GolisoPower
Smash Master
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Nice! This is great news!
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Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Stage Creation Contest (Complete)
TheMarioaddict
Smash Journeyman
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Yeah, ages ago!
It was a garbage stage, though.
Good Guy Giygas
Smash Master
"KID ICARUS (NES)"
from Kid Icarus
I honestly didn't have many great ideas for this round since I haven't played any Kid Icarus or F-Zero games, but I thought I'd give it a try anyways. I figured most people would do something from Uprising, so I decided to base my stage on the original NES game. I also thought it'd be cool to do a retro/throwback stage, as most of the Kid Icarus representation in Smash draws it's inspiration from Uprising now. I guess part of me kinda misses the Pit in Brawl where he was still considered a retro character.from Kid Icarus
This stage cycles chronologically through 3 of the worlds found in the original game, each complete with their own unique gimmick. Each world lasts for 30 seconds before transitioning to the next one. The transition between phases is very quick and seamless, though it has a unique visual flair that simulates old school screen-switching (where the new screen pushes the previous screen downward). The first world is shown below:
World 1:
Red represents solid ground. Green represents pass-through platforms.
World 1 consists of a central platform with another solid platform above it. There are two log platforms on either side leading to a door. Two walls block off both sides, limiting the KO boundaries to the top and bottom. This creates a similar feel to first world, as you primarily move upward on the vertical axis.Gimmick: The main gimmicks on this phase are the two doors. Walking into one door will instantly transport you out of the opposite one. You can't camp in/around the doors either. Once your character goes through say, the left door, you can't immediately go back through the door you just came out of (there's a 3 second cooldown that prevents you from doing this).
World 2
Red represents solid ground. Green represents pass-through platforms.
World 2 takes place in a darker, nighttime realm. You can see stars in the sky behind you as well as the tops of mountains. This stage has a fairly simple layout, consisting of a middle base platform and two blocky platforms on either side. The notable change here is that the ceiling boundary is now blocked off while all the other ones are now open. The solid ceiling mainly has to do with this phase's gimmick.
World 3
Red represents solid ground. Green represents pass-through platforms.
The last area is World 3. Another simple layout consisting of a stone structure at the bottom and several colorful cloud platforms. It becomes a walk-off on the bottom left side and at the top right.
Gimmick:
Shortly after coming to this stage, Eggplant Wizard will appear from offscreen. He will cast a number of spells equal to the number of fighters present (in this case 4), which will seek out each fighter's current location. These spells move fairly slowly, so they are easy to dodge. However, if you do happen to get hit by one, well, this will happen:
Once through World 3, the stage will repeat its cycle once again, starting from World 1.
Unlockable: Yes. Destroy all the breakable platforms on Skyworld with both Pit and Palutena.
Music:
Kid Icarus Retro Medley (Brawl/Smash 4 Version)
Sky World (New Remix)
Sky Palace
Underworld Tower (Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters) (New Remix)
The Return of Palutena (Kid Icarus: Uprising)
Lightning Battle (Kid Icarus: Uprising)
Palutena's Temple (Kid Icarus: Uprising)
Thanks for reading!
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Admiral Pit
Smash Hero
Underworld Tour
Kid Icarus Uprising
Kid Icarus Uprising
Description of Stage
You enter the Underworld to visit different spots. As you take your dangerous tour, various Underworld enemies will invade the battlefield while the battlefield itself changes formations from time to time.
Gimmicks and Hazards of the Stage
The stage is filled with hazards, in the form of Underworld foes that will periodically and randomly appear to attack the fighters. You'll be up against different ones, such as the simple Monoeyes to Reapers who will send Reapettes when they spot you, to the mighty Clubberskull. The rare but deadly Orne even can make an appearance for a short time, and will instantly KO fighters upon touching it.The stage does change its shape a bit to different platform, which can benefit or hamper certain characters. Adapting to the field is key, especially when Underworld foes invade the field.
The stage formations are in the picture below:
Note that you actually can go through the lowest platform, but only upwards to help with recovering. Another note that Formation 5 is larger than in the picture, but had to be that size so I could fit it in the concept drawing. Formation 5's 2 middle platforms also move and rotate, and this whole formation itself can be considered a shape of an eye or target reticle of some sort.
The stage background will remain for 30 seconds before warping to another location and the stage itself changing formation. Dark purple magic that does no damage will indicate when a platform will appear or disappear when the time is up, so be wary. It takes about 5 seconds for the stage background to change as well (think like the Kalos Pokemon League stage).
The stage will always start out with Formation 1 and the Monoeye/Mik enemy wave with a view of the Underworld at the beginning. After that everything else is random, except the presence of an Orne, Souflee, or Clubberskull, which might appear on the 2nd formation change.
Here are some of the locations that you may see in the background after a stage warp.
The Reaper Fortress
Upon being warped here, you'll see the Reaper Fortress in the background, and this is where a Reaper will appear on the stage (you can defeat this one), with some patrolling ones that you can see in the background. Their "line-of-sight" can also be seen.
Underworld Castle
Here, you'll see Medusa's very own Castle in the background, as well as the occasional Underworld Gatekeeper that will do nothing but either look at the battlefield or fly around the castle as if it was on patrol, and won't harm the fighters. You'll likely find the Clubberskull (or the Souflee) here.
Gaol's Castle
In this background you'll see Dark Lord Gaol's Castle while there's humans and the Underworld Army going at it as well.
Random areas in the Underworld
There are 5 other random areas that the stage can be warped to, one including a ravine close to the Reaper Fortress.
Now let's talk enemies. Every time the stage changes, a random wave of Underworld foes will appear. Some waves will have more enemies if there's more than two players, and the first wave when starting the stage will always consist of Monoeyes (and sometimes a Mik). Below you'll find all the enemies that can invade the stage.
Monoeyes and Miks
The most common Underworld enemies that can appear on the stage. They can shoot energy balls from their eyes and mouth respectively. The Mik can also use its long tongue to perform a long-ranged sweeping attack that can be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal. Both have low HP, though Miks are slightly more durable.
This wave of enemies may consist of one of the following:
-4 Monoeyes
-3 Monoeyes and a Mik
-2 Miks and 2 Monoeyes
Skuttler, Skuttler Cannoneer, Skuttler Mage
These enemies sometimes appear while acting like their Smash Run appearances in Smash 4. Basic Skuttlers attack using their clubs while Cannoneers fire a projectile, and Mages can use magic to target fighters at long range or swing its staff at close range. Back to Cannoneers, there's 3 variants just like in Smash Run. The green cannon fires cannonballs, blue ones fire energy shots that can go through walls, and red ones fire homing missiles. Occasionally their cannon may not work as well.
Skuttlers may appear in groups of two in any combination, with the Red Cannoneer being the rarest, If there are more than two fighters, then an extra Skuttler will be added in the attack wave. In this case, these are the most common Skuttler combinations that may appear.
-Three regular Skuttlers
-One of each type of Skuttler (the type of Cannoneer is random)
-One of each Cannoneer.
Zuree
These uncommon ghost-like enemies first appear as the white/blue vapor that they normally do. They'll appear to perform a decently strong swipe at players from time to time. During that time when they're visible, you can attack them. They'll appear in groups of two, unless there's only two players, for there will only be one in that case.
Daphne
These flower enemies act just like their Smash Run counterparts. They fly around and open up to release explosive mine projectiles that have a surprisingly large blast radius. The monsters themselves don't have much health. Two of these will appear and each can release two mines at a time, so take them out quickly.
Reaper and Reapettes
These well-known enemies also appear as an uncommon foe, acting like a pseudo boss. A Reaper starts off doing nothing but walk back and forth on the stage, but if they see a fighter in their line of sight or get hit by someone, it'll become alert and call Reapettes as it slowly runs towards a fighter and swings its scythe at close range to do high damage. Reapettes do not KO (unless Stamina mode), but rather act as an annoyance and will do a small amount of damage upon contact. They can be defeated instantly with any attack, but more will take their place so as long as the Reaper's there. Only one will appear no matter how many fighters there are.
The Reaper theme will play when the Reaper is on alert. It'll make its regular sound or Japanese sound depending on what language setting you have on at the time. You can't grab them, and only very powerful attacks (at least 25% damage from one hit) can knock them off balance; you may KO them faster by launching them off the stage this way.
Orne
The most dangerous enemy found and is the rarest one, second only to the Souflee. It flies around slowly and may move to where a fighter was. It can instantly KO a fighter upon contact. Unlike Smash Run though, and partially unlike its canonical traits, the Orne can actually be defeated by light-type attacks (Even though it isn't canon, Pit's arrow is included), and it doesn't have much health due to its immunity to other attacks. It'll disappear if defeated by light-type attacks, its 30 seconds are up, or it defeats up to 3 fighters (even though it can KO Luma and Nana, it will not count towards the three fighter count).
The eerie Orne theme will play 5 seconds before it appears to forewarn players of its presence, so watch out!
Clubberskull
This very powerful monster acts like a boss in the stage and starts off in its trapped state, harmless. When attacked, it releases a damaging roar, and proceeds to rampage and use various arm swings that do heavy damage. It pretty much acts like its Smash Run variant, not being able to be launched or grabbed, though the one who deals the final hit will gain an extra point. It'll be on stage for about 45 seconds before it leaves the battlefield.
Note that if you do not take out the Clubberskull before the initial 30 seconds are up and thus it'll still be around during the next background change, no other Underworld enemy will appear for that time so you can focus on taking out or evading the Clubberskull.
Komayto
New to the KI monsters in Smash, this uncommon enemy may appear as one of the enemies in this stage. They pretty much act like the Metroid with a few differences. Fist, their movement pattern is slowly moving towards a nearby fighter in hopes to latch onto them. When they latch onto a fighter, they will slowly do damage, and will only slow them down rather than make them flinch and don't make a screeching sound (since they never do in the first place), and they can only be defeated by melee attacks (they block projectiles) to make them more fitting of their canonical traits.
Two of these will appear together. Note that both can latch onto a fighter at the same time to damage him/her and slow him/her down even further.
Souflee
This very rare enemy may appear in place of the Clubberskull. It is harmless and will swiftly fly around in weird patterns. Defeat it before it escapes to get an extra point.
Note that with a strong enough attack, you can launch any of the Underworld enemies (except the Orne and Clubberskull), and knocking them off the stage will KO them.
The most common Underworld enemies that can appear on the stage. They can shoot energy balls from their eyes and mouth respectively. The Mik can also use its long tongue to perform a long-ranged sweeping attack that can be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal. Both have low HP, though Miks are slightly more durable.
This wave of enemies may consist of one of the following:
-4 Monoeyes
-3 Monoeyes and a Mik
-2 Miks and 2 Monoeyes
Skuttler, Skuttler Cannoneer, Skuttler Mage
These enemies sometimes appear while acting like their Smash Run appearances in Smash 4. Basic Skuttlers attack using their clubs while Cannoneers fire a projectile, and Mages can use magic to target fighters at long range or swing its staff at close range. Back to Cannoneers, there's 3 variants just like in Smash Run. The green cannon fires cannonballs, blue ones fire energy shots that can go through walls, and red ones fire homing missiles. Occasionally their cannon may not work as well.
Skuttlers may appear in groups of two in any combination, with the Red Cannoneer being the rarest, If there are more than two fighters, then an extra Skuttler will be added in the attack wave. In this case, these are the most common Skuttler combinations that may appear.
-Three regular Skuttlers
-One of each type of Skuttler (the type of Cannoneer is random)
-One of each Cannoneer.
Zuree
These uncommon ghost-like enemies first appear as the white/blue vapor that they normally do. They'll appear to perform a decently strong swipe at players from time to time. During that time when they're visible, you can attack them. They'll appear in groups of two, unless there's only two players, for there will only be one in that case.
Daphne
These flower enemies act just like their Smash Run counterparts. They fly around and open up to release explosive mine projectiles that have a surprisingly large blast radius. The monsters themselves don't have much health. Two of these will appear and each can release two mines at a time, so take them out quickly.
Reaper and Reapettes
These well-known enemies also appear as an uncommon foe, acting like a pseudo boss. A Reaper starts off doing nothing but walk back and forth on the stage, but if they see a fighter in their line of sight or get hit by someone, it'll become alert and call Reapettes as it slowly runs towards a fighter and swings its scythe at close range to do high damage. Reapettes do not KO (unless Stamina mode), but rather act as an annoyance and will do a small amount of damage upon contact. They can be defeated instantly with any attack, but more will take their place so as long as the Reaper's there. Only one will appear no matter how many fighters there are.
The Reaper theme will play when the Reaper is on alert. It'll make its regular sound or Japanese sound depending on what language setting you have on at the time. You can't grab them, and only very powerful attacks (at least 25% damage from one hit) can knock them off balance; you may KO them faster by launching them off the stage this way.
Orne
The most dangerous enemy found and is the rarest one, second only to the Souflee. It flies around slowly and may move to where a fighter was. It can instantly KO a fighter upon contact. Unlike Smash Run though, and partially unlike its canonical traits, the Orne can actually be defeated by light-type attacks (Even though it isn't canon, Pit's arrow is included), and it doesn't have much health due to its immunity to other attacks. It'll disappear if defeated by light-type attacks, its 30 seconds are up, or it defeats up to 3 fighters (even though it can KO Luma and Nana, it will not count towards the three fighter count).
The eerie Orne theme will play 5 seconds before it appears to forewarn players of its presence, so watch out!
Clubberskull
This very powerful monster acts like a boss in the stage and starts off in its trapped state, harmless. When attacked, it releases a damaging roar, and proceeds to rampage and use various arm swings that do heavy damage. It pretty much acts like its Smash Run variant, not being able to be launched or grabbed, though the one who deals the final hit will gain an extra point. It'll be on stage for about 45 seconds before it leaves the battlefield.
Note that if you do not take out the Clubberskull before the initial 30 seconds are up and thus it'll still be around during the next background change, no other Underworld enemy will appear for that time so you can focus on taking out or evading the Clubberskull.
Komayto
New to the KI monsters in Smash, this uncommon enemy may appear as one of the enemies in this stage. They pretty much act like the Metroid with a few differences. Fist, their movement pattern is slowly moving towards a nearby fighter in hopes to latch onto them. When they latch onto a fighter, they will slowly do damage, and will only slow them down rather than make them flinch and don't make a screeching sound (since they never do in the first place), and they can only be defeated by melee attacks (they block projectiles) to make them more fitting of their canonical traits.
Two of these will appear together. Note that both can latch onto a fighter at the same time to damage him/her and slow him/her down even further.
Souflee
This very rare enemy may appear in place of the Clubberskull. It is harmless and will swiftly fly around in weird patterns. Defeat it before it escapes to get an extra point.
Note that with a strong enough attack, you can launch any of the Underworld enemies (except the Orne and Clubberskull), and knocking them off the stage will KO them.
Is your stage unlockable:
You can unlock this after you unlock all the Kid Icarus characters (Pit, Palutena, and Dark Pit) or if you play as Pit on Kid Icarus stages 50 times.
Extra Stuff:
Hazardless mode will prevent any Underworld enemies from interfering at all, though you'll still be able to see many of them in the background, except the Clubberskull. The stage itself can still change between any formation except Formation 2.
Music:
Medusa's Final Battle - Kid Icarus Uprising (New Remix)
Reaper Fortress - Kid Icarus Uprising
Underworld Gatekeeper - Kid Icarus Uprising
Underworld Tower - Of Myths and Monsters (New Remix)
Medusa Theme - Kid Icarus (New Remix)
Underworld Castle - Kid Icarus Uprising
Why this stage?
It's no secret that the Underworld and its army play a huge role in the Kid Icarus franchise, but yet we've never had any Underworld stage at all. In Smash, the only time we had something related to the Underworld were some Underworld enemies in Smash Run, and certain songs, but never a stage. We've had Skyworld and Palutena's Temple represent the light, Reset Bomb Forest represent the Forces of Nature, but nothing for the second most important faction in Kid Icarus? This is where this Underworld-themed stage comes in.It was a tough call to decide if I wanted to attempt Medusa's Castle or just parts of the Underworld itself (and other spots that give off that vibe) in a style combining Delfino and Kalos League traits with transformations. I then had the idea to just go with the second option, but also have certain spots show up in the background, mostly noted, Medusa's Fortress and Reaper Fortress.
To clarify, me naming it "Underworld Tour" doesn't mean that the whole stage is set in the Underworld itself as technically Reaper Fortress isn't in the Underworld (or is it?), but rather the name of the stage is meant to express that the theme features the Underworld army itself. The fact that the Reaper Fortress technically not being in the Underworld itself is why I went with the stage-teleporting routine.
It took me a long time to create this, especially with my limited art capabilities. I hope you enjoy my attempted design and concept, and I hope I didn't make too many mistakes.
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D
Deleted member
Guest
Alright Guys. Round 40 is now closed. See you on Sunday with the grades for it.
D
Deleted member
Guest
Heads up. I have not yet received all of the grades and I have a feeling I won't receive them all until after today. If I'm wrong then sweet. But there is a good chance that Round 40 grades will have to wait until later. Round 41 will still begin as planned tomorrow though.
D
Deleted member
Guest
I have received all of the grades for Round 40. But I'm pretty booked today so I'm not sure when I'll be able to post them.
But in the meantime, it's time for Round 41!
Winning the last poll at 8 votes, Round 41 is...................
As is Fire Emblem Heroes. Sure it's a mobile game, but it's got it's own setting and characters and is Nintendo's first really successful mobile game. It is allowed. And so is Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE. Setting wise, that one is quite different from traditional Fire Emblem. But it is considered by Nintendo to be a spin-off that is still part of the Fire Emblem Catalog. Just look at Fire Emblem Cipher. A series of trading cards dedicated to celebrating the entire timeline of Fire Emblem, and Tokyo Mirage is a part of it.
It might sound like I'm hyping up the idea of a Tokyo Mirage stage, and to be honest I kind of am since I'm interested in seeing what might be submitted for it. But because of that, I feel it's only fair to forewarn you that even someone like me who is interested in seeing a stage from that game can't deny that it's not the most iconic game out there. Maybe Cosmic and MarioAddict will feel more positive about this. But for me, Tokyo Mirage is a game that's pretty risky for the Iconic Status score.
If I'm making it sound like I'm buttering up the idea of a stage from that game, I feel it's only fair to leave that warning.
And with that, on November 19th 2018, Round 41 has begun. You have until Friday, November 23rd, at about 11:00pm Pacific Time to submit entries.
Good Luck!
But in the meantime, it's time for Round 41!
Winning the last poll at 8 votes, Round 41 is...................
Fire Emblem 2
Once one of Nintendo's more obscure series, it has now made so much of a name for itself that it is among Nintendo's heavy hitters. The series has received a total of 15 main series entries with a 16th on the way. Obviously it's not really possible to submit something from Three Houses yet, but all the other main series entries are fair game.
As is Fire Emblem Heroes. Sure it's a mobile game, but it's got it's own setting and characters and is Nintendo's first really successful mobile game. It is allowed. And so is Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE. Setting wise, that one is quite different from traditional Fire Emblem. But it is considered by Nintendo to be a spin-off that is still part of the Fire Emblem Catalog. Just look at Fire Emblem Cipher. A series of trading cards dedicated to celebrating the entire timeline of Fire Emblem, and Tokyo Mirage is a part of it.
It might sound like I'm hyping up the idea of a Tokyo Mirage stage, and to be honest I kind of am since I'm interested in seeing what might be submitted for it. But because of that, I feel it's only fair to forewarn you that even someone like me who is interested in seeing a stage from that game can't deny that it's not the most iconic game out there. Maybe Cosmic and MarioAddict will feel more positive about this. But for me, Tokyo Mirage is a game that's pretty risky for the Iconic Status score.
If I'm making it sound like I'm buttering up the idea of a stage from that game, I feel it's only fair to leave that warning.
And with that, on November 19th 2018, Round 41 has begun. You have until Friday, November 23rd, at about 11:00pm Pacific Time to submit entries.
Good Luck!
Last edited by a moderator:
GolisoPower
Smash Master
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2017
- Messages
- 4,397
Stage Name:
West of Ylisstol
Origin:
Fire Emblem Awakening
Unlockable:
Yes. Defeat a team of Ganondorfs in a team of Lucina and Chrom in the forest portion of the Reset Bomb Forest.
Music:
Fire Emblem Awakening Medley
'Agh! Won goph in mah mouph! Blech! Ptooey!' (Original composition by Shoji Meguro, composer of the Persona series)
Assault (Galvanized) (Fire Emblem Awakening)
Fire Emblem Three Houses Trailer Music
Omen (Main Theme) (Fire Emblem Awakening)
'Gods, Have the Risen spread this far?' (Fire Emblem Awakening)
Annihilation (Fire Emblem Awakening)
Gimmicks and Hazards:
Burning trees, lava, Shepherds vs Risen background event
Description:
*Kicks open the door to a bunker made of wood and notices the judges*
Oh. Hey, guys. You're wondering why I've been cooped up in this bunker. Well, for context, I've decided to visit this part of Ylisse to get some inspiration for a new Fire Emblem stage for this round. And so far, it's been dangerous, with every Risen and their mother out for my damn head, but at the same time, it's really inspirational, as I've managed to scrounge enough from this place to make a stage. This is the West of Ylisstol, the battleground for one of the most important parts of the story, the encounter with 'Marth', who would later be revealed to be Chrom's daughter Lucina. As you can see here, the main platform is separated from the rest by fiery fissures in the ground, which are placed lower than the initial platform and serve as a means of damage, dealing 12% damage and as much knockback as Thoron. There are also trees on the stage that serve as platforms, and are still smoldering from fire. At 10 seconds, the fire will flare up and 1% damage per second to anyone standing on the platform for as long as they are on said platform for 10 seconds. After 30 seconds, a background event will occur: three Shepherds, accompanied by the disguised Marth, will engage in battle with an army or Risen. If Robin, Lucina and/or Chrom are on stage, Lissa, Fredrick and/or Owain will take their place. The gimmicks here are simple and the burning trees don't do much, but I am of the belief that even the slightest damage taken can have the most profound of effects on the outcome of the battle.
*Spots Risen heading my way*
Ah, crap. More Risen. Anyways, I'll leave you guys to discuss the stage. Hopefully I'll survive the battle long enough to hear your verdicts!
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Kevandre
Ivy WAS Saurly missed
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- NNID
- Kevandre
- 3DS FC
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- Switch FC
- SW-2226-3590-9812
Stupid work, getting in my way, breaking my streak of first submission so close to the end. And stupid Smashboards, not letting pictures show again.
The Midmire is the location of Chapter 10 in Fire Emblem Awakening. And also, coincidentally, the best chapter in the whole game. Just facts.
The Ylissian Shepherds are in mourning, as the previous chapter saw Emmeryn the Exalt commit suicide right in front of her brother Chrom’s eyes in order to save others. The mood of this chapter is very melancholy and the Midmire fits that feeling incredibly well. Chrom is unsure what to do with himself, but is still escaping the Plegian Army. It is in this chapter as well that we are confronted by a troop of Plegians led by a man named Mustafa, who is honorbound to his country to attack Ylisse soldiers, but had enough respect for Emmeryn that he feels bad about it. He requests that you spare his men if you can but they must still attack. The absolutely beautiful background music (Do Not Speak Her Name!) is a vast departure from the rest of the game’s OST and is one of many things that make this a standout chapter in the game overall. As such, I feel like it’s a prime candidate for an Awakening stage.
The sky at the Midmire is green, cloudy, and raining. The ground is dirt/mud, and there are giant ribcage bones of a mysterious, long dead beast, jutting out of the ground. There are large mounds dividing the stage up as well, though in my Smash Bros version, the mounds themselves are much smaller than in the source game.
So basically what we’ve got, layout wise- Three floating platforms in the middle of the stage, two passable platforms on either side of the stage that are part of the beast’s ribs, and the multi-layered ground floor.
There is no added rain-physics in this stage, but the rain is absolutely present here. It adds to the feel of the stage overall.
Mostly, there aren’t any gimmicks. There is one though-
The three floating platforms will move from side to side. Slow enough that you can always gauge where they’re going to be when you jump there, but not slow enough that it feels like they aren’t moving anywhere.
And that’s basically it. I’ll admit- I made a stage based on the Midmire in the last contest, but it wasn’t nearly as good as this one and I was in the phase where I was trying to use assets from the games at all times and it looked like garbage. Lol. All the same… I feel like this chapter (And by association, the previous one) are one of the most memorable parts of this game. Chapters 9, 10 & 11 basically serve as an ending to Act I of the game so I feel they should be honored as such. When I go through this game (As I have at least fifteen times), the Midmire is one of my constant grinding spots since it not only has a unique and powerful feeling to it, and I have a hardcore connection to it. I'd love to see it show up in Smash Bros somehow, if for no other reason than that it will be a more unique looking stage. Non FE-fans are likely bored with the castles and standard high fantasy settings in Smash Bros... let's give them something a little more unique.
The Midmire
(Fire Emblem Awakening)
BEWARE! This stage description contains STORY SPOILERS for Fire Emblem Awakening.
https://imgur.com/vh1QcFr
https://imgur.com/vh1QcFr
The Midmire is the location of Chapter 10 in Fire Emblem Awakening. And also, coincidentally, the best chapter in the whole game. Just facts.
The Ylissian Shepherds are in mourning, as the previous chapter saw Emmeryn the Exalt commit suicide right in front of her brother Chrom’s eyes in order to save others. The mood of this chapter is very melancholy and the Midmire fits that feeling incredibly well. Chrom is unsure what to do with himself, but is still escaping the Plegian Army. It is in this chapter as well that we are confronted by a troop of Plegians led by a man named Mustafa, who is honorbound to his country to attack Ylisse soldiers, but had enough respect for Emmeryn that he feels bad about it. He requests that you spare his men if you can but they must still attack. The absolutely beautiful background music (Do Not Speak Her Name!) is a vast departure from the rest of the game’s OST and is one of many things that make this a standout chapter in the game overall. As such, I feel like it’s a prime candidate for an Awakening stage.
The sky at the Midmire is green, cloudy, and raining. The ground is dirt/mud, and there are giant ribcage bones of a mysterious, long dead beast, jutting out of the ground. There are large mounds dividing the stage up as well, though in my Smash Bros version, the mounds themselves are much smaller than in the source game.
So basically what we’ve got, layout wise- Three floating platforms in the middle of the stage, two passable platforms on either side of the stage that are part of the beast’s ribs, and the multi-layered ground floor.
There is no added rain-physics in this stage, but the rain is absolutely present here. It adds to the feel of the stage overall.
Mostly, there aren’t any gimmicks. There is one though-
The three floating platforms will move from side to side. Slow enough that you can always gauge where they’re going to be when you jump there, but not slow enough that it feels like they aren’t moving anywhere.
And that’s basically it. I’ll admit- I made a stage based on the Midmire in the last contest, but it wasn’t nearly as good as this one and I was in the phase where I was trying to use assets from the games at all times and it looked like garbage. Lol. All the same… I feel like this chapter (And by association, the previous one) are one of the most memorable parts of this game. Chapters 9, 10 & 11 basically serve as an ending to Act I of the game so I feel they should be honored as such. When I go through this game (As I have at least fifteen times), the Midmire is one of my constant grinding spots since it not only has a unique and powerful feeling to it, and I have a hardcore connection to it. I'd love to see it show up in Smash Bros somehow, if for no other reason than that it will be a more unique looking stage. Non FE-fans are likely bored with the castles and standard high fantasy settings in Smash Bros... let's give them something a little more unique.
Music:
Don’t Speak Her Name! (Awakening): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWO4ff1HXYY
Id (Purpose) (Awakening): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bio99hoZVYI
Storm Clouds (Ablaze) (Awakening) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUmaUanZVZU
Lost in Thoughts All Alone (Fates): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENwFAmeWEYk
Lost in Thoughts All Alone (Shigure) (Fates): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD5uh9qVU_4
Last edited:
D
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If it makes you feel any better, you’re only one victory away from having a guaranteed 1st place among the contestants for most rounds won.
Kevandre
Ivy WAS Saurly missed
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D
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Alright guys. The poll has been removed. Remember, Star Fox 2 is next weeks round, and the week after that is the final round. Anything Goes 2.
TheMarioaddict
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...wait, he isn't guaranteed already? He wins enough that I swear he had that on lock, who else is in the running?
D
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(Keep in mind, victories that have to be shared because of a tie still count as a win)
As of the Round 39 results,
Kevandre
currently has the most wins at 11 victories total.
TKOWL
is the only one who is able to usurp that throne at a current total of 9 victories. In order to surpass Kevandre, TKOWL would have to get 3 of the 4 remaining wins and Kevandre would have to get none of them.If Kevandre gets just one more victory, then he's locked in 1st place. TKOWL can only tie with him at that point. And he would have to get every other remaining victory in order to do so.
Kevandre
Ivy WAS Saurly missed
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I'll be real with you I'd be totally cool with that loss.(Keep in mind, victories that have to be shared because of a tie still count as a win)
As of the Round 39 results,
If Kevandre gets just one more victory, then he's locked in 1st place. TKOWL can only tie with him at that point. And he would have to get every other remaining victory in order to do so.
TKOWL
stages are incredible
Cosmic77
Smash Hero
TKOWL
Smash Apprentice
Opera House
Fire Emblem Fates
Fire Emblem Fates
In Birthright's Chapter 12 and Conquest's Chapter 14, the Hoshidan/Nohrian armies make their way to the Opera House in Nestria, where Garon is watching another one of their dance performances. Azura, disguised as the dancer Layla, performs her Lost in Thoughts All Alone dance, which causes Garon to writhe in pain. Garon soon finds out that the respective armies are at the location, and sends troops out to fight them on the observing boats and gondolas. Being featured in the game's opening, this is one of the most iconic locations from the game.
The stage takes place on a semi-flat surface, with a large gondola in the middle with two very slight raised up sections on both sides. There are two smaller version of the same boat on the left and the right, and two wooden platforms in the middle of them and the larger boat. The ground is water, and anyone who falls in has to make their way back to the stage before they drown, like any other water stage. The boats do react somewhat to fighter weight, dipping down a bit if one lands on them, but they will never submerge into the water. There's a lot of space to fight and interesting dynamics on the stage, but after about ten seconds, the lights in the back will dim, and a spotlight will be put on Azura taking center stage, with the lights returning a few seconds later. Azura will then begin her dance, which has a variety of effects on the stage.
When lots of water begins to appear near Azura, certain parts of the water will begin to glow much brighter. When she raises her arms, a geyser of water will shoot forth from those locations. The water will either jettison up the boats a medium or high distance, represented by a thicker and thinner streams of water respectively. Any fighter that gets launched into the water geysers will slow down as they go through the water, moving up with the current before being shot out. This could potentially lead them to be followed up upon while they're trapped in the water, so be careful. If anyone just jumps into the water, they will rise up, but will be stopped if they are underneath the boats. However, if the geysers pick up the wooden platforms, fighters will be able to pass through. The geysers will dissipate after about 8-10 seconds, and cycle back in every 25-30 seconds or so.
Various observing boats will sometimes be seen moving in the background and foreground, and an audience can faintly be seen in the rafters. Confetti will be raining down at the beginning of the match, and sometimes water droplets will flood the background while the match progresses.
MUSIC:
Lost In Thoughts All Alone (New Remix)
Lost In Thoughts All Alone (for 3DS and Wii U)
Road Taken (Remix)
Justice RIP (Storm)
Alight (Remix)
Dark Wastes (Remix)
No Justice (Fire)
Past Below (Flow)
Kevandre
Ivy WAS Saurly missed
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- Switch FC
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I should have thought of that... It's only the most iconic scene from FE on the 3DS...Opera House
Fire Emblem Fates
In Birthright's Chapter 12 and Conquest's Chapter 14, the Hoshidan/Nohrian armies make their way to the Opera House in Nestria, where Garon is watching another one of their dance performances. Azura, disguised as the dancer Layla, performs her Lost in Thoughts All Alone dance, which causes Garon to writhe in pain. Garon soon finds out that the respective armies are at the location, and sends troops out to fight them on the observing boats and gondolas. Being featured in the game's opening, this is one of the most iconic locations from the game.
The stage takes place on a semi-flat surface, with a large gondola in the middle with two very slight raised up sections on both sides. There are two smaller version of the same boat on the left and the right, and two wooden platforms in the middle of them and the larger boat. The ground is water, and anyone who falls in has to make their way back to the stage before they drown, like any other water stage. The boats do react somewhat to fighter weight, dipping down a bit if one lands on them, but they will never submerge into the water. There's a lot of space to fight and interesting dynamics on the stage, but after about ten seconds, the lights in the back will dim, and a spotlight will be put on Azura taking center stage, with the lights returning a few seconds later. Azura will then begin her dance, which has a variety of effects on the stage.
When lots of water begins to appear near Azura, certain parts of the water will begin to glow much brighter. When she raises her arms, a geyser of water will shoot forth from those locations. The water will either jettison up the boats a medium or high distance, represented by a thicker and thinner streams of water respectively. Any fighter that gets launched into the water geysers will slow down as they go through the water, moving up with the current before being shot out. This could potentially lead them to be followed up upon while they're trapped in the water, so be careful. If anyone just jumps into the water, they will rise up, but will be stopped if they are underneath the boats. However, if the geysers pick up the wooden platforms, fighters will be able to pass through. The geysers will dissipate after about 8-10 seconds, and cycle back in every 25-30 seconds or so.
Various observing boats will sometimes be seen moving in the background and foreground, and an audience can faintly be seen in the rafters. Confetti will be raining down at the beginning of the match, and sometimes water droplets will flood the background while the match progresses.
MUSIC:
Lost In Thoughts All Alone (New Remix)
Lost In Thoughts All Alone (for 3DS and Wii U)
Road Taken (Remix)
Justice RIP (Storm)
Alight (Remix)
Dark Wastes (Remix)
No Justice (Fire)
Past Below (Flow)
I'm also 100% in agreement about changing FE Series icon to the actual Fire Emblem rather than Marth's Falchion
D
Deleted member
Guest
It would certainly make sense. And the symbol for Metal Gear did change from what it was in Brawl.
Personally I once thought that Mega Man's symbol is the one that needed to be changed the most. But it actually works out a lot better now thanks to Mega Man 11. Which came out after Smash 4. Kind of ironic.
Kevandre
Ivy WAS Saurly missed
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I reuploaded when I saw that TKowl's was displaying. It's weird though, sometimes they do just fix themselves
I see the images for your submission are displaying now. Did you have to re-upload them or did they just fix themselves on their own?
D
Deleted member
Guest
Via the same upload method?
Kevandre
Ivy WAS Saurly missed
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Yar I just uploaded to imgur again and pasted the new images
Luxent
Smash Journeyman
Imma agree with you on that.To add to the convo, I think Shulk's should be changed tbh. Im a huge Xeno fan, and I feel the Monado was really just in the one game, and doesnt represent the Xeno series as a whole. I wish I was just changed to an "X", like in the Xeno Chronicles first game.
D
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I’m okay with it being the Monado honestly. But I like the one you came up with too. I do have one other idea for a symbol for the Xenoblade series that is my overall favorite idea. But I can’t say what it is here because of spoilers. If anyone is interested, let me know and I’ll message it to you.
TheMarioaddict
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Yo man I'm all up in those blades of xeno, hit me up with them fresh spoilers
D
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Time for Round 40 grades!
psb123's grades:
Pandora's Labyrinth of Deceit by
Kevandre
Iconic Status: 5/5
Sure it's an early game Chapter. But it features a unique experience, a classic boss to the original game, and the creation of one of the game's more pivotal characters. Seems pretty memorable to me.
Originality: 7/10
I like the idea behind this stage. But I don't feel the layout allows it to be executed the best. It kind has the vibes of "trolly stage made to not be playable" from back in Brawl's Stage Builder. I think a layout with more solid ground to it would have allowed the idea to flow better. You could still have fake platforms and whatnot, but this stage could have layouts that cause more people to find it be a cool twist instead of an annoying gimmick.
Playability: 4/10
Like I said. Not the best layout you could have used. Even if all the platforms are solid the placement of them isn't that great. Cave of life with the intersection of the two non-passable's, the spots for the passable's are kind of awkward, it just isn't a very solidly built layout. And the fact that certain platforms can be fake poses even more of a problem. Especially if a non-passable is made fake.
Overall Score: 16/25
Hades' Belly by
GolisoPower
Iconic Status: 3/5
It's got the name of the extremely likable main villain in the title. But all in all it's not that memorable. The setting, while unique, is kind of a one-off thing that's not explored much. Add in the generally hated boss fight and the overall lack of impactful stuff happening here and I don't really see this one sticking out too well.
Originality: 6/10
I like the setting of fighting inside a Monster's Stomach like this. Though the impact of that could be a little lower for some considering Bowser's Inside Story. Outside of that, the cells are kind of bland. They don't really do a whole lot that's interesting and I'm not too keen on having to deal a certain amount of damage to get them to do anything.
Playability: 5/10
35% is at kind of an inbetween point between manageable and too much, but honestly the fact that you have to damage the cells that way at all for them to do anything sounds pretty annoying. Plus this is the kind of stage that characters with weaker recoveries struggle with. And campers would probably be encouraged to do their annoying "tactic" here as well.
Overall Score: 14/25
Aurum Island by
TKOWL
Iconic Status: 4/5
It took up 3 chapters and gave us the at least somewhat notable Phyrron. But all in all the Aurum arc was pretty much filler. It doesn't have a huge impact on the game as a whole. This was actually pretty darn close to a 3 honestly. But Aurum troops do show up in a couple other chapters, this does last longer than some other filler related things, and there are a few Aurum brand weapons you can earn. I think it just barely earns a 4.
Originality: 8/10
It's got some similarities to, as you mentioned, Umbra Clock Tower. So I don't think I can award it a 10. But I feel like that gimmick has more character on this stage than on Umbra Clock Tower. Mainly because the Aurum troops are a bit more varied in what they do compared to simple stone platforms.
Playability: 10/10
I don't really see anything wrong here though. Size seems okay, Aurum Troops don't feel like they get in the way too much, and Phyrron can't actually hurt the players.
Overall Score: 22/25
Reaper Fortress by
Primid
Iconic Status: 5/5
An early game chapter that is honestly pretty intense compared to some of the other ones. Plus it's crawling with reapers. Anyone who played the original Kid Icarus can tell you that those stick out like a sore thumb.
Originality: 10/10
It doesn't do much besides travel but I like how it gets the traveling done. In a high speed action filled way that the background scenery compliments. Not a lot of crazy gimmicks here. But I think that works out well in the end.
Playability: 9/10
It seems as though the reaper in the ravine just comes in an instantly fires it laser. I think it would be better if it took some time to aim at a fighter first.
Overall Score: 24/25
Kid Icarus (NES) by
Good Guy Giygas
Iconic Status: 4/5
Feels very weird, and a little wrong in some ways, to not give the original game a full 5 here. But Uprising overshadowed it so much that I honestly can't justify a 5.
Originality: 9/10
There are a lot of cool ideas here. The Eggplant Wizard is a simple, but tricky obstacle, The doors in world 1 are a minor, but neat little addition, and the Angel's Feathers make for a cool boost. Though personally I think they should be on a timer even within world 2 so as to not make recovering too easy.
Playability: 5/10
The sealed off blast zones in World's 1 and 2 are the biggest problems here. The blocked of ceiling in world 2 makes traditional ko's too much of a chore and that problem is even worse with the blocked off walls in world 1. The Eggplant wizard in world 3 isn't as bad, though it seems like you can still attack when under the curse. At least, that's how it seems. It's a little hard to understand what the curse is supposed to do from you description honestly.
Overall Score: 18/25
Underworld Tour by
Admiral Pit
Iconic Status: 5/5
It is a crying shame how something as important to the Kid Icarus series as the Underworld almost dooms you to not being able to get a full 5 no matter how you slice it. Your stage is based on Uprising, but the problem there is that so little of the game is actually spent in the Underworld. And if you had based it off of the original game? Then you would have missed a 5 for the same reason Good Guy Giygas did.
However, the key point here is ALMOST doomed to a 5. The addition of other notable locations like the Reaper fortress and Gaol's Castle bumped you up to a full score.
Originality: 6/10
I don't like layout 5 due to the rotation of a solid and non-solid platform. But every other layout as well as all those possible background changes shape this up to be an amazing traveling stage.
Which makes it such a shame that you overused the enemies as much as you did. Enemies as stage hazards in general has become such a cliche idea already and this stage honestly uses them too much. Had you left them out this would have been a phenomenal stage.
Playability: 1/10
The enemies are an even bigger problem here. Even ones like the monoeye and mik that are only minor annoyances are still, well annoyances. Especially given how big a group of them can be. The Daphne's and the Reapers are examples of enemies that just pose too much of a threat for a standard Smash match. And the Ornes are too big of a pest due to the instakills. Though I will admit that being able to kill them with light based attack is a safe zone I didn't expect to be implemented. Even so, it's far too restrictive. And the Clubberskulls? If one shows up you're dead. Unlike the others they can stick around for multiple layouts and considering you're using the Smash Run variant, that means they would cover a lot of the arena when you look at the sizes of the two. Something that powerful shouldn't take up so much space.
Overall Score: 12/25
Cosmic77's grades:
I feel like this was the harshest I've ever been with my grades for a single round. Not sure why though.
"Pandora’s Labyrinth of Deceit" by Kevandre:
Iconic Status: 5/5
I'll be honest, I never got the chance to pick up Uprising. I have seen a few playthroughs though, and this seemed like a fairly notable chapter. DarkSpit Pit was made here, right?
Originality: 9/10
This stage feels like a creepy warped version of a fun house, which I presume fits the theme of Pandora's chapter.
The fake platforms are a first I believe. Don't think we've seen anything like that before in Smash. I also like the little reference to Dark Pit's creation through the use of the mirror cloning characters. You found a very creative way to implement that part of the game into your stage.
Playability: 6/10
The two main platforms are a little too squished together; might have wanted to separate those a little more. And then, as if I really needed to point it out, the disappearing platforms can cause some antics.
Could be better with a few tweaks, but certainly not unplayable as is.
Overall Score: 20/25
"Hades’ Belly" by GolisoPower:
Iconic Status: 3/5
I'm gonna be a stickler and say this isn't a stage people would immediately associate with KI. Regardless of Hades being in the name, people who haven't played Uprising will have no idea what franchise this is from.
Originality: 6/10
The setting is a nice change, but I'm still not seeing that creativity in your stages that I'm looking for. The cells are interesting, but I don't think they're anything that helps this stage stand out among the other KI stages.
Maybe adding some background elements or more KI-exclusive gimmicks would've helped.
Playability: 6/10
I don't like the fact that characters with better recoveries have an advantage on this stage, but 35% for activating a harmless immobile (it is immobile, right?) platform isn't too bad. You could probably activate it with two Smash attacks.
Overall Score: 15/25
"Aurum Island" by TKOWL:
Iconic Status: 2/5
Just to reiterate what's already been said, I've never played Uprising. I could be underselling a truly remarkable section of the game.
From what I've seen though, it's not nearly as important as other parts of the game, and it doesn't really screams KI. This is something I'd associate with Metroid or Star Fox.
Originality: 4/10
Not to downplay the effort you put in your stage, but this looks like Battlefield with an outer space theme. The layout is decent, nothing to sneeze at, but I don't think the stage's few gimmicks do enough to contrast this stage from Battlefield. Visually, they look very similar.
Playability: 8/10
It's not bad by any means. The conveyor and slippery surface effect of the platforms make your stage a tad more interesting, but they also take a small nibble from your playability score. Other than that, seems completely fine.
Overall Score: 14/25
"Reaper Fortress" by Primid:
Iconic Status: 3/5
It's visually appealing, but overall, it's a little bit generic without the Reaper. It's honestly the only thing that would've keyed me in on this being a stage from KI.
Originality: 8/10
I love the attention to detail you put in your stage. Small little additions like the crumbling stairs really help your stage to stand out. The layouts are fairly unique too, and I like how you chose to transition between them instead of sticking with a single one. A single layout can get old very quickly.
Playability: 8/10
My only issues with your stage are in the first phase. The reaper dealing 15% damage is a fair but still notable amount, and the cliffs have a strange, wonky layout. I can definitely see players camping in the corners.
Overall Score: 19/25
"Kid Icarus (NES)" by Good Guy Giygas:
Iconic Status: 5/5
I think the NES game is still somewhat iconic. Definitely not up to par with Metroid or Zelda, but it's still a classic within the KI universe.
Originality: 9/10
Going back to the original game was a bold move, but it paid off. This whole stage feels like a tribute to KI, and I really like how much you packed into it. Eggplant Wizard was easily my favorite gimmick, and I'm a little suprised that no one else used him in their stage.
Playability: 5/10
World 1 and World 2 are basically one big cave of life. Not really a fan of those. I also didn't see what Eggplant Wizard does in your stage, but going off the assumption that he'll function similar to how he does in the game, he's an issue to be sure.
Overall Score: 19/25
"Underworld Tour" by Admiral Pit:
Iconic Status: 4/5
I’m having a hard time deciding what score would be appropriate using my limited KI knowledge. I know the Underworld is obviously an important part of KI, but the areas you chose seem a bit random and inconsistent. Instead of going for an "Underworld theme", it might've been better if you stuck with a single chapter.
Originality: 6/10
Don't get me wrong, this stage is creative x10. Layout is unique, descriptions gave me a vivid image of what the stage's background would look like, and the enemies are very fitting. I'm just completely burnt out on enemies being the main gimmick of stages, especially when the gimmick is enemy swarms. It's an overused concept that's been used time and time again, and I'm beginning to feel like enemies are a generic way of making a stage seem more creative.
If you had left out the enemies entirely, or just put less of an emphasis on them, I would've absolutely loved this stage.
Playability: 2/10
Let this be another incentive to take it easy with the enemies. The stage you've created is nearly impossible to play on. With so many enemies swarming the screen, many of which are far more annoying and OP than they should rightfully be, I honestly think it's unrealistic to assume any genuine battles could take place here.
The stage would be infinitely better if hazards were turned off, but I'm not taking that into consideration. Toggling the hazard switch off shouldn't be used a fail-safe if a gimmick goes too far. I'm looking at this stage in it's original form and nothing else.
Overall Score: 12/25
TheMarioAddcit's grades:
"Pandora’s Labyrinth of Deceit" by Kevandre:
"I believe there was a stage made in the previous contest based on this chapter, but I don’t recall the details of it, so forgive me if anything is duplicated "
Yeah, there was, Kev. It was my stage. I’ll be sure to grade you extra harshly on anything you stole from my design, you dirty thief. Not really tho.
Iconic Status: 5/5
With the creation of an important character and a unique and trippy aesthetic, Pandora’s Labyrinth is definitely among the more memorable locations in Kid Icarus Uprising. It’s easily worth a high score - I mean, there’s a reason I chose the same level to design a stage around.
Originality: 10/10
First off: congrats, you didn’t steal any aspects of my stage. Your points shall be spared.
I like how you made the platform layout mirrored, and I really love the “fake platforms” gimmick - perfectly fits the theme of the Labyrinth, and is something completely new to Smash (I think). I also like that you incorporated the story elements in as a hazard, by way of the mirror. Although, it begs the question: what comes out if Dark Pit enters the mirror? Dark Dark Pit? Pink Gold Dark Dark Pit? Or even… the dreaded Zero Suit Pac Mr. Metal Dr. Toon Ice Game Pink Tanooki Baby Gold Dark Dark Pit Jr. Knuckles & Watch Climbers… and Knuckles, featuring Dante from the Devil May Cry series!?
...well, in any event, it’s good. Well done!
Playability: 4/10
For the record, I do actually quite like this platform layout, and would probably play this stage a ton (with hazards off). But even so, there are some very glaring issues that bring your score down immensely. Most notably being the massive, practically textbook-definition Cave of Life right in the center of the map. I’m pretty sure every fight ever would just devolve to people fighting to stay in that center bit and never getting launched offstage. Plus, obviously, disappearing platforms and ability to get free clones to help you can really screw with the flow of a fight.
Overall Score: 19/25
"Hades’ Belly" by GolisoPower:
Iconic Status: 5/5
Admittedly, I forgot about this part of Uprising, but as soon as I saw the stage name, I was like “Oh yeah, that did happen, didn’t it?” I’m surprised I forgot, because it’s definitely a more interesting part of the game. It doesn’t look super Kid-Icarus-y on the surface, so I nearly took a point off for the sake of people who didn’t play Uprising… but then again, Hades’ name is literally in the title of the stage, so if that doesn’t clue people in, I dunno what will.
Originality: 9/10
There are a few things about this stage that make me think of Brinstar, but that’s just about the only criticism I have. Fighting in someone’s insides is such a staple of video games (which I only just now realized is kinda weird) that it’s high time the concept became a Smash stage, and this is a pretty good execution on that front. Nice job!
Playability: 3/10
I was so, so close to cutting you some slack for the layout of this stage. After all, it’s pretty obvious you put in those elevator platforms to solve the issue of characters with poor recovery being unable to reach the higher platforms, so it’s all good, right? And it would be… except that you made them take 35% damage to activate. That is an absurdly high amount, meaning that even with dedicated effort, it would take longer than reasonable for someone to trigger an elevator. And with that being the case, all the other issues that would come from a tall stage like this rear their ugly heads, thus bringing the playability down. If the elevators had been 1, maybe 2 hits to activate, then this would’ve scored a lot more points.
Overall Score: 17/25
"Aurum Island" by TKOWL:
Iconic Status: 3/5
It feels weird to say this, but I don’t think the Aurum invasion was really all that memorable. By all means, it should be - we got an awesome character in the form of Pyrrhon, and an entire new enemy to fight! But it… it still feels out of place, you know? Such a random note, even within Uprising, that it just kind of comes and goes without leaving much impact. Definitely not a location I think of when I think “Kid Icarus” (I think most people would look at this and think “Star Fox”).
Originality: 3/10
I hate to be harsh here, but you shot yourself in the foot by mentioning Umbra Clock Tower. I don’t think I’d have made that connection on my own, but now I can’t unsee just how similar these stages are in concept and design. Plus - and this is more the game’s fault than yours, but still - there’s a lot of visual similarity with Ultimate’s Final Destination and Battlefield, enough so that it’s hard to ignore. You do enough differently to avoid getting a straight-up 1, but… well, not enough for a high score. Sorry.
Playability: 7/10
On that note, it seems like it’d have about the same level of playability as Umbra Clock Tower. Which is to say, it’s not perfect - Kolma could create some caves of life, and the walls on Dohz could mess things up from time to time, but it’s still decent beyond that. I do want to say that the scale of the characters on your image makes the stage look huge - I’m not sure if that’s intentional, but if it is… well, let’s just say it would make my view of the stage a lot less favorable.
Overall Score: 13/25
"Reaper Fortress" by Primid:
Iconic Status: 3/5
Eh… I do quite like this level in Uprising, but as a stage, it doesn’t exactly scream “memorable”. Or even “Kid Icarus”, for that matter. The reaper fighting Pit in the third phase helps, but without that, it’s just a… canyon, thing. A cool looking canyon, to be sure, but… still just a canyon.
Originality: 8/10
This is a good example of doing a lot with a little. The platform layouts aren’t 100% original - the first one makes me think of Shadow Moses, and the second of Lylat Cruise - but they’re tweaked enough to be their own thing. The reaper and the crumbling blocks also add some nice detail to the stage, helping it stand out a little more. And I know I said that this stage is essentially just a canyon, but… again, it’s a really cool looking canyon! High marks, to be sure.
Playability: 7/10
My biggest issue in playability comes from the reaper in phase 1. Going from your description, it sounds like he shows up without much warning, fires a shot with little time to react, then vanishes into the night. If he only did one or two percent, that’d be fine, but he does 15, which makes it a little harder for me to ignore. Phase 1 also has some pretty hefty walls, which can be problematic in competitive play, and phase 3 has that center pit which could just destroy Ness and Lucas. It’s not terrible, though, and the pros outweigh the cons, so overall I think this stage would be pretty fun!
Overall Score: 18/25
"Kid Icarus (NES)" by Good Guy Giygas:
Iconic Status: 4/5
I mean, it’s the original game, so it’s bound to get a high score as far as the Kid Icarus series goes. On the other hand, Uprising overshadows the original game so much that I don’t know that it’s quite worthy of a perfect score. In the end, I settled on giving you a 4, which is still pretty good for a… what, 30 year old game now? Something like that.
Originality: 8/10
I want to say you were the first person to do a stage with no side blast zones and a stage with no upper blast zone, but Kevandre beat you to both. But even so, you got a lot of good stuff in this stage. The infinite flight in World 2, the Eggplant Wizard in World 3… it’s all very good. I am gonna take off a couple of points for the retro aesthetic, though - it’s been pretty overdone in Smash by this point.
Playability: 5/10
So I’m gonna break this down World by World. World 1’s biggest problem is the Cave of Life in the middle of the stage, though the Ness-and-Lucas-eating pits on the sides cause some concern too. The walls could be problematic, but they’re less of a concern than what I mentioned before. World 2 is… hard for me to judge, actually. I said it to Kev when he did the ceiling thing, so it’s only fair to say here too - the giant ceiling effectively turns the whole stage into a big Cave of Life, and it’s more of an issue than the walls. However, the flight mechanic throws everything for a loop, and I honestly don’t know whether it would be good or bad. World 3’s biggest problem is, of course, the Eggplant Wizard. I’m actually not sure whether the Eggplant Curse is supposed to be harmful or helpful, since you don’t really explain what it does (other than aesthetics). Is it just visual? Or, like in Kid Icarus, is it supposed to stop you from being able to attack? Either way, he’s a problem. Overall, this stage isn’t the worst I’ve seen, but it’s not the best, either.
Overall Score: 17/25
"Underworld Tour" by Admiral Pit:
Iconic Status: 3/5
I’m on the fence here. On the one hand, your stage does visit important underworld locations. But on the other hand, it mostly visits random spots in the underworld, and that feels just a little too generic to be iconic. Underworld representation is a good thing, but I think you’d have been better served picking one location and sticking to it.
Originality: 9/10
It’s occurred to me just now that adding enemies to stages is something of a theme amongst you stage creators. Even so, you’ve managed to put a lot of variety into this stage, from the enemies, to the layouts, to even the stage backgrounds! It’s clear that you put a lot of effort into fitting a lot of stuff into this stage, and at least as far as originality goes, it was well worth it!
...for playability, however...
Playability: 4/10
I’ll be blunt; this is not a Smash stage. This is a minigame.
Underworld Tour, as you’ve presented it, would play out more like 100-man Smash than anything resembling a normal Smash Brothers match. Which is to say, a normal Smash match would be practically impossible. And to be honest, I wanted to grade it lower than I did. The only thing keeping this above a 2 is the fact that the stage hazard toggle exists, because the stage layout underneath the endless horde is… well, it’s not perfect, but I’ve seen a lot worse. But holy mother of god, you absolutely smothered what could have been a decent fighting stage with a barrage of unneeded enemies, some of which are way too strong for their own good. The worst offender is Orne, who is both an instant KO merely from touching a player, and can’t be killed unless you happen to have a “light” attack (rip Little Mac, I guess). I know you wanted to get some underworld representation into Smash, but this was not the way to do it.
Overall Score: 16/25
Total Scores:
Kevandre: 55 points
GolisoPower: 46 points
TKOWL: 49 points
Primid: 61 points
Good Guy Giygas: 54 points
Admiral Pit: 40 points
psb123's grades:
Pandora's Labyrinth of Deceit by
Kevandre
Iconic Status: 5/5
Sure it's an early game Chapter. But it features a unique experience, a classic boss to the original game, and the creation of one of the game's more pivotal characters. Seems pretty memorable to me.
Originality: 7/10
I like the idea behind this stage. But I don't feel the layout allows it to be executed the best. It kind has the vibes of "trolly stage made to not be playable" from back in Brawl's Stage Builder. I think a layout with more solid ground to it would have allowed the idea to flow better. You could still have fake platforms and whatnot, but this stage could have layouts that cause more people to find it be a cool twist instead of an annoying gimmick.
Playability: 4/10
Like I said. Not the best layout you could have used. Even if all the platforms are solid the placement of them isn't that great. Cave of life with the intersection of the two non-passable's, the spots for the passable's are kind of awkward, it just isn't a very solidly built layout. And the fact that certain platforms can be fake poses even more of a problem. Especially if a non-passable is made fake.
Overall Score: 16/25
Hades' Belly by
GolisoPower
Iconic Status: 3/5
It's got the name of the extremely likable main villain in the title. But all in all it's not that memorable. The setting, while unique, is kind of a one-off thing that's not explored much. Add in the generally hated boss fight and the overall lack of impactful stuff happening here and I don't really see this one sticking out too well.
Originality: 6/10
I like the setting of fighting inside a Monster's Stomach like this. Though the impact of that could be a little lower for some considering Bowser's Inside Story. Outside of that, the cells are kind of bland. They don't really do a whole lot that's interesting and I'm not too keen on having to deal a certain amount of damage to get them to do anything.
Playability: 5/10
35% is at kind of an inbetween point between manageable and too much, but honestly the fact that you have to damage the cells that way at all for them to do anything sounds pretty annoying. Plus this is the kind of stage that characters with weaker recoveries struggle with. And campers would probably be encouraged to do their annoying "tactic" here as well.
Overall Score: 14/25
Aurum Island by
TKOWL
Iconic Status: 4/5
It took up 3 chapters and gave us the at least somewhat notable Phyrron. But all in all the Aurum arc was pretty much filler. It doesn't have a huge impact on the game as a whole. This was actually pretty darn close to a 3 honestly. But Aurum troops do show up in a couple other chapters, this does last longer than some other filler related things, and there are a few Aurum brand weapons you can earn. I think it just barely earns a 4.
Originality: 8/10
It's got some similarities to, as you mentioned, Umbra Clock Tower. So I don't think I can award it a 10. But I feel like that gimmick has more character on this stage than on Umbra Clock Tower. Mainly because the Aurum troops are a bit more varied in what they do compared to simple stone platforms.
Playability: 10/10
I don't really see anything wrong here though. Size seems okay, Aurum Troops don't feel like they get in the way too much, and Phyrron can't actually hurt the players.
Overall Score: 22/25
Reaper Fortress by
Primid
Iconic Status: 5/5
An early game chapter that is honestly pretty intense compared to some of the other ones. Plus it's crawling with reapers. Anyone who played the original Kid Icarus can tell you that those stick out like a sore thumb.
Originality: 10/10
It doesn't do much besides travel but I like how it gets the traveling done. In a high speed action filled way that the background scenery compliments. Not a lot of crazy gimmicks here. But I think that works out well in the end.
Playability: 9/10
It seems as though the reaper in the ravine just comes in an instantly fires it laser. I think it would be better if it took some time to aim at a fighter first.
Overall Score: 24/25
Kid Icarus (NES) by
Good Guy Giygas
Iconic Status: 4/5
Feels very weird, and a little wrong in some ways, to not give the original game a full 5 here. But Uprising overshadowed it so much that I honestly can't justify a 5.
Originality: 9/10
There are a lot of cool ideas here. The Eggplant Wizard is a simple, but tricky obstacle, The doors in world 1 are a minor, but neat little addition, and the Angel's Feathers make for a cool boost. Though personally I think they should be on a timer even within world 2 so as to not make recovering too easy.
Playability: 5/10
The sealed off blast zones in World's 1 and 2 are the biggest problems here. The blocked of ceiling in world 2 makes traditional ko's too much of a chore and that problem is even worse with the blocked off walls in world 1. The Eggplant wizard in world 3 isn't as bad, though it seems like you can still attack when under the curse. At least, that's how it seems. It's a little hard to understand what the curse is supposed to do from you description honestly.
Overall Score: 18/25
Underworld Tour by
Admiral Pit
Iconic Status: 5/5
It is a crying shame how something as important to the Kid Icarus series as the Underworld almost dooms you to not being able to get a full 5 no matter how you slice it. Your stage is based on Uprising, but the problem there is that so little of the game is actually spent in the Underworld. And if you had based it off of the original game? Then you would have missed a 5 for the same reason Good Guy Giygas did.
However, the key point here is ALMOST doomed to a 5. The addition of other notable locations like the Reaper fortress and Gaol's Castle bumped you up to a full score.
Originality: 6/10
I don't like layout 5 due to the rotation of a solid and non-solid platform. But every other layout as well as all those possible background changes shape this up to be an amazing traveling stage.
Which makes it such a shame that you overused the enemies as much as you did. Enemies as stage hazards in general has become such a cliche idea already and this stage honestly uses them too much. Had you left them out this would have been a phenomenal stage.
Playability: 1/10
The enemies are an even bigger problem here. Even ones like the monoeye and mik that are only minor annoyances are still, well annoyances. Especially given how big a group of them can be. The Daphne's and the Reapers are examples of enemies that just pose too much of a threat for a standard Smash match. And the Ornes are too big of a pest due to the instakills. Though I will admit that being able to kill them with light based attack is a safe zone I didn't expect to be implemented. Even so, it's far too restrictive. And the Clubberskulls? If one shows up you're dead. Unlike the others they can stick around for multiple layouts and considering you're using the Smash Run variant, that means they would cover a lot of the arena when you look at the sizes of the two. Something that powerful shouldn't take up so much space.
Overall Score: 12/25
Cosmic77's grades:
I feel like this was the harshest I've ever been with my grades for a single round. Not sure why though.
"Pandora’s Labyrinth of Deceit" by Kevandre:
Iconic Status: 5/5
I'll be honest, I never got the chance to pick up Uprising. I have seen a few playthroughs though, and this seemed like a fairly notable chapter. Dark
Originality: 9/10
This stage feels like a creepy warped version of a fun house, which I presume fits the theme of Pandora's chapter.
The fake platforms are a first I believe. Don't think we've seen anything like that before in Smash. I also like the little reference to Dark Pit's creation through the use of the mirror cloning characters. You found a very creative way to implement that part of the game into your stage.
Playability: 6/10
The two main platforms are a little too squished together; might have wanted to separate those a little more. And then, as if I really needed to point it out, the disappearing platforms can cause some antics.
Could be better with a few tweaks, but certainly not unplayable as is.
Overall Score: 20/25
"Hades’ Belly" by GolisoPower:
Iconic Status: 3/5
I'm gonna be a stickler and say this isn't a stage people would immediately associate with KI. Regardless of Hades being in the name, people who haven't played Uprising will have no idea what franchise this is from.
Originality: 6/10
The setting is a nice change, but I'm still not seeing that creativity in your stages that I'm looking for. The cells are interesting, but I don't think they're anything that helps this stage stand out among the other KI stages.
Maybe adding some background elements or more KI-exclusive gimmicks would've helped.
Playability: 6/10
I don't like the fact that characters with better recoveries have an advantage on this stage, but 35% for activating a harmless immobile (it is immobile, right?) platform isn't too bad. You could probably activate it with two Smash attacks.
Overall Score: 15/25
"Aurum Island" by TKOWL:
Iconic Status: 2/5
Just to reiterate what's already been said, I've never played Uprising. I could be underselling a truly remarkable section of the game.
From what I've seen though, it's not nearly as important as other parts of the game, and it doesn't really screams KI. This is something I'd associate with Metroid or Star Fox.
Originality: 4/10
Not to downplay the effort you put in your stage, but this looks like Battlefield with an outer space theme. The layout is decent, nothing to sneeze at, but I don't think the stage's few gimmicks do enough to contrast this stage from Battlefield. Visually, they look very similar.
Playability: 8/10
It's not bad by any means. The conveyor and slippery surface effect of the platforms make your stage a tad more interesting, but they also take a small nibble from your playability score. Other than that, seems completely fine.
Overall Score: 14/25
"Reaper Fortress" by Primid:
Iconic Status: 3/5
It's visually appealing, but overall, it's a little bit generic without the Reaper. It's honestly the only thing that would've keyed me in on this being a stage from KI.
Originality: 8/10
I love the attention to detail you put in your stage. Small little additions like the crumbling stairs really help your stage to stand out. The layouts are fairly unique too, and I like how you chose to transition between them instead of sticking with a single one. A single layout can get old very quickly.
Playability: 8/10
My only issues with your stage are in the first phase. The reaper dealing 15% damage is a fair but still notable amount, and the cliffs have a strange, wonky layout. I can definitely see players camping in the corners.
Overall Score: 19/25
"Kid Icarus (NES)" by Good Guy Giygas:
Iconic Status: 5/5
I think the NES game is still somewhat iconic. Definitely not up to par with Metroid or Zelda, but it's still a classic within the KI universe.
Originality: 9/10
Going back to the original game was a bold move, but it paid off. This whole stage feels like a tribute to KI, and I really like how much you packed into it. Eggplant Wizard was easily my favorite gimmick, and I'm a little suprised that no one else used him in their stage.
Playability: 5/10
World 1 and World 2 are basically one big cave of life. Not really a fan of those. I also didn't see what Eggplant Wizard does in your stage, but going off the assumption that he'll function similar to how he does in the game, he's an issue to be sure.
Overall Score: 19/25
"Underworld Tour" by Admiral Pit:
Iconic Status: 4/5
I’m having a hard time deciding what score would be appropriate using my limited KI knowledge. I know the Underworld is obviously an important part of KI, but the areas you chose seem a bit random and inconsistent. Instead of going for an "Underworld theme", it might've been better if you stuck with a single chapter.
Originality: 6/10
Don't get me wrong, this stage is creative x10. Layout is unique, descriptions gave me a vivid image of what the stage's background would look like, and the enemies are very fitting. I'm just completely burnt out on enemies being the main gimmick of stages, especially when the gimmick is enemy swarms. It's an overused concept that's been used time and time again, and I'm beginning to feel like enemies are a generic way of making a stage seem more creative.
If you had left out the enemies entirely, or just put less of an emphasis on them, I would've absolutely loved this stage.
Playability: 2/10
Let this be another incentive to take it easy with the enemies. The stage you've created is nearly impossible to play on. With so many enemies swarming the screen, many of which are far more annoying and OP than they should rightfully be, I honestly think it's unrealistic to assume any genuine battles could take place here.
The stage would be infinitely better if hazards were turned off, but I'm not taking that into consideration. Toggling the hazard switch off shouldn't be used a fail-safe if a gimmick goes too far. I'm looking at this stage in it's original form and nothing else.
Overall Score: 12/25
TheMarioAddcit's grades:
"Pandora’s Labyrinth of Deceit" by Kevandre:
"I believe there was a stage made in the previous contest based on this chapter, but I don’t recall the details of it, so forgive me if anything is duplicated "
Yeah, there was, Kev. It was my stage. I’ll be sure to grade you extra harshly on anything you stole from my design, you dirty thief. Not really tho.
Iconic Status: 5/5
With the creation of an important character and a unique and trippy aesthetic, Pandora’s Labyrinth is definitely among the more memorable locations in Kid Icarus Uprising. It’s easily worth a high score - I mean, there’s a reason I chose the same level to design a stage around.
Originality: 10/10
First off: congrats, you didn’t steal any aspects of my stage. Your points shall be spared.
I like how you made the platform layout mirrored, and I really love the “fake platforms” gimmick - perfectly fits the theme of the Labyrinth, and is something completely new to Smash (I think). I also like that you incorporated the story elements in as a hazard, by way of the mirror. Although, it begs the question: what comes out if Dark Pit enters the mirror? Dark Dark Pit? Pink Gold Dark Dark Pit? Or even… the dreaded Zero Suit Pac Mr. Metal Dr. Toon Ice Game Pink Tanooki Baby Gold Dark Dark Pit Jr. Knuckles & Watch Climbers… and Knuckles, featuring Dante from the Devil May Cry series!?
...well, in any event, it’s good. Well done!
Playability: 4/10
For the record, I do actually quite like this platform layout, and would probably play this stage a ton (with hazards off). But even so, there are some very glaring issues that bring your score down immensely. Most notably being the massive, practically textbook-definition Cave of Life right in the center of the map. I’m pretty sure every fight ever would just devolve to people fighting to stay in that center bit and never getting launched offstage. Plus, obviously, disappearing platforms and ability to get free clones to help you can really screw with the flow of a fight.
Overall Score: 19/25
"Hades’ Belly" by GolisoPower:
Iconic Status: 5/5
Admittedly, I forgot about this part of Uprising, but as soon as I saw the stage name, I was like “Oh yeah, that did happen, didn’t it?” I’m surprised I forgot, because it’s definitely a more interesting part of the game. It doesn’t look super Kid-Icarus-y on the surface, so I nearly took a point off for the sake of people who didn’t play Uprising… but then again, Hades’ name is literally in the title of the stage, so if that doesn’t clue people in, I dunno what will.
Originality: 9/10
There are a few things about this stage that make me think of Brinstar, but that’s just about the only criticism I have. Fighting in someone’s insides is such a staple of video games (which I only just now realized is kinda weird) that it’s high time the concept became a Smash stage, and this is a pretty good execution on that front. Nice job!
Playability: 3/10
I was so, so close to cutting you some slack for the layout of this stage. After all, it’s pretty obvious you put in those elevator platforms to solve the issue of characters with poor recovery being unable to reach the higher platforms, so it’s all good, right? And it would be… except that you made them take 35% damage to activate. That is an absurdly high amount, meaning that even with dedicated effort, it would take longer than reasonable for someone to trigger an elevator. And with that being the case, all the other issues that would come from a tall stage like this rear their ugly heads, thus bringing the playability down. If the elevators had been 1, maybe 2 hits to activate, then this would’ve scored a lot more points.
Overall Score: 17/25
"Aurum Island" by TKOWL:
Iconic Status: 3/5
It feels weird to say this, but I don’t think the Aurum invasion was really all that memorable. By all means, it should be - we got an awesome character in the form of Pyrrhon, and an entire new enemy to fight! But it… it still feels out of place, you know? Such a random note, even within Uprising, that it just kind of comes and goes without leaving much impact. Definitely not a location I think of when I think “Kid Icarus” (I think most people would look at this and think “Star Fox”).
Originality: 3/10
I hate to be harsh here, but you shot yourself in the foot by mentioning Umbra Clock Tower. I don’t think I’d have made that connection on my own, but now I can’t unsee just how similar these stages are in concept and design. Plus - and this is more the game’s fault than yours, but still - there’s a lot of visual similarity with Ultimate’s Final Destination and Battlefield, enough so that it’s hard to ignore. You do enough differently to avoid getting a straight-up 1, but… well, not enough for a high score. Sorry.
Playability: 7/10
On that note, it seems like it’d have about the same level of playability as Umbra Clock Tower. Which is to say, it’s not perfect - Kolma could create some caves of life, and the walls on Dohz could mess things up from time to time, but it’s still decent beyond that. I do want to say that the scale of the characters on your image makes the stage look huge - I’m not sure if that’s intentional, but if it is… well, let’s just say it would make my view of the stage a lot less favorable.
Overall Score: 13/25
"Reaper Fortress" by Primid:
Iconic Status: 3/5
Eh… I do quite like this level in Uprising, but as a stage, it doesn’t exactly scream “memorable”. Or even “Kid Icarus”, for that matter. The reaper fighting Pit in the third phase helps, but without that, it’s just a… canyon, thing. A cool looking canyon, to be sure, but… still just a canyon.
Originality: 8/10
This is a good example of doing a lot with a little. The platform layouts aren’t 100% original - the first one makes me think of Shadow Moses, and the second of Lylat Cruise - but they’re tweaked enough to be their own thing. The reaper and the crumbling blocks also add some nice detail to the stage, helping it stand out a little more. And I know I said that this stage is essentially just a canyon, but… again, it’s a really cool looking canyon! High marks, to be sure.
Playability: 7/10
My biggest issue in playability comes from the reaper in phase 1. Going from your description, it sounds like he shows up without much warning, fires a shot with little time to react, then vanishes into the night. If he only did one or two percent, that’d be fine, but he does 15, which makes it a little harder for me to ignore. Phase 1 also has some pretty hefty walls, which can be problematic in competitive play, and phase 3 has that center pit which could just destroy Ness and Lucas. It’s not terrible, though, and the pros outweigh the cons, so overall I think this stage would be pretty fun!
Overall Score: 18/25
"Kid Icarus (NES)" by Good Guy Giygas:
Iconic Status: 4/5
I mean, it’s the original game, so it’s bound to get a high score as far as the Kid Icarus series goes. On the other hand, Uprising overshadows the original game so much that I don’t know that it’s quite worthy of a perfect score. In the end, I settled on giving you a 4, which is still pretty good for a… what, 30 year old game now? Something like that.
Originality: 8/10
I want to say you were the first person to do a stage with no side blast zones and a stage with no upper blast zone, but Kevandre beat you to both. But even so, you got a lot of good stuff in this stage. The infinite flight in World 2, the Eggplant Wizard in World 3… it’s all very good. I am gonna take off a couple of points for the retro aesthetic, though - it’s been pretty overdone in Smash by this point.
Playability: 5/10
So I’m gonna break this down World by World. World 1’s biggest problem is the Cave of Life in the middle of the stage, though the Ness-and-Lucas-eating pits on the sides cause some concern too. The walls could be problematic, but they’re less of a concern than what I mentioned before. World 2 is… hard for me to judge, actually. I said it to Kev when he did the ceiling thing, so it’s only fair to say here too - the giant ceiling effectively turns the whole stage into a big Cave of Life, and it’s more of an issue than the walls. However, the flight mechanic throws everything for a loop, and I honestly don’t know whether it would be good or bad. World 3’s biggest problem is, of course, the Eggplant Wizard. I’m actually not sure whether the Eggplant Curse is supposed to be harmful or helpful, since you don’t really explain what it does (other than aesthetics). Is it just visual? Or, like in Kid Icarus, is it supposed to stop you from being able to attack? Either way, he’s a problem. Overall, this stage isn’t the worst I’ve seen, but it’s not the best, either.
Overall Score: 17/25
"Underworld Tour" by Admiral Pit:
Iconic Status: 3/5
I’m on the fence here. On the one hand, your stage does visit important underworld locations. But on the other hand, it mostly visits random spots in the underworld, and that feels just a little too generic to be iconic. Underworld representation is a good thing, but I think you’d have been better served picking one location and sticking to it.
Originality: 9/10
It’s occurred to me just now that adding enemies to stages is something of a theme amongst you stage creators. Even so, you’ve managed to put a lot of variety into this stage, from the enemies, to the layouts, to even the stage backgrounds! It’s clear that you put a lot of effort into fitting a lot of stuff into this stage, and at least as far as originality goes, it was well worth it!
...for playability, however...
Playability: 4/10
I’ll be blunt; this is not a Smash stage. This is a minigame.
Underworld Tour, as you’ve presented it, would play out more like 100-man Smash than anything resembling a normal Smash Brothers match. Which is to say, a normal Smash match would be practically impossible. And to be honest, I wanted to grade it lower than I did. The only thing keeping this above a 2 is the fact that the stage hazard toggle exists, because the stage layout underneath the endless horde is… well, it’s not perfect, but I’ve seen a lot worse. But holy mother of god, you absolutely smothered what could have been a decent fighting stage with a barrage of unneeded enemies, some of which are way too strong for their own good. The worst offender is Orne, who is both an instant KO merely from touching a player, and can’t be killed unless you happen to have a “light” attack (rip Little Mac, I guess). I know you wanted to get some underworld representation into Smash, but this was not the way to do it.
Overall Score: 16/25
Total Scores:
Kevandre: 55 points
GolisoPower: 46 points
TKOWL: 49 points
Primid: 61 points
Good Guy Giygas: 54 points
Admiral Pit: 40 points
The Winner is............
Reaper Fortess by Primid
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reaper Fortess by Primid
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GolisoPower
Smash Master
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2017
- Messages
- 4,397
Congrats to
Primid
for his stage!
You know, thinking back, maybe I could’ve done more with Hades’ Belly. The cells would have to be balanced out for one, and the platform spacing would have to have changed. I wanted to add an elevator cell as a sort of strategic point, similar to how I tried to do my Rainbow Curse stage with the rainbow lines. Hope my West of Ylisstol does better.
Primid
for his stage!You know, thinking back, maybe I could’ve done more with Hades’ Belly. The cells would have to be balanced out for one, and the platform spacing would have to have changed. I wanted to add an elevator cell as a sort of strategic point, similar to how I tried to do my Rainbow Curse stage with the rainbow lines. Hope my West of Ylisstol does better.
Admiral Pit
Smash Hero
Congrats... I guess...
I must be honest and say that I feel a bit shattered knowing my entry was the worst in terms of score, especially when I strive to improve my creativity. The main thing that I thought about when I went with my Underworld-themed thing was danger, since that place is no doubt dangerous, but maybe it was too dangerous. Maybe my timer of transitions and enemy frequency was wrong... or maybe they were better off just being background objects... maybe the stage itself was too small...
Sigh, but I hope this was at least decent considering this being my first ever try at creating a stage...
I must be honest and say that I feel a bit shattered knowing my entry was the worst in terms of score, especially when I strive to improve my creativity. The main thing that I thought about when I went with my Underworld-themed thing was danger, since that place is no doubt dangerous, but maybe it was too dangerous. Maybe my timer of transitions and enemy frequency was wrong... or maybe they were better off just being background objects... maybe the stage itself was too small...
Sigh, but I hope this was at least decent considering this being my first ever try at creating a stage...
D
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I think you had a really good idea to be honest. It was just the kind of overused enemy gimmick that hindered your score. I know it might seem a little odd that that gimmick cost you as many points as it did. But look at it this way. Looking at all the scores I can confidently say if you had just left out the enemies entirely, your stage would have won. That's how good I think every other part of your stage was.
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Admiral Pit
Smash Hero
I understand and accept it. My brain probably could've probably focused on the stage formation changes without enemies, but it probably focused on the enemy part itself given that danger feel I mentioned before. As for the backgrounds, I couldn't think of more than the three I mentioned before, and adding something like Rewind Spring didn't feel right to me.
Kevandre
Ivy WAS Saurly missed
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Cosmic77
Smash Hero
I think I mentioned it my grades, but I would've absolutely loved your stage if you had left out the enemies entirely. More of something isn't always good, and some stages are just genuinely better without a complicated gimmick. In fact, as you learned for yourself, a complicated gimmick can often hurt your score.
The stage you had designed in its bare form was fantastic, and you shouldn't let this round get to ya. Stage-making comes with a lot experience through trial and error. By doing bad on a round, you get a better idea of what the judges are looking for, and you can find better ways to present your stages in the future.
Primid
Smash Apprentice
Thanks everyone!
Wait, isn’t this Fire Emblem 2 right now? What’s with the Kid Icarus stages?
Kevandre
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Those are the grades for last week's round, which was Kid icarus/F-Zero
Ah, okay.
D
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Reminder that Round 41 ends tomorrow. ............And there are still only 3 submissions. Not going to lie, that's pretty upsetting for the repeat round of the only category that ever hit double digit submissions.
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Kevandre
Ivy WAS Saurly missed
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I'm betting people are probably on vacation or something this week, might be why
D
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That makes sense. And in that case it’s actually really good that Fire Emblem 1 got 10 submissions. That way there’s no shortage of FE stages in the contest.