Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Stage Creation Contest (Complete)

[GolisoPower]

I'm betting people are probably on vacation or something this week, might be why

I mean, with it being Thanksgiving and all, you might have a point.

 

[PeridotGX]

Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
Mila Shrine

​

Fire Emblem Echoes, the remake of Fire Emblem Gaiden for NES, is widely considered the black sheep of the series. This is due to many odd mechanics it has, such as dungeons, a world map, and the method of promoting units. Instead of giving them a Master Seal or whatever, you need to seek out a Mila Shrine, usually in the heart of a dungeon. In Smash Ultimate, the Mila Shrine stage takes place in the same location. It's as big as Battlefield, with walls and two floating platforms.

While fighting on this stage, all the players have a special meter. It's filled in the same way the FS Meter is filled, and requires 90% of what the FS Meter does (Ex. If you get a FS by dealing 50 damage, the Mila-meter takes 45). Once filled fully, your fighter glows with green/white flames. While glowing, if you crouch in the center of the stage, a menu pops up, navigated like Shulk's Monado Arts. This changes your character's class, which alters some of their abilities and properties. The different classes are...

Soldier: The Solider class has the most boring alteration, and not every character can even use it. When swapped to the soldier, characters who use weapons (Swords, Hammers, Clown Car weapons, etc) have their range and hitbox increased by 1.5x, akin to the difference between a Sword and a Lance. Aside from the that, there aren't really any changes.

Mage: The Mage class is one of the ones with bigger differences. The character's neutral special is replaced with a magical attack that changes depending on how long you charge it (but don't worry, by pressing shield and special you can go back to using to your character's regular Neutral-B). Uncharged uses Fire, which is pretty much Lucas's PK Fire. Slightly charged is Thunder, which is Pikachu's Down-B but about a battlefield platform away from the player who used it. Fully charged unleashes Sagiattee, a barrage of arrows that cover a large distance (Like Thoron). Unlike in the game, magic moves don't have recoil

Cavalier: The cavalier class is also a bit generic. Characters reclassed into cavaliers have their run speed multiplied by 1.15%, plus they have a whole new side special. They charge forward on a horse, like Koopa Clown Car. Certain characters have special horses ( gets Epona, gets the Master Cycle Zero, and / get Rambi).Once again, you can revert to your old special with Shield Special.

Archer: The character's Neutral Special changes to shooting an arrow. You have full control over the trajectory that you shoot the arrow, where it flies in a straight line.

Dread Fighter: Mila skips over the base class of Mercenary, going directly to Dread Fighter. The Dread Fighter has faster Rolls, a 0.65x resttance on elemental attacks, and an incredibly powerful side smash (As seen here: https://youtu.be/dsA16ABlJFc?t=107). Seems broken, right? Not necessarily, as you only remain a Dread Fighter for 15 seconds before looping back to your base class.

The other classes don't have a time limit. You can fill the meter up again to swap to another class, or just ignore it. This stage is unlocked by beating the classic mode of all 3 Awakening characters. I'll add music later.

Notes: You thought I quit, didn't you? It was actually being busy, procrastination, and rounds I couldn't think anything up. I recently played SoV and the idea seemed unique, so I made sure I posted this. I probably won't have a Star Fox stage, but I do plan on having a stage for the final round.

 

[Kevandre]

Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
Mila ShrineView attachment 179187
View attachment 179237​

Fire Emblem Echoes, the remake of Fire Emblem Gaiden for NES, is widely considered the black sheep of the series. This is due to many odd mechanics it has, such as dungeons, a world map, and the method of promoting units. Instead of giving them a Master Seal or whatever, you need to seek out a Mila Shrine, usually in the heart of a dungeon. In Smash Ultimate, the Mila Shrine stage takes place in the same location. It's as big as Battlefield, with walls and two floating platforms.

While fighting on this stage, all the players have a special meter. It's filled in the same way the FS Meter is filled, and requires 90% of what the FS Meter does (Ex. If you get a FS by dealing 50 damage, the Mila-meter takes 45). Once filled fully, your fighter glows with green/white flames. While glowing, if you crouch in the center of the stage, a menu pops up, navigated like Shulk's Monado Arts. This changes your character's class, which alters some of their abilities and properties. The different classes are...

Soldier: The Solider class has the most boring alteration, and not every character can even use it. When swapped to the soldier, characters who use weapons (Swords, Hammers, Clown Car weapons, etc) have their range and hitbox increased by 1.5x, akin to the difference between a Sword and a Lance. Aside from the that, there aren't really any changes.

Mage: The Mage class is one of the ones with bigger differences. The character's neutral special is replaced with a magical attack that changes depending on how long you charge it (but don't worry, by pressing shield and special you can go back to using to your character's regular Neutral-B). Uncharged uses Fire, which is pretty much Lucas's PK Fire. Slightly charged is Thunder, which is Pikachu's Down-B but about a battlefield platform away from the player who used it. Fully charged unleashes Sagiattee, a barrage of arrows that cover a large distance (Like Thoron). Unlike in the game, magic moves don't have recoil

Cavalier: The cavalier class is also a bit generic. Characters reclassed into cavaliers have their run speed multiplied by 1.15%, plus they have a whole new side special. They charge forward on a horse, like Koopa Clown Car. Certain characters have special horses ( gets Epona, gets the Master Cycle Zero, and / get Rambi).Once again, you can revert to your old special with Shield Special.

Archer: The character's Neutral Special changes to shooting an arrow. You have full control over the trajectory that you shoot the arrow, where it flies in a straight line.

Dread Fighter: Mila skips over the base class of Mercenary, going directly to Dread Fighter. The Dread Fighter has faster Rolls, a 0.65x damage multiplier on elemental attacks, and an incredibly powerful side smash (As seen here: https://youtu.be/dsA16ABlJFc?t=107). Seems broken, right? Not nececarily, as you only remain a Dread Fighter for 15 seconds before looping back to you'r base class.

This stage is unlocked by beating the classic mode of all 3 Awakening characters. I'll add music later.

Notes: You thought I quit, didn't you? It was actually being busy, procrastination, and rounds I couldn't think anything up. I recently played SoV and the idea seemed unique, so I made sure I posted this. I probably won't have a Star Fox stage, but I do plan on having a stage for the final round.

Good to see you back again fam, and with a hella unique stage concept as well

 

[Deleted member]

Alright guys. Round 41 is now closed. See you on Sunday with the grades for it.

 

[Deleted member]

Time for Round 41 grades!

psb123's grades:

West of Ylisstol by GolisoPower

Iconic Status: 4/5

Perhaps a bit on the generic side in terms of setting. But it's part of Awakening's very memorable early game so it should work out well enough.

Originality: 8/10

Not a bad choice in terms of aesthetic. As far as I can remember Donkey Kong is the only other series on the roster that could really have a "burning forest" kind of stage. My only real gripe is the layout. Perhaps there could be more to the trees than what's actually there but my bigger issue is the lava being on the same level as the base ground and taking up as much space as it does. It's different sure, but that doesn't exactly make it favorable.

Playability: 6/10

The lava taking up all of both edges of the stage creates too many problems. If you get knocked back far enough it will make it harder to recover and the lava being there in the first place results in a bigger stage but with limited safe zones. Something as hazardous as that lava really shouldn't be placed at the sides like that.

Overall Score: 18/25

The Midmire by Kevandre

Iconic Status: 5/5

Sure there is the whole spoiler thing, but by this point it's one of those spoilers that's old and well known enough to negate the fear of it being spoiled a little bit. Kind of like Sheik. But within that spoiler lies one of the games most emotional moments. If you've played Awakening, you remember this chapter. Plain and Simple.

Originality: 9/10

I'll admit that I kind of feel like this stage is a little too basic. I'm not usually one to harp on stages for being basic. For this area in particular there isn't much else you could do and it does capture the feel of the chapter beautifully. But the simple nature does seem a bit off in originality this time. Plus it would be kind of weird to be fighting on this stage while a more exciting and upbeat music track plays in the background NGL.

Playability: 7/10

This score is a result of the gaps in-between the main floor. Fortunately there aren't any pits there but the walls it results in will lead to more than enough bouncing that makes getting KO's trickier.

Overall Score: 21/25

Opera House by TKOWL

Iconic Status: 5/5

This is such a memorable part of Fates. Shown in trailers up the wazoo, memorable and impactful cutscenes and chapters from both Birthright and Conquest, this stage can't not receive a perfect score here.

Originality: 10/10

Nice! Basic sure but it has a good amount of small, creative touches. Mainly with Azura being able to cause those water geysers. But even without that, you've got a unique and memorable setting, and the perfect balance of what to and not to include. Remember how in this chapter you could use Dragon Veins to freeze the water? I could certainly this stage implementing that but honestly, I'm glad you didn't. Might have been one gimmick too many.

Playability: 9/10

The water geysers are a bit of an obstacle to getting KO's with how they affect fighters being launched. But it's a pretty minor one all in all. Easy to work with.

Overall Score: 24/25

Mila Shrine by PeridotGX

Iconic Status: 4/5

Being placed in the hearts of the dungeons makes this a little too generic for a 5 in my opinion. But those dungeons help give Echoes it's identity and re-classing is certainly something Fire Emblem fans will know.

Originality: 7/10

The idea of re-classing the fighters like that is creative, but risky. Messing with Specials like that would take some memorization which can very much be a double-edge sword. On one hand, you have the people who will try to memorize it to have a fun time messing around with the creative gimmick, and on the other hand you'll have those who won't like the kit they're used to being messed with. That goes for both kits they're playing and kits they're fighting.

Also not a fan of how you reclass. I think it would have been better to be able to bring up the menu anywhere via taunts on the d-pad rather than crouching in a specific spot.

Playability: 7/10

Sadly the whole reclassing thing and how much it messes with a characters moveset detracts from a traditional fight too much. Some people might like to use it on occasion. But there are modes in the game where your control over what stage you're fighting on is more limited. That's the main reason the whole memorization thing is a problem.

Overall Score: 18/25

Cosmic77's grades:

"West of Ylisstol" by GolisoPower:

Iconic Status: 4/5

Not a fan of getting a second Awakening stage, but I suppose it can't be stopped.

Your stage is based off of a somewhat important part of the game, and said game is already one of the most popular entries in the series. Not the best location, but I'd say this would qualify as some form of iconic. The battle in the background also helps in making this look like a FE stage to those who have never played Awakening.

Originality: 6/10

This stage has a simple gimmick. There's nothing wrong with that, but I really would've like to have seen more besides "burning trees occasionally cause damage". If that was the gimmick you really wanted to go with, I wish you would've at least made the layout more complex, because even the layout looks somewhat bland.

But there were still a few things about your stage that I enjoy. I appreciated the description of the battle in the background. The scenery also seems like it would look great in HD.

Playability: 7/10

The burning trees can cause up to 10% damage. Not too unreasonable (and I doubt anyone would be stupid enough to stand on the trees for the full 10 seconds). The fiery fissures weren't really needed though. Receiving 12% damage and a decent amount of knockback for something so easy to walk into will definitely interfere with a battle.

Overall Score: 17/25

"The Midmire" by Kevandre:

Iconic Status: 5/5

Another Awakening stage? I sure love those.

Well, at least you went with something unique. This part of Awakening has a very grim and emotional setting, and it's certainly something FE fans would remember.

Originality: 7/10

I do like the layout due to how different it is from other stages, but I don't know how I feel about you using the random floating platforms as a way to flesh it out. I think I would've preferred you implementing the skeleton on the main platform instead of using something that really doesn't fit with the stage.

Also, while I do love the background, maybe be a little more descriptive next time? A good background can really add on to a stage, and "green sky and rain" doesn't really do this stage justice.

Playability: 7/10

The mounds in the middle seem like a wonderful place to visit if you're someone who's interested in becoming combo food. Might've wanted to stay with the source game's size.

Other than that, no other complaints.

Overall Score: 19/25

"Opera House" by TKOWL:

Iconic Status: 5/5

Far from something you'd typically associate with FE, but this is a very iconic location in Fates. People who haven't played the game may not recognize it, but I'm sure a majority of FE fans know exactly what this is.

Originality: 10/10

Another fantastic job! The layout is different from anything else we had in Smash before, the setting is completely original and very creative, the gimmick of the geyser of water raising the gondola is simple but both very clever and fitting for the stage, and your vivid description of the details give anyone who read it a clear image of what this would look like if it were real.

Wonderful work on this stage!


Playability: 8/10

The emphasis on water and the geysers could leave people open to attacks, but other than that, your stage is simple enough for larger battles to take place without any serious issues.

Overall Score: 23/25

"Mila Shrine" by PeridotGX:

Iconic Status: 3/5

I never played this game, but I remember seeing the Mila Shrine quite a bit. I'd assume this would be an iconic part of Echoes. That being said, this game wasn't exactly a Smash hit. It did noticeably worse than its predecessors, and it probably won't be remembered as much as other newer titles like Fates and Heroes.

Originality: 7/10

I have mixed feelings about your stage. Not a fan of the layout, and the background seems extremely boring and generic. On the other hand, the idea of upgrading your fighter is brilliant and original.

Not bad, but this could've been much better with some work on that layout.

Playability: 8/10

I'd have to see it in action, but I'm not comfortable with changing a character's special. Depending on who you're playing, this could be a huge nerf or huge buff that could change the tide of battle.

Layout is perfectly fine though.

Overall Score: 18/25

TheMarioAddict's grades:

"West of Ylisstol" by GolisoPower:

Iconic Status: 4/5

Not the spot I’d have picked from Awakening, but it’s early and important enough, I suppose. Even so, it doesn’t really hold a candle to many other locations in Awakening, so that loses you one point. Still, not the worst pick by any means.

Originality: 9/10

This might be one of my favorite stages from you, Goliso. It’s simple, sure, but it’s quite unlike anything else in Smash. The burning forest is a very new aesthetic, and the mechanic of burning trees is very unique amongst a sea of other mechanics. Plus, it’s the exact sort of simple brilliance that makes it mesh pretty well with other unique stage mechanics in Smash. So for all of that, you get high marks!

Playability: 7/10

Obviously, platforms that hurt the fighters are gonna be problematic. But that aside, my only big gripe is that - from your depiction - the stage looks kinda huge. I’ve said this before, I think, but you need to work on finding a good way to show scale in your stages. Make the whole thing a bit smaller, and this stage easily could have been an eight or nine for playability.

Overall Score: 20/25

"The Midmire" by Kevandre:

Iconic Status: 5/5

Gee, I dunno man. The Midmire isn’t all that special. I mean, aside from being one of the most impactful and memorable levels not just in Awakening, but arguably the entire Fire Emblem series, it only focuses on the very real struggle that both your characters and the enemies’ soldiers are going through, creating a deep and personal connection with the player on every level. So, y’know, it’s not that iconic. But I’ll cut you some slack and give you a perfect 5.

Originality: 10/10

I remember your old version of The Midmire, but I won’t factor that in to your grades here. I will say that, from my memory, this is a much better stage than your old one. Much like with GolisoPower, it’s a simple stage setup, but it works beautifully to capture the feel of the level. And with a level like Midmire, that’s no easy feat, so well done for managing to get it so good! The bone platforms, the pits and valleys… even with the pure-Smash-addition of three platforms in the middle, it still feels right for this stage. Well done, truly!

Playability: 7/10

My main issue here is the pits on the main platform. Not only do they create sizable walls (which tend to be bad), but they just hinder movement in general - you can’t run from one side of the stage to the other, you have to hop over each gap, which can be tedious. Personally, I’d have made the sides of the pits sloped, so you could still run across. Still, the rest seems alright (though a bit on the tall side for me).

Overall Score: 22/25

"Opera House" by TKOWL:

Iconic Status: 5/5

How could I not give this a perfect score? The thing appears in the frikkin' opening video for Fates. Every opening video for Fates. Hell, I nearly made a stage based on the Opera House for the first Fire Emblem round we had this contest, so you’re not gonna get an argument from me. Solid choice, for sure.

Originality: 9/10

This round is a testament to creative stages with simple premises, and your stage is no exception! On the surface, it’s just a big flat arena (which, in fairness, has been done in Fire Emblem stages before), but the water pillars add a ton to spice things up. They’re a very welcome addition to break up the stage’s otherwise bland layout, though the backdrop certainly helps with that too. Bravo, bravo!

Playability: 9/10

As I said before, it’s a largely flat stage, so it’s largely fine for playing on. A point was removed for water, however - it may fit the stage, but it tends to make stages trickier to play on too.

Overall Score: 23/25

"Mila Shrine" by PeridotGX:

Iconic Status: 3/5

Well I didn’t play Echoes, so I can’t speak to how important the Mila Shrines are. But from your description, they sound noteworthy, so I’ll give you some credit… then again, as a black sheep game, I’m not sure that Echoes itself was very popular. Still, I’ll give you a middle-of-the-road score.

Originality: 8/10

I can safely say I’ve not seen a stage that lets you upgrade your fighter before. You included a pretty big variety of upgrades, and added them to a stage layout that… I feel like I’ve seen before, to be honest, but I’ll let it slide. The aesthetics aren’t my favorite (just being a temple with a statue), but beyond that, great work!

Playability: 7/10

That upgrade mechanic really hurts you here, but thankfully the stage beneath it is solid enough that It doesn’t tank you into the really low scores. Still, replacing a character’s special moves is a dangerous game, and could easily break the battle in someone’s favor, so I can’t award it a perfect score or anything. Like I said though, the stage underneath seems fine.

Overall Score: 18/25

Total Scores:

GolisoPower: 55 points

Kevandre: 62 points

TKOWL: 70 points

PeridotGX: 54 points

The Winner is............
Opera House by TKOWL

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!​

 

[PeridotGX]

Congratx to TKOWL!

 

[GolisoPower]

Hey, congrats to TKOWL for the Opera House!

Just to clarify to the judges, the fiery fissures are just one Rosalina lower than the main platform, so you don’t have to worry.

 

[Kevandre]

Nice one, TKOWL . As soon as I saw your stage I was like "Dangit that dude..."

 

[Deleted member]

Time for Round 42!

Only two rounds left to go! Our semi-final round is.......................

Star Fox 2

​

The repeat round of Nintendo's iconic rail shooter series that ironically enough needed some help from Ubisoft to get a game people really loved after the the N64 days Speaking of that, yes, Starlink: Battle for Atlas is eligible for this round.

I know it's technically a Starlink game and not a Star Fox game. Plus Starlink could very well be it's own franchise later on down the line. But we don't really know yet. And in the Switch version of the only Starlink game so far, Star Fox has a very big presence. So big that it reminds me of Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle. Which was allowed in the Smaller Mario Games and Full Mario Catalog rounds so it only feels right to allow Starlink here.

And if that's eligible, you better be darn sure that all the games within the actual Star Fox franchise are as well.

Star Fox Adventures
Star Fox 2
Star Fox Zero
You name it.

The only real spin-off within Star Fox is Star Fox Guard which is still allowed. Every other game within the franchise is a main series entry. So there does not exist an official Star Fox game that is not eligible for this round.

And with that, on November 26th 2018, Round 42 has begun. You have until Friday, November 30th, at around 11:00pm pacific time to submit entries.

Good Luck!

 

[Kevandre]

Aquas​

(Star Fox 64/3DS)​

​

This is it. The final stage I’ve made for the Smash Ultimate contest, despite there being an additional round after this one (Though you bet your buns I'm in that last round). It is bittersweet.



I should start by reiterating that I haven’t really played a Starfox game before. Like I played through Corneria on Star Fox 64 and that’s about it. But seeing as how doing another Corneria stage would probably destroy my point total (Despite having a good idea for one lol), I wanted to do some more research into the game to find a unique stage.



What I ended up with was Aquas, a stage that takes place under water.

​

This stage in Star Fox 64 doesn’t take place using the Arwings, or the Great Fox. It uses the Blue Marine, a special underwater ship that Slippy designed. In the original game, Fox and Friends (oh no..) are here to destroy a bioweapon for General Pepper.



I’m more basing my stage on the 3DS version of the game rather than the original, so there is definitely better lighting here. But the stage starts off in the shallower water all the same, so it begins nice and easy with the teal color everywhere without any hazards.



The stage itself consists of the Blue Marine, which has multiple layers that a player can stand on, as well as four platforms in each direction of the ship that players can stand on. Each of these is passable, even the bottom one.



After a bit, the Blue Marine dives deeper into the depths, and the stage gets darker and hazards begin to appear.

The hazards in the Smash Bros stage aren’t as intrusive as in Star Fox, we don’t have fish shooting at you or electric jellyfish triangles, but we do have circular rock caves that the Blue Marine needs to get through. As such, it will shift along in the stage to get to the appropriate places to do so. There are a few of these- if you’re on one of the outer platforms, watch out! You could get damaged, though it would almost certainly not KO you.

EDIT: I should mention that the above photo was meant to imply that they were approaching the cave, not inside the cave. Those aren't accurate portrayals of where the outside passable platforms are, within the cave it is only the most outer edges of the left and right platforms.



Eventually, we find what we’re looking for…

“Wh…what is that?”​

The music changes, the giant shell opens…

​

BIOWEAPON: BACOON​

A very terrifying giant clam is here! It is the bioweapon we’ve been looking for, Bacoon (No, it isn’t a Bat-Raccoon hybrid though that’d be cool).



Fox is here to destroy the bioweapon, but it’s the fighters job to defend the Blue Marine.

​

Bacoon will send giant pearl-like projectiles at the Blue Marine from the sides of the ship.



Players can be damaged by these pearls, but again they won’t KO you, but you will take 20% damage if you are hit by one. That said, you can also attack them to bat them away. If you happen to hit one in the direction of one of your opponents, well… so much the better for you.

EDIT: The pearls will always fire at the ship from the diagonal corners like shown in above. If you are standing on the platforms, those pearls won't hit you. Only if you are in the air in its path or another fighter shoots them at you.


If the pearls hit the Blue Marine, it will take damage, or do a barrel roll to try to deflect them. As such, it’s a bad idea to be standing on the Blue Marine during this battle as it can chuck you off of it if it needs to defend itself! It won’t always do the barrel (Aileron) roll though, it’ll often get damaged. If it gets hit three times, then the crew will retreat, quickly moving back to the start of the level again, and will re-encounter Bacoon.



However, if you defend the Blue Marine for a full thirty seconds without it getting damaged by the pearls three times, the boss will be defeated and won’t be re-encountered for the rest of the match. If this happens, then we basically just go through the ocean avoiding the caves again for the rest of the time.



An important trait of this level as well is the dialogue with Fox and his crew- In other Star Fox stages, this is something that one has to activate with the taunting stuff. In this one, it’s a default option that can be toggled off by choosing different music tracks or the hazardless versions of the stage.



If Fox is not present in the battle, he will be piloting the Blue Marine and speak to his crew as such. These conversations will vary slightly if Falco is fighting in the match, with him complaining about having to protect Fox. If Fox is fighting in the match, then Peppy will be piloting the Blue Marine, and it will have varying dialogue as well depending on if Fox/Falco/Both are fighting in the match.



All of this, however, is different if Wolf is the only Star Fox franchise character in the mix. If Wolf is fighting, but Fox/Falco aren’t, then the objective is different, though the stage itself doesn’t change at all aside from aesthetic. The Blue Marine is now the Red Marine, and Leon the Chameleon is piloting it, being escorted by Wolf. Star Wolf isn’t here to destroy the Bioweapon, they want to take it for themselves… Unfortunately they end up finding that Bacoon is too large for them to take and act in self defense when they do find it.


I should also note that if you do fail to destroy Bacoon the first time and the Blue/Red Marine retreats, you don't have to hear all the same dialogue between the Crew again throughout the level. There will be some new stuff, and if you fail multiple times you just won't hear them talking anymore aside from when you eventually do succeed.


And that’s basically it. Despite my lack of knowledge for this franchise, I wanted to go all out with this last stage, and I wanted to do something that was different from the usual Star Fox stages, which are all kind of same-y.



Unlockable: Reach a full minute of swimming time with Star Fox characters (Cumulative).

Music:​

Aquas (Star Fox 64) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRFBWdSWxd8​

Fortuna (Star Fox Zero) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMSWozh0gKc​

Titania/Macbeth (Star Fox 64) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxlvIp50v8o​

Corneria (Star Fox 64) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qBhsVhRTv4​

Corneria (Melee) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcgJXFhrT8A​

​

-When Bacoon is present-​

Boss B (Star Fox 64) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjb9FbH783s​

​

 

[GolisoPower]

Stage Name:
Equinox

Origin:
Starlink: Battle for Atlas

Gimmicks and Hazards:
Riding ships, dogfights, traveling

Unlockable:
Yes. Equip one of each gun weapon on Fox, Falco or Wolf.

Music:
Star Fox Zero Medley
Starlink: Battle for Atlas Medley
Star Wolf (Starlink: Battle for Atlas)
Corneria (Starlink: Battle for Atlas)
Equinox (Starlink: Battle for Atlas)
The Forgotten Legion (Starlink: Battle for Atlas)

Description:
*Intercom fizzles in*

Hey, guys! As you can see, I survived that last battle with the Risen, and now for this round, I’m calling live from the Equinox, the base of operations for the Starlink Initiative, who are allied with Star Fox! Captain St. Grand has been kind enough to let me get a good look at the ship design, and as you can see here, I think I might’ve nailed it. You start out on the wings of the ship, similarly to Venom, but after 15 seconds, the ships will be attacked by the Forgotten Legion. A group of smaller fighter ships, which range and include, but not limited to, the Cerberus to the Scramble to the oh-so-obvious Arwing, will swoop in and pick up the fighters and serve as platforms.

Sometimes, one of the ships will be shot down and replaced by one of those ships. Either Starlink or the Forgotten Legion can win in this dogfight after 30 seconds of battle. If the former wins, the Equinox stays where it is as you get back onto the ship, but if the latter wins, you have to get back onto the ship as it retreats to a safer location. After another 25 seconds, another dogfight will break out. Each ship can have a different combination of two weapons, which are listed below:

* Kinetic Shots: The most basic shots, dealing 6% damage and Pound-level knockback.
* Stasis Shots: Deals 4% damage, but stubs on hit.
* Gravity Shots: Bursts to become gravity wells that function similarly to the Black Hole item, and deals 8% damage over 4 seconds.
* Heat Shots: Deals 5% fire damage and as much knockback as Incineroar’s Cross Chop.
* Cold Shots: Deals 5% damage and freezes on hit.

These projectiles are about as big as Pichu’s head and can be reflected, absorbed by Ness and Lucas’ PSI Magnets and pocketed by Villager and Isabelle. These projectiles also can be the only attacks that damage the platforms, the fighter ships. They also go as fast as thrown White Pikmin and only fire in one shot spurts. There are some that fire in 5 shot bursts, but to make up for it, each shots’ overall power are reduced by .20x, and this doesn’t apply to gravity weapons.

*BOOM!*

Aw crap! The Legion’s attacking! Gotta go, but after this, I’ve got one more stop to make in this big ol’ contest and I’mma pull all the stops!

 

[TKOWL]

Macbeth
Star Fox 64​

On Team Star Fox's quest through the Lylat System towards Andross' home planet of Venom, General Pepper gets intel of a supply route on the mining planet of Macbeth, and they all figure that eliminating this base would cut a huge hole into Andross' defenses. Fox McCloud deploys himself in the Landmaster, while the rest of the team covers the air. They eventually catch up to the supply train on Macbeth, and try to prevent it from reaching the depot. Intercepting him near the end is the terribly-named Mechbeth, a battle mecha that Fox will have to deal with to complete the level. Alternatively, he can shoot down the eight numbered switches and put a premature stop to the supply train.

With the Landmaster's retirement in Smash Ultimate, this stage fills the tank-shaped void by turning it into an actual stage. Taking place in a behind-the-shoulder view of the tank, there is a long, hard platform and two pass-through platforms placed on the Landmaster's rudders. The stage is similar to the SNES Mute City, where touching the ground launches fighters upwards at a fixed knockback. The tank will move left and right around, sometimes tilting a few degrees and sometimes levitating off the ground for a few seconds. If the tank lands on a fighter, they will get knocked up above the tank, taking a few percentage points of damage. Control of the tank area is a huge must for this stage, but sometimes platforms may float in to give fighters some more room. An indicator will appear above them when they're about to disappear, and when they do, they move into the foreground, leaving no risk of fighters getting self-destructed on them.

The Landmaster makes its way across a large track of a stage, shooting at enemies and obstacles with its canon and passing over and under bridges (which do have knockback collisions on them like in Pilotwings), while trying to catch up with the supply train. After a little bit, Mechbeth will appear, and the Landmaster will be locked into combat with it. This is a journeying stage with somewhat of a story to it like with Orbital Gate Asssault, except with a much better layout and with no intrusive transitions, as the stage is just the tank's back end throughout the whole match, despite how much it will go through in its journey.

MUSIC:
Titania/Macbeth (Remix)
Corneria (Star Fox 64) (Remix)
Versus Mode (Star Fox 64) (Remix)
Credits (Star Fox 64) (Remix)
Macbeth (Star Fox)
Macbeth (Star Fox 2)

 

[Kevandre]

Judges note- I added some edits to my stage. They are in bold.

 

[Deleted member]

Reminder that Round 42 ends tomorrow

 

[Primid]

Just a heads-up, my entry will probably be posted later tomorrow night. I'm currently working on it but I don't think I'll have time to finish it up until I get off work tomorrow.

 

[Deleted member]

Primid

So it's getting late. Not sure exactly when your stage will be ready, but I'm going to go ahead and extend the deadline until the End of the day on Saturday. Unless you manage to submit it today, then I'll just call it at the regular time.

 

[Primid]

ZONESS
(from Star Fox Zero)​

I am proud to present Zoness, a location featured in Star Fox 64/DS, Star Fox Assault, and most recently, Star Fox Zero. This planet was once a pristine paradise, but pollution caused by Andross's construction has since turned the aquatic getaway into a toxic sea filled with mutated creatures. Zoness is the fourth mission in Star Fox Zero and players control Fox as he infiltrates an enemy base in search of intel.

The main gimmick of the stage comes in the form of the Gyrowing, a new vehicle that has the ability to deploy a tethered robot called a Direct-i. This familiar looking droid will change the layout of the stage, but we'll get to that in just a moment. See the spoiler below for a better illustration of the starting stage boundaries.

Spoiler: Boundaries

This stage takes place in one of the facility's treacherous corridors, complete with a large main platform, three smaller pass-through platforms, and swimmable toxic sludge. The Gyrowing also serves a pass-through platform.

Like mentioned above, the Direct-i robot will alter the the layout of the stage. After the start of the battle, one of these little guys will descend from the Gyrowing and it will enter a hole in the wall (represented by the yellow squares) and interact with an electrical panel within. After doing so, the Direct-i will be pulled back into the Gyrowing.

After the Direct-i is finished tampering with the first panel, the crane holding the middle platform will swing over to the right side of the stage as shown above. Shortly after recollecting the Direct-i, the Gyrowing will slowly hover over to the right side of the stage. It will stay here for a little while before deploying the Direct-i again. The Direct-i will now interact with the right panel, which will then open up the two bridges that connect the main platform together (i.e. the thin platforms that R.O.B. is standing on).

I forgot to take a picture of this new layout without boundaries identifiers, but here is the final stage setup.

This is the final layout of the stage. Now players must watch their step if they don't want to fall into the murky waters below the stage. However, there is a pass-through platform floating in the water that can be stood on, though it teeters and shifts its weight as players move about on top of it.

After staying in this layout for a solid 30-45 seconds, the stage will reset and start again.

I should also mention that the Direct-i robot can be attacked by players and even destroyed. It takes about three hits to destroy one. If a Direct-i is destroyed, the Gyrowing will remain idle for ~15 seconds before deploying a new one. This can lead to some strategic play between fighters as they can now decide whether or not they want the stage to transform. For example, if a player wants to prevent the bridges from opening up, he/she can keep destroying the Direct-i robots to stop them from altering the stage's layout. (Hopefully this all makes sense)

Anyways, thanks for viewing!

Music:
Zoness (Star Fox Zero)
Zoness (Star Fox 64) - Remix
Vs. Zoness (Star Fox Assault) - Remix
Deploy the Gyrowing (Star Fox Zero) - Remix
Aquas (Star Fox 64) - Remix
World Map (Star Fox Zero)
Titania (Star Fox Zero)
Inside the Colony (Star Fox Zero)



​

 

[Deleted member]

Primid

So it's getting late. Not sure exactly when your stage will be ready, but I'm going to go ahead and extend the deadline until the End of the day on Saturday. Unless you manage to submit it today, then I'll just call it at the regular time.

Well it didn't take very long for this to get shot down Round 42 is back to ending at 11:00pm pacific time tonight.

 

[Primid]

Well it didn't take very long for this to get shot down Round 42 is back to ending at 11:00pm pacific time tonight.

You must be psychic haha. I was putting the finishing touches on my post when I saw your reply pop up.

 

[Deleted member]

Alright guys. Round 42 is now closed. See you on Sunday with the grades for it.

 

[Kevandre]

You guys I'm going insane waiting for release. I'm like just as excited to see old stages updated in HD as everything else, and I think a lot of that is to do with how much time I've spent thinking about this thread lol

 

[TheMarioaddict]

You guys I'm going insane waiting for release. I'm like just as excited to see old stages updated in HD as everything else, and I think a lot of that is to do with how much time I've spent thinking about this thread lol

You and me both, man.

Also, there was a rumor that went around a little while back that...

Spoiler: [Rumor]

Stage Builder (and some other modes) would be included as a Day 1 patch.

...take that with a massive grain of salt, obviously. I'm not even sure if I believe it myself. But the rumor comes from a guy that leaked Piranha Plant, so if it's true... well, my hype would be multiplied by 1000, and the wait will become even more excruciating.

 

[Primid]

You and me both, man.

Also, there was a rumor that went around a little while back that...

Spoiler: [Rumor]

Stage Builder (and some other modes) would be included as a Day 1 patch.

...take that with a massive grain of salt, obviously. I'm not even sure if I believe it myself. But the rumor comes from a guy that leaked Piranha Plant, so if it's true... well, my hype would be multiplied by 1000, and the wait will become even more excruciating.

I would be ecstatic if stage builder returned. It was one of my favorite aspects of 4 and I was pretty bummed when I found out it wasn't in Ultimate. Fingers crossed...

 

[Deleted member]

Time for Round 42 grades!

psb123's grades:

Aquas by Kevandre

Iconic Status: 3/5

I guess if nothing else this does the fact that it's part of Star Fox 64's most common path that people go through. But if I recall correctly this isn't one of the more favored levels in the game. Something about not liking the decrease in speed that comes with the Blue Marine. And beyond that, the only game other than 64 that this planet appeared in was Star Fox Command. Which is probably the least iconic game in the series.

Originality: 8/10

I mean, there's nothing exactly wrong with this stage in the originality department. I just find it kind of underwhelming. It does do some neat things, though not a lot of it is extraordinarily unique. The way the Star Fox conversations work is nice but overall minor and the only real twist this stage has is the boss. Not exactly super creative.

Playability: 6/10

Can't say I like that layout, but I've seen worse. Still, I'd probably want to stick to Battlefield and Omega Forms for this stage. Too many soft platforms, too little solid platforms, and the solid platforms can be titled around and messed with when the boss is around.

Overall Score: 17/25

Equinox by GolisoPower

Iconic Status: 4/5

Sure it's not completely a game within the Star Fox franchise. And the whole "toys to life" type of game is viewed with caution for a reason. But a lot of people really liked this game and consider it the best thing to happen to Star Fox since Star Fox 64. I don't know about a 5, but it is iconic for sure.

Originality: 1/10

I'm sorry to rag on this so much. But the Equinox itself is a carbon copy of Venom, the dog fights between the fighter ships is a carbon copy of Orbital Gate Assault, and the shots those ships can fire, while different, are not unique enough to bump up your score. Sorry man, but I just don't see any creativity in this stage.

Playability: 3/10

I'll grant you some leeway for the Equinox itself at least being semi-functional. But those fighter ships are, sorry to say, even worse than the Arwings in Orbital Gate Assault. So little footing, too much opportunity for that footing to be removed, and those shots come out too fast. Especially for the effects they can have on a character.

Overall Score: 8/25

Macbeth by TKOWL

Iconic Status: 4/5

It does suffer from a similar weakness to Aquas in it's limited amount of appearances in the series. But it's at least got 3 appearances under it's belt instead of two. Those being 64, the original Star Fox, and Star Fox 2. A better track record than just 64 and Command if you ask me. Plus I think this was a more memorable level in 64. People like the Landmaster and this level in general just did a lot to stick out.

Originality: 9/10

It hurts to admit it, but the similarities to Mute City SNES sadly cause a point to have to be docked. I'm only docking one point though because I'm not really sure what else you could do with this stage. And the hovering and tilting the Landmaster can do is a nice touch at least and I really like how this takes the whole "journey within a stage" concept from Orbital Gate Assault and puts in a stage that's light years better in playability.

Playability: 10/10

Sure you can take damage from the moving ground like you can in Mute City SNES. But I don't think that's enough to really warrant point removal. And that's really the only thing that could be a concern here. You also made it so that if the Landmaster lands on a fighter, it doesn't crush them into insta-death. Good call.

Overall Score: 23/25

Zoness by Primid

Iconic Status: 5/5

I'll admit this one just barely earned it's 5. But appearances in 64 and the still fairly recent (albeit scorned) Star Fox Zero are enough to bring it up there in my mind. Technically it was it Assault too. But only as a Multiplayer Map that you had to play quite a few multiplayer matches of to unlock.

Originality: 10/10

Now that's what I'm talking about! A Star Fox stage that doesn't take place on a ship or in the middle of some space battle or whatever. Okay technically the Gyrowing is a ship that serves as a soft platform but the majority of the stage is the more neutral stuff that a new Star Fox stage could really use. And the way the Direct-i interacts with the stage is brilliant.

Playability: 10/10

The only thing I would find concerning is the damage from swimming in the toxic water and the bridges opening to lead to it. But the bridges are something you can avoid and the sludge, like all water, is something you can just jump out of. Sure it will rack up at least some damage. But all in all I don't think these concerns are enough to warrant a loss in points here.

Overall Score: 25/25

Cosmic77's grades:

"Aquas" by Kevandre:

Iconic Status: 3/5

...

I mean, this is memorable by all means, but iconic? Something I'd automatically associate with Star Fox? I'm not really sure. Really on the fence with this one.

Originality: 7/10

An underwater level is new. Didn't expect to see one in the Star Fox round of all things, but this works.

Anyways, once you take away the setting, the gimmick is a little similar to existing stages. Still, Bacoon was a creative addition. Getting attacked by a giant clam monster is much more original than getting hit in the crossfire between Arwings and Wolfens.

Playability: 5/10

For once, the layout is actually more concerning than the boss itself. Obviously 20% damage from a pearl isn't something I can ignore, but this stage looks a little cramped. There's almost no solid platforms to stand on, and the only one that's there can spin around and flick you off.

Getting some Paper Mario Bowser's Castle vibes from this.

Overall Score: 15/25

"Equinox" by GolisoPower:

Iconic Status: 3/5

...Well, even if this stage isn't from a Star Fox game per se, at least you chose something that's relevant. It might have a decent chance of being recognized compared to something from an older game.

Originality: 2/10

Goliso, I know I've said this three times before, but I can't stress this enough.

You've GOT to work on the creativity in your stages.

Everything about this stage feels like it's copy and pasted from existing Star Fox stages, and to be blunt, it looks boring. I'm tired of seeing these stereotypical "Star Fox space fights" where characters duke it out on a large ship while smaller ships works as the stage's main hazard. I'll give you a little credit for making the blasts function differently, but even then, this is something you've done multiple times throughout the contest. You rely too much on making a bunch of random attacks and hazards (this enemy shoots fire, this enemy freezes you, etc.) instead of coming up with a truly unique gimmick that hasn't been used before.

Playability: 7/10

Moving on to a much kinder score, your stage isn't too bad in the playability department. The ships and their attacks were a little unnecessary, but at least you chose to make the layout mostly flat.

Overall Score: 12/25

"Macbeth" by TKOWL:

Iconic Status: 4/5

Macbeth, huh? I feel like the Landmaster stages do a pretty decent job of representing Star Fox. Now I wouldn't say they hold a candle to the Arwing stages, but at least a noob could look at this and say, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's the tank thingy from Star Fox."

Originality: 6/10

Okay, so the gimmick? I'll give you credit for trying something completely different with a Star Fox stage, but this is awfully similar to SNES Mute City like you pointed out yourself. I like the feeling of this stage, and I really want to give it a higher score, but the similarities between the two are hard to deny.

Playability: 8/10

The only noteworthy things are the moving floor and the few obstacles encountered along the way.

And that's pretty much it.

Overall Score: 18/25

"Zoness" by Primid:

Iconic Status: 3/5

Debatably, this looks like a Metroid stage rather than Star Fox.

Zoness has made a few appearances throughout the series, but I don't think it's iconic enough to be remembered to the same extent as something like Corneria.

Originality: 10/10

I am beyond thankful for the drastic change in the setting, and I'm glad to see we finally got a simple stage for this round.

Regarding your gimmick, the use of the Direct-i robot was a great! Nothing too complicated, but it works remarkably well in adding just a teeny bit of flavor to your stage. Layout was also unique, and I loved how you made platforms out of the crane and Gyrowing as opposed to making generic floating platforms.

Playability: 9/10

Not a huge fan of the thin pits that open up when the robot tampers with the stage, but that's just a small complaint. Overall, your stage seems fine.

Overall Score: 22/25

TheMarioAddict's grades:

Alright, let me be upfront first and foremost: I ain’t know sh** about Star Fox. I exclusively experienced the series through the multiplayer mode of Assault (well, and Smash). I’ll try to do some research so I don’t horribly bungle the “Iconic” scores, but… well, apologies if I mess something up.

"Aquas" by Kevandre:

Iconic Status: 3/5

See, this is what I mean - Aquas wasn’t in Assault (Zoness took the role of “water level” in that one), so I’ve got no clue whether it’s an iconic location or not. So let’s see what the internet says… well, on the one hand, it’s a rare example of an underwater stage, so that makes it stand out. But on the other, the place only appeared in three games, one of which was a remake, so it’s certainly no Corneria. Hm… I’m gonna go with a 3, since this doesn’t seem like a super noteworthy level, but it had a unique gimmick that could make it stick in some gamers’ minds.

Originality: 8/10

Underwater isn’t exactly the first thing that comes to mind when I think “Star Fox”, but when it comes to originality, that’s a good thing! We’ve seen so many space battles and Great Fox flights that an underwater journey makes for a nice change of pace! My only concern is that, as far as the stage design itself goes, this feels kind of similar in concept to Port Town Aero Dive and Mario Circuit. Not enough to throw your score down the toilet, of course, but enough for me to notice and be a little underwhelmed. Just a little, though - this is a fine stage any way you slice it!

Playability: 6/10

Y’know, this is a rare example of a stage with a boss that I don’t think is inherently unplayable. It docked your score a bit, don’t get me wrong, but outside of some heavy-hitting attacks, I think Bacoon is a great example of what a Stage Boss should be - intimidating, but ultimately unobtrusive. However, there’s another reason I docked points - there’s no solid ground on this stage. With all platforms being passable, I can just smell the SDs from people trying to do down tilts, or down smashes, or… really any move that involves pressing the down button.

Overall Score: 17/25

"Equinox" by GolisoPower:

Goliso, I just want to say: I’m sorry for everything you’re about to read. I was… shall we say, “not kind”, with these grades.

Iconic Status: 1/5

...right, that is a game that exists, isn’t it? Even so, Starlink is so far removed from Star Fox that I don’t think there’s any conceivable way I could justify giving this stage… well, any Iconic points. Even with the Switch exclusive stuff. Sorry.

Originality: 1/10

Let me get this straight. You went to an entirely different game to draw inspiration for your stage, and yet you still gave us a generic space battle stage, just like we’ve already had a couple times from Star Fox stages? I mean, the multi-effect attacks spice it up a bit, but at this point they’ve entered a bit of Stage-Designer-Trope-y spot alongside “waves of enemy mooks”, so it doesn’t really raise your score any. And to top it off, the stage feels like an only slightly modified take on Orbital Gate Assault (complete with a section with randomly flying Arwings), which… I’ll give you that your version is more playable, but I’m talking purely about originality right now. And in that aspect, I think you dropped the ball hard this time around.

Playability: 6/10

Before anything else; that better not be a giant, Venom-style wall in the first image. I don’t think it is, but if I’m mistaken, then scratch everything I’m about to say, because I’d give this stage a 1 in playability as well. And I don’t think anyone wants to be the first to score a 3/25 in this contest, especially so close to the ende. So we’re all gonna say that’s a background element. Ok? Ok.

Now then, your biggest problem here is probably the entire second phase of the stage. Not only is trying to fight on the back of a bunch of tiny ships a pain (Orbital Gate Assault taught us as much), but those ship attacks move so fast they’d be next to impossible to avoid (you said “thrown white pikmin” speed, so here’s some footage of a thrown white pikmin for reference). Which is a problem, considering the nasty effects that they can put on you. Your one saving grace is that the first form of the stage - the Equinox itself, I think - is basically just a curved Final Destination, which seems alright to me. This is definitely a “hazards off” stage, though.

Overall Score: 8/25

"Macbeth" by TKOWL:

Iconic Status: 3/5

Macbeth is the other Landmaster stage, right? (The main one, of course, being Titania). If so, then it’s in a similar boat to Kevandre’s stage - it’s got a gimmick which makes it stand out, but only having been in 4 games (3, if you discount the remake of 64) it’s not exactly a staple of the series. Since it’s in a similar spot, I’ll give you a similar (well, same) score - 3.

Originality: 6/10

Once again, you kind of shot yourself in the foot by bringing up Mute City SNES. I thought your stage was super original at first, but then you yourself pointed out that stage, and now I can’t unsee the similarities. It didn’t help that your platform layout is virtually identical to Kalos Pokemon League, either, but I’ll give you a bonus point for making the Landmaster hover up off the ground - that helps differentiate it. And one thing’s for sure - this is a much different beast from the other Star Fox stages, taking place on a rocky… desert? Quarry? I’m not sure, but it’s an alien planet, and the train alongside would make for some nice scenery too. Honestly, I love the feel of this stage, so I hate to grade it so low. But, y’know. Judge’s gotta do what a judge’s gotta do.

Playability: 8/10

The main playability concerns here are the not-lava-but-c’mon-guys-it’s-basically-lava floor and the obstacles you encounter along the way to Mechbeth. Both impact the viability of the stage in more competitive settings, but this would be an absolute blast in casual settings. Definitely would be a favorite with my play group!

Overall Score: 17/25

"Zoness" by Primid:

Iconic Status: 3/5

Ah, finally, a location I recognize! Still, Zoness is in a similar spot to the other contestant’s stages - the location only showed up in a handful of games, and Zoness wasn’t particularly noteworthy in any of them… so not a perfect score or anything. But decent, nonetheless.

Originality: 10/10

I adore beautifully simple stages like this. On the surface, the stage seems like a slightly off-center Battlefield in a pool of water, but the way the stage unfolds over time makes it stand out a ton. Plus, have we ever had anything even close to resembling an oil rig (which is effectively what this is) in Smash? I don’t think we have, and I never realized how much we needed it. I just… I love everything about this stage. Well done!

Playability: 8/10

Water is of course a mild concern, but not as much as the thin pits that form when the Direct-i finishes working on the second panel. The water makes these less of an issue than they’d normally be (no recovery nightmares for PK Thunder), but it’s still a tight space which could become a sort of sideways Cave of Life in the right circumstances. But really, that’s nitpicking - this is an exceptional stage. I love it!

Overall Score: 21/25

Total Scores:

Kevandre: 49 points

GolisoPower: 28 points

TKOWL: 58 points

Primid: 68 points

The Winner is.................
Zoness by Primid

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!​

 

[Kevandre]

Well earned, Primid ! I really liked your stage as soon as I saw it. WAYYY better than my Zoness stage I made in the last contest lol

 

[Primid]

Well earned, Primid ! I really liked your stage as soon as I saw it. WAYYY better than my Zoness stage I made in the last contest lol

Thanks man! I hadn't realized you had made Zoness in the past round, I guess I should've gone back to see what the previous entries were.

On an unrelated note, I was hesitant to make a Star Fox stage that didn't revolve around the concept of flying, but it seems my risk paid off in the end.

 

[PeridotGX]

There's only one round left, let's make it the best one!

 

[GolisoPower]

Congrats to Primid for Zoness!

Also...

OOF! That score, though. Don’t worry, though: my last stage will be something better. I promise you. Sure, it might get a little dark in some points, but it’ll invoke the soul of the franchise it came from.

 

[Kevandre]

Thanks man! I hadn't realized you had made Zoness in the past round, I guess I should've gone back to see what the previous entries were.

On an unrelated note, I was hesitant to make a Star Fox stage that didn't revolve around the concept of flying, but it seems my risk paid off in the end.

It was the last contest, the one for Smash 4. So it was like four years ago. Even then yours was hella different anyway so who cares lololol

 

[TheMarioaddict]

Congrats on the win, Primid!

I can barely believe there's only one round left in this contest, and that once the round is done (well, technically shortly before the round is done), Smash Ultimate will be released. It's so surreal.

 

[Perkilator]

So what’s the last round?

 

[Kevandre]

So what’s the last round?

It's gonna be ANYTHING GOES. So long as the series has been on a Nintendo console in SOME capacity (As far as a character from that game appearing just as a guest character on a Nintendo console), it's fair game, so long as it isn't from other media (AKA no DBZ stages or anything). It's gonna be AWESOME

 

[Perkilator]

It's gonna be ANYTHING GOES. So long as the series has been on a Nintendo console in SOME capacity (As far as a character from that game appearing just as a guest character on a Nintendo console), it's fair game, so long as it isn't from other media (AKA no DBZ stages or anything). It's gonna be AWESOME

Okay, then! I’ll start on something while I’m waiting for the round to start.

By the way, will the contest go on even after the game launches or is this last round it?

 

[Kevandre]

Okay, then! I’ll start on something while I’m waiting for the round to start.

By the way, will the contest go on even after the game launches or is this last round it?

This is the last round. I'm sure nobody would stop you from submitting new stages but there's not gonna be any rounds.

Who knows, maybe TheMarioaddict will start a separate thread just for submitting new stage ideas for fun like he did for the Smash 4 contest lol

 

[Deleted member]

Perkilator

The round that starts tomorrow is indeed the final round. And I'm going to have to put a restriction on stages being submitted for fun until after the round ends. And even then I'm hoping people won't go too crazy with it. I don't really want the whole "posting in this thread after the contest comes to a close" thing to get out of hand.

 

[Perkilator]

Perkilator

The round that starts tomorrow is indeed the final round. And I'm going to have to put a restriction on stages being submitted for fun until after the round ends. And even then I'm hoping people won't go too crazy with it. I don't really want the whole "posting in this thread after the contest comes to a close" thing to get out of hand.

Ah, okay. Is it at least okay for another contest for DLC stages?

 

[Deleted member]

Ah, okay. Is it at least okay for another contest for DLC stages?

That's kind of what this one has been ever since the August Direct.

 

[Perkilator]

That's kind of what this one has been ever since the August Direct.

Well, okay, then.

 

[Cosmic77]

After 42 rounds with nearly 200 submissions, it's hard to believe we're finally down to our last round.

Good luck! Let's end this on a high note.

 

[Deleted member]

Time for Round 43!

We've had quite the journey with this contest ever since it started back in the end of January. But now we have reached the finale.

The Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Stage Creation Contest's final round is..........

Anything Goes 2

​

First of all I got to say, this is probably my favorite Round Representation image in the entire contest. A mockup of Ultimate's Stage select screen that features the winner of every round up until now plus a good chunk of the other submissions that I personally liked a lot.

Anyway, on to how this will work.

This is a repeat round of the Anything Goes round we had during the week of this last E3. Anything Goes 1 was the most open round the contest had up until now as any game that wasn't licensed and was on a Nintendo System was allowed.

This round is even more open. The rule of nothing from series that didn't originate from video games still remains, but now the rule of "games that were on Nintendo" has been changed to "games with a character that was on Nintendo".

For example, you know series like Devil May Cry? Darkstalkers? God Eater?

None of those series have ever had a single game on a Nintendo System, but all of them have characters that were in the 3DS exclusive Project X Zone games. So they are eligible.

How about Persona? No main series entries on Nintendo. But the Persona Q games are on 3DS. And the series as a whole is a spin-off of Shin Megami Tensei. Which has seen many Nintendo releases.

Final Fantasy? Yup, the whole thing. Not every game has been on Nintendo. But plenty of them have.

Psychonauts and Spelunky? Their main characters were in the Wii U version of Runner2. So those games are allowed as well despite having never been on Nintendo.

Portal? The Switch version of a game called Bridge Constructor has Portal content. It is allowed.

There's also a certain kind of game that's a rather unique case. For example, there's this old 2d Platformer made by Sega called Clockwork Knight that only ever released on the Sega Saturn. But Sega is on board with Smash Bros. already thanks to the playable characters of Sonic and Bayonetta. So a stage from Clockwork Knight, or other games that are like, is eligible.

Xbox IP's? No. Minecraft is allowed and I hear that's owned by Microsoft. But all of the others are just too complicated since they're owned by a different console maker than Nintendo.

Rareware IP's? Depends. Ones that appeared on Nintendo Systems like Banjo-Kazooie and Diddy Kong Racing? Yes. Ones that did not appear on Nintendo like Kameo: Elements of Power? No. Once again, Microsoft ownership complicates things.

Playstation IP's? Definitely not. Nothing eligible there.

And there is one game and one series that fall into the category of being eligible, but their are restrictions in place of what can be included.

The single game is Blazblue Cross Tag Battle. You can include content from Blazblue, Persona, and Under Night in Birth in a stage from this game. But you can't include content from RWBY. That series is not of video game origin. So it has to be excluded.

And the series is Kingdom Hearts. And KH original content or Square-Enix content is allowed. But all Disney content has to be excluded.

This is also one of few rounds that will allow crossover stages. Remember how Playstation All Stars Battle Royale had stages that brought multiple different franchises together in one stage? That kind of thing is allowed for this round. Fair warning though, it might be beneficial to be more creative with your crossovers than PSASBR's habit of bring in enemies from one series to attack a location from another. You can check Round 36 of this contest for an idea of the more favored kind of crossover stage.

And whether it was an entry in a past round of this contest, or a stage submitted for fun earlier in the thread. You can't just copy a previous submission and call it a day. You can base it off of the same location as a past submission but you have to make it different from that past submission if you do.

That just about covers the scope of what is and is not allowed for this final round. But remember, only one submission per person. And please refrain from submitting any ideas for fun until after the round is closed.

And if you're still not sure if something will be eligible for this last round, feel free to ask. Message in this thread or PM to me. Either one works.

And with that, on December 3rd 2018, this contests final round has begun. You have until December 7th, the long awaited release of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, at around 11:00pm Pacific Time to submit entries.

Good Luck!