ParanoidDrone
Smash Master
Entry the I-haven't-been-counting of my stage research threads, which seem to be consistently swallowed by the Wii U hype and discussion these days.
I almost did Balloon Fight for this entry, so if you want me to cover something specific, speak up.
Previously Covered:
Gerudo Valley
Tortimer Island
Arena Ferox
Rainbow Road
Mute City
Magicant
Unova Pokemon League
Layout:
Spirit Train takes place on...wait for it...the Spirit Train, which consists of 3 sections: The engine, a passenger car, and a caboose. The engine is a solid platform with a small lower surface where Toon Link conducts the train. If Link or Toon Link are fighting, Alfonzo takes over conductor duties. (Leave it to me, etc.) There is an even smaller surface on the front side of the engine where players can stand and not land on the tracks below. The passenger car is a simple two-tiered setup, with the roof functioning as a standard platform. The caboose is a single solid platform with a small wall on the right edge. No part of the train has a grabbable ledge.
All 3 train sections form a coherent unit, with no gaps between them. The whole setup moves at high speed along a set of rails. Player 1 starts on top of the engine, while player 2 starts on the left side of the caboose. Player 3 starts inside the passenger car, and Player 4 starts on the roof of the passenger car.
The camera will attempt to keep the entirety of the train in view regardless of player positions, although the train does move back and forth in response to various hazards.
Every so often, a platform will float in from the left side of the screen, hover over the passenger car for 10-15 seconds, then proceed to float offscreen to the right. This platform moves relative to the screen, so it will not follow the train when stage hazards move it around. If the Armored Train or Dark Train appear, this platform will leave prematurely.
The Omega Form floats over a void, and players can fly underneath it.
Spirit Tracks is a very dynamic stage, with the tracks, caboose, Armored Train, and Dark Train all impacting the match.
Tracks:
To cover the most obvious hazard first, the tracks themselves form a hazard. Like Big Blue, landing on the ground will result in a player being swiftly carried offscreen. Players that land on the right will be killed almost instantly. Players that land on the left are hit by the train engine, which deals 10% damage and kills Mario off the top at 164%.
Caboose:
The caboose is not a static feature. Occasionally the Spirit Train will sound its bell and an arrow will appear in the upper left corner of the stage, above the engine. The train will then move to the right so that the caboose is offscreen, then return with a different caboose in tow. After about 25 seconds, the cycle repeates, with the new caboose being swapped back with the original one.
Players standing on the caboose are in danger of being killed as it moves offscreen, but only the rear half moves past the blast line. The front half, while still offscreen, does not move a sufficient distance to instantly kill players.
The caboose transition is instantaneous. Astute players can observe their character in the magnifying bubble to determine the exact moment the model changes.
The Armored Train and Dark Train (see below) will not appear if any caboose other than the original one is attached to the train.
A collection of observed cabooses and applicable notes are below. Imgur album for reference.
Name | Image | Notes
Steel Frame Car |
| Default caboose. All others transition back to this one after 25 seconds or so.
Coal Car |
| Coal forms smooth surface despite appearances. Left edge is a small wall when standing on connector.
Linebeck's Shop |
| Solid, shop walls function as exactly that.
Destroyed Passenger Car |
| Players can fall in the gap and land on the tracks. Rear half of car will not save them. Both roof sections function as standard platforms.
Platforms |
| Lower two platforms are solid, upper two platforms are not.
Alert Arrow |
| The arrow that appears as the train backs up.
Armored Train:
An alert sounds, and the Armored Train appears on one side or the other of the Spirit Train. If in front, it then turns around so that the pointy end is facing the train. It waits a few seconds, then charges power as it glows purple and rams the train, dealing 12% damage to players in the way and killing Mario off the top at 135%. Upon ramming, it pushes the train and forces a portion of it offscreen. The standoff persists for a few seconds before the Armored Train relents and leaves, while the Spirit Train returns to center stage.
The Armored Train is only dangerous at the moment it charges. It does not do any damage otherwise and functions as an additional platform as long as it is onscreen.
Dark Train:
An alert sounds, and the Dark Train appears on one side or the other of the Spirit Train. Like the Armored Train, it can be used as a platform. Unlike the Armored Train, it can be damaged. If it takes approximately 50% damage within 5 seconds, it defuses and retreats. Otherwise, it begins flashing red and proceeds to assault the Spirit Train.
It leaps off the top of the screen, killing players standing on it at the time, and an arrow appears somewhere on the stage indicating where it will land. It then lands and explodes after 3 seconds, dealing 22% damage. If it lands on the Spirit Train, the explosion will sever the connection between the engine and passenger car, leaving it and the caboose behind. Replacement cars appear a second later. If it simply lands on the tracks, the Spirit Train will be unaffected by the explosion.
Occasionally, it may simply explode on the spot instead of bothering with the process of leaping onto the Spirit Train. It can also defuse itself and retreat on its own instead of exploding at all.
The knockback dealt by the Dark Train's explosion depends on the position of characters relative to the explosion. When combined with the various locations the explosion can take place, exact kill percents will vary. Depending on the specifics, Mario can die anywhere from 50% to 100%.
Summary:
I almost did Balloon Fight for this entry, so if you want me to cover something specific, speak up.
Previously Covered:
Gerudo Valley
Tortimer Island
Arena Ferox
Rainbow Road
Mute City
Magicant
Unova Pokemon League
Layout:
Spirit Train takes place on...wait for it...the Spirit Train, which consists of 3 sections: The engine, a passenger car, and a caboose. The engine is a solid platform with a small lower surface where Toon Link conducts the train. If Link or Toon Link are fighting, Alfonzo takes over conductor duties. (Leave it to me, etc.) There is an even smaller surface on the front side of the engine where players can stand and not land on the tracks below. The passenger car is a simple two-tiered setup, with the roof functioning as a standard platform. The caboose is a single solid platform with a small wall on the right edge. No part of the train has a grabbable ledge.
All 3 train sections form a coherent unit, with no gaps between them. The whole setup moves at high speed along a set of rails. Player 1 starts on top of the engine, while player 2 starts on the left side of the caboose. Player 3 starts inside the passenger car, and Player 4 starts on the roof of the passenger car.
The camera will attempt to keep the entirety of the train in view regardless of player positions, although the train does move back and forth in response to various hazards.
Every so often, a platform will float in from the left side of the screen, hover over the passenger car for 10-15 seconds, then proceed to float offscreen to the right. This platform moves relative to the screen, so it will not follow the train when stage hazards move it around. If the Armored Train or Dark Train appear, this platform will leave prematurely.
The Omega Form floats over a void, and players can fly underneath it.
Spirit Tracks is a very dynamic stage, with the tracks, caboose, Armored Train, and Dark Train all impacting the match.
Tracks:
To cover the most obvious hazard first, the tracks themselves form a hazard. Like Big Blue, landing on the ground will result in a player being swiftly carried offscreen. Players that land on the right will be killed almost instantly. Players that land on the left are hit by the train engine, which deals 10% damage and kills Mario off the top at 164%.
Caboose:
The caboose is not a static feature. Occasionally the Spirit Train will sound its bell and an arrow will appear in the upper left corner of the stage, above the engine. The train will then move to the right so that the caboose is offscreen, then return with a different caboose in tow. After about 25 seconds, the cycle repeates, with the new caboose being swapped back with the original one.
Players standing on the caboose are in danger of being killed as it moves offscreen, but only the rear half moves past the blast line. The front half, while still offscreen, does not move a sufficient distance to instantly kill players.
The caboose transition is instantaneous. Astute players can observe their character in the magnifying bubble to determine the exact moment the model changes.
The Armored Train and Dark Train (see below) will not appear if any caboose other than the original one is attached to the train.
A collection of observed cabooses and applicable notes are below. Imgur album for reference.
Steel Frame Car |
Coal Car |
Linebeck's Shop |
Destroyed Passenger Car |
Platforms |
Alert Arrow |
An alert sounds, and the Armored Train appears on one side or the other of the Spirit Train. If in front, it then turns around so that the pointy end is facing the train. It waits a few seconds, then charges power as it glows purple and rams the train, dealing 12% damage to players in the way and killing Mario off the top at 135%. Upon ramming, it pushes the train and forces a portion of it offscreen. The standoff persists for a few seconds before the Armored Train relents and leaves, while the Spirit Train returns to center stage.
The Armored Train is only dangerous at the moment it charges. It does not do any damage otherwise and functions as an additional platform as long as it is onscreen.
Dark Train:
An alert sounds, and the Dark Train appears on one side or the other of the Spirit Train. Like the Armored Train, it can be used as a platform. Unlike the Armored Train, it can be damaged. If it takes approximately 50% damage within 5 seconds, it defuses and retreats. Otherwise, it begins flashing red and proceeds to assault the Spirit Train.
It leaps off the top of the screen, killing players standing on it at the time, and an arrow appears somewhere on the stage indicating where it will land. It then lands and explodes after 3 seconds, dealing 22% damage. If it lands on the Spirit Train, the explosion will sever the connection between the engine and passenger car, leaving it and the caboose behind. Replacement cars appear a second later. If it simply lands on the tracks, the Spirit Train will be unaffected by the explosion.
Occasionally, it may simply explode on the spot instead of bothering with the process of leaping onto the Spirit Train. It can also defuse itself and retreat on its own instead of exploding at all.
The knockback dealt by the Dark Train's explosion depends on the position of characters relative to the explosion. When combined with the various locations the explosion can take place, exact kill percents will vary. Depending on the specifics, Mario can die anywhere from 50% to 100%.
Summary:
- Initial layout has mix of standard platforms and walls.
- Tracks below stage can carry players offscreen.
- Front of train does 10% on collision, kills Mario at 164%.
- Caboose can change to 1 of 4 alternate cars, swaps back after 25 seconds. See table above for details.
- Caboose switching signaled by a bell and an arrow in the upper left corner.
- Armored Train rams stage, does 12% and kills Mario at 135%.
- Armored Train shoves stage partially offscreen.
- Armored Train only does damage during initial charge.
- Dark Train can take approximately 50% damage, at which point it leaves.
- Dark Train arms itself if not damaged fast enough, can land on stage and explode or simply explode on the spot.
- Dark Train explodes for 22% damage, exact kill % depends on location. (Severe knockback in any event.)
- Dark Train can sever connection between engine and passenger car, replacement cars appear a second later.
- Dark Train can sometimes defuse and retreat on its own.
- Armored Train and Dark Train only appear when default caboose is attached to train.
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