RULES

Table of Contents

General

The Event

Where: San Jose McEnery Convention Center, 150 W San Carlos St, San Jose, CA 95113

When: Saturday February 14 - Sunday Feburary 15 (Top 8)

Game Version: maimai でらっくす PRiSM PLUS

Tournament Organizers:
  • Starrodkirby86, Head TO
  • plexly, Co-TO
Entry Cap:
  • 40 players. Seeding announced by 1/30.
Entry Requirements:
  • No skill requirements, but recommended to be at least 11000 Rating and/or can S-Rank Level 11 Experts or better.
  • Players will be manually seeded and placed in appropriate tournament brackets

Registration

Signing Up

  • Players must sign up on start.gg, including paying the 1-Day Competitors’ Pass for GENESIS X3.
  • Players are not required to purchase the 2-Day Competitors’ Pass if they are eligible for Top 8 on Sunday. If a player is eligible to reach Top 8 on Sunday and they own a 1-Day Competitors’ Pass, they must contact Genesis staff to upgrade their badge to a 2-Day Competitors’ Pass badge in order to keep participating in the tournament.
  • In extenuating circumstances, players may also register after the Late Deadline for GX3, so long as they have a valid 1-Day Competitors’ Pass and properly contact tournament organizers ahead of time.

Admission Fees

  • Event Admission: 1-Day Competitors’ Pass or higher
    • Free upgrade to 2-Day Competitors’ Pass for Top 8 players
  • Competitors: $10 fee facilitated by GENESIS
  • Spectators: No additional fee besides event admission (i.e. Spectators Pass)

Match Procedures

The Best of 1 match procedure is as follows:

  1. TO asks the higher seed whether to ban 1st or ban 2nd. TO assigns the lower seed the option the higher seed did not pick.
  2. The TO will draw 5 songs.
    1. If both players agree, they can redraw the songs once. Otherwise, keep the draw as is.
  3. Players will now execute their preferences: P1 Ban 1, P2 Ban 1, P1 Ban 2, P2 Ban 2.
  4. Players will play the remaining song left.

The Upper Division Best of 2 Cumulative match procedure is as follows:

  1. TO asks the higher seed whether to ban 1st or ban 2nd. TO assigns the lower seed the option the higher seed did not pick.
  2. The TO will draw 6 songs.
    1. If both players agree, they can redraw the songs once. Otherwise, keep the draw as is.
  3. Players will now execute their preferences: P1 Ban 1, P2 Ban 1, P1 Ban 2, P2 Ban 2.
  4. Players will play the remaining songs from left to right.

The Super Upper Division Best of 2 Cumulative match procedure is as follows:

  1. TO asks the higher seed whether their song selection will be Stage 1 or Stage 2.
  2. The TO will draw 2 sets of 5 songs, 1 set per player.
  3. The players may request to redraw and shuffle a new set of 5 songs, but only once and only for their set.
  4. Each player will select 2 songs to ban from the other player’s set of 5 songs.
  5. Players will select 1 song from the remaining 3 songs in their set.
  6. Players will now play the selected 2 songs.

The Best of 3 match procedure is as follows:

  1. TO asks the higher seed whether to ban 1st, pick 2nd (Pick Order 1, or PO1) OR ban 2nd, pick 1st (PO2).
    1. TO assigns the lower seed the option the higher seed did not pick.
  2. The TO will draw 7 songs.
    1. If both players agree, they can redraw the songs once. Otherwise, keep the draw as is.
  3. Players will now execute their preferences: PO1 Ban, PO2 Ban, PO2 Pick, PO1 Pick
  4. Players play the songs in this order: PO2 Pick, PO1 Pick, then the remaining song from left to right.

If a player wins their first 2 songs, the remaining tiebreaker song will not be played.

The Best of 5 match procedure is as follows:

  1. Both players will write down 3 pocket picks each privately. (See Pocket Picks for more details about selection.)
  2. TO asks the higher seed whether to ban 1st, pick 2nd (PO1) OR ban 2nd, pick 1st (PO2).
    1. TO assigns the lower seed the option the higher seed did not pick.
  3. TO asks both players to reveal their pocket picks.
    1. Each player will pick one of their opponent’s pocket picks to play for the set. These will be the first two songs of the set.
  4. The TO will now draw 9 songs. The first two songs in the draw will be replaced by the players’ pocket picks.
    1. If both players agree, they can redraw the songs once. Otherwise, keep the draw as is.
  5. Players will now execute their preferences: PO1 Ban, PO2 Ban, PO2 Pick, PO1 Pick
  6. Players play the songs in this order: Pocket Pick 1, Pocket Pick 2, PO2 Pick, PO1 Pick, then the remaining leftmost song in the Card Draw.

The Best of 7 match procedure is as follows:

  1. Both players will write down 5 pocket picks each privately. (See Pocket Picks for more details about selection.)
  2. TO asks the higher seed whether to ban 1st, pick 2nd (PO1) OR ban 2nd, pick 1st (PO2).
    1. TO assigns the lower seed the option the higher seed did not pick.
  3. TO asks both players to reveal their pocket picks.
    1. Each player will pick 2 of their opponent’s pocket picks to play for the set. These will be the first two songs of the set.
  4. The TO will now draw 11 songs. The first 4 songs in the draw will be replaced by the players’ pocket picks.
    1. If both players agree, they can redraw the songs once. Otherwise, keep the draw as is.
  5. Players will now execute their preferences: PO1 Ban, PO2 Ban, PO2 Pick, PO1 Pick
  6. Players play the songs in this order: Pocket Pick 1, Pocket Pick 2, PO2 Pick, PO1 Pick, then the remaining 3 songs leftmost to right in the Card Draw.

Pocket Picks

In certain stages of the tournaments, players will be eligible to apply a set of Pocket Picks during card draw. A pocket pick is a chart strategically chosen by the player to better ensure their victory.

For Best of 5 matches, players will be allowed to select 3 pocket picks per match. The 3 pocket picks will be presented to the opponent, where they will select 1 of the 3 songs to play.

For Best of 7 matches, players will be allowed to select 5 pocket picks per match. The 5 pocket picks will be presented to the opponent, where they will select 2 of the 5 songs to play.

There are special conditions when players pick the same subset of potential pocket picks:

  • Best of 5: If two players pick at least one identical chart in their pocket pick sets, the matching chart will be force-selected and the second song will be randomized. Reroll if the chart is identical to the force-selected chart. If two identical charts are picked in the pocket pick sets, both charts will be force-selected. If all three charts are identical, players will pick 2 of the 3 selected charts (1 choice per player) to be played. The pick can be the same song twice.
  • Best of 7: Follow similarly to Best of 5, but:
    • 1 identical song: The matching chart will be force-selected, and the second song will be randomized. Players will pick 1 additional pocket pick from the remaining 4 picks.
    • 2 identical songs: Both matching charts will be selected. Players will pick 1 additional pocket pick from the remaining 3 picks.
    • 3 identical songs: Each player will pick 1 each from the 3 identical songs. Players will pick 1 additional pocket pick each from the remaining 2 songs.
    • 4-5 identical songs: Players will pick as usual. The picks can be the same songs between both players.

Pocket picks have additional limitations:

  • Pocket Pick must be a chart within the current level range of the match.
    • Because maimai CiRCLE did not modify any existing songs’ level constants, all pocket pick level rating considerations are equivalent between maimai PRiSM PLUS and maimai CiRCLE.
    • Songs officially removed in the Japanese version of maimai PRiSM PLUS (i.e. Omnimix songs) are not allowed.
    • Long version songs are not allowed.
    • UTAGE (宴) songs are not allowed.
    • Locked songs are allowed, so long that at least one participant in the match has the song available.
  • Players cannot repeat their own pocket picks after it has been picked. Once a pocket pick is selected by an opposing player, that pocket pick may not be selected again in subsequent matches. Players may select the same song but a different eligible difficulty. This rule does not apply to other players’ Pocket Picks – only their own.

Policies

General Game Rules

  • Song Unlocks. Certain songs in the decks may be locked. In the event that locked songs are an active impediment, and if no player has the locked song, the song will be redrawn.
  • Removed Songs. Songs officially removed in the Japanese version of maimai PRiSM PLUS (i.e. Omnimix songs) will not be available in card draws.
  • Utage Songs. UTAGE (宴) songs will be not available in card draws.
  • Disqualifications. If a player cannot be contacted or seen in the premises, they will be disqualified from the tournament. Actively competing players should be expected to be either on the premises or within reach before their designated time to play. Players not present within 5-10 minutes of their role call will automatically be disqualified. Players may naturally get promoted to fill the vacated slot, including previously eliminated players. The grace period is subject to the tournament organizer’s discretion.
  • Skill Gaps. If the selected difficulty is too far out of range for the current player to play (Rank A or less, 90.00% or below), they may request to play on lower difficulties, at the expense of forfeiting the match if the other player remains at their current difficulty. If both players find the selected difficulty to be too difficult and agree to playing on the lower difficulty, the match proceeds as usual. This request is based on tournament organizers’ discretion.
  • Tiebreakers. Unless stated otherwise, the standard tiebreaker procedure is as follows: If both players earn the same achievement rate, the player with the higher DX score will be awarded the victory. If the DX score is the same, then the victory is awarded to the player with the least nonperfect counts (-1 Great, -2 Good, -3 Miss). If all else are equivalent, an additional sudden death song will be played based on a Card Draw of 1 song in the same probability range as the match.
  • Warm-Ups. Players in the upper end of brackets may be given the chance to warm-up during transitionary periods of the tournament. However, if there are schedule delays, players may need to prepare and warm up ahead of time. Players are expected to immediately end their warm-up session when the tournament is ready to proceed.
  • Machine Malfunctions. If a player suspects that their outcome has been affected by hardware malfunctions, they reserve the right to dispute the results for that individual song. If tournament staff find replicable plausibility from the request, then the results for that song will be voided and rerun. A player may only request a dispute before the next stage begins. Once the next stage or match begins, the player will be unable to dispute the results of the song.
  • Force Majeure Clause. Any game interrupted by external, impartial conditions (e.g. power gets cut, safety concerns arise, AV cords get disconnected, etc.) should be reset and replayed at tournament staff discretion.
  • Gloves. Players are encouraged to bring their own gloves. Should they not have any available, players are able to loan or purchase gloves from tournament staff or volunteers.
  • Game Settings. Players must use “Buttons” as their Track Skip setting. Otherwise, Players may use any of the general options provided in the game’s Settings menu, including setting whatever slide timing, sound timing, or offset they’d like. Please note that certain players’ settings may be recorded and captured on stream.
  • Exceptions. Tournament rules may be subject to change depending on tournament participants and circumstances pertaining to game hardware or external thereof. Tournament organizers reserve the right to make the final decision should such factors occur.

Code of Conduct

  • By entering the venue, you consent to having your likeness being used in any media recorded from the event for any publishing outlets.
  • All entrants must be registered as a player, spectator, or media, or have the consent of the event staff to enter the venue. All attendees must keep their badge visible at all times.
  • Verbal abuse and physical violence is grounds for removal from the venue without refund.
  • Smoking, including e-cigarettes, is only permitted in the designated areas outside the building.
  • All attendees are responsible for their own belongings. By paying the registration as players or spectators, you agree that anything you bring into the venue is your responsibility. Event staff, venue, and any sponsors therein claim no responsibility for items which are lost, damaged, or destroyed as a result of being on tournament grounds.
  • Any attendee caught tampering with, manipulating, or attempting to remove anything from a machine or any equipment in the venue without expressed consent from event staff will be immediately ejected.
  • Event staff reserves the right to deny entry into the tournament to any player suspected of committing anything considered a crime or acting in a manner that is detrimental to the integrity of the event.
  • Any issues that arise outside of these terms will be held on a case-by-case basis, and be judged by the event staff.

Contact Policy

For questions related to the tournament and other policies, feel free to contact @starrodkirby86, @plexly on Discord or send an email to minna.no.maimaimaa@gmail.com.

Revisions

  • 2/3/2026: Initial ruleset release.