D
Deleted member
Guest
Funny you mention that. I actually already messaged him asking if he wanted to judge. Seems that he hasn't logged in since last Friday though so I'm still waiting on a reply.
-
Welcome to Smashboards, the world's largest Super Smash Brothers community! Over 250,000 Smash Bros. fans from around the world have come to discuss these great games in over 19 million posts!
You are currently viewing our boards as a visitor. Click here to sign up right now and start on your path in the Smash community!
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Stage Creation Contest (Complete)
Kevandre
Ivy WAS Saurly missed
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2013
- Messages
- 2,520
- Location
- Pacific Northwest
- NNID
- Kevandre
- 3DS FC
- 1736-1095-5393
- Switch FC
- SW-2226-3590-9812
Might be a good idea to change the title of the thread temporarily to have a *Looking for Judges* at the end so folks on the allthread screen can see?
TheMarioaddict
Smash Journeyman
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2013
- Messages
- 345
- Location
- Right Behind You
- NNID
- TheMarioaddict
- 3DS FC
- 0130-1812-3778
- Switch FC
- SW-4314-7715-8313
I'd be willing to become a judge if no one else steps up to the plate. Granted, I wouldn't be able to judge the previous two rounds (since, y'know, I submitted stages to both of them), and I like making stages much more than judging them, but I'll gladly put stage making aside if it means the contest as a whole can keep going.
D
Deleted member
Guest
Good Idea.
I appreciate that. But hopefully it won't come to that.
TechPowah
Smash Ace
I know it's a bit early still to ask, but could there maybe be an extra day's extension on the deadline
with my schedule, i don't know if i'll be able to finish my stage before the 23rd
with my schedule, i don't know if i'll be able to finish my stage before the 23rd
D
Deleted member
Guest
Sure. I'm probably going to need that myself given the hunt for judges.
PeridotGX
Smash Hero
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Coliseum Ruins
Origins
This location first appeared in BoTW, as a location to test your strength. There are enemies all around, including a Lynel! Every time you beat a Divine Beast, the enemies get a level stronger. In the DLC packs, you got a piece of gear here. In all, it's a relatively important placeColiseum Ruins
Origins
Stage
The stage's layout is relatively simple, with a long piece of land, with two semi-solid platforms. Everything is a walk off, and the walls of the coliseum are past the blast-zone ( So you can get killed of the right and left blastzones). Surprisingly, it's a very large stage, with the scale being about 1.6x that of FD.Unique to this stage is that various enemies from BoTW can appear to mettle with your fun. The first one appears 20 seconds into the match, and the next one appears 25 seconds after the previous meets a terrible fate.
- Bokoblins are the most common enemies to appear. One appears on the ledge of the platform shooting arrows that deal damage. They don't move. It has 50 HP.
- Lizalfos wield a boomerang, which they can both use for close combat attacks or a less powerful projectile, like Link's. It has 55 HP
- Moblins are tanks, they are very slow but can OHKO you if hit by their club. They have 75 HP, but are the only ones to have knocback
- Lynels appear very rarely. They can use Stronger versions of the other 3's attacks and are incredibly fast. They have 100 HP.
Music List
Hyrule Castle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aWHkYWslcw
Hyrule Castle (Inside)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aWHkYWslcw
Guardian Theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jph1ZA59NE8
VS Stone Talus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69nd6-dgqR8
VS Strong Enemy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69nd6-dgqR8
Title for Zelda 1 (Brawl Mix)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weLFDw6dNPk
Dark World/ Dungeon (Smash 4 mix)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ti8v9cRHcWM
Mic: To be honest, I really don't like how this stage came out. This is what happens when you waste your time making a stage for Scribblenauts instead of the upcoming round.Hyrule Castle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aWHkYWslcw
Hyrule Castle (Inside)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aWHkYWslcw
Guardian Theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jph1ZA59NE8
VS Stone Talus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69nd6-dgqR8
VS Strong Enemy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69nd6-dgqR8
Title for Zelda 1 (Brawl Mix)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weLFDw6dNPk
Dark World/ Dungeon (Smash 4 mix)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ti8v9cRHcWM
Last edited:
D
Deleted member
Guest
Alright everyone I've got some good news. And a lot of it.
First of all, while Round 6 would have ended today under normal circumstances it has been extended to having tomorrow as an end date through the combination of
TechPowah
's request and the bind I was in looking for judges.
But Second, and probably the best news of all, is that the bind I was in has come to an end. Everyone give a big welcome and a big thanks to @hinata2000100 and @DarkAura64/Fenrir as our new judges!
Thirdly, Round 5 grades are coming along pretty well now that those two have been recruited. With any luck they'll be in this Sunday.
Because of that though Round 6 grades are obviously going to be later than usual as well. I'm hoping by about Wednesday this coming week but we'll see how things go.
Round 7 however will begin on Monday like usual. That much stays the same for this little predicament.
Thanks again to hinata and Fenrir and to you guys for sticking with the contest in spite of this uphill battle. I'll see you guys hopefully on Sunday with the grades for Round 5.
First of all, while Round 6 would have ended today under normal circumstances it has been extended to having tomorrow as an end date through the combination of
TechPowah
's request and the bind I was in looking for judges.But Second, and probably the best news of all, is that the bind I was in has come to an end. Everyone give a big welcome and a big thanks to @hinata2000100 and @DarkAura64/Fenrir as our new judges!
Thirdly, Round 5 grades are coming along pretty well now that those two have been recruited. With any luck they'll be in this Sunday.
Because of that though Round 6 grades are obviously going to be later than usual as well. I'm hoping by about Wednesday this coming week but we'll see how things go.
Round 7 however will begin on Monday like usual. That much stays the same for this little predicament.
Thanks again to hinata and Fenrir and to you guys for sticking with the contest in spite of this uphill battle. I'll see you guys hopefully on Sunday with the grades for Round 5.
Kevandre
Ivy WAS Saurly missed
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2013
- Messages
- 2,520
- Location
- Pacific Northwest
- NNID
- Kevandre
- 3DS FC
- 1736-1095-5393
- Switch FC
- SW-2226-3590-9812
Thank you based @hinata2000100 and @DarkAura64/Fenrir for being heroes
TechPowah
Smash Ace
PART 1/3 - apologies in advance, but this particular stage is too big for one single post. I didn't realize there was a limit on the number of embedded pictures allowed per post.... =v -
While Temple Melee is based on the various temple levels from Zelda II, a stage based on the many dungeons from later Zelda games has yet to be made. With that in mind, here's a stage based on a dungeon that became a surprising fan favorite despite its difficulty. Must be due to the boss....
Stone Tower Temple
Game of Origin - The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask <N64; 2000> / Majora's Mask 3D <3DS; 2015>
8-Player: Yes
Unlock Condition: Exceed 2 hours of transformation time
Before you say it, yes this isn't actually the temple. Instead of starting there, you'll start in the time void where the stage tells you that you are on the 1st of 3 days Termina has to spend before the moon falls, as in Majora's Mask. The stage will move you between 3 different sections of Stone Tower, with the time void as a transition, similar to Castle Siege. This transition stage will shift between the days as well via the Song of Double Time, meaning you will go from Day to Night.
This first section is a small auto-scroll section, as you climb Stone Tower to reach the temple itself. The layout itself is very simple, to make up for the boxed in feel of the section. Occasionally, a boulder will pop out of the openings in the walls, so be careful not to get flattened.
This second section has the entrance of the actual temple, surrounded by floating stone blocks to add as additional platforms. The Elegy of Emptiness can be played, summoning statues of either Link or his masked forms, to be placed either in front of the temple door or onto one of the stone blocks. Each statue comes with a different utility:
- Link's statue can be attacked, making it slide off as if it were a rolling crate, damaging anyone it comes to contact with
- Deku Link's statue is very light, meaning you can pick it up as a throwing item. Hitting an opponent will stun them just as they would a Deku Nut.
- Goron Link's statue is extremely heavy, so you must pick it up with the care of a crate. Throwing it onto an enemy will cause great damage, just like Bonsly.
- Zora Link's statue comes with Mikau's guitar, which you can pick up as a battering item with about the same damage as a beam sword.
TO BE CONTINUED
While Temple Melee is based on the various temple levels from Zelda II, a stage based on the many dungeons from later Zelda games has yet to be made. With that in mind, here's a stage based on a dungeon that became a surprising fan favorite despite its difficulty. Must be due to the boss....
Stone Tower Temple
Game of Origin - The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask <N64; 2000> / Majora's Mask 3D <3DS; 2015>
8-Player: Yes
Unlock Condition: Exceed 2 hours of transformation time
Before you say it, yes this isn't actually the temple. Instead of starting there, you'll start in the time void where the stage tells you that you are on the 1st of 3 days Termina has to spend before the moon falls, as in Majora's Mask. The stage will move you between 3 different sections of Stone Tower, with the time void as a transition, similar to Castle Siege. This transition stage will shift between the days as well via the Song of Double Time, meaning you will go from Day to Night.
This first section is a small auto-scroll section, as you climb Stone Tower to reach the temple itself. The layout itself is very simple, to make up for the boxed in feel of the section. Occasionally, a boulder will pop out of the openings in the walls, so be careful not to get flattened.
This second section has the entrance of the actual temple, surrounded by floating stone blocks to add as additional platforms. The Elegy of Emptiness can be played, summoning statues of either Link or his masked forms, to be placed either in front of the temple door or onto one of the stone blocks. Each statue comes with a different utility:
- Link's statue can be attacked, making it slide off as if it were a rolling crate, damaging anyone it comes to contact with
- Deku Link's statue is very light, meaning you can pick it up as a throwing item. Hitting an opponent will stun them just as they would a Deku Nut.
- Goron Link's statue is extremely heavy, so you must pick it up with the care of a crate. Throwing it onto an enemy will cause great damage, just like Bonsly.
- Zora Link's statue comes with Mikau's guitar, which you can pick up as a battering item with about the same damage as a beam sword.
TO BE CONTINUED
Last edited:
TechPowah
Smash Ace
PART 2/3
This third and final main section is the first room of the dungeon itself. It feels a bit cramped, but there's a ditch in the middle of the floor, and there's a opening at the top to smash characters upward and out. It might not look it, but you can jump up onto the arch and walk along it. There's no real hazards for this section beyond its own layout, so go nuts.
Wait, is that the Song of Inverted Time..?
Why yes it is, and it seems to have flipped the entire stage upside down! This is the TRUE hazard of the stage, that the entire layout can be flipped depending on whether the clock in the time void shows a green icon <for the normal version> or blue <inverted version.> Both versions of all 3 can have both Daytime and Nighttime variants, depending on what time the clock in the time void says.
While your own gravity is inverted, the stage itself keeps its own natural gravity, so the Tower Climb section still scrolls "towards" the tower, so you will need to move downward instead of up to keep up and that boulder will fall "upwards", so keep sharp.
In the Temple Door section, the Elegy of Emptiness statues will still be summoned as right side up from the player's perspective but -
- Sometimes the statues will be summoned in their correct spaces, and fall towards the sky. Weird. Now, what about when the time is nigh for the moon to approach...
This third and final main section is the first room of the dungeon itself. It feels a bit cramped, but there's a ditch in the middle of the floor, and there's a opening at the top to smash characters upward and out. It might not look it, but you can jump up onto the arch and walk along it. There's no real hazards for this section beyond its own layout, so go nuts.
Wait, is that the Song of Inverted Time..?
Why yes it is, and it seems to have flipped the entire stage upside down! This is the TRUE hazard of the stage, that the entire layout can be flipped depending on whether the clock in the time void shows a green icon <for the normal version> or blue <inverted version.> Both versions of all 3 can have both Daytime and Nighttime variants, depending on what time the clock in the time void says.
While your own gravity is inverted, the stage itself keeps its own natural gravity, so the Tower Climb section still scrolls "towards" the tower, so you will need to move downward instead of up to keep up and that boulder will fall "upwards", so keep sharp.
In the Temple Door section, the Elegy of Emptiness statues will still be summoned as right side up from the player's perspective but -
- Sometimes the statues will be summoned in their correct spaces, and fall towards the sky. Weird. Now, what about when the time is nigh for the moon to approach...
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2007
- Messages
- 15,336
- NNID
- VenusBloom
- 3DS FC
- 0318-9184-0547
Ahh shucks, I jumped in too late. I had a good LoZ idea too. Maybe next time. Though Metroid looks to be the next round.
Last edited:
TechPowah
Smash Ace
PART 3/3
The sky turns a very mean reddish color, with small tremors! Some people might even say you'll see the moon come close to impact before the Song of Time can save the day/s. While I am at it, in the Temple Entrance section, your large box of an arena now becomes a floating cage match "above" the temple's giant arch. Due to the more open blast zone being on the bottom with inverted gravity, it is much easier for players to be spiked when everything is topsy-turvy.
The order of stages is the same, so you will always go from Tower Climb > Tower Door > Temple Entrance, but the current layout you're on can be inverted or reverted before moving onto the next section. You can also start on any of the 3 layouts, but you will always begin a match in the normal gravity variant on the First Day. Every time you change layouts or switch between normal and inverted, you will be sent back to the time void, to let players be aware of how much time they have left before the cycle is reset.
Music:
Stone Tower Temple - Zelda: Majora's Mask <Remix>
Ikana Canyon - Zelda: Majora's Mask <Original>
End of the World / The Four Giants - Zelda: Majora's Mask <Remix>
City in the Sky - Zelda: Twilight Princess <Original>
Lanaryu's Sand Sea - Zelda: Skyward Sword <Original>
Cave Theme - Zelda: Wind Waker <Original>
Inside the Clock Tower - Zelda: Majora's Mask <Remix>
The sky turns a very mean reddish color, with small tremors! Some people might even say you'll see the moon come close to impact before the Song of Time can save the day/s. While I am at it, in the Temple Entrance section, your large box of an arena now becomes a floating cage match "above" the temple's giant arch. Due to the more open blast zone being on the bottom with inverted gravity, it is much easier for players to be spiked when everything is topsy-turvy.
The order of stages is the same, so you will always go from Tower Climb > Tower Door > Temple Entrance, but the current layout you're on can be inverted or reverted before moving onto the next section. You can also start on any of the 3 layouts, but you will always begin a match in the normal gravity variant on the First Day. Every time you change layouts or switch between normal and inverted, you will be sent back to the time void, to let players be aware of how much time they have left before the cycle is reset.
Music:
Stone Tower Temple - Zelda: Majora's Mask <Remix>
Ikana Canyon - Zelda: Majora's Mask <Original>
End of the World / The Four Giants - Zelda: Majora's Mask <Remix>
City in the Sky - Zelda: Twilight Princess <Original>
Lanaryu's Sand Sea - Zelda: Skyward Sword <Original>
Cave Theme - Zelda: Wind Waker <Original>
Inside the Clock Tower - Zelda: Majora's Mask <Remix>
Last edited:
Kevandre
Ivy WAS Saurly missed
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2013
- Messages
- 2,520
- Location
- Pacific Northwest
- NNID
- Kevandre
- 3DS FC
- 1736-1095-5393
- Switch FC
- SW-2226-3590-9812
TechPowah
Smash Ace
There will always be someone better, however. I wouldn't assume anything.
Besides, more art doesn't necessarily mean better scores.
Besides, more art doesn't necessarily mean better scores.
Kevandre
Ivy WAS Saurly missed
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2013
- Messages
- 2,520
- Location
- Pacific Northwest
- NNID
- Kevandre
- 3DS FC
- 1736-1095-5393
- Switch FC
- SW-2226-3590-9812
Yeah but it's clear that this one was like a PASSION project.
Compare your stage and mine- both based on Majora's Mask with some time mechanic. You can tell that I have just a familiarity with the game but you have a passion for it. And that makes such a difference. And you explained the stage in a way that was easy to follow and made a complicated idea feel less so. Personally I think you'd be robbed if you lost this round, excepting last minute entries. Not that I'm saying anything bad about the other entries, of course.
D
Deleted member
Guest
Actually you're still good to go. This won't normally be the case, but I've extended the deadline for this Round until tomorrow. There's still time to enter your stage into the contest.
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2007
- Messages
- 15,336
- NNID
- VenusBloom
- 3DS FC
- 0318-9184-0547
Yeah, I won’t have anything ready by then haha. I’ll just wait until the next round and save my LoZ idea for the next time it comes up.
D
Deleted member
Guest
Unfortunately there are no current plans for repeat rounds. But even if you can't get your Zelda idea in to be graded in the contest you're more than welcome to submit it for fun any time you wish.
Last edited by a moderator:
PeridotGX
Smash Hero
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2007
- Messages
- 15,336
- NNID
- VenusBloom
- 3DS FC
- 0318-9184-0547
Fair enough. Though, returning to a series after the judges have run out of ideas isn’t such a bad idea. I think that’s what they did in the previous stage creation content.
TheMarioaddict
Smash Journeyman
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2013
- Messages
- 345
- Location
- Right Behind You
- NNID
- TheMarioaddict
- 3DS FC
- 0130-1812-3778
- Switch FC
- SW-4314-7715-8313
Close, but not quite. They did have multiple rounds for each franchise, but not due to lack of ideas. Each franchise was divided into 2 rounds - a handhelds round, and a console round. This was because it was (supposedly) what Smash 4 was doing too - the 3DS version was supposed to have stages mostly based on handheld games, and the Wii U version was supposed to have stages mostly based on console games.
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2007
- Messages
- 15,336
- NNID
- VenusBloom
- 3DS FC
- 0318-9184-0547
Ah yeah, I just went to check it. Man, that was a while back. Any way, sorry if I got off-topic. Continues future stage designers!
Last edited:
D
Deleted member
Guest
Reminder that Round 6 ends later today. Not for a few hours though. I want it to at least be the evening before I close off the round. But it will be closed off today.
Last edited by a moderator:
D
Deleted member
Guest
That's that guys. Round 6 is closed. Round 7 will begin on Monday. Metroid is currently in the lead on the poll. But Mario Kart, Fire Emblem, Sonic, AND Final Fantasy aren't terribly far behind. They could still surge ahead!
D
Deleted member
Guest
Brace yourself everyone. It's time for Round 5 grades! Round 6 grades should hopefully be ready by this Wednesday but for now......
psb123's grades:
Aosame Castle by TheMarioAddict:
Iconic Status: 5/5
That's what the actual Murasame Castle looks like 0_o Good call using the first castle of the game instead. Takamaru seems to be the most likely and arguably the most notable Retro Character to be in the upcoming Smash game and this seems like an area from his game that should stick out well to those who played it.
Originality: 10/10
That's what I'm talking about. A nice simple stage that doesn't do a whole lot of crazy things and has a different layout than most other simple stages. Smash could do with a little more of those me thinks.
Playability: 10/10
Simple ground to fight on, reasonable ledges, platforms above the main floor, and the one and only hazard of the stage is rare and easy to deal with. No issues here as far as I'm concerned.
Overall Score: 25/25
Game A by GolisoPower:
Iconic Status: 4/5
A little higher than some of you were expecting? Most of the time stages pulled from random games of the retro era don't stick out in most peoples minds for obvious reasons. But since that comes with the territory of this round I'm focusing more on how iconic the area is to it's home game more than anything.
And in that regard, Radar Mission only has two games and this is one of them. 2 tiny issues though. First of all despite my prior statement it does still remain true that games like Takamaru's game is something people might recognize more. I won't take off too many points for that. But it is worth noting.
I'm also a little conflicted on the name. I can't decide if I think the name "Game A" is fine or if it should be called "Radar Mission" instead.
Originality: 10/10
A game of Battleship as a Smash Bros. stage idea. Never thought I'd see the day but I'm glad I did. The way the various vessels are utilized here is simple, but it works for the stage perfectly.
Playability: 9/10
Some of those explosions are pretty powerful but they sound easy enough to avoid in most circumstances. Not quite perfect score material but it's pretty good in Playability. Also, THANK YOU for making the Gameboy border smaller than the 3DS Dream Land Stage.
Overall Score: 23/25
Jinbe's Farm by Opossum:
Iconic Status: 4/5
Like the previous stage the whole thing of Mole Mania not being one of the more notable games for this category is really what takes a point off. But since that once again comes with the territory here no more than one point.
Originality: 10/10
I don't recall too many stages that involve you going underground. That kind of mechanic ties in well to the stages source game. Jinbe being there throws a couple points in too.
Playability: 6/10
Jinbe himself doesn't sound too bad. He does provide an obstacle but he sounds pretty manageable. Not a big deal if you ask me. What is a big deal though is the underground parts. It's a cool idea but the way it's implemented here makes it so that a player could just stay there when they have high damage since it would be harder to be knocked off the stage.
Overall Score: 20/25
The SNES Classic by Kevandre:
Iconic Status: 5/5
There's a reason that the amount of salt over how hard this thing is to find is as high as it is. People know about this thing, people want this thing. And the games covered in it are ones that people will know.
Originality: 10/10
I've got a bone to pick with you because you've made we want this stage now. I certainly wasn't expecting a mini version of one of Nintendo's older systems to be submitted as a stage idea but it does make perfect sense.
Different games affect the stage in different ways but it keeps the same platform layout no matter what. Which I am very glad for.
Playability: 10/10
There are a couple of hazards there but they're very minor and there's only one per game. The closest one to being a problem in my book would be the minor slip physics in the Link to the Past section but even that isn't worth taking points off for.
Overall Score: 25/25
Gameboy Gallery by PeridotGX:
Iconic Status: 5/5
A stage transitioning between 3 Mario games, 2 Pokemon games, and all of them are Gameboy games. It's iconic for sure. But as the other types of points will cover, not always for the right reasons.
Originality: 6/10
The biggest problem here is that the stage focuses entirely on Mario and Pokemon. I know that Tetris and Link's Awakening were considered but they probably should have been in there. Have them take the places of Dr. Mario and the Pokemon Trading Card game and it would have drastically boosted your score here.
But it still probably wouldn't have been perfect. I'm not a fan of how the Pokemon Red & Blue section sticks solely to the games title screen.
Playability: 4/10
The Mario Land 2 section is fine, but the others have too many problems. Red & Blue has too much potential for side KOs because of the switching Pokemon (and is there any footing besides the sprites of Red and the Pokemon? I couldn't tell), the Megavitamins in Dr. Mario deal too much damage for that type of stage, and platforms in the trading card game look too far apart, and the birdie shows ups too frequently in a Tennis game so having it deal damage if you get hit by it hinders things too much.
Overall Score: 15/25
Cosmic77's grades:
"Aosame Castle" by TheMarioAddict:
Iconic Status: 3/5
If I lived in Japan, I might have given you a perfect score. Unfortunately, even though Takamaru has a good chance of getting in Smash as a retro character, I doubt many non-Nintendo nerds would recognize him or his game. I'll at least acknowledge the fact that the series was represented in Nintendo Land.
Originality: 10/10
Nice to see someone show us that not every stage needs a complicated stage boss or a giant hazard to make it unique. The idea of using the rooftops on a traditional Japanese castle is a simple idea that hasn't been used in Smash before (I'm surprised this wasn't used in Suzaku Castle).
The ninjas throwing shurikens were also a neat touch. Really adds on to that ninja-y feel you get from this stage.
Playability: 10/10
The layout of the stage is simple. Even with the ninjas, I doubt they're going to be troublesome. It takes five seconds for them to throw a shuriken, and if that somehow isn't enough time for you to dodge, it still only causes 5% damage.
Overall Score: 23/25
"Game A" by GolisoPower:
Iconic Status: 2/5
I'm so sorry psb123.
I've been told to be more lenient with the iconicness grades this time around, but I REALLY don't think this deserves anything higher than a "2", especially when I compare the stage to the other entries we've gotten. The theme might be retro games, but I think there were dozens of better and more iconic choices you could've picked.
Originality: 9/10
Even if it's not iconic, the concept is definitely unique and 100% original. An old Battlefield-style stage sounds really cool, and we haven't seen anything like that before in Smash.
Playability: 6/10
Those explosions are crazy powerful. Even if they don't cover a large distance, I don't think any of the ships should go above 15%. The Aircraft Carrier in your stage does almost twice as much as that (28%).
Overall Score: 17/25
"Jinbe's Farm" by Opossum:
Iconic Status: 3/5
Not a very notable game, but I think it might be remembered by a few people. I see Muddy Mole brought up from time to time.
Originality: 10/10
Really love your description of the stage. Sounds like it would look wonderful in HD. I also like your use of Jinbe and the cabbages (nice touch having them function like they do in the game). It's...weird, but weird in a good way.
Playability: 5/10
There's a few things I want to point out here.
First off, the layout. There's a reason why we don't have many stages that go underground, and both Hyrule Temple and Spear Pillar are a testament to this. Sweet Arceus, it is practically impossible to KO someone! Regardless of how much damage your opponent takes, you'll never KO them until you hit them at just the right angle.
Another thing is Jinbe. While I don't really have a problem with the way he functions, I do think he deals a little too much damage and knockback. Since the stage is so small (or at least it looks small from your depiction), I think he would probably be the cause of a lot of KOs here. Enemies like him are better suited for larger stages so fighters have an easier time avoiding them.
Overall Score: 18/25
"The SNES Classic" by Kevandre:
Iconic Status: 5/5
Feels like you're cheating by including multiple games. Nevertheless, your selection of games is very nice, and all of them come from the real SNES Classic.
Originality: 10/10
This is actually a pretty brilliant idea. Not only are you giving us an awesome retro stage, but you're also advertising the SNES by showcasing all of the awesome games that you can play on it, thus increasing consumer demand for the product.
Very clever. You're probably a secret member of Nintendo's marketing and advertising team, aren't you?.
Playability: 10/10
Despite focusing on games that feature lots of obvious enemies and obstacles, you didn't really add anything major besides the minecarts in the DKC stage. Since that's technically the worst obstacle this stage has to offer, and since the stage rotates between locations, I don't think I should deduct points for that.
I was thinking of deducting points for the Metroid layout, but I think I can overlook that problem too.
Overall Score: 25/25
Congrats! You're the first person to receive a perfect score from me!
"Gameboy Gallery" by PeridotGX:
Iconic Status: 5/5
Not the games I would've chosen, but they're all still pretty iconic. Even the least iconic stage here would probably be recognized by most people.
Originality: 7/10
It's strange. Your concept of rotating through games was unique, but the way you implemented the games wasn't. I'm a little disappointed with the Pokémon parts. It feels like you could've used something so much better and creative from those games.
Playability: 5/10
I'll walk through each one.
The Mario Land 2 section doesn't need to be side-scrolling if the stage isn't focusing on that game alone. A non-moving simple layout would've been better here.
The Pokémon Red/Blue section is fine. A tad boring and it could cause early KOs, but it's fine IMO.
The Dr. Mario section is too tight and crowded. There's no way you'd be able to fight with more than two players here.
The Pokémon Trading Card section is also fine. But again, it's kinda boring.
The Mario Tennis section is structured fine, but I really would've liked more info on how often the sprites hit a birdie.
Overall Score: 17/25
hinata2000100's grades:
Aosame Castle by TheMarioAddict:
Iconic Status: 3/5
Not a lot of people know about the original Mysterious Murasame Castle, or haven’t played it, but for those out there who do recognize the game, your stage will come as a nice hit of nostalgia to them. Very recognizable as the castle to those who know the game, so major props for that one.
Originality: 8/10
Docked a couple points cause a retro stage that looks like it was pulled right from the game ain’t exactly the most original of ideas, but it’s certainly a new one regarding this particular game. The layout is nice too, something I’m pretty sure we haven’t seen before in Smash, or at least not often.
Playability: 10/10
This stage looks nice and legal, and very easy to play on. No big hazards, well thought-out platform placement, a nice sizing… You got a really nice thing goin’ on for you here. I really like it. My one criticism, just from the picture, is that the blast zones might be a bit wonky on your stage? Really close side zones, really far away top zone.
Overall Score: 21/25
Game A by GolisoPower:
Iconic Status: 2/5
Sorry pal, but I don’t think this is a stage anyone’s gonna look at and think “Oh, man! I know that game! So glad to see it in Smash!” Looks like you did a good job of preserving the aesthetic in the description though, so I won’t go all the way down on the rating.
Originality: 10/10
Damn, I never thought I’d see the day where someone would come up with a Battleship stage for Smash Bros. But now that it’s done, it looks like something Sakurai might actually make, especially with the way the gameplay of the original game is preserved in the stage.
Playability: 8/10
Those explosions knock its playability down a few notches, and might get it banned from most tourneys, but I could definitely see me and some mates having a really good time playing on this stage, throwing each other into the explosions. So basically, it ain’t gonna see any competitive play, but I could easily see casual players eatin’ it up.
Overall Score: 20/25
Jinbe's Farm by Opossum:
Iconic Status: 4/5
I think a fair amount of people played Mole Mania, and those people are gonna take one look at your stage and instantly know what it’s from and what it’s about. I love seeing people work so hard to make sure their stage is original, while still preserving what the source game is about.
Originality: 9/10
I think there’s been one or two stages in Smash with lower levels you can access through destroying stuff, but I might be wrong. Anyway, the stage is still plenty original, and the addition of Jinbe makes it somethin’ special.
Playability:5/10
Caves of life in the underground parts, Jinbe feels like he does way too much damage with just a single swing, even though he can be defeated rather easily, and the cabbages providing healing items, while a nice nod to the original game, seems a bit much.
Overall Score: 18/25
The SNES Classic by Kevandre:
Iconic Status: 5/5
There ain’t a Nintendo fan alive that doesn’t know what the SNES Classic is. People have seen it time and time again, and anyone worth their salt will take one look at this stage and immediately know what it is.
Originality: 9/10
The way each and every game is represented is well done, and really serves to capture the aesthetic of each game that it represents. That said, I think it could’ve easily been a 10/10 if the platforms changed, even a little bit, between themes.
Playability: 10/10
With that said, the fact that the platforms don’t change does wonders for this stage in terms of playability. Doesn’t matter what theme you’re on, you know what to expect in terms of platform layout. The hazards aren’t game-breaking, and are only there to add some fun elements to the stage, so major props for that one.
Overall Score: 24/25
Gameboy Gallery by PeridotGX:
Iconic Status: 5/5
Very iconic. Very recognizable. Plenty of people owned a Gameboy, and those people obviously played the Mario and Pokemon games on there. Ain’t a soul who wouldn’t recognize everything this stage is tryin’ to reference.
Originality: 7/10
You probably could’ve done with some references to more Gameboy games. Tetris, Zelda, Metroid, any of them would’ve done. Mario and Pokemon have just been done to death when it comes to Smash. And for that matter, the gimmick of the Pokemon Red & Blue stage (different Pokemon showing up to act as platforms) feels too similar to Pokefloats.
Playability: 5/10
A lot of these sections just feel really wonky. The Red & Blue section feels too cheap and easy to get a kill (have you seen how fast those Pokemon zip off the screen in the original?), the Pokemon Trading Card Game has hazards that are pretty intrusive, and the Dr. Mario stage has hazards that deal way too much damage for such a small stage. The remaining two sections feel alright, though.
Overall Score: 17/25
DarkAura64/Fenrir's grades:
Aosame Castle by TheMarioAddict:
Iconic Status: 5/5
It's the first level of the first (And only) game of a beloved NES title. Hard to get more Iconic than that, frankly! A very solid compromise to using the "primary" castle.
Originality: 9/10
Exactly what I think a lot of people look for in a Smash stage like this. My only gripe is that I feel it could maybe do a TINY bit more to differentiate itself from other "8 Bit" levels in Smash (75m, Duck Hunt, Pac-Land to a lesser extent), but it still fits into Smash's style like a glove.
Playability: 10/10
I can easily see this working as a Smash Stage that the general public would enjoy. A very nice layout, cool aesthetic, a stage hazard that is certainly defining but doesn't overstay its welcome, and a solid music lineup. I can see this working very well!
Overall Score: 24/25
Game A by GolisoPower:
Iconic Status: 4/5
Not exactly a well known game, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have its own way of being iconic. As well, those unseasoned to Nintendo can certainly relate with the "Battleship" aspect of the game.
Originality: 10/10
Certainly would be a first for Smash! It would absolutely bring something fresh to Smash's stage roster. It's also a great way to differentiate itself from Dreamland.
Playability: 5/10
Here's the thing... I've never been a fan of the idea of using UI elements as platforms. It's a concept I find very uncomfortable to use in a primarily 2.5D based game like Smash, even with the 'flat' filter they use for stages like Game & Watch and Duck Hunt. It just looks and feels forced to me. As well, the battleships being platforms and walls would feel very odd, as they'd need to be a perfectly rectangular hitbox like most of smash's platforms, which would look off. It also just seems like the kind of hectic stage not many people would want to go back to, especially since the blast zones can't be too large due to the screen orientation, and it likely being a walk off, a problem a lot of people have with stages like Game & Watch.. Still, as a concept for Smash, I can see it being something at least appreciated in regard to how unique it would be and how it brought something different to the table. I just can't see this as a stage people would actively want to go back to.
Overall Score: 19/25
Jinbe's Farm by Opossum:
Iconic Status: 4/5
Pretty much mirroring what psb said. It's not exactly a well known series or stage, but that doesn't make it not iconic. It's also a great representation of the many isometric puzzle-ish games that existed in that era. Looking at gameplay, I legit want to play this now, looks really fun and unique.
Originality: 7/10
I think the idea itself, as well as how you presented it as an actual remastered stage as opposed to the usual "3D-ified sprites", is very nice. But to accomplish this. I feel like you have to sacrifice some of this game's identity- mainly, it being an isometric game. I know isometric settings haven't been used in Smash yet, likely for a good reason, but that doesn't mean I don't feel there's something lost in translation with this. People would possibly get the wrong idea going from a stage like this back to its source material. It is, however, a setting I think would be interesting to see. If you could get some visual aid going, or maybe work in the isometric elements a bit more, I can probably bump this up a peg or two.
Playability: 9/10
WALKOFFS BOO HISSSS
My personal bias aside, it seems like a very fun idea for an interactive stage. It's the kind of stage I can see people getting some fun, nasty plots going with. This is the kind of stage interaction I look for in the stages that have more involved hazards: It's largely up to the player how to use these hazards, if at all for the most part. Sounds very fun to me.
Overall Score: 20/25
The SNES Classic by Kevandre:
Iconic Status: 5/5
A fantastic middle ground between the modern and classic eras of Nintendo, and one still fresh in the minds of many gamers.
Originality: 8/10
Ehhh... The "Parade of different games" idea is something I've seen a lot and something I don't quite resonate with as much as others. Obviously it's an important factor of the SNES classic, but I like stages to be more focused. Having so many different series disappear as soon as they come up just seems like a disservice to the games in question. It's why I'm glad the Game Boy stage stuck purely with Kirby's Dreamland. Still, it's a concept that has a lot of appeal, and I do really like how you handled each game in a way that respects the source material, the overhead games especially. Like with Earthbound, Keeping it's signature diagonal camera angle present even with the platforms is very clever. Great visual aid is certainly a selling point here.
Playability: 9/10
VERY nice use of layout and hazards here. The different ways you use the platforms for each respective game is also brilliant. My only recommendation would be to maybe make the "Menu" portion platformless, it just looks a bit off. Think the transitions in Castle Siege and WarioWare, I feel like flattening things out so the players have to re think their positioning (And perhaps predict what comes next) while the next game is chosen is something this stage would benefit from.
Overall Score: 22/25
Gameboy Gallery by PeridotGX:
Iconic Status: 5/5
It's certainly not lacking in this regard. Tons of games that are very recognize-able and beloved.
Originality: 3/10
First off, my problem with "Parade" stages I mentioned with the SNES Classic level. Second, with the exception of Mario Land and Tennis, these choices just do NOT work. Why would you chose the Title Screen from Pokemon, of all things? Running around on a still image of a title screen? Where's the fun in that? Where's what makes Pokemon... Pokemon? Why not have it in the middle of a Pokemon battle, standing on the menus and the Pokemon's battle sprite while trying to stay out of the middle where the Pokemon's attacks will be? I know that brings up my problem with battling on UI elements that I mentioned in Goliso's review, but at least it would be something. Honestly, remove the TCG level and just apply that logic to an on screen Pokemon battle, it at least gives it substance. The Dr. Mario level has no business being on a Gameboy melody, as it's not as recognize-able as other versions of Dr. Mario and would be better suited for something else (especially with how colorful Dr. Mario is). Mario Land is fine but literally just Mushroomy Kingdom Mixed with Dreamland.
I WILL give you props for the Mario Tennis stage, though. I think that's the first isometric view idea I see working pretty well, dodging a tennis ball sprite being whacked back and forth while standing on the net is a neat idea. If we had to have a Gameboy Melody, I'd love to see that.
Playability: 4/10
Many of my similar issues with "Game A" apply here, as well as how generally clunky and inconsistent these layouts are. It functions, I guess, but not doing it for me, sorry.
Overall Score: 12/25
Total Scores:
TheMarioAddict: 93 points
GolisoPower: 79 points
Opossum: 76 points
Kevandre: 96 points
PeridotGX: 61 points
psb123's grades:
Aosame Castle by TheMarioAddict:
Iconic Status: 5/5
That's what the actual Murasame Castle looks like 0_o Good call using the first castle of the game instead. Takamaru seems to be the most likely and arguably the most notable Retro Character to be in the upcoming Smash game and this seems like an area from his game that should stick out well to those who played it.
Originality: 10/10
That's what I'm talking about. A nice simple stage that doesn't do a whole lot of crazy things and has a different layout than most other simple stages. Smash could do with a little more of those me thinks.
Playability: 10/10
Simple ground to fight on, reasonable ledges, platforms above the main floor, and the one and only hazard of the stage is rare and easy to deal with. No issues here as far as I'm concerned.
Overall Score: 25/25
Game A by GolisoPower:
Iconic Status: 4/5
A little higher than some of you were expecting? Most of the time stages pulled from random games of the retro era don't stick out in most peoples minds for obvious reasons. But since that comes with the territory of this round I'm focusing more on how iconic the area is to it's home game more than anything.
And in that regard, Radar Mission only has two games and this is one of them. 2 tiny issues though. First of all despite my prior statement it does still remain true that games like Takamaru's game is something people might recognize more. I won't take off too many points for that. But it is worth noting.
I'm also a little conflicted on the name. I can't decide if I think the name "Game A" is fine or if it should be called "Radar Mission" instead.
Originality: 10/10
A game of Battleship as a Smash Bros. stage idea. Never thought I'd see the day but I'm glad I did. The way the various vessels are utilized here is simple, but it works for the stage perfectly.
Playability: 9/10
Some of those explosions are pretty powerful but they sound easy enough to avoid in most circumstances. Not quite perfect score material but it's pretty good in Playability. Also, THANK YOU for making the Gameboy border smaller than the 3DS Dream Land Stage.
Overall Score: 23/25
Jinbe's Farm by Opossum:
Iconic Status: 4/5
Like the previous stage the whole thing of Mole Mania not being one of the more notable games for this category is really what takes a point off. But since that once again comes with the territory here no more than one point.
Originality: 10/10
I don't recall too many stages that involve you going underground. That kind of mechanic ties in well to the stages source game. Jinbe being there throws a couple points in too.
Playability: 6/10
Jinbe himself doesn't sound too bad. He does provide an obstacle but he sounds pretty manageable. Not a big deal if you ask me. What is a big deal though is the underground parts. It's a cool idea but the way it's implemented here makes it so that a player could just stay there when they have high damage since it would be harder to be knocked off the stage.
Overall Score: 20/25
The SNES Classic by Kevandre:
Iconic Status: 5/5
There's a reason that the amount of salt over how hard this thing is to find is as high as it is. People know about this thing, people want this thing. And the games covered in it are ones that people will know.
Originality: 10/10
I've got a bone to pick with you because you've made we want this stage now. I certainly wasn't expecting a mini version of one of Nintendo's older systems to be submitted as a stage idea but it does make perfect sense.
Different games affect the stage in different ways but it keeps the same platform layout no matter what. Which I am very glad for.
Playability: 10/10
There are a couple of hazards there but they're very minor and there's only one per game. The closest one to being a problem in my book would be the minor slip physics in the Link to the Past section but even that isn't worth taking points off for.
Overall Score: 25/25
Gameboy Gallery by PeridotGX:
Iconic Status: 5/5
A stage transitioning between 3 Mario games, 2 Pokemon games, and all of them are Gameboy games. It's iconic for sure. But as the other types of points will cover, not always for the right reasons.
Originality: 6/10
The biggest problem here is that the stage focuses entirely on Mario and Pokemon. I know that Tetris and Link's Awakening were considered but they probably should have been in there. Have them take the places of Dr. Mario and the Pokemon Trading Card game and it would have drastically boosted your score here.
But it still probably wouldn't have been perfect. I'm not a fan of how the Pokemon Red & Blue section sticks solely to the games title screen.
Playability: 4/10
The Mario Land 2 section is fine, but the others have too many problems. Red & Blue has too much potential for side KOs because of the switching Pokemon (and is there any footing besides the sprites of Red and the Pokemon? I couldn't tell), the Megavitamins in Dr. Mario deal too much damage for that type of stage, and platforms in the trading card game look too far apart, and the birdie shows ups too frequently in a Tennis game so having it deal damage if you get hit by it hinders things too much.
Overall Score: 15/25
Cosmic77's grades:
"Aosame Castle" by TheMarioAddict:
Iconic Status: 3/5
If I lived in Japan, I might have given you a perfect score. Unfortunately, even though Takamaru has a good chance of getting in Smash as a retro character, I doubt many non-Nintendo nerds would recognize him or his game. I'll at least acknowledge the fact that the series was represented in Nintendo Land.
Originality: 10/10
Nice to see someone show us that not every stage needs a complicated stage boss or a giant hazard to make it unique. The idea of using the rooftops on a traditional Japanese castle is a simple idea that hasn't been used in Smash before (I'm surprised this wasn't used in Suzaku Castle).
The ninjas throwing shurikens were also a neat touch. Really adds on to that ninja-y feel you get from this stage.
Playability: 10/10
The layout of the stage is simple. Even with the ninjas, I doubt they're going to be troublesome. It takes five seconds for them to throw a shuriken, and if that somehow isn't enough time for you to dodge, it still only causes 5% damage.
Overall Score: 23/25
"Game A" by GolisoPower:
Iconic Status: 2/5
I'm so sorry psb123.
I've been told to be more lenient with the iconicness grades this time around, but I REALLY don't think this deserves anything higher than a "2", especially when I compare the stage to the other entries we've gotten. The theme might be retro games, but I think there were dozens of better and more iconic choices you could've picked.
Originality: 9/10
Even if it's not iconic, the concept is definitely unique and 100% original. An old Battlefield-style stage sounds really cool, and we haven't seen anything like that before in Smash.
Playability: 6/10
Those explosions are crazy powerful. Even if they don't cover a large distance, I don't think any of the ships should go above 15%. The Aircraft Carrier in your stage does almost twice as much as that (28%).
Overall Score: 17/25
"Jinbe's Farm" by Opossum:
Iconic Status: 3/5
Not a very notable game, but I think it might be remembered by a few people. I see Muddy Mole brought up from time to time.
Originality: 10/10
Really love your description of the stage. Sounds like it would look wonderful in HD. I also like your use of Jinbe and the cabbages (nice touch having them function like they do in the game). It's...weird, but weird in a good way.
Playability: 5/10
There's a few things I want to point out here.
First off, the layout. There's a reason why we don't have many stages that go underground, and both Hyrule Temple and Spear Pillar are a testament to this. Sweet Arceus, it is practically impossible to KO someone! Regardless of how much damage your opponent takes, you'll never KO them until you hit them at just the right angle.
Another thing is Jinbe. While I don't really have a problem with the way he functions, I do think he deals a little too much damage and knockback. Since the stage is so small (or at least it looks small from your depiction), I think he would probably be the cause of a lot of KOs here. Enemies like him are better suited for larger stages so fighters have an easier time avoiding them.
Overall Score: 18/25
"The SNES Classic" by Kevandre:
Iconic Status: 5/5
Feels like you're cheating by including multiple games. Nevertheless, your selection of games is very nice, and all of them come from the real SNES Classic.
Originality: 10/10
This is actually a pretty brilliant idea. Not only are you giving us an awesome retro stage, but you're also advertising the SNES by showcasing all of the awesome games that you can play on it, thus increasing consumer demand for the product.
Very clever. You're probably a secret member of Nintendo's marketing and advertising team, aren't you?.
Playability: 10/10
Despite focusing on games that feature lots of obvious enemies and obstacles, you didn't really add anything major besides the minecarts in the DKC stage. Since that's technically the worst obstacle this stage has to offer, and since the stage rotates between locations, I don't think I should deduct points for that.
I was thinking of deducting points for the Metroid layout, but I think I can overlook that problem too.
Overall Score: 25/25
Congrats! You're the first person to receive a perfect score from me!
"Gameboy Gallery" by PeridotGX:
Iconic Status: 5/5
Not the games I would've chosen, but they're all still pretty iconic. Even the least iconic stage here would probably be recognized by most people.
Originality: 7/10
It's strange. Your concept of rotating through games was unique, but the way you implemented the games wasn't. I'm a little disappointed with the Pokémon parts. It feels like you could've used something so much better and creative from those games.
Playability: 5/10
I'll walk through each one.
The Mario Land 2 section doesn't need to be side-scrolling if the stage isn't focusing on that game alone. A non-moving simple layout would've been better here.
The Pokémon Red/Blue section is fine. A tad boring and it could cause early KOs, but it's fine IMO.
The Dr. Mario section is too tight and crowded. There's no way you'd be able to fight with more than two players here.
The Pokémon Trading Card section is also fine. But again, it's kinda boring.
The Mario Tennis section is structured fine, but I really would've liked more info on how often the sprites hit a birdie.
Overall Score: 17/25
hinata2000100's grades:
Aosame Castle by TheMarioAddict:
Iconic Status: 3/5
Not a lot of people know about the original Mysterious Murasame Castle, or haven’t played it, but for those out there who do recognize the game, your stage will come as a nice hit of nostalgia to them. Very recognizable as the castle to those who know the game, so major props for that one.
Originality: 8/10
Docked a couple points cause a retro stage that looks like it was pulled right from the game ain’t exactly the most original of ideas, but it’s certainly a new one regarding this particular game. The layout is nice too, something I’m pretty sure we haven’t seen before in Smash, or at least not often.
Playability: 10/10
This stage looks nice and legal, and very easy to play on. No big hazards, well thought-out platform placement, a nice sizing… You got a really nice thing goin’ on for you here. I really like it. My one criticism, just from the picture, is that the blast zones might be a bit wonky on your stage? Really close side zones, really far away top zone.
Overall Score: 21/25
Game A by GolisoPower:
Iconic Status: 2/5
Sorry pal, but I don’t think this is a stage anyone’s gonna look at and think “Oh, man! I know that game! So glad to see it in Smash!” Looks like you did a good job of preserving the aesthetic in the description though, so I won’t go all the way down on the rating.
Originality: 10/10
Damn, I never thought I’d see the day where someone would come up with a Battleship stage for Smash Bros. But now that it’s done, it looks like something Sakurai might actually make, especially with the way the gameplay of the original game is preserved in the stage.
Playability: 8/10
Those explosions knock its playability down a few notches, and might get it banned from most tourneys, but I could definitely see me and some mates having a really good time playing on this stage, throwing each other into the explosions. So basically, it ain’t gonna see any competitive play, but I could easily see casual players eatin’ it up.
Overall Score: 20/25
Jinbe's Farm by Opossum:
Iconic Status: 4/5
I think a fair amount of people played Mole Mania, and those people are gonna take one look at your stage and instantly know what it’s from and what it’s about. I love seeing people work so hard to make sure their stage is original, while still preserving what the source game is about.
Originality: 9/10
I think there’s been one or two stages in Smash with lower levels you can access through destroying stuff, but I might be wrong. Anyway, the stage is still plenty original, and the addition of Jinbe makes it somethin’ special.
Playability:5/10
Caves of life in the underground parts, Jinbe feels like he does way too much damage with just a single swing, even though he can be defeated rather easily, and the cabbages providing healing items, while a nice nod to the original game, seems a bit much.
Overall Score: 18/25
The SNES Classic by Kevandre:
Iconic Status: 5/5
There ain’t a Nintendo fan alive that doesn’t know what the SNES Classic is. People have seen it time and time again, and anyone worth their salt will take one look at this stage and immediately know what it is.
Originality: 9/10
The way each and every game is represented is well done, and really serves to capture the aesthetic of each game that it represents. That said, I think it could’ve easily been a 10/10 if the platforms changed, even a little bit, between themes.
Playability: 10/10
With that said, the fact that the platforms don’t change does wonders for this stage in terms of playability. Doesn’t matter what theme you’re on, you know what to expect in terms of platform layout. The hazards aren’t game-breaking, and are only there to add some fun elements to the stage, so major props for that one.
Overall Score: 24/25
Gameboy Gallery by PeridotGX:
Iconic Status: 5/5
Very iconic. Very recognizable. Plenty of people owned a Gameboy, and those people obviously played the Mario and Pokemon games on there. Ain’t a soul who wouldn’t recognize everything this stage is tryin’ to reference.
Originality: 7/10
You probably could’ve done with some references to more Gameboy games. Tetris, Zelda, Metroid, any of them would’ve done. Mario and Pokemon have just been done to death when it comes to Smash. And for that matter, the gimmick of the Pokemon Red & Blue stage (different Pokemon showing up to act as platforms) feels too similar to Pokefloats.
Playability: 5/10
A lot of these sections just feel really wonky. The Red & Blue section feels too cheap and easy to get a kill (have you seen how fast those Pokemon zip off the screen in the original?), the Pokemon Trading Card Game has hazards that are pretty intrusive, and the Dr. Mario stage has hazards that deal way too much damage for such a small stage. The remaining two sections feel alright, though.
Overall Score: 17/25
DarkAura64/Fenrir's grades:
Aosame Castle by TheMarioAddict:
Iconic Status: 5/5
It's the first level of the first (And only) game of a beloved NES title. Hard to get more Iconic than that, frankly! A very solid compromise to using the "primary" castle.
Originality: 9/10
Exactly what I think a lot of people look for in a Smash stage like this. My only gripe is that I feel it could maybe do a TINY bit more to differentiate itself from other "8 Bit" levels in Smash (75m, Duck Hunt, Pac-Land to a lesser extent), but it still fits into Smash's style like a glove.
Playability: 10/10
I can easily see this working as a Smash Stage that the general public would enjoy. A very nice layout, cool aesthetic, a stage hazard that is certainly defining but doesn't overstay its welcome, and a solid music lineup. I can see this working very well!
Overall Score: 24/25
Game A by GolisoPower:
Iconic Status: 4/5
Not exactly a well known game, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have its own way of being iconic. As well, those unseasoned to Nintendo can certainly relate with the "Battleship" aspect of the game.
Originality: 10/10
Certainly would be a first for Smash! It would absolutely bring something fresh to Smash's stage roster. It's also a great way to differentiate itself from Dreamland.
Playability: 5/10
Here's the thing... I've never been a fan of the idea of using UI elements as platforms. It's a concept I find very uncomfortable to use in a primarily 2.5D based game like Smash, even with the 'flat' filter they use for stages like Game & Watch and Duck Hunt. It just looks and feels forced to me. As well, the battleships being platforms and walls would feel very odd, as they'd need to be a perfectly rectangular hitbox like most of smash's platforms, which would look off. It also just seems like the kind of hectic stage not many people would want to go back to, especially since the blast zones can't be too large due to the screen orientation, and it likely being a walk off, a problem a lot of people have with stages like Game & Watch.. Still, as a concept for Smash, I can see it being something at least appreciated in regard to how unique it would be and how it brought something different to the table. I just can't see this as a stage people would actively want to go back to.
Overall Score: 19/25
Jinbe's Farm by Opossum:
Iconic Status: 4/5
Pretty much mirroring what psb said. It's not exactly a well known series or stage, but that doesn't make it not iconic. It's also a great representation of the many isometric puzzle-ish games that existed in that era. Looking at gameplay, I legit want to play this now, looks really fun and unique.
Originality: 7/10
I think the idea itself, as well as how you presented it as an actual remastered stage as opposed to the usual "3D-ified sprites", is very nice. But to accomplish this. I feel like you have to sacrifice some of this game's identity- mainly, it being an isometric game. I know isometric settings haven't been used in Smash yet, likely for a good reason, but that doesn't mean I don't feel there's something lost in translation with this. People would possibly get the wrong idea going from a stage like this back to its source material. It is, however, a setting I think would be interesting to see. If you could get some visual aid going, or maybe work in the isometric elements a bit more, I can probably bump this up a peg or two.
Playability: 9/10
WALKOFFS BOO HISSSS
My personal bias aside, it seems like a very fun idea for an interactive stage. It's the kind of stage I can see people getting some fun, nasty plots going with. This is the kind of stage interaction I look for in the stages that have more involved hazards: It's largely up to the player how to use these hazards, if at all for the most part. Sounds very fun to me.
Overall Score: 20/25
The SNES Classic by Kevandre:
Iconic Status: 5/5
A fantastic middle ground between the modern and classic eras of Nintendo, and one still fresh in the minds of many gamers.
Originality: 8/10
Ehhh... The "Parade of different games" idea is something I've seen a lot and something I don't quite resonate with as much as others. Obviously it's an important factor of the SNES classic, but I like stages to be more focused. Having so many different series disappear as soon as they come up just seems like a disservice to the games in question. It's why I'm glad the Game Boy stage stuck purely with Kirby's Dreamland. Still, it's a concept that has a lot of appeal, and I do really like how you handled each game in a way that respects the source material, the overhead games especially. Like with Earthbound, Keeping it's signature diagonal camera angle present even with the platforms is very clever. Great visual aid is certainly a selling point here.
Playability: 9/10
VERY nice use of layout and hazards here. The different ways you use the platforms for each respective game is also brilliant. My only recommendation would be to maybe make the "Menu" portion platformless, it just looks a bit off. Think the transitions in Castle Siege and WarioWare, I feel like flattening things out so the players have to re think their positioning (And perhaps predict what comes next) while the next game is chosen is something this stage would benefit from.
Overall Score: 22/25
Gameboy Gallery by PeridotGX:
Iconic Status: 5/5
It's certainly not lacking in this regard. Tons of games that are very recognize-able and beloved.
Originality: 3/10
First off, my problem with "Parade" stages I mentioned with the SNES Classic level. Second, with the exception of Mario Land and Tennis, these choices just do NOT work. Why would you chose the Title Screen from Pokemon, of all things? Running around on a still image of a title screen? Where's the fun in that? Where's what makes Pokemon... Pokemon? Why not have it in the middle of a Pokemon battle, standing on the menus and the Pokemon's battle sprite while trying to stay out of the middle where the Pokemon's attacks will be? I know that brings up my problem with battling on UI elements that I mentioned in Goliso's review, but at least it would be something. Honestly, remove the TCG level and just apply that logic to an on screen Pokemon battle, it at least gives it substance. The Dr. Mario level has no business being on a Gameboy melody, as it's not as recognize-able as other versions of Dr. Mario and would be better suited for something else (especially with how colorful Dr. Mario is). Mario Land is fine but literally just Mushroomy Kingdom Mixed with Dreamland.
I WILL give you props for the Mario Tennis stage, though. I think that's the first isometric view idea I see working pretty well, dodging a tennis ball sprite being whacked back and forth while standing on the net is a neat idea. If we had to have a Gameboy Melody, I'd love to see that.
Playability: 4/10
Many of my similar issues with "Game A" apply here, as well as how generally clunky and inconsistent these layouts are. It functions, I guess, but not doing it for me, sorry.
Overall Score: 12/25
Total Scores:
TheMarioAddict: 93 points
GolisoPower: 79 points
Opossum: 76 points
Kevandre: 96 points
PeridotGX: 61 points
The Winner is.........
The SNES Classic by
Kevandre
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!
The SNES Classic by
Kevandre
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!
PeridotGX
Smash Hero
Not surprised by my loss. I knew the hazards were too obtrusive, and
Kevandre
's stage was a much better execution of the idea (Congrats, BTW). I probably should've gone with my backup Exitebike idea. I'm just surprised that Dr.Mario was the main kiiller of scores, I was expecting it to be PTCG (Though looking back HOLY CRUD THAT'S TOO MUCH DAMAGE.).
Kevandre
's stage was a much better execution of the idea (Congrats, BTW). I probably should've gone with my backup Exitebike idea. I'm just surprised that Dr.Mario was the main kiiller of scores, I was expecting it to be PTCG (Though looking back HOLY CRUD THAT'S TOO MUCH DAMAGE.).
TheMarioaddict
Smash Journeyman
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2013
- Messages
- 345
- Location
- Right Behind You
- NNID
- TheMarioaddict
- 3DS FC
- 0130-1812-3778
- Switch FC
- SW-4314-7715-8313
GolisoPower
Smash Master
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2017
- Messages
- 4,344
Kevandre
Ivy WAS Saurly missed
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2013
- Messages
- 2,520
- Location
- Pacific Northwest
- NNID
- Kevandre
- 3DS FC
- 1736-1095-5393
- Switch FC
- SW-2226-3590-9812
Oh man! Thanks guys. I really liked this stage idea and would love to see Sakurai have a similar idea. The competition was steep on this one too! 
Last edited:
TheMarioaddict
Smash Journeyman
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2013
- Messages
- 345
- Location
- Right Behind You
- NNID
- TheMarioaddict
- 3DS FC
- 0130-1812-3778
- Switch FC
- SW-4314-7715-8313
Hey, since we're between rounds right now, I'd like to show you all an alternate idea I had for the retro round before deciding to make Aosame Castle. It's a bit on the rough side, but I think you'll all still like it!
-----------------------
You wanna know something? I’ve seen a lot of people try to make stages based on Tetris before. And pretty much every time they do, it’s the exact same thing - a flat base platform, with Tetrominoes falling down onto the players, such that if you don’t dodge in time, you get crushed. And I have to say, that sucks. Not only is it not very unique, I think it sounds incredibly un-fun to play on (since, you know, instant death gimmicks in smash stages tend to be exactly that). So today, I have a different interpretation for you all:
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Tetris!
...I just realized I forgot to edit the score/level/lines across the pics and that bothers me.
Name of Stage:
Tetris
Game of Origin:
Tetris (Gameboy)
Description of Stage:
Tetris So as you can see, the stage is modeled after the gameboy version of Tetris. At the start of the match, the stage consists of little more than a flat, Final Destination-esque platform, about as wide as Battlefield is. Nothing too special, right? Well, just wait...
Gimmicks and Hazards of the Stage:
Tetris Here’s where things get interesting. Because as you fight, a game of tetris starts going on… in the background. That’s right, absolutely no risk of getting crushed by falling blocks! And the people rejoiced! However, that doesn’t mean the game is just there for show…
...because every Tetromino has passable platforms on them! These platforms will be along the top surface of the 4 squares of each Tetromino, which means that they’ll shift position and appear/disappear as the block rotates and moves. So as the battle goes on…
...you never know quite what the platform layout will be!
Music:
Tetris (Tetris)
Tetris (Tetris)
Tetris (Tetris)
-----------------------
Looking at this stage now, I can see some problems - mainly, the vertical platform spacing is garbage (they'd either be splitting characters in half, or the stage would be Great Cave Offensive levels of enormous (which, now that I think about it, would actually make this a great 8-player smash stage...)). Still, I've always wanted a take on a Tetris stage that was different from everything else, so I'm happy I achieved that at least. One way or another though, I'm glad I switched to Aosame Castle, as I think I did a much better job with that one!
-----------------------
You wanna know something? I’ve seen a lot of people try to make stages based on Tetris before. And pretty much every time they do, it’s the exact same thing - a flat base platform, with Tetrominoes falling down onto the players, such that if you don’t dodge in time, you get crushed. And I have to say, that sucks. Not only is it not very unique, I think it sounds incredibly un-fun to play on (since, you know, instant death gimmicks in smash stages tend to be exactly that). So today, I have a different interpretation for you all:
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Tetris!
...I just realized I forgot to edit the score/level/lines across the pics and that bothers me.
Name of Stage:
Tetris
Game of Origin:
Tetris (Gameboy)
Description of Stage:
Gimmicks and Hazards of the Stage:
...because every Tetromino has passable platforms on them! These platforms will be along the top surface of the 4 squares of each Tetromino, which means that they’ll shift position and appear/disappear as the block rotates and moves. So as the battle goes on…
...you never know quite what the platform layout will be!
Music:
Tetris (Tetris)
Tetris (Tetris)
Tetris (Tetris)
-----------------------
Looking at this stage now, I can see some problems - mainly, the vertical platform spacing is garbage (they'd either be splitting characters in half, or the stage would be Great Cave Offensive levels of enormous (which, now that I think about it, would actually make this a great 8-player smash stage...)). Still, I've always wanted a take on a Tetris stage that was different from everything else, so I'm happy I achieved that at least. One way or another though, I'm glad I switched to Aosame Castle, as I think I did a much better job with that one!
Last edited:
TechPowah
Smash Ace
I thought those grades were for this week, and i was VERY confused at how the SNES classic won a Zelda round. :y
D
Deleted member
Guest
Monday is here. So it's time for Round 7 to begin!
Winning the Poll at 6 votes, Round 7 is.......
Metroid
Not much explanation needed here. Stages from any official Metroid Game are eligible. Just be aware that if you pick a stage from something like Metroid Prime Pinball or Federation Force you may not do too hot in the results. Lava Stages are in the same boat. That's the kind of stage nearly if not every Metroid stage in Smash has been and personally, I'm getting sick of it.
Metroid has other types of locations to work with so going with a repetitive lava level may not lead to the best results for your stage.
And with that, on March 26th 2018, Round 7 has begun. You have until Friday March 30th to submit entries.
Good Luck!
Winning the Poll at 6 votes, Round 7 is.......
Metroid
Metroid has other types of locations to work with so going with a repetitive lava level may not lead to the best results for your stage.
And with that, on March 26th 2018, Round 7 has begun. You have until Friday March 30th to submit entries.
Good Luck!
TheMarioaddict
Smash Journeyman
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2013
- Messages
- 345
- Location
- Right Behind You
- NNID
- TheMarioaddict
- 3DS FC
- 0130-1812-3778
- Switch FC
- SW-4314-7715-8313
Metroid, huh? I never played a lot of Metroid, but I did enjoy AM2R and Samus Returns… in fact, I think I might just have the perfect thing for that…
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to SR388!
Forgive me MSPaint, for I have cheated on you with that wicked seductress, GIMP.
Name of Stage:
SR388
Game of Origin:
Metroid: Samus Returns (3DS)
Description of Stage:
The stage (at first) consists of 3 main platforms - a small central platform, and two triangular platforms (they aren’t passable, by the way. All platforms on this stage are 100% solid). The middle platform is suspended in purple acid (don’t groan yet, I promise it gets interesting). Setting-wise, the scenery is meant to look like the starting cave areas of SR388 (with the weird pentagonal pillar rocks and such), while the background is meant to look like a deep cave, with acid pouring from various caves and tunnels.
Gimmicks and Hazards of the Stage:
It’s the acid. Obviously it’s the acid. But this isn’t your typical acid! Instead of knockback (like the acid and lava in official Metroid stages), THIS acid acts like water - that is, you can swim in it. But avoid that if you can, because you’ll take constant damage while you’re in the acid - let’s say a rate of about 5% every second, in 1% increments.
But wait, there’s more! Around 30 seconds after the match starts, the stage will rumble a bit. Once that happens…
...the acid lowers, revealing more space to fight on!
Still too much acid for you? No worries, because after another 30-ish seconds…
...it lowers again! Now there’s no acid at all! And before you ask - no, it doesn’t come back up. The stage will stay in this form for the rest of the match.
[Side Note: If you’re having trouble telling where the actual parts of the stage you can stand on are, I’ve put together this handy little imgur gallery which outlines the playable space.]
Music:
SR388 Surface (Metroid 2/Samus Returns)
VS Gamma Metroid (Samus Returns)
VS Diggernaut (Samus Returns)
VS Queen Metroid (Metroid 2)
Baby Metroid (Metroid 2/Samus Returns)
That’s it for this one! I hope you like it!
EDIT:
I'm, uh...
Y'know, th...
One thing I should...
...excuse me for one second.
*Flees into the night*
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to SR388!
Forgive me MSPaint, for I have cheated on you with that wicked seductress, GIMP.
Name of Stage:
SR388
Game of Origin:
Metroid: Samus Returns (3DS)
Description of Stage:
The stage (at first) consists of 3 main platforms - a small central platform, and two triangular platforms (they aren’t passable, by the way. All platforms on this stage are 100% solid). The middle platform is suspended in purple acid (don’t groan yet, I promise it gets interesting). Setting-wise, the scenery is meant to look like the starting cave areas of SR388 (with the weird pentagonal pillar rocks and such), while the background is meant to look like a deep cave, with acid pouring from various caves and tunnels.
Gimmicks and Hazards of the Stage:
It’s the acid. Obviously it’s the acid. But this isn’t your typical acid! Instead of knockback (like the acid and lava in official Metroid stages), THIS acid acts like water - that is, you can swim in it. But avoid that if you can, because you’ll take constant damage while you’re in the acid - let’s say a rate of about 5% every second, in 1% increments.
But wait, there’s more! Around 30 seconds after the match starts, the stage will rumble a bit. Once that happens…
...the acid lowers, revealing more space to fight on!
Still too much acid for you? No worries, because after another 30-ish seconds…
...it lowers again! Now there’s no acid at all! And before you ask - no, it doesn’t come back up. The stage will stay in this form for the rest of the match.
[Side Note: If you’re having trouble telling where the actual parts of the stage you can stand on are, I’ve put together this handy little imgur gallery which outlines the playable space.]
Music:
SR388 Surface (Metroid 2/Samus Returns)
VS Gamma Metroid (Samus Returns)
VS Diggernaut (Samus Returns)
VS Queen Metroid (Metroid 2)
Baby Metroid (Metroid 2/Samus Returns)
That’s it for this one! I hope you like it!
EDIT:
*Proceeds to sweat bullets*
I'm, uh...
Y'know, th...
One thing I should...
...excuse me for one second.
*Flees into the night*
Last edited:
TechPowah
Smash Ace
Yeah, I have NO IDEA about Metroid so, uhh
hm
this might be a toughie
hm
this might be a toughie
GolisoPower
Smash Master
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2017
- Messages
- 4,344
Stage Name:
Oubliette
Origin:
Metroid Prime Hunters
Description:
The stage where you fight the powerful Gorea, Oubliette is the final stage of Metroid Prime Hunters and an unlockable stage in that game's multiplayer. The stage takes place at the top of the 'flower' of that arena and has a walk-off layout that is two times as big as the Kalos Pokemon League. The difference is that there are walls that curve inward as they go up on the opposite ends of the stage, meaning the only way to KO someone is to launch them upwards. Occasionally in the background, many or all of the following: Trace, Noxus, Spire, Kanden, Weavil and Sylux will appear on the stage battling each other. This does not affect the battle itself.
Gimmicks and Hazards:
The main feature of this stage is by far the one of the most powerful weapons Samus has ever had the pleasure to equip: the Omega Cannon. When equipping the Omega Cannon, you have about five seconds of charge-up time when you fire it, and the shot itself goes about as fast as Palutena’s Reflect. But to make up for it, the projectile will explode with 1.75x the radius of Electrode when hitting an enemy or projectile, does about half as much as Odin’s Zantetsuken, and will instantly KO anyone that is over the 100% kill threshold. However, the last part only takes in effect when the players are over 100% damage when they are caught in the explosion. Otherwise, they’ll be dealt as much knockback as Ryu’s Shin Shoryuken.
Unlockable:
No.
Music:
Celestial Archives (Multiplayer)
Alinos (Multiplayer)
VDO (Multiplayer)
Arcterra (Multiplayer)
Oubliette (Multiplayer)
Gorea Boss Theme
Final Gorea Boss Theme
Vs. Trace
Vs. Noxus
Vs. Spire
Vs. Kanden
Vs. Weavil
Vs. Sylux
Vs. Noxus and Trace
Last edited:
Kevandre
Ivy WAS Saurly missed
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2013
- Messages
- 2,520
- Location
- Pacific Northwest
- NNID
- Kevandre
- 3DS FC
- 1736-1095-5393
- Switch FC
- SW-2226-3590-9812
<3
Skytown, Elysia
(Metroid Prime 3)
Taking a look at all of the locations in the Metroid Prime trilogy (A title soon to be amended!), there are a lot of repetetively themed areas, and some are just a generic archetype of an area that just happens to be in Metroid. I wanted to avoid having just a regular stage that looks icy (Phendrana Drifts) or whatever, but I had trouble thinking of somewhere unique until I remembered Skytown from Prime 3.
Skytown is an interesting location in the game, where you're on buildings that are high up in the clouds, with an interesting transit system that will give you flashbacks of Bioshock Infinite, though this came several years before it.
In the Metroid Prime 3 Skytown area, Samus gets around in a couple ways, either by launching from a small cannon in morph ball form, or else grappling onto a rail that moves her to a different location. I decided to utilize both of these in one stage.
As you'll see above, this is a pretty large stage, and honestly it could probably be used in 8-player battles, though it's nowere as spacious as LoZTemple, New Pork City or Palutena's Temple.
Mainly consisting of five stationary platforms which can be jumped through from the bottom (Though you can only drop through from above on the top two platforms), this stage looks a little barren on first glance.
What's that rail at the top though? Looks fun.
Characters can grab the handle on the rail if it's on the side of the rail they're on and quickly flit over to the other platform near the top, or let go halfway through if they like. They cannot attack while holding onto the handle, but they can't be launched from it either, so using it to stall death might be useful! There's a cooldown on when you can use the rail again though so one can't just constantly go back and forth.
On the bottom two platforms are small cannons that players can be compressed into (Probably uncomfortably). The cannons will fire you diagonally across the screen, and you always land on the top platform on the opposite side of the stage. Be warned though, one can be hit out of the air, so be careful your opponent isn't closeby the path!
That's it! No big monsters coming by to fight or anything, just some interesting travel options and a lot of room to spare, in addition to being in one of the more interesting locales from the Metroid series.
Music:
Skytown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-tENhSkhOE
Steamlord Battle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvptQWI29bE
Rundas Battle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nMFLquJeCc
Multiplayer (Metroid Prime 2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NIzmi3-kA8
Vs. Ridley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGcYSW52I6A
Brinstar Depths (Melee): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0NU9IROMgQ
(Metroid Prime 3)
Taking a look at all of the locations in the Metroid Prime trilogy (A title soon to be amended!), there are a lot of repetetively themed areas, and some are just a generic archetype of an area that just happens to be in Metroid. I wanted to avoid having just a regular stage that looks icy (Phendrana Drifts) or whatever, but I had trouble thinking of somewhere unique until I remembered Skytown from Prime 3.
Skytown is an interesting location in the game, where you're on buildings that are high up in the clouds, with an interesting transit system that will give you flashbacks of Bioshock Infinite, though this came several years before it.
In the Metroid Prime 3 Skytown area, Samus gets around in a couple ways, either by launching from a small cannon in morph ball form, or else grappling onto a rail that moves her to a different location. I decided to utilize both of these in one stage.
As you'll see above, this is a pretty large stage, and honestly it could probably be used in 8-player battles, though it's nowere as spacious as LoZTemple, New Pork City or Palutena's Temple.
Mainly consisting of five stationary platforms which can be jumped through from the bottom (Though you can only drop through from above on the top two platforms), this stage looks a little barren on first glance.
What's that rail at the top though? Looks fun.
Characters can grab the handle on the rail if it's on the side of the rail they're on and quickly flit over to the other platform near the top, or let go halfway through if they like. They cannot attack while holding onto the handle, but they can't be launched from it either, so using it to stall death might be useful! There's a cooldown on when you can use the rail again though so one can't just constantly go back and forth.
On the bottom two platforms are small cannons that players can be compressed into (Probably uncomfortably). The cannons will fire you diagonally across the screen, and you always land on the top platform on the opposite side of the stage. Be warned though, one can be hit out of the air, so be careful your opponent isn't closeby the path!
That's it! No big monsters coming by to fight or anything, just some interesting travel options and a lot of room to spare, in addition to being in one of the more interesting locales from the Metroid series.
Music:
Skytown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-tENhSkhOE
Steamlord Battle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvptQWI29bE
Rundas Battle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nMFLquJeCc
Multiplayer (Metroid Prime 2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NIzmi3-kA8
Vs. Ridley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGcYSW52I6A
Brinstar Depths (Melee): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0NU9IROMgQ
TechPowah
Smash Ace
When will the poll for round 8 open?