition you aren’t going to find it.

Did you start with console or non official controllers? How cruCial was it to do the transition to the official arcade stick?

I started with some sort of off-brand SNES pad made by a company that no longer exists, I think the switch was monumental. ST is one of the few games where I feel the best results come from stick, the input leniency is super important with the strict interpreter.

How would you recommend new players with other controllers to do the transition? How long did it take you?

Just stick it out, not much you can do to make it better, but you can make it worse. Whatever you do, don’t go back to your old controller to win games. Personally, I got completely adjusted after about a week or two, after so long I can’t play on pad anymore. Of course if you don’t want to make the swap you don’t have to.

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Why do you think ST still holds up competitively after all these years?

I think it’s because despite its age new things are still happening, new players come in, and new tech is being found even today. Combine that with a 30 year history of players and tech and I have a reason to keep coming back.

What would you say to other younger players who might be intimidated by how “old school” the game seems?

The game being old school isn’t the hard part, it’s the people. Odds are the people you are going to go up against have been playing the game longer than you have been alive, literally. You just have to keep that in mind when you play, you aren’t going to get better than them overnight. It is going to take at least a year if not more.

Do you think ST needs anything new? like balance patches, new ports, or official tournaments, or is it perfect as is?

I don’t think ST “needs” anything, I love New Legacy but much of the charm of the game comes from its imperfections. Projects like New Legacy are awesome but they are much better off as their own entities.

Where do you see the future of ST going, especially as more retro enthusiasts get involved?

I think it has a bright future; there are always new players coming in through fightcade and more events every year. Obviously work still needs to be done to get up there with 3rd strike but there is potential.

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if you could ban one character of the game, what would it be

I hate claw, and he deserves the hate he gets. However, Dhalsim has a special place in hell for me. Busted normals, good super, dive kicks, anti-airs he’s got it all. I would pick Sim.

Any ST-related goals you’ve set for the next year?

I will be at CEO 2026. However, that is all I will be able to do next year. Technically wise I’m hoping to get better at walking 720 with Hawk, just for fun.

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Are there any places in your hometown to play offline? would you like to start some recurring meetings there?

There are spots for 3rd Strike but that’s about it for retro, as much as I would like to start playing ST around here, I don’t have the time or resources to make it happen.

Any shoutouts to players, mentors, or communities?

Riz’s community for being excellent with help in the game and outside of it. Younger players like Had0 and MpG for providing a group of similarly aged people to play and interact with Jac Tiaf and JoshC for being excellent hosts and excellent people for the time they allowed me to stay and lean on them. Lastly MegamanX for being one of the pillars of the community and one of the best mentors one could ask for.

Pictures by: RellFGC