Here's the Ridley stages I made:
Planet Zebes
Norfair
Norfair would be a combination of the Ridley Boss Room and Lower Norfair from the 2D Metroid games. The battle takes place on a central steel platform that is approximately the length of the Fountain of Dreams stage from Melee. The platform is held above a bed of lava by two metal pillars at each of its ends. These pillars extend and contract when the lava rises and falls, respectively, thus raising and lowering the main platform. This can cause the fight to move closer to the top kill zone, allowing for easier vertical KOs. Two Rippers (small, brown hovering beetles) will often rise from the lava and roam the areas on each side of the main platform. They work like moving ledges, in other words, you can hang on to them for dear life. From time to time, these little guys will save you from certain death.
The lava beneath the stage is deadly. Acting as the acid did in the Brinstar stage from Melee, it sends you rocketing upward if you happen to land in it. This can be especially dangerous if the lava has risen, and the main platform is closer to the level's ceiling. The kill zones to the left and right of the stage are relatively wide, about the same as those in Final Destination.
The background in Ridley's Lair would be home to several cameos appearances by a few critters from the Metroid games. Large, gaudy columns line the background, engraved with lores and pictures by the Chozo. Ancient, crumbling Chozo statues and architecture line the floor, damaged by years of erosion from the constantly rising lava. Occasionally, an Etecoon or a Dachoras will wander around in the background, hopping around on the statues. The flickering light from the lava causes the small, friendly creatures to cast huge, ominous shadows as they pass by.
Sounds would include the crackling of fire from the lava, and the noise of bubbles rising to the surface and bursting, generated by the same burning lake of fire. When one of the animals moves around in the background, the sound of their footsteps and crumbling rocks would echo through the huge, open chamber. The music playing would be none other than the Lower Norfair theme. It's solid beat sets the pace for battle.
Listen or Download the Song Here
Tallon IV
Artifact Temple
Everyone, even those new to the Metroid series, should know about this level. Taken straight from Metroid Prime, is the Artifact Temple, the location where you first encounter Meta Ridley. The battle is fought from the front view of the stage on the cliff overlooking the Impact Crater. To make it a playable arena, the small statues that hold the artifacts are removed, but in their place are two small platforms hovering over the gigantic, main platform. These platforms, like the statues, have thick, engraved lines that glow blue. These markings spread from the center of each platform, in which there's a glowing, blue, circular engraving.
The length of the main platform is the equivalent of Final Destination. The horizontal kill zones are quite short, allowing for an occasional cheap KO. However, the level has a very high ceiling, so star KOs are hard to come by. The walls leading up to the ledge of each side of the stage are high and flat. This affects the difficulty each character has recovering drastically.
Periodically, the enormous Chozo statues in the background will "come to life" and their rich blue light turns into a deep red. Their eyes steadily shine brighter and brighter, until lasers shoot from them. The tiny red lines meet at a central point, where they form a thick scarlett beam that fires at the character that is currently in the lead. The laser stuns the player for a few seconds, leaving him open to an attack for a short time, then the beam dies down and parishes. The light in the statues' eyes fade away, and the red lights change to blue again.
The most notable cosmetic change of the Artifact Temple is the weather. Starting with a clear, peaceful day, it worsens as dark clouds start to gather, and it begins to rain. It progresses from a light drizzle, to a downpour, and finally into a frightening thunderstorm. Then, the sky clears, and the cycle continues. As the weather changes, however, so does the atmosphere of the battle. When sunny and mellow, flocks of birds will soar into the horizon, various creatures can be heard in background, and the music (The Red Brinstar Remix that was later used for Metroid: Prime) is slow and calm. As it starts to rain, everything goes silent, the setting darkens, and the theme picks up tempo. While the rain comes down heavier and harder, the rumbling and crashing of the thunder shakes the ground, and the song becomes more twisted and unnerving. By the time the storm is in full throttle, so is the now dark music, and lightening strikes in the background, briefly lighting up the stage. As the storm wanes, the song slows back down to a soothing rhythm, the wildlife awakens, and the stage is in a peaceful state again.
Listen or Download the Song Here
