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Time for Round 30 Grades!
psb123's grades:
Mario's Tennis by
Kevandre
Iconic Status: 3/5
Let's be real here, unless you're a gamer who frequented the internet around the peak of videos like those of the AVGN, you won't know what the Virtual Boy is. Sure there were a lot of those but even then hardly anyone ever talks about the Virtual Boy anymore.
Originality: 7/10
Well for being a stage based on the Virtual Boy it gets the job done. For better or worse. I'm not sure how well the court flipping would do for people's eyes. And for this Mario Tennis game in particular, you've done pretty much all you could with the layout. The main problem lies in the lack of creativity the source game offers. When you look at the courts from other Mario Tennis games, it's hard to find this stage appealing considering what else the series could offer.
Playability: 8/10
Once again, not sure how well the whole perspective switching thing with the court work. To be honest though I'm probably just being paranoid about the eye strain. As for the Tennis ball. It's a constant presence which leads to it being more annoying than it probably needs to be.
Overall Score: 18/25
Phantom Stage by
GolisoPower
First of all, like I said in the last batch of grades, I really think it's time for the fancy ways of explaining your stage to end. The novelty is gone and it makes it more frustrating to understand your stages in the long run. But for this one, let's see how you did.
Iconic Status: 5/5
I think this game still has just enough modern day relevance to warrant a full score here. If it were an older game, than it would honestly depend on how well it withstood the test of time.
But right now it's a game that people were getting curious on when they saw gameplay, and when it actually came out lots of people thought it was a better game than it had any right to be. It's no Mario Odyssey, but it should be recognizable enough.
Originality: 9/10
This might seem like an odd score considering this stage goes for the same thing of "really basic layout" that Kevandre's goes for. But honestly I do not the layout a problem in his stage or yours. In fact, the layout of your stage mimics the actual, well, stage from this area in the source game quite well. And the breakable blocks add a unique flare that fits as props for a play.
My only real gripe is the Phantom. I think the role he's been casted in is fine as what's essentially the new codec calls. But the problem is that they seem to be triggered at random. Having a way to trigger them manually is kind of a necessity.
............I can't believe I'm taking a point off for THAT of all things I'll admit. But I do think it's just barely a big enough deal to warrant it.
Playability: 10/10
I mean yeah the negative effect boxes are there. But they seem like the kind of "risk vs. reward" type of thing that you might want to catch opponents in with a ranged attack. It's an unpleasant hazard if it happens to you sure, but sometimes those can be welcome if executed right.
Overall Score: 24/25
Mini-Land by
Good Guy Giygas
Iconic Status: 4/5
For a series that's been around as long as this one I don't think a low score is warranted. Probably not a full score, especially since this is based on the newer games, which I'm not sure whether or not they did well among the fanbase this series gathered. But you can still tell it's a Mario vs DK stage. So it works out well in the end.
Originality: 10/10
This stage captures the puzzle elements of the source series perfectly and uses them in a way that can lead to some very creative platforms set-ups. I also like the addition of the Mini-Mario and the power-up everyone can gain by guiding him to the goal. Very nice touch.
Playability: 10/10
That creative element does you a lot of favors on playability too. The strategy involved on whether or not you want to guide the Mini-Mario to the goal to give everyone a power-up that you might need, or prevent him from getting to the goal in favor of denying an opponent a power-up they could use really is the kind of thing that adds a lot to the appeal of casual stages.
Also, thank you, for giving as many passable platforms as you did. There were a lot of them, connections or not, that could have presented a lot of problems if you made them solid. But you didn't. Good call.
Overall Score: 24/25
Mario Paint by
TKOWL
Iconic Status: 4/5
The source games quirky nature and use of a mouse made it very memorable. But it is high enough in age that I don't think I can award full points.
Originality: 9/10
At it's core it has a lot of similarities to Mario Maker but you know, so does the source game. And this stage takes advantage of the differences Mario Paint has from Mario Maker and uses it to it's advantage. That music track section in particular is a really appealing aspect.
Playability: 6/10
So close on this one. I mean yeah the random placements of the layout that could be closer to the blast zone and the gnats would have prevented a 10 anyway. But you specifically mentioned that the blast zones are on the sides which leads me to believe that there aren't any vertical blast zones. That's too much of a hindrance to a match.
Overall Score: 19/25
Luigi's Mansion by S SkySkipper
Iconic Status: 5/5
People know what Luigi's Mansion is. It was a Gamecube classic that got a 3DS sequel which wasn't technically as memorable. But that still led to a 3DS remake of the original which is what this stage is based on.
Originality: 10/10
I'd be lying if I said I had much of a problem with the Luigi's Mansion stage currently in Smash. But honestly, I like your interpretation of the idea better. More appealing layout and a lot more charm with the ghosts that can appear.
Playability: 9/10
That's a whole lot of ghosts. So color me surprised to see that the ones that do something to the fighters (which are more rare than the ones that don't) are actually pretty balanced. Very minimal damage output and the rarest of all can even give you a star! My only real concern here is the mansions roof. Like Great Plateau Tower it's just a tad bit awkward having a solid ceiling block your opponents path to the top blast zone. Sure there is a work around by snaking around to the top of the mansion. But's it's not quite as convenient as Great Plateau Tower where you can just break the barrier.
Overall Score: 24/25
Vibe Island by
Luminario
Iconic Status: 3/5
You know for being as important of a Mario character as she is, it's kind of a shame that Peach didn't meet the same success as Luigi when it came to getting her own games. I'm sure Super Princess Peach has it's fans, but it's age and lack of continuation don't do it's iconic status any favors.
Originality: 10/10
For starters I like the design of choice of basing the layout on a mashup of worlds from the game inspired by the overworld map. Very creative. And the Vibe scepter adds some interesting effects that stay very faithful to the source material.
Playability: 7/10
This may be to your surprise, but your score here is not because of the Vibe Hearts. They all have their points of advantage and disadvantage, some more than others. But all in all they combine the same kinds of strategy elements present in the stages of both Good Guy Giygas and GolisoPower in choosing whether or not to go for them depending on the situation or trying to knock an opponent into them in what would be a bad situation for them.
The problem in this stage comes in the form of the platforms. First of all the solid platform in the air around the center of the stage creates too much of a "cave of life" kind of scenario. In contrast, the platforms on the sides are small, few in number, and are pass through, which makes the side areas dangerous to be in. Had you removed the solid platform from the center and put more of that kind platform around the side areas it would have worked out much better.
Overall Score: 20/25
Wario City by
PeridotGX
Iconic Status: 3/5
It feels sad to say this about post Gamecube era Mario Sports games since a lot of them offer some great stage potential. But they just don't seem to be as fondly remembered as the ones of the past. Which is even more of a shame for this one since it was on of K. Rools few post DK64 pre-Ultimate appearances. And don't get me started on how disappointing this is for Mario Sports Mix. That game has playable Final Fantasy characters! Though no Geno or Mallow despite being a Mario game oddly enough.
Originality: 3/10
The creative setting is the stages strongest point here. And even then that's only a background thing. Otherwise we have a big stage that's just, a big empty space. The lack of platforms and things happening during a match just make this so, bare.
Playability: 4/10
The lack of platforms also make the stage far to difficult to navigate. Yes the manholes are there but the risk involved with how they can launch you makes it seem like it would be more effective to use them as another KO option. Speaking of that, the stages size makes KO's at the top hard enough to get that you'd want to prioritize KOing off the side. And since this stage is a walk-off that's not exactly a good thing.
Overall Score: 10/25
Ladida Plains by
ryuu seika
Iconic Status: 3/5
Same score and reasons as Luminario's stage.
Originality: 8/10
Using the same game and overall kind of idea as another contestant (Luminario in this case) in of itself is not a problem. We've had situations like that before. But I don't think this stage encompasses the same creativity as the other Super Princess Peach Stage. Instead of meshing together different areas in a unique but fitting way, we have one area with a much more basic, but still okay in the long run, platform.
I also am in preference of the idea of the Vibe Scepter dropping hearts that can grant the various effects instead of everyone just always having one of them depending on the background color. The effects you came up with are pretty nice though and the cloud platforms function in a way I don't think an official smash stage has used before.
Playability: 5/10
For a stage with this kind of layout, not being able to grab the ledges until specific requirements are met is a huge hindrance. Plus, in order to play as a character with their proper stats on this stage, you'd have to resort to turning the hazards off or using the Battlefield or Omega form. Having stat changing effects in play constantly would be too much of a deal breaker for too many people.
Overall Score: 16/25
Cosmic77's Grades:
"Mario's Tennis" by Kevandre:
Iconic Status: 2/5
Well, it's Mario. That's one good thing about your stage. Unfortunately, just about everything the Virtual Boy encompasses is extremely niche and shrouded in obscurity. Only dedicated fans would recognize this.
Originality: 7/10
I can't remember who, but I'm fairly certain someone already incorporated this gimmick into their stage during a previous round (fighting on a tennis net, dodging a tennis ball).
The idea is creative, but I've seen it used before. You did put your own little "Kevandre twist" on it though, so I can't say it's a carbon copy.
Playability: 8/10
I don't know how this stage would look in HD, but man, it really is hard to look at. Can't believe I'm actually saying this as legitimate criticism, but your stage could give people headaches.
Overall Score: 17/25
"Phantom Stage" by GolisoPower:
Iconic Status: 5/5
The number of games featuring both Mario and Rabbids is limited. I have a feeling you'll automatically know what game this stage comes from.
Originality: 8/10
Wonderful performance, as always.
So, I like the layout, I like the theme, and I like the gimmick. However, I really wish you would've done more with Phantom. Perhaps have him fire music notes as projectiles?
Playability: 9/10
Aside from that single box on the stage, I think you're fine.
Overall Score: 22/25
"Mini-Land" by Good Guy Giygas:
Iconic Status: 5/5
Almost gave you a 4, but this franchise has been pretty active throughout the years. Might be too generous with my score, but I stick with my opinion that people would recognize this stage.
Originality: 10/10
You just nailed it with this stage. It's extremely creative, extremely unique, and is absolutely on-point with the the real games. The little bonus after getting Mini Mario to the door was also a nice touch. Fantastic job all around.
Playability: 6/10
The stage is great, but I'm not sure if it's very playable. There's so many cramped spaces present that I can see players becoming easy victims of combo food. Not to mention those Caves of Life being a problem as well.
Overall Score: 21/25
"Mario Paint" by TKOWL:
Iconic Status: 4/5
Mario Paint is a funny game that people often use to make remixes with on YouTube. Sadly, aside from that, there's not much to make this game memorable.
Originality: 6/10
If I'm being honest, the gnat minigame and the Music Maker is what gave you this high of a score. This stage feels like a rehash of Mario Maker with some Pictochat sprinkled in. It sounds creative on paper, but it functions almost identically.
Playability: 7/10
I don't want to say your stage is unfair with the hazards, but I feel like they could be a nuisance at times. The stamps in particular sound like a pain to deal with, even if they cause minimal knockback.
Overall Score: 17/25
"Luigi's Mansion" by SkySkipper:
Iconic Status: 5/5
The game was referenced in a trailer last month. If you don't recognize this stage, crawl out from that rock you've been hiding under.
Originality: 8/10
So let me get something out of the way: grading your stage was extremely difficult. There were so many different topics I went back and forth on.
- The stage is literally a reimagined version of the existing Luigi's Mansion, but hasn't this been done before with existing Kirby and Pokemon stages?
- You incorporated far too many ghosts and gimmicks into your stage, but should that really effect your score if each of them function differently?
- The ghosts function exactly like they do in the game. Is that a sign of creativity, or copy-and-paste?
In the end, I gave you an 8. However, I still don't know if that's what I should've given you.
Playability: 8/10
Lots of hazards, but none of them seem unfair either. Again, I'm not really sure what score to give you here, as you provided damage percentages and all the necessary details to give me an idea of how the ghosts would attack.
Overall Score: 21/25
"Vibe Island" by Luminario:
Iconic Status: 3/5
Super Princess Peach is a strange game. I don't want to say it's forgettable, but I also don't think it's quite as iconic as other series like Luigi's Mansion or MvsDK.
Originality: 9/10
A nice and simple stage. Layout seems interesting, and the Vibe Hearts provide a little extra zest. Not as wacky as some of the other submissions, but the emphasis on the unique layout makes up for it.
Playability: 9/10
Taking a single point off for the Rage and bottomless pits. Aside from that, your stage is golden.
Overall Score: 21/25
"Wario City" by PeridotGX:
Iconic Status: 3/5
A bit random if you ask me. Wario City feels and looks like something you'd associate with Wario, but I don't think many people would know what game this came from.
Originality: 4/10
This stage feels a little rushed. I'm sure the background would look lovely at night, but the layout and the gimmick of the stage is underwhelming when you think of everything thing else you could've used.
This stage probably needed to sit in the oven for a little while longer.
Playability: 8/10
The manholes can KO someone at 120%, so obviously I can't give you a perfect score.
Still, once you get past that, there's not much going on in your stage that would warrant a deduction.
Overall Score: 15/25
"Ladida Plains" by Ryuu Seika:
Iconic Status: 3/5
*See Luminario's grade.
Originality: 8/10
It's simple. Almost a little too simple for me.
Regardless, you did put in some creative things here and there. I like the use of the bushes, and the collapsible bridge was a nice addition.
Playability: 7/10
The bridges are the only thing I have an issue with, but it's warranted. Not being able to grab the ledge is a huge red flag for characters with poor horizontal recoveries.
Although coincidentally, this would benefit Peach players tremendously.
Overall Score: 18/25
TheMarioAddict's Grades:
TheMarioaddict's Grades
"Mario’s Tennis" by Kevandre:
Iconic Status: 3/5
I mean, it is Mario, but damn if it doesn’t feel like you went out of your way to pick the least iconic Mario stage possible. The only thing saving this from a lower score is that, despite the game in question being pretty forgettable, it still very clearly reads as a Mario stage (a Mario spin-off stage, but Mario nonetheless).
Originality: 3/10
Kev. I gotta level with you here. You and I, we’ve got a connection. We’re fellow vets from the old contest. When it comes to making smash stages, it’s like we grew up together. I don’t let that influence my grades, of course, but I’m always excited to see what you’ve got cooked up for these contests. We’re like brothers, man.
So know that it hurts me just as much as it hurts you to say that this is far, far from the most original stage you’ve ever showcased.
Like… this is Final Destination. It’s literally Final Destination with a tennis ball and eye cancer. The parallaxing background is… neat, I guess, but it doesn’t really feel like a unique selling point (at least, not one that wouldn’t already be covered by the Virtual Boy aesthetic). To your credit, I cannot deny that the aesthetic is something completely new to Smash, but… that’s literally the only good thing I can say about the originality of this stage. And the tennis ball is kinda original, but it’s not nearly enough to save you here. I’m sorry.
Playability: 9/10
On the flipside, there’s pretty much no playability issues here. The tennis ball is just enough for me to remove a point, but the rest of the stage is… well, like I said, it’s Final Destination. And Final Destination is like, the staple of playable stages (right next to Battlefield).
Overall Score: 15/25
"Phantom Stage" by GolisoPower:
Ok, Goliso, I gotta agree with PSB on this one - the unique ways of describing the stages were funny at first, but I think they’re overstaying their welcome a bit. I love the passion, don’t get me wrong, but try to keep things more straightforward next time, ok?
Iconic Status: 4/5
Mario + Rabbids is recent enough that it’s very worthy of a high iconic score, though I can’t say for certain whether this is a memorable area or not (I skipped M+R). Still, probably a good pick from that game.
Originality: 7/10
As with Kevandre, I’m not too keen on the stage effectively being “Final Destination+”, but you’ve managed to include enough “+” that you’ll earn a much better score here. The boxes give some much needed additional platforms, and the negative-effect boxes give that mechanic an extra twist. The Phantom is kinda cool, though I’m unclear on if he actually interacts with the fighters or just talks about them, Codec style. Either way, he’s a nice touch.
Playability: 8/10
There’s not many problems here with playability, but the negative-effect boxes don’t do any favors. They’d certainly make this a fun casual stage, but in more competitive settings, I can see people steering clear of this place. But yeah, not bad over all.
Overall Score: 19/25
"Mini-Land" by Good Guy Giygas:
Iconic Status: 5/5
The Mario vs Donkey Kong Minis series is pretty distinct, I’d say, and it’s certainly a game that Mario fans would at least know of. Even a non fan would get the idea as soon as the mini Marios show up in this stage, so you get full marks here!
Originality: 10/10
This is one of my favorite concepts I’ve seen in this entire contest. Correct me if I’m wrong, but outside of the literal stage builder, there’s never been a Smash stage that lets players freely place their own platforms. It’s god damn brilliant, and so perfectly matches the tone and feel of the Mario vs Donkey Kong games that I absolutely have to give it a perfect score here.
Playability: 7/10
I’ll be honest: I wanted you to get my first ever 25/25 for this stage. And you almost did, but sadly there are a few problems I have with this stage - namely, the ability to make walls would make this stage a camper’s dream. Just from a glance, I can see about 6 different ways a camper could force you to approach them from above just by placing down walls to their left and right. And yes, you could get rid of the walls by making some platforms of your own, but a camper could just as easily re-make any walls you get rid of. There’s some other minor stuff (walk-offs, virtually no means of downwards KOs), but the camping is the biggest thing. Everything else seems solid!
Overall Score: 22/25
"Mario Paint" by TKOWL:
Iconic Status: 5/5
It’s Mario Paint. I don’t think much more needs to be said.
Originality: 8/10
There’s a lot to love here, really! The randomness and somewhat unprofessional artstyle both scream “Mario Paint”, and although you’ve got a couple similarities to Mario Maker, you did enough differently that it still feels like it’s own thing. Instead of a full-random stage that gets generated at the start, you have an unchanging base platform and a constantly shifting set of passable platforms, which I think is a much better way to use this mechanic than how Mario Maker does it. Nicely done!
Playability: 9/10
The Gnats give me a little bit of concern, but only enough to remove 1 point. Everything else is perfectly playable.
Overall Score: 22/25
"Luigi’s Mansion" by SkySkipper:
Iconic Status: 5/5
It’s Luigi’s Mansion. It hardly needs any introduction or explanation, I think.
Originality: 7/10
So let’s bring up the most obvious problem first: Luigi’s Mansion is already a stage. And yes, I know that there have been multiple versions of other stages (Yoshi’s Island, for instance), but even then, they usually do a lot to ensure they’re thought of as different stages. I’m not sure this iteration of Luigi’s Mansion does enough to meet that mark for me. Thankfully, that’s the only big problem - everything else is pretty original to this stage, and the portrait ghosts especially help boost this stage’s creativity! Nicely done.
Playability: 3/10
There are a lot of problems here, but the biggest one can be summed up in three words: Cave of Life. This stage has a Cave of Life to rival the likes of Spear Pillar, and that’s not a good thing. You really would have been better off making the roof a passable platform, in my opinion. And to make matters worse, a lot of those Portrait Ghosts seem damn near unavoidable if you’re inside the mansion (for the record: based off my math and the numbers you gave, the ghosts other than Neville, Lydia, and Madame Clairvoya each have around a 5% chance to appear). Also, this is an absolutely huge stage, which further hurts the playability, and… to put it simply, I’m not a fan.
Overall Score: 15/25
"Vibe Island" by Luminario:
A quick aside: I saw someone point out on reddit that if Wario and Peach had joined smash in the opposite order, we’d likely have a Wario Land based Wario moveset and a Super Princess Peach based Peach moveset. Truly, we live in the worst possible timeline.
Iconic Status: 2/5
I only have a passing knowledge of this game, but even that I think is a statistical outlier. Like, it was a cool concept and all, don’t get me wrong, but… does anyone remember this game? Literally anyone? Outside of you and ryuu seika, I doubt it.
Originality: 10/10
I always love stages that can take weird architecture and turn it into a functional platform layout, so already you’ve got a good start. But the Vibe Scepter really gives this stage the final push it needs to be something truly original. The vibes are all perfect representations of their respective mechanics, and fit pretty well in the Smash environment, I’d say. Well done!
Playability: 6/10
The emotions do leave some room for concern, but I’m actually more concerned by the platform layout. This stage seems ripe for circle camping, especially with the solid upper platform. Now that I look at it, that thing does make a pretty big cave of life as well, which further hurts the playability. It’s not all bad, but it’s certainly not perfect.
Overall Score: 18/25
"WarioNessRool Floats" by PeridotGX:
I mean, really, this stage just has it all. Wario, Ness, and King K. Rool? It’s ingenious, it’s perfectly made, and really it’s the only thing worthy of getting a perfect sco…
Huh? What do you… uh huh… Wait, so it’s not…? Yeah, ok, I… alright, alright! I get it! Jeeze.
Ok, so I’ve just been informed that the stage is not in fact WarioNessRool Floats. Apologies for the confusion. Let’s grade the real stage then, shall we?
"Wario City" by PeridotGX:
Iconic Status: 4/5
Mario Super Sluggers was my jam back in the day, and Wario City was one of my favorite stadiums next Daisy Cruise, so I might be biased. Still, I think Wario City’s got a lot that makes it stand out, especially since Wario’s big stupid face could clue in just about anyone on the origins of this stage.
Originality: 9/10
This is a stage with a lot of originality, even though it doesn’t seem so at first glance. Your picture doesn’t really do the aesthetic of Wario City justice, so let me tell everyone else - it’s not like anything else in Smash (I mean, maybe like New Pork City, but not really). The manholes are a nice touch too - nicely calls back to the actual stadium while serving a useful purpose in the stage. Awesome job, really!
Playability: 5/10
We need to talk about that upper platform. Forget what I said about Giygas’ stage - THIS is the real camper’s dream stage. It’s just… it’s so campable it’s not even funny. Also, I’d like to point out that this is the only stage I’ve ever seen that would theoretically become less playable with hazards off - assuming the hazard toggle would affect the manholes, turning hazards off would make it straight up impossible for some characters to reach the top of the stage.
Overall Score: 18/25
"Ladida Plains" by ryuu seika:
Iconic Status: 2/5
The same things I said about Luminario’s stage apply here. It’s really, really not a memorable game, and the stage is gonna suffer for that.
Originality: 8/10
I like how you and Luminario had very different takes on the Vibe mechanic from Super Princess Peach - where he had very literal interpretations of the vibes, you more went with capturing the general feel of each vibe, which I think I prefer. That said, I don’t know if your version of this stage is as visually distinct as his, nor are your mechanics as inventive, so you lose just a couple points. Not bad though!
Playability: 9/10
This is a much more playable Super Princess Peach stage. Simple mechanics that don’t intrude too much, and can easily be resolved via the hazard toggle. The layout’s pretty nice too! The cloud platforms raise some minor concern, but overall, this is a perfectly playable stage!
Overall Score: 19/25
Total Scores:
Kevandre: 47 points
GolisoPower: 65 points
Good Guy Giygas: 67 points
TKOWL: 58 points
SkSkipper: 60 points
Luminario: 59 points
PeridotGX: 43 points
ryuu seika: 53 points
psb123's grades:
Mario's Tennis by
Kevandre
Iconic Status: 3/5
Let's be real here, unless you're a gamer who frequented the internet around the peak of videos like those of the AVGN, you won't know what the Virtual Boy is. Sure there were a lot of those but even then hardly anyone ever talks about the Virtual Boy anymore.
Originality: 7/10
Well for being a stage based on the Virtual Boy it gets the job done. For better or worse. I'm not sure how well the court flipping would do for people's eyes. And for this Mario Tennis game in particular, you've done pretty much all you could with the layout. The main problem lies in the lack of creativity the source game offers. When you look at the courts from other Mario Tennis games, it's hard to find this stage appealing considering what else the series could offer.
Playability: 8/10
Once again, not sure how well the whole perspective switching thing with the court work. To be honest though I'm probably just being paranoid about the eye strain. As for the Tennis ball. It's a constant presence which leads to it being more annoying than it probably needs to be.
Overall Score: 18/25
Phantom Stage by
GolisoPower
First of all, like I said in the last batch of grades, I really think it's time for the fancy ways of explaining your stage to end. The novelty is gone and it makes it more frustrating to understand your stages in the long run. But for this one, let's see how you did.
Iconic Status: 5/5
I think this game still has just enough modern day relevance to warrant a full score here. If it were an older game, than it would honestly depend on how well it withstood the test of time.
But right now it's a game that people were getting curious on when they saw gameplay, and when it actually came out lots of people thought it was a better game than it had any right to be. It's no Mario Odyssey, but it should be recognizable enough.
Originality: 9/10
This might seem like an odd score considering this stage goes for the same thing of "really basic layout" that Kevandre's goes for. But honestly I do not the layout a problem in his stage or yours. In fact, the layout of your stage mimics the actual, well, stage from this area in the source game quite well. And the breakable blocks add a unique flare that fits as props for a play.
My only real gripe is the Phantom. I think the role he's been casted in is fine as what's essentially the new codec calls. But the problem is that they seem to be triggered at random. Having a way to trigger them manually is kind of a necessity.
............I can't believe I'm taking a point off for THAT of all things I'll admit. But I do think it's just barely a big enough deal to warrant it.
Playability: 10/10
I mean yeah the negative effect boxes are there. But they seem like the kind of "risk vs. reward" type of thing that you might want to catch opponents in with a ranged attack. It's an unpleasant hazard if it happens to you sure, but sometimes those can be welcome if executed right.
Overall Score: 24/25
Mini-Land by
Good Guy Giygas
Iconic Status: 4/5
For a series that's been around as long as this one I don't think a low score is warranted. Probably not a full score, especially since this is based on the newer games, which I'm not sure whether or not they did well among the fanbase this series gathered. But you can still tell it's a Mario vs DK stage. So it works out well in the end.
Originality: 10/10
This stage captures the puzzle elements of the source series perfectly and uses them in a way that can lead to some very creative platforms set-ups. I also like the addition of the Mini-Mario and the power-up everyone can gain by guiding him to the goal. Very nice touch.
Playability: 10/10
That creative element does you a lot of favors on playability too. The strategy involved on whether or not you want to guide the Mini-Mario to the goal to give everyone a power-up that you might need, or prevent him from getting to the goal in favor of denying an opponent a power-up they could use really is the kind of thing that adds a lot to the appeal of casual stages.
Also, thank you, for giving as many passable platforms as you did. There were a lot of them, connections or not, that could have presented a lot of problems if you made them solid. But you didn't. Good call.
Overall Score: 24/25
Mario Paint by
TKOWL
Iconic Status: 4/5
The source games quirky nature and use of a mouse made it very memorable. But it is high enough in age that I don't think I can award full points.
Originality: 9/10
At it's core it has a lot of similarities to Mario Maker but you know, so does the source game. And this stage takes advantage of the differences Mario Paint has from Mario Maker and uses it to it's advantage. That music track section in particular is a really appealing aspect.
Playability: 6/10
So close on this one. I mean yeah the random placements of the layout that could be closer to the blast zone and the gnats would have prevented a 10 anyway. But you specifically mentioned that the blast zones are on the sides which leads me to believe that there aren't any vertical blast zones. That's too much of a hindrance to a match.
Overall Score: 19/25
Luigi's Mansion by S SkySkipper
Iconic Status: 5/5
People know what Luigi's Mansion is. It was a Gamecube classic that got a 3DS sequel which wasn't technically as memorable. But that still led to a 3DS remake of the original which is what this stage is based on.
Originality: 10/10
I'd be lying if I said I had much of a problem with the Luigi's Mansion stage currently in Smash. But honestly, I like your interpretation of the idea better. More appealing layout and a lot more charm with the ghosts that can appear.
Playability: 9/10
That's a whole lot of ghosts. So color me surprised to see that the ones that do something to the fighters (which are more rare than the ones that don't) are actually pretty balanced. Very minimal damage output and the rarest of all can even give you a star! My only real concern here is the mansions roof. Like Great Plateau Tower it's just a tad bit awkward having a solid ceiling block your opponents path to the top blast zone. Sure there is a work around by snaking around to the top of the mansion. But's it's not quite as convenient as Great Plateau Tower where you can just break the barrier.
Overall Score: 24/25
Vibe Island by
Luminario
Iconic Status: 3/5
You know for being as important of a Mario character as she is, it's kind of a shame that Peach didn't meet the same success as Luigi when it came to getting her own games. I'm sure Super Princess Peach has it's fans, but it's age and lack of continuation don't do it's iconic status any favors.
Originality: 10/10
For starters I like the design of choice of basing the layout on a mashup of worlds from the game inspired by the overworld map. Very creative. And the Vibe scepter adds some interesting effects that stay very faithful to the source material.
Playability: 7/10
This may be to your surprise, but your score here is not because of the Vibe Hearts. They all have their points of advantage and disadvantage, some more than others. But all in all they combine the same kinds of strategy elements present in the stages of both Good Guy Giygas and GolisoPower in choosing whether or not to go for them depending on the situation or trying to knock an opponent into them in what would be a bad situation for them.
The problem in this stage comes in the form of the platforms. First of all the solid platform in the air around the center of the stage creates too much of a "cave of life" kind of scenario. In contrast, the platforms on the sides are small, few in number, and are pass through, which makes the side areas dangerous to be in. Had you removed the solid platform from the center and put more of that kind platform around the side areas it would have worked out much better.
Overall Score: 20/25
Wario City by
PeridotGX
Iconic Status: 3/5
It feels sad to say this about post Gamecube era Mario Sports games since a lot of them offer some great stage potential. But they just don't seem to be as fondly remembered as the ones of the past. Which is even more of a shame for this one since it was on of K. Rools few post DK64 pre-Ultimate appearances. And don't get me started on how disappointing this is for Mario Sports Mix. That game has playable Final Fantasy characters! Though no Geno or Mallow despite being a Mario game oddly enough.
Originality: 3/10
The creative setting is the stages strongest point here. And even then that's only a background thing. Otherwise we have a big stage that's just, a big empty space. The lack of platforms and things happening during a match just make this so, bare.
Playability: 4/10
The lack of platforms also make the stage far to difficult to navigate. Yes the manholes are there but the risk involved with how they can launch you makes it seem like it would be more effective to use them as another KO option. Speaking of that, the stages size makes KO's at the top hard enough to get that you'd want to prioritize KOing off the side. And since this stage is a walk-off that's not exactly a good thing.
Overall Score: 10/25
Ladida Plains by
ryuu seika
Iconic Status: 3/5
Same score and reasons as Luminario's stage.
Originality: 8/10
Using the same game and overall kind of idea as another contestant (Luminario in this case) in of itself is not a problem. We've had situations like that before. But I don't think this stage encompasses the same creativity as the other Super Princess Peach Stage. Instead of meshing together different areas in a unique but fitting way, we have one area with a much more basic, but still okay in the long run, platform.
I also am in preference of the idea of the Vibe Scepter dropping hearts that can grant the various effects instead of everyone just always having one of them depending on the background color. The effects you came up with are pretty nice though and the cloud platforms function in a way I don't think an official smash stage has used before.
Playability: 5/10
For a stage with this kind of layout, not being able to grab the ledges until specific requirements are met is a huge hindrance. Plus, in order to play as a character with their proper stats on this stage, you'd have to resort to turning the hazards off or using the Battlefield or Omega form. Having stat changing effects in play constantly would be too much of a deal breaker for too many people.
Overall Score: 16/25
Cosmic77's Grades:
"Mario's Tennis" by Kevandre:
Iconic Status: 2/5
Well, it's Mario. That's one good thing about your stage. Unfortunately, just about everything the Virtual Boy encompasses is extremely niche and shrouded in obscurity. Only dedicated fans would recognize this.
Originality: 7/10
I can't remember who, but I'm fairly certain someone already incorporated this gimmick into their stage during a previous round (fighting on a tennis net, dodging a tennis ball).
The idea is creative, but I've seen it used before. You did put your own little "Kevandre twist" on it though, so I can't say it's a carbon copy.
Playability: 8/10
I don't know how this stage would look in HD, but man, it really is hard to look at. Can't believe I'm actually saying this as legitimate criticism, but your stage could give people headaches.
Overall Score: 17/25
"Phantom Stage" by GolisoPower:
Iconic Status: 5/5
The number of games featuring both Mario and Rabbids is limited. I have a feeling you'll automatically know what game this stage comes from.
Originality: 8/10
Wonderful performance, as always.
So, I like the layout, I like the theme, and I like the gimmick. However, I really wish you would've done more with Phantom. Perhaps have him fire music notes as projectiles?
Playability: 9/10
Aside from that single box on the stage, I think you're fine.
Overall Score: 22/25
"Mini-Land" by Good Guy Giygas:
Iconic Status: 5/5
Almost gave you a 4, but this franchise has been pretty active throughout the years. Might be too generous with my score, but I stick with my opinion that people would recognize this stage.
Originality: 10/10
You just nailed it with this stage. It's extremely creative, extremely unique, and is absolutely on-point with the the real games. The little bonus after getting Mini Mario to the door was also a nice touch. Fantastic job all around.
Playability: 6/10
The stage is great, but I'm not sure if it's very playable. There's so many cramped spaces present that I can see players becoming easy victims of combo food. Not to mention those Caves of Life being a problem as well.
Overall Score: 21/25
"Mario Paint" by TKOWL:
Iconic Status: 4/5
Mario Paint is a funny game that people often use to make remixes with on YouTube. Sadly, aside from that, there's not much to make this game memorable.
Originality: 6/10
If I'm being honest, the gnat minigame and the Music Maker is what gave you this high of a score. This stage feels like a rehash of Mario Maker with some Pictochat sprinkled in. It sounds creative on paper, but it functions almost identically.
Playability: 7/10
I don't want to say your stage is unfair with the hazards, but I feel like they could be a nuisance at times. The stamps in particular sound like a pain to deal with, even if they cause minimal knockback.
Overall Score: 17/25
"Luigi's Mansion" by SkySkipper:
Iconic Status: 5/5
The game was referenced in a trailer last month. If you don't recognize this stage, crawl out from that rock you've been hiding under.
Originality: 8/10
So let me get something out of the way: grading your stage was extremely difficult. There were so many different topics I went back and forth on.
- The stage is literally a reimagined version of the existing Luigi's Mansion, but hasn't this been done before with existing Kirby and Pokemon stages?
- You incorporated far too many ghosts and gimmicks into your stage, but should that really effect your score if each of them function differently?
- The ghosts function exactly like they do in the game. Is that a sign of creativity, or copy-and-paste?
In the end, I gave you an 8. However, I still don't know if that's what I should've given you.
Playability: 8/10
Lots of hazards, but none of them seem unfair either. Again, I'm not really sure what score to give you here, as you provided damage percentages and all the necessary details to give me an idea of how the ghosts would attack.
Overall Score: 21/25
"Vibe Island" by Luminario:
Iconic Status: 3/5
Super Princess Peach is a strange game. I don't want to say it's forgettable, but I also don't think it's quite as iconic as other series like Luigi's Mansion or MvsDK.
Originality: 9/10
A nice and simple stage. Layout seems interesting, and the Vibe Hearts provide a little extra zest. Not as wacky as some of the other submissions, but the emphasis on the unique layout makes up for it.
Playability: 9/10
Taking a single point off for the Rage and bottomless pits. Aside from that, your stage is golden.
Overall Score: 21/25
"Wario City" by PeridotGX:
Iconic Status: 3/5
A bit random if you ask me. Wario City feels and looks like something you'd associate with Wario, but I don't think many people would know what game this came from.
Originality: 4/10
This stage feels a little rushed. I'm sure the background would look lovely at night, but the layout and the gimmick of the stage is underwhelming when you think of everything thing else you could've used.
This stage probably needed to sit in the oven for a little while longer.
Playability: 8/10
The manholes can KO someone at 120%, so obviously I can't give you a perfect score.
Still, once you get past that, there's not much going on in your stage that would warrant a deduction.
Overall Score: 15/25
"Ladida Plains" by Ryuu Seika:
Iconic Status: 3/5
*See Luminario's grade.
Originality: 8/10
It's simple. Almost a little too simple for me.
Regardless, you did put in some creative things here and there. I like the use of the bushes, and the collapsible bridge was a nice addition.
Playability: 7/10
The bridges are the only thing I have an issue with, but it's warranted. Not being able to grab the ledge is a huge red flag for characters with poor horizontal recoveries.
Although coincidentally, this would benefit Peach players tremendously.
Overall Score: 18/25
TheMarioAddict's Grades:
TheMarioaddict's Grades
"Mario’s Tennis" by Kevandre:
Iconic Status: 3/5
I mean, it is Mario, but damn if it doesn’t feel like you went out of your way to pick the least iconic Mario stage possible. The only thing saving this from a lower score is that, despite the game in question being pretty forgettable, it still very clearly reads as a Mario stage (a Mario spin-off stage, but Mario nonetheless).
Originality: 3/10
Kev. I gotta level with you here. You and I, we’ve got a connection. We’re fellow vets from the old contest. When it comes to making smash stages, it’s like we grew up together. I don’t let that influence my grades, of course, but I’m always excited to see what you’ve got cooked up for these contests. We’re like brothers, man.
So know that it hurts me just as much as it hurts you to say that this is far, far from the most original stage you’ve ever showcased.
Like… this is Final Destination. It’s literally Final Destination with a tennis ball and eye cancer. The parallaxing background is… neat, I guess, but it doesn’t really feel like a unique selling point (at least, not one that wouldn’t already be covered by the Virtual Boy aesthetic). To your credit, I cannot deny that the aesthetic is something completely new to Smash, but… that’s literally the only good thing I can say about the originality of this stage. And the tennis ball is kinda original, but it’s not nearly enough to save you here. I’m sorry.
Playability: 9/10
On the flipside, there’s pretty much no playability issues here. The tennis ball is just enough for me to remove a point, but the rest of the stage is… well, like I said, it’s Final Destination. And Final Destination is like, the staple of playable stages (right next to Battlefield).
Overall Score: 15/25
"Phantom Stage" by GolisoPower:
Ok, Goliso, I gotta agree with PSB on this one - the unique ways of describing the stages were funny at first, but I think they’re overstaying their welcome a bit. I love the passion, don’t get me wrong, but try to keep things more straightforward next time, ok?
Iconic Status: 4/5
Mario + Rabbids is recent enough that it’s very worthy of a high iconic score, though I can’t say for certain whether this is a memorable area or not (I skipped M+R). Still, probably a good pick from that game.
Originality: 7/10
As with Kevandre, I’m not too keen on the stage effectively being “Final Destination+”, but you’ve managed to include enough “+” that you’ll earn a much better score here. The boxes give some much needed additional platforms, and the negative-effect boxes give that mechanic an extra twist. The Phantom is kinda cool, though I’m unclear on if he actually interacts with the fighters or just talks about them, Codec style. Either way, he’s a nice touch.
Playability: 8/10
There’s not many problems here with playability, but the negative-effect boxes don’t do any favors. They’d certainly make this a fun casual stage, but in more competitive settings, I can see people steering clear of this place. But yeah, not bad over all.
Overall Score: 19/25
"Mini-Land" by Good Guy Giygas:
Iconic Status: 5/5
The Mario vs Donkey Kong Minis series is pretty distinct, I’d say, and it’s certainly a game that Mario fans would at least know of. Even a non fan would get the idea as soon as the mini Marios show up in this stage, so you get full marks here!
Originality: 10/10
This is one of my favorite concepts I’ve seen in this entire contest. Correct me if I’m wrong, but outside of the literal stage builder, there’s never been a Smash stage that lets players freely place their own platforms. It’s god damn brilliant, and so perfectly matches the tone and feel of the Mario vs Donkey Kong games that I absolutely have to give it a perfect score here.
Playability: 7/10
I’ll be honest: I wanted you to get my first ever 25/25 for this stage. And you almost did, but sadly there are a few problems I have with this stage - namely, the ability to make walls would make this stage a camper’s dream. Just from a glance, I can see about 6 different ways a camper could force you to approach them from above just by placing down walls to their left and right. And yes, you could get rid of the walls by making some platforms of your own, but a camper could just as easily re-make any walls you get rid of. There’s some other minor stuff (walk-offs, virtually no means of downwards KOs), but the camping is the biggest thing. Everything else seems solid!
Overall Score: 22/25
"Mario Paint" by TKOWL:
Iconic Status: 5/5
It’s Mario Paint. I don’t think much more needs to be said.
Originality: 8/10
There’s a lot to love here, really! The randomness and somewhat unprofessional artstyle both scream “Mario Paint”, and although you’ve got a couple similarities to Mario Maker, you did enough differently that it still feels like it’s own thing. Instead of a full-random stage that gets generated at the start, you have an unchanging base platform and a constantly shifting set of passable platforms, which I think is a much better way to use this mechanic than how Mario Maker does it. Nicely done!
Playability: 9/10
The Gnats give me a little bit of concern, but only enough to remove 1 point. Everything else is perfectly playable.
Overall Score: 22/25
"Luigi’s Mansion" by SkySkipper:
Iconic Status: 5/5
It’s Luigi’s Mansion. It hardly needs any introduction or explanation, I think.
Originality: 7/10
So let’s bring up the most obvious problem first: Luigi’s Mansion is already a stage. And yes, I know that there have been multiple versions of other stages (Yoshi’s Island, for instance), but even then, they usually do a lot to ensure they’re thought of as different stages. I’m not sure this iteration of Luigi’s Mansion does enough to meet that mark for me. Thankfully, that’s the only big problem - everything else is pretty original to this stage, and the portrait ghosts especially help boost this stage’s creativity! Nicely done.
Playability: 3/10
There are a lot of problems here, but the biggest one can be summed up in three words: Cave of Life. This stage has a Cave of Life to rival the likes of Spear Pillar, and that’s not a good thing. You really would have been better off making the roof a passable platform, in my opinion. And to make matters worse, a lot of those Portrait Ghosts seem damn near unavoidable if you’re inside the mansion (for the record: based off my math and the numbers you gave, the ghosts other than Neville, Lydia, and Madame Clairvoya each have around a 5% chance to appear). Also, this is an absolutely huge stage, which further hurts the playability, and… to put it simply, I’m not a fan.
Overall Score: 15/25
"Vibe Island" by Luminario:
A quick aside: I saw someone point out on reddit that if Wario and Peach had joined smash in the opposite order, we’d likely have a Wario Land based Wario moveset and a Super Princess Peach based Peach moveset. Truly, we live in the worst possible timeline.
Iconic Status: 2/5
I only have a passing knowledge of this game, but even that I think is a statistical outlier. Like, it was a cool concept and all, don’t get me wrong, but… does anyone remember this game? Literally anyone? Outside of you and ryuu seika, I doubt it.
Originality: 10/10
I always love stages that can take weird architecture and turn it into a functional platform layout, so already you’ve got a good start. But the Vibe Scepter really gives this stage the final push it needs to be something truly original. The vibes are all perfect representations of their respective mechanics, and fit pretty well in the Smash environment, I’d say. Well done!
Playability: 6/10
The emotions do leave some room for concern, but I’m actually more concerned by the platform layout. This stage seems ripe for circle camping, especially with the solid upper platform. Now that I look at it, that thing does make a pretty big cave of life as well, which further hurts the playability. It’s not all bad, but it’s certainly not perfect.
Overall Score: 18/25
"WarioNessRool Floats" by PeridotGX:
I mean, really, this stage just has it all. Wario, Ness, and King K. Rool? It’s ingenious, it’s perfectly made, and really it’s the only thing worthy of getting a perfect sco…
Huh? What do you… uh huh… Wait, so it’s not…? Yeah, ok, I… alright, alright! I get it! Jeeze.
Ok, so I’ve just been informed that the stage is not in fact WarioNessRool Floats. Apologies for the confusion. Let’s grade the real stage then, shall we?
"Wario City" by PeridotGX:
Iconic Status: 4/5
Mario Super Sluggers was my jam back in the day, and Wario City was one of my favorite stadiums next Daisy Cruise, so I might be biased. Still, I think Wario City’s got a lot that makes it stand out, especially since Wario’s big stupid face could clue in just about anyone on the origins of this stage.
Originality: 9/10
This is a stage with a lot of originality, even though it doesn’t seem so at first glance. Your picture doesn’t really do the aesthetic of Wario City justice, so let me tell everyone else - it’s not like anything else in Smash (I mean, maybe like New Pork City, but not really). The manholes are a nice touch too - nicely calls back to the actual stadium while serving a useful purpose in the stage. Awesome job, really!
Playability: 5/10
We need to talk about that upper platform. Forget what I said about Giygas’ stage - THIS is the real camper’s dream stage. It’s just… it’s so campable it’s not even funny. Also, I’d like to point out that this is the only stage I’ve ever seen that would theoretically become less playable with hazards off - assuming the hazard toggle would affect the manholes, turning hazards off would make it straight up impossible for some characters to reach the top of the stage.
Overall Score: 18/25
"Ladida Plains" by ryuu seika:
Iconic Status: 2/5
The same things I said about Luminario’s stage apply here. It’s really, really not a memorable game, and the stage is gonna suffer for that.
Originality: 8/10
I like how you and Luminario had very different takes on the Vibe mechanic from Super Princess Peach - where he had very literal interpretations of the vibes, you more went with capturing the general feel of each vibe, which I think I prefer. That said, I don’t know if your version of this stage is as visually distinct as his, nor are your mechanics as inventive, so you lose just a couple points. Not bad though!
Playability: 9/10
This is a much more playable Super Princess Peach stage. Simple mechanics that don’t intrude too much, and can easily be resolved via the hazard toggle. The layout’s pretty nice too! The cloud platforms raise some minor concern, but overall, this is a perfectly playable stage!
Overall Score: 19/25
Total Scores:
Kevandre: 47 points
GolisoPower: 65 points
Good Guy Giygas: 67 points
TKOWL: 58 points
SkSkipper: 60 points
Luminario: 59 points
PeridotGX: 43 points
ryuu seika: 53 points
The Winner is...............
Mini-Land by Good Guy Giygas
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mini-Land by Good Guy Giygas
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
