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

[Deleted member]

Time on the round?

Not until the end of the day.

 

[ryuu seika]

Not until the end of the day.

That would be 11 minutes ago in my time zone...

 

[Deleted member]

That would be 11 minutes ago in my time zone...

7 and a half hours then.

 

[ryuu seika]

Hailfire Peaks
Game of Origin: Banjo Tooie
Starting Layout:

Description: Hailfire Peaks is a simple, fixed stage, focused on the symetry of ice and fire. On the right, we have the slippery ice side, with just the one platform and an icicle hanging down that acts as a ladder to extend the ledge. A small cave does reside above this ledge but, as you can see in my hastily made mockup, it is blocked by green-lit ice that cannot be broken. It is, in essence, a background image, paying tribute to the infamous Ice Key.
On the left, however, that cave is functional and acts as a safe zone behind the boiling hot water that falls from the ledge above. This water won't cause knockback but you'll still end up taking significant damage as you pass through it. I'm not totally sure what the gameplay implications of this are but, from a thematic standpoint, it highlights one of the hazards from the original stage, mirrors the frozen water and cave of the ice side and gives a nice little nod to Rare's love of waterfall hiding spots. Perhaps it could even function like Luigi's Mansion and be veiled by more water that cuts away only after you make your way inside.
And that's all for the fire side. It's not slippery like the ice or anything. Yet, there's still a little more to the stage.
The upper blast zone is obscured by clouds like in the original game and the lower one by freezing cold water or boiling hot lava, depending on your side. Hazards that work like Brinstar's but lack the rising motion and also inflict their own specific status.
Seen in green, we have the dragons. Bosses that will, on occassion, pop down through the clouds in a random order and spite fire or ice balls at players who are on their respective side. Moving the fight to the other will cause them to be completely ignored and staying in motion should mitigate their interference regardless.
And you can, of course, defeat them as well but, if you do, the second one will appear immediately after beating the first. Perhaps a cruel way to spring Chilli Billi on someone hiding from Chilly Willy in the fire side cave.
Finally, though, there is one last gimmick and it's one that won't affect gameplay at all: If the stage is playing its default music, the Hailfire Peaks theme, it will play a specially composed neutral version most of the time but swap to fire or ice side versions when all players are fighting on that side. A little nod to one of Rare's lesser talked about skills in smooth musical transitions.

Overview: A fixed stage with a slightly unusual layout and no functioning lower blast line. Not a tournament staple, by any means, due to a lack of conventional ledges and a potential "cave of life", even if its proximity to lava makes that use questionable. It should, however, prove perfectly fine for casual play and contains loads of little Rare tidbits while representing what is, in my opinion, one of their coolest levels from a conceptual standpoint.

Unlockable: Yes
Unlock Banjo.
Music:
<I wish I had time to go through the soundtrack but it's 2:30am.>

 

[Kevandre]

Hailfire Peaks
Game of Origin: Banjo Tooie
Starting Layout:

Description: Hailfire Peaks is a simple, fixed stage, focused on the symetry of ice and fire. On the right, we have the slippery ice side, with just the one platform and an icicle hanging down that acts as a ladder to extend the ledge. A small cave does reside above this ledge but, as you can see in my hastily made mockup, it is blocked by green-lit ice that cannot be broken. It is, in essence, a background image, paying tribute to the infamous Ice Key.
On the left, however, that cave is functional and acts as a safe zone behind the boiling hot water that falls from the ledge above. This water won't cause knockback but you'll still end up taking significant damage as you pass through it. I'm not totally sure what the gameplay implications of this are but, from a thematic standpoint, it highlights one of the hazards from the original stage, mirrors the frozen water and cave of the ice side and gives a nice little nod to Rare's love of waterfall hiding spots. Perhaps it could even function like Luigi's Mansion and be veiled by more water that cuts away only after you make your way inside.
And that's all for the fire side. It's not slippery like the ice or anything. Yet, there's still a little more to the stage.
The upper blast zone is obscured by clouds like in the original game and the lower one by freezing cold water or boiling hot lava, depending on your side. Hazards that work like Brinstar's but lack the rising motion and also inflict their own specific status.
Seen in green, we have the dragons. Bosses that will, on occassion, pop down through the clouds in a random order and spite fire or ice balls at players who are on their respective side. Moving the fight to the other will cause them to be completely ignored and staying in motion should mitigate their interference regardless.
And you can, of course, defeat them as well but, if you do, the second one will appear immediately after beating the first. Perhaps a cruel way to spring Chilli Billi on someone hiding from Chilly Willy in the fire side cave.
Finally, though, there is one last gimmick and it's one that won't affect gameplay at all: If the stage is playing its default music, the Hailfire Peaks theme, it will play a specially composed neutral version most of the time but swap to fire or ice side versions when all players are fighting on that side. A little nod to one of Rare's lesser talked about skills in smooth musical transitions.

Overview: A fixed stage with a slightly unusual layout and no functioning lower blast line. Not a tournament staple, by any means, due to a lack of conventional ledges and a potential "cave of life", even if its proximity to lava makes that use questionable. It should, however, prove perfectly fine for casual play and contains loads of little Rare tidbits while representing what is, in my opinion, one of their coolest levels from a conceptual standpoint.

Unlockable: Yes
Unlock Banjo.
Music:
<I wish I had time to go through the soundtrack but it's 2:30am.>

Bruuuh nice one. I was considering something like this back in 3D Mario round from Galaxy but I'm glad I didn't because yours is better

 

[Bozikins]

The best way to go about it would be to either make a new post with the links or to edit the post of your submission to include the links (in which case a new post letting me know you have done so will be helpful). I've already gathered all the submissions and their images in a google doc, so the judges will be able to grade the stages no problem. But I will need the images to come back so that I can properly add the winning stage to the Hall of Fame.

Thanks for the reply. Some pictures are coming back but I added links to my images just in case.

Hailfire Peaks
Game of Origin: Banjo Tooie
Starting Layout:

Description: Hailfire Peaks is a simple, fixed stage, focused on the symetry of ice and fire. On the right, we have the slippery ice side, with just the one platform and an icicle hanging down that acts as a ladder to extend the ledge. A small cave does reside above this ledge but, as you can see in my hastily made mockup, it is blocked by green-lit ice that cannot be broken. It is, in essence, a background image, paying tribute to the infamous Ice Key.
On the left, however, that cave is functional and acts as a safe zone behind the boiling hot water that falls from the ledge above. This water won't cause knockback but you'll still end up taking significant damage as you pass through it. I'm not totally sure what the gameplay implications of this are but, from a thematic standpoint, it highlights one of the hazards from the original stage, mirrors the frozen water and cave of the ice side and gives a nice little nod to Rare's love of waterfall hiding spots. Perhaps it could even function like Luigi's Mansion and be veiled by more water that cuts away only after you make your way inside.
And that's all for the fire side. It's not slippery like the ice or anything. Yet, there's still a little more to the stage.
The upper blast zone is obscured by clouds like in the original game and the lower one by freezing cold water or boiling hot lava, depending on your side. Hazards that work like Brinstar's but lack the rising motion and also inflict their own specific status.
Seen in green, we have the dragons. Bosses that will, on occassion, pop down through the clouds in a random order and spite fire or ice balls at players who are on their respective side. Moving the fight to the other will cause them to be completely ignored and staying in motion should mitigate their interference regardless.
And you can, of course, defeat them as well but, if you do, the second one will appear immediately after beating the first. Perhaps a cruel way to spring Chilli Billi on someone hiding from Chilly Willy in the fire side cave.
Finally, though, there is one last gimmick and it's one that won't affect gameplay at all: If the stage is playing its default music, the Hailfire Peaks theme, it will play a specially composed neutral version most of the time but swap to fire or ice side versions when all players are fighting on that side. A little nod to one of Rare's lesser talked about skills in smooth musical transitions.

Overview: A fixed stage with a slightly unusual layout and no functioning lower blast line. Not a tournament staple, by any means, due to a lack of conventional ledges and a potential "cave of life", even if its proximity to lava makes that use questionable. It should, however, prove perfectly fine for casual play and contains loads of little Rare tidbits while representing what is, in my opinion, one of their coolest levels from a conceptual standpoint.

Unlockable: Yes
Unlock Banjo.
Music:
<I wish I had time to go through the soundtrack but it's 2:30am.>

Glad you got to post yours in time! Awesome idea inspired by one my favorite worlds in BT. Great job!

 

[Deleted member]

Alright guys. Round 29 is now closed. See you on Sunday with the grades for it.

 

[Deleted member]

So after today, there will be grand total of 96 days left until Smash Ultimate is in our hands at last. As you know, the week that Smash Ultimate comes out will also be the week of the final round of this contest. That leaves the 10 rounds you currently see on the poll left plus 4 more. For the round 31 poll all but one of the rounds left on the back burner will be added to the poll. And from there the rounds available for voting will decrease 1 by 1 as new rounds begin. So to get everyone prepared for the last hurrah, I'm going to give some details here about all 14 remaining rounds.

Smaller Mario Games:

Mario Platformers, Mario Kart, Mario RPG's, Mario Party. These have all had their own rounds in the contest already. This round will cover every other type of Mario Game that's eligible for this contest. Sports games, Puzzle Games, miscellaneous stuff like Luigi's Mansion and Mario + Rabbids, you name it. The only things banned are games of the previous Mario rounds, CD-i games, and edutainment games. Anything else is allowed.

Yoshi and Wario:

Like Donkey Kong, Yoshi and Wario are both Mario Characters that have their own series that they represent in Smash instead of being Mario Reps. Depending on who you ask, these do count as Mario games. But for this Double Dip round we're treating them as if they are separate series from Mario. Donkey Kong already had his own round like this, but we have to put Yoshi and Wario together since on their own the rounds would run the risk of being too stagnant.

The Legend of Zelda 2:

The repeat round for Zelda. No CD-i games, no Tingle Games, and no games from that weird Super Nintendo Satellite based peripheral. Everything else is allowed.

Metroid 2:

The repeat round for Metroid. Simple as that.

Pokemon 2:

The repeat round for Pokemon. Only Stages from the games. And even then things like Web Browser games and Pokemon Go are banned.

Fire Emblem 2:

The repeat round for Fire Emblem. And I do want to confirm that this round is for Fire Emblem games. Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE? That's not a Fire Emblem game.

Star Fox 2:

The repeat round for Star Fox. A series where all of it's games are eligible.

Kid Icarus and F-Zero:

Both series have characters in Smash but are rather small. Small enough to where on their own, they'd be rounds that would probably be too stagnant. So we're putting them together.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2:

The repeat round for Sonic. Like with Pokemon, only stages from the games. And the Sonic Boom side-series is ineligible.

Nintendo Switch:

With the exception of licensed games, any game that is or will be on the Switch is allowed for this round.

Crossover Stages:

Remember how Playstation-All Stars put things from more than one series on one stage? That's the kind of thing this round is for. Be warned though that thanks to Stage Morphing, a stage that just cycles through multiple areas one series at a time will hurt your originality scores from me.

Mega Man:

The only remaining 3rd party exclusive round of the contest besides Sonic's repeat round. And it's not just for the Classic series either. The X series, Zero series, ZX series, Battle Network, Star Force, and Legends are all allowed. Just be aware that it's kind of impossible to submit something from Mega Man 11 until after it comes out in October. Just something to keep in mind when voting.

The Full Mario Catalog:

When repeat rounds were being considered Mario was certainly a contender. But the separation of his games by series throughout this contest made it a bit tricky. So I decided to give them all a repeat round by combing every Mario game into one round. Except for Hotel Mario and the Edutainment games. And while the separate rounds have been conducted under the opinion that Yoshi, Wario, and Donkey Kong are separate games from the Mario series, this round goes under the opposite opinion. Meaning that Yoshi, Wario, and Donkey Kong games are eligible for this round as well.

Anything Goes 2:

This is the only remaining round that will not be added to the polls because it is being reserved for the release week of Smash Ultimate to be the final round. It is a repeat round of the Anything goes category we had during the week of E3. Any game is eligible as long as it is from a series that originated as a video game and is a game or series where it's characters have been on a Nintendo system. For example, Persona 5 and the entire Devil May Cry series have not had a release on a Nintendo System. But there characters of Joker and Dante have or will be on Nintendo Systems via Persona Q2 and Project X Zone respectively. So stages from their home games of Persona 5 and any of the Devil May Cry games are eligible. The same applies to any series in the same boat. This is also the only remaining round besides Crossover Stages where, well, Crossover Stages will be allowed.


Now you know of every remaining round this contest will have. So hopefully that will give you all the info you need to prepare. As always, feel free to ask questions if you're unsure.

 

[Cosmic77]

Only got a handful of rounds left. Make 'em count by giving us your best stages yet.

 

[Kevandre]

Anything Goes 2:

This is the only remaining round that will not be added to the polls because it is being reserved for the release week of Smash Ultimate to be the final round. It is a repeat round of the Anything goes category we had during the week of E3. Any game is eligible as long as it is from a series that originated as a video game and is a game or series where it's characters have been on a Nintendo system. For example, Persona 5 and the entire Devil May Cry series have not had a release on a Nintendo System. But there characters of Joke and Dante have or will be on Nintendo Systems via Persona Q2 and Project X Zone respectively. So stages from their home games of Persona 5 and any of the Devil May Cry games are eligible. The same applies to any series in the same boat. This is also the only remaining round besides Crossover Stages where, well, Crossover Stages will be allowed.


Now you know of every remaining round this contest will have. So hopefully that will give you all the info you need to prepare. As always, feel free to ask questions if you're unsure.

You have no idea how happy this makes me. There's one series that should have always been on Nintendo, but wasn't... Luckily the main character has guest starred in a game on Nintendo so we IN, BOYS

 

[TheMarioaddict]

I expect only the finest quality stages from now on. Anything that doesn't score a perfect 100 from here on out will be considered an absolute failure.

Yes, I'm aware that the maximum score is only 75.

My stance is unchanged.

 

[Kevandre]

I expect only the finest quality stages from now on. Anything that doesn't score a perfect 100 from here on out will be considered an absolute failure.

Yes, I'm aware that the maximum score is only 75.

My stance is unchanged.

I live to disappoint you sir

 

[Deleted member]

Time for Round 29 grades!

psb123's grades:

Click Clock Wood by Kevandre

Iconic Status: 5/5

One of the things that Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie both live and breath by is their worlds. Honestly Grunty Industries is the only world across both that I would question in terms of Iconic Value. And being the final world of the game gives Click Clock Wood even more of an edge.

Originality: 10/10

Can't really think of a whole lot wrong here in the originality department. It has the season changes affect the layout of the stage and truth be told the actual level from the source game doesn't really have any other notable elements to add that this stage doesn't already cover. Nothing that would be a requirement anyway.

Playability: 7/10

Sadly the playability here gets hurt pretty decently by the lack of a center platform. All the footing is scattered to the sides except for parts of the tree that, with the exception of the flower, are too narrow. And even then the flower is only there in the Spring.

Overall Score: 22/25

Sprial Mountain by GolisoPower

Iconic Status: 5/5

It may be the tutorial area. But it's just as Iconic as any actual level from either game. Most people assume this is the Banjo stage we'd get in Smash for a reason after all.

Originality: 5/10

Truth be told though, I'm not a fan of Spiral Mountain as a stage because I don't think it's as exciting as some other Banjo-Kazooie Locations you could have. Well, mostly. There is one gimmick that could be added to Spiral Mountain that would make it exciting enough. But that gimmick is not the one you implemented here. Instead we have a rather basic area. Gruntilda casting curses on fighters fits her pretty well. But the lack of a reward for defeating her makes her under utilized as a stage boss. And if she isn't supposed to be a stage boss then, well, she probably should have been. It would have added more unique flare to the idea.

Playability: 3/10

The unique, yet fitting for the round, ways of speaking were funny for a while. But in the future you really should drop them in favor of giving proper detail about your stage. Gruntilda casting hard to avoid curses on the fighters is one thing but I do not understand how the rotating and hiding behind the mountain works at all. And if I can't understand it's concept, I'd have a very difficult time picturing the stage as playable.

Overall Score: 13/25

Clanker's Cavern by Bozikins

Iconic Status: 5/5

I don't think there's a single submission this round that I won't be giving a 5 too for iconic status. Clanker's Cavern in particular is one of the most memorable BK stages. Don't even pretend you weren't freaked out by that shark.

Originality: 10/10

Now this is a creative stage! Meshes well with the source material and the changes in layout depending on what water level Clanker is in are quite clever. I also like how you kept the sides as blast zones when actually inside clanker. That is very much appreciated.

Playability: 5/10

Unfortunately the phase where you go inside Clanker causes too much frustration. It's too hard to KO people from the top and too easy to be KO'd from the sides. And the fact that you have to deal with this phase for 30 seconds makes for too long of a time in too frustrating of an area. Had you just left it at the first two phases, this probably would have gotten a 10. Even the 30 seconds before transition, which is usually too long, would have been manageable if it was just the first two phases alone.

Overall Score: 20/25

Jinjo Village by S SkySkipper

Iconic Status: 5/5

Once again we have a 5 here. Jinjo Village is set very early on in Banjo-Tooie with some at decently impactful moments. Plus it's a village of Jinjo's. Any Banjo-Kazooie fan will know what those are.

Originality: 10/10

Simple but effective. Only one gimmick and it meshes quite well with the source material.

Playability: 9/10

Maybe the damage done from the Jinjonator could be lowered a bit. But everything else is pretty well balanced.

Overall Score: 24/25

Hailfire Peaks by ryuu seika

Iconic Status: 5/5

This is the only submission this round that I was debating a 4 on. I stuck with the 5 because of how unique the "Fire & Ice World" setting is.

Originality: 9/10

I like the way you incorporated the fire and ice sides of the source level into one stage and the icicle being a ladder is a neat little touch. I do think whoever KO'd one dragon should become temporarily immune to the attacks of the other since bosses I feel should provide a reward upon defeating them. But otherwise this whole thing works out pretty well.

Playability: 8/10

The cave on the fire side doesn't need to be there. It's purpose is to avoid damage from the lava flow but you have to go through said lava flow in order to get to it in the first place. So what's the point? Seems like someone could just go there to camp at the cost of a bit of damage. A strategy made even more annoying by the damage anyone who goes after them could take trying to pursue them out of camping.

Overall Score: 22/25

Cosmic77's grades:

"Click Clock Wood" by Kevandre:

Iconic Status: 5/5

Debated between a four and a five. While I don't think it's quite as iconic as other areas, it's still pretty notable and memorable in its own rights.

Originality: 7/10

To tell you the truth, the changing of the seasons concept could've been implemented a little better. That's not to say I don't like the idea at all, but I really would've enjoyed some more creative hazzards.

I did like your idea for spring though. I think it really stood out among the rest.

Playability: 7/10

Based on the image you provided, those branches seem a little too far apart for players to comfortably fight, making this an extremely awkward layout for a stage.

I think an easy solution would be to remove the pit below the tree.

Overall Score: 19/25

"Spiral Mountain" by GolisoPower:

New accent every week, huh?

Iconic Status: 5/5

Arguably one of the most iconic areas in BK. Perfect score from me!

Originality: 8/10

A rotating camera is very original, and I think it would work well with this layout.

Although, I have to remind you that you used a similar gimmick during the FE round.

Playability: 4/10

Same thing I told you last time you used the rotating camera concept. It's just too hard to implement any type of 3D movement in Smash without making a total mess of a stage.

Overall Score: 17/25

"Clanker's Cavern" by Bozikins:

Iconic Status: 4/5

Well, it's certainly memorable. I just don't think it's on the same level as other areas.

Originality: 10/10

VERY creative. Going inside Clanker for part of a stage is something I'm sure no one else would've came up with.

I also like the layout of the stage a lot too. Makes it stand out even more than it already does.

Playability: 5/10

It pains me to be so critical of an awesome stage like this, but there's more than a few problems present. The blowhole is OP as heck, water is everywhere, and the ceiling inside Clanker could prevent players from getting KOs.

The gimmicks were creative, but you may have wanted to tone them down a bit.

Overall Score: 19/25

"Jinjo Village" by SkySkipper:

Iconic Status: 4/5

Came close to giving you a perfect score, but I changed my mind last second (sorry about that).

While I do think this is extremely iconic compared to the other areas you could've chosen, I don't think it would be one of the first places that comes to mind when someone mentions BK.

Originality: 8/10

Not bad. The layout is decent, and the Jinjo gimmick is pretty cool. I can see people frantically running to free a Jinjo so they won't have to worry about getting hit in the future.

Playability: 8/10

Layout is fine, but 35% for the Jinjo attack is a bit much for me. Lower it to 20% or less and I'd be satisfied with it.

Overall Score: 20/25

"Hailfire Peaks" by Ryu seika:

Iconic Status: 4/5

Probably not the most iconic area you could choose from the BK universe.

...I need some variability with my iconic status grades.

Originality: 10/10

You can thank the dragons for this score, otherwise you'd be a sad sap who got a 7 for his originality grade.

Staying on the opposite side of the stage so you don't get blasted is a simple but creative idea that surprisingly has not been used in Smash yet. This feels like a genuine fun stage.

Playability: 6/10

I'll give you props for pointing out your stage's flaws.

The caves of life, the boiling water, the ice, the dragons - you've got a lot of activity in your stage, and that's sure to make things hectic.

Overall Score: 20/25

TheMarioAddict's Grades:

"Click Clock Wood" by Kevandre:

Iconic Status: 5/5

Ok, so I have a suspicion I’ll end up giving every stage a 5/5 for iconic… but really, that’s on Banjo-Kazooie as a series, not me. You could make a stage based on just about anywhere in the Banjoverse, and it’d probably be worthy of a perfect score. Click-Clock Wood is no exception - the changing seasons and the big central tree make it hugely memorable, even if it is the last area in the game (Furnace Fun aside). Well chosen!

Originality: 10/10

Once again, there’s practically nothing for me to fault here - I mean, I could get nitpicky and say “well, technically, Yoshi’s Island (Brawl) already does the changing seasons thing,” but that would be a huge reach. Besides, you work in the seasons so much better than YIB (where it’s mostly, if not all, an aesthetic change), making the stage itself change with the seasons. It’s great, and I love it!

Playability: 6/10

Aaaand here’s where the stage starts to suffer. It’s not bad, per se, but I feel like the platform layout is a bit… awkward. The platforms all seem kinda small (though that may simply be due to the pic and scaling), and some of them seem a little oddly spaced (the branch on the left feels to close to the lower left tree platform). Mostly, though, the pit in the center concerns me. Yes, I’m glad that there even is a pit, but it seems like unless the stage is currently in Fall or Spring, that pit is gonna be hard for some characters to cross (and even in Fall and Spring, it could still be tricky). I think this stage would have been vastly improved simply by thinning out the central tree a bit, and moving the platforms along with it.

Overall Score: 21/25

"Spiral Mountain" by GolisoPower:

Iconic Status: 5/5

Like I said, lots of 5s this round. Yours is probably even more deserving than Kevandre’s stage, because Spiral Mountain is the very first area of not just the first game, but of every Banjo-Kazooie game. Doesn’t get much more iconic than that.

Originality: 9/10

On the surface, this seems like a pretty simple stage, and to be honest, I thought it was at first. But then you mentioned the camera rotating around the mountain, and that gave this stage a whole lot more to work with! I had a similar idea long ago, so I’m glad to see it given form by someone else! Grunty is a great addition too, throwing in a lot of magic and chaos to give this stage that little bit more of a boost! Great job here!

Playability: 5/10

Ok, so right off the bat: I’m not sure I fully understand the rotating. At first I thought it was just a visual thing, with the camera rotating around and the platforms (effectively) acting as 2D treadmills that change in size and position. If you’d left it there, I’d have no problems (well… ok, I’d have a few problems, but not many). But then you said you could hide behind the mountain, and that threw everything out the window - so the stage is multilayered, like Jungle Hijinks? How do you get to the back part? By walking? Standing still and waiting? Can you even get knocked off the stage, or does getting launched sideways knock you around the mountain? Those questions, along with some general issues with Grunty (she’s cool, but surely you know she’s gonna make playing the stage harder), force me to give this stage a kind of low score. Which is a shame, because I honestly really like this stage - it just wasn’t handled as well as I think it could be.

Overall Score: 19/25

"Clanker’s Cavern" by Bozikins:

Iconic Status: 4/5

Ok, to be fair, you were very close to getting a perfect 5 here. The only thing I think you don’t have going for you that others do is that I’m not sure this stage is one that instantly reads as “Banjo-Kazooie”. Something like Spiral Mountain is a stage you can look at and, even if you don’t know Banjo-Kazooie, you’ll still be able to say “oh yeah, that’s a Banjo-Kazooie stage.” I don’t think Clanker’s Cavern has that same aspect to it, and so to me, it loses a point.

Originality: 10/10

I love that you managed to take the most notable aspect of Clanker’s Cavern - freeing Clanker and running around inside him - and fit every piece of that into this stage. This feels exactly like the original level, which is always good in my book! Add in that this stage is set in a very unique setting - some dark, damp sewers - and this stage gets high marks from me in originality!

Playability: 5/10

Let me be clear: everything outside of Clanker is perfectly fine. I’d actually love playing on the stage if it were just those two phases. However, while I love that going inside of Clanker is a part of the stage, there’s just… there’s so many gameplay problems with it that it cut an otherwise cool stage’s Playability score in half, all on its own. The transitions seem like they’re specifically designed to punish players who want to play a regular game of smash, the side blast zones are really close, the top blast zone is incredibly tiny, it takes forever for the stage to go back to normal (more on that below), and… I hate to be mean, but it’s just bad. I think it would’ve been worth sacrificing a point of creativity in exchange for leaving that entire part of the stage on the cutting room floor.

Overall Score: 19/25

Also, not to pick on the new guy, but this is a good example of a common problem I see in stages (Listen up, everyone! This'll be on the test later!): I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again - 30 seconds is way to long for a transforming/travelling stage to stay in one form. I know it doesn’t sound like a long time, but with how fast-paced smash matches are, 30 seconds is an eternity. Stages like this should be in one form for like, 20 seconds at most, and even that is pushing it I think. 15 seconds is the golden number here - cherish it always.

"Jinjo Village" by SkySkipper:

Iconic Status: 4/5

This is one of few areas from the BK games that I feel wasn’t actually all that memorable on its own… I mean, it’s still insanely memorable, don’t get me wrong, but compared to other Banjo-Kazooie locations, it’s… look, you’re asking me to compare whether Silver or Gold is worse, and even if Silver is valuable on its own, it’s still not worth as much as Gold. Jinjo Village is the Silver.

Originality: 8/10

This is pretty darn good! The layout is a bit bland for my tastes, but it is admittedly a unique layout, and the Jinjo mechanic is totally appropriate (even if it is, essentially, just a stage version of the Dragoon items). I like the visual of Jinjo Village too - definitely something you won’t find anywhere else!

Playability: 8/10

The main platform layout isn’t too much of a concern here (the right house could maybe be camped, but that’s a nitpick), but the jinjo mechanic does make me raise an eyebrow. The Jinjonator is pretty powerful, after all… but it’s not really a deal killer in this case. Aside from the Jinjos, this stage seems perfectly playable.

Overall Score: 20/25

"Hailfire Peaks" by ryuu seika:

Iconic Status: 4/5

I love, and always have loved, Hailfire Peaks. I’m sure there are many others who agree. It’s probably the most unique level in Banjo-Tooie, possibly all of Banjo. But once again, I worry that non-Banjo-players won’t quite get the origins of this stage (I could easily see it confused for Freezeflame Galaxy, for example). But that aside, this stage is a great choice for this round!

Originality: 8/10

This stage is a weird one for me in originality. If you look at the individual pieces of this level, then there’s not really a whole lot of new stuff here - ice has been used on Summit, lava in Norfair, even the fire/ice attacks were seen on Gerudo Valley. Bringing them together in a unique setting, however, makes this a stage that’s greater than the sum of its parts. So I think despite using pre-existing mechanics, this is a stage worthy of a high originality score!

Playability: 6/10

Ok, a quick aside first: I’m confused what part you’re referring to when you say “caves”. The way you talk about them sounds like you’re talking about the parts under the main platform (behind the icicle and boiling water), but you then specifically mention the green ice & ice key, which clearly are referencing the little circles in your drawing. So… which is it? And if it’s the latter, then… I’ll be honest, I don’t understand how players interact with the cave on the fire side.

Now then, the actual playability comments: a combination of lava and weird ledges doesn’t do you any favors here. And the Chill-Dragons only make things worse, covering entire halves of the stage with their attacks, and only getting more aggressive if you try to stop them. I could see this stage being fun casually if hazards are turned off, but beyond that, I’m not sure how much I’d play here.

Overall Score: 18/25

Total Scores:

Kevandre: 62 points

GolisoPower: 49 points

Bozikins: 58 points

SkySkipper: 64 points

ryuu seika: 60 points

The Winner is..............
Jinjo Village by SkySkipper

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!​

 

[GolisoPower]

Congrats to SkyShipper for your stage!

Okay, maybe adding the rotation on Spiral Mountain wasn’t such a good idea, but when I first thought of it, I wanted to put the emphasis on “Spiral” in the name. And at the time, I didn’t think of making Gruntilda a Boss, which wouldn’t have fit with the stage. But then again, you fight Metal Face in Gaur Plains, so, yeah...

 

[PeridotGX]

congrats to Sky Skipper! I've never played a Banjo game, so that's why I didn't submit a stage.

As for my next stage, here' s a hint.

 

[TheMarioaddict]

congrats to Sky Skipper! I've never played a Banjo game, so that's why I didn't submit a stage.

As for my next stage, here' s a hint.

Oh boy, I can't wait for WarioNessRool Floats!

 

[Deleted member]

congrats to Sky Skipper! I've never played a Banjo game, so that's why I didn't submit a stage.

As for my next stage, here' s a hint.

Calling it now. Wario City from Mario Super Sluggers.

 

[ryuu seika]

Okay, maybe adding the rotation on Spiral Mountain wasn’t such a good idea, but when I first thought of it, I wanted to put the emphasis on “Spiral” in the name. And at the time, I didn’t think of making Gruntilda a Boss, which wouldn’t have fit with the stage. But then again, you fight Metal Face in Gaur Plains, so, yeah...

Spiral mountain is a fundamentally familiar but laclustre location compared to much of the BK world. It has only one thing going for it as a stage location, IMO, and that is the initial sense of excitement when the tutorial comes to an end and you're given this mountain to climb, the turns getting tighter and tighter and the anticipation of what might be atop it building as you go. It's a short climb but, as a kid playing the game for the first time, a big moment all the same.
No stage without rotation could capture that.

The problem with your stage isn't the rotation but the poorly explained and concieved implimentation thereof. A better method, IMO, would have been to take notes from Rainbow Cruise and have the stage constantly scroll slowly up a larger rendition of its titular mountain, the mountain rotating as it went and only the visible part acting as a stage. Players would be moved along with the platforms, as TheMarioAddict mentioned, but forced off its edges if they sat around for too long. Not that too long wouldn't be quite a while - We're talking a nice, sedate stroll of a climb here, not the breakneck pace of Rumble Falls.

And, upon reaching the top, the bridge heads off into the background and we get a perfect view of Grunty's self-modelled lair - Both entirely for show as you fight on a single, plain, grassy platform.

After ~30 seconds, however, along comes Grunty herself to curse you all the way back to the bottom. Thematically portrayed as keeping you from entering her lair but mechanically just resetting this looping stage.

That is how, had someone said "Rotating Spiral Mountain" to me, I would have crafted the stage. Without that first word, though, I couldn't see Spiral Mountain working at all so I'm really grateful for the original (and it was very) idea that kicked off this concept. Cheers dude and be proud of yourself. You had the beginnings of something Amazing.

As for the next round, what's the judges' stance on rehashing ideas from a much earlier Smash stage design contest on these boards? I already did what I believe was the perfect location for a lesser known Mario title and I feel like it was only poorly recieved due to the numbers that I applied to it.

 

[GolisoPower]

Spiral mountain is a fundamentally familiar but laclustre location compared to much of the BK world. It has only one thing going for it as a stage location, IMO, and that is the initial sense of excitement when the tutorial comes to an end and you're given this mountain to climb, the turns getting tighter and tighter and the anticipation of what might be atop it building as you go. It's a short climb but, as a kid playing the game for the first time, a big moment all the same.
No stage without rotation could capture that.

The problem with your stage isn't the rotation but the poorly explained and concieved implimentation thereof. A better method, IMO, would have been to take notes from Rainbow Cruise and have the stage constantly scroll slowly up a larger rendition of its titular mountain, the mountain rotating as it went and only the visible part acting as a stage. Players would be moved along with the platforms, as TheMarioAddict mentioned, but forced off its edges if they sat around for too long. Not that too long wouldn't be quite a while - We're talking a nice, sedate stroll of a climb here, not the breakneck pace of Rumble Falls.

And, upon reaching the top, the bridge heads off into the background and we get a perfect view of Grunty's self-modelled lair - Both entirely for show as you fight on a single, plain, grassy platform.

After ~30 seconds, however, along comes Grunty herself to curse you all the way back to the bottom. Thematically portrayed as keeping you from entering her lair but mechanically just resetting this looping stage.

That is how, had someone said "Rotating Spiral Mountain" to me, I would have crafted the stage. Without that first word, though, I couldn't see Spiral Mountain working at all so I'm really grateful for the original (and it was very) idea that kicked off this concept. Cheers dude and be proud of yourself. You had the beginnings of something Amazing.

As for the next round, what's the judges' stance on rehashing ideas from a much earlier Smash stage design contest on these boards? I already did what I believe was the perfect location for a lesser known Mario title and I feel like it was only poorly recieved due to the numbers that I applied to it.

Thanks for the advice, man!

 

[Deleted member]

As for the next round, what's the judges' stance on rehashing ideas from a much earlier Smash stage design contest on these boards? I already did what I believe was the perfect location for a lesser known Mario title and I feel like it was only poorly recieved due to the numbers that I applied to it.

Stages submitted to contests that happened before this one are allowed.

 

[TheMarioaddict]

As for the next round, what's the judges' stance on rehashing ideas from a much earlier Smash stage design contest on these boards? I already did what I believe was the perfect location for a lesser known Mario title and I feel like it was only poorly recieved due to the numbers that I applied to it.

That's more of a PSB question, but I imagine that so long as you haven't submitted it to this stage contest, it should be fine. After all, as a contestant, I frequently submitted stages I'd shown off before, and no one ever told me to stop doing that.

But that's just my thoughts. I'd wait for PSB to give the final say.

EDIT: nvm, psb beat me to answering, lol.

 

[Bozikins]

Congratulations Sky! Just looking at your image I get the theme for Jinjo Village stuck in my head.

I appreciate the feedback from the judges. Trust me I debated for two days on how I could turn the inside of Clanker into a playable stage. Needed the reminder that balance is key. Hoping to redeem myself in another category in the future.

 

[ryuu seika]

Yeah, I feel like I got carried away with thematic elements myself and maybe with a little longer to work on it my stage would have turned out differently but I have my doubts. Hitting all the buttons with the pseudo-symetrical stage features, level-defining boss fight and secret behind the waterfall was just too big of a draw for me.

I do feel like I lost 2 or 3 points for 2am me's less than stellar explanation skills, though, and that could definitely have been fixed had I not forgotten about the contest until the day of the deadline. Oops.

 

[SkySkipper]

Thank you all.
Although I was a big Banjo-Tooie fan back in the day, I'd never been able to come up with a Banjo-series stage that I was satisfied with until I started trying to think of something for this round. All in all, I'm pretty pleased with how this one turned out.

As for smaller Mario games, I don't have any good ideas at the moment, so I'll have to see if I can come up with anything.

 

[Deleted member]

Time for Round 30!

Winning the poll at 7 votes, Round 30 is...................

Smaller Mario Games

​

We've had rounds for the main series platformers that made Mario a legend as well as his kart racers, his rpg's, and his party games. This round covers all the other games out of Mario's repertoire that aren't quite big enough to warrant their own rounds.

Hotel Mario and the educational games are not allowed, neither are any Donkey Kong games, Yoshi games, or Wario games (though areas themed after those characters from things like the sports games are eligible).

To give an idea, here are some examples of the games this round covers:

Mario Tennis
Mario Strikers
Mario Baseball
Dr. Mario
Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Luigi's Mansion
Super Princess Peach
Captain Toad Treasure Tracker
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle

Now a few of those games, most notably Mario & Sonic, pull locations from other games within their respective series. So in order for it to count, you'll have to base it off of the smaller game in question. Moo Moo Meadows from Mario or Egg Factory from Sonic would have to be based on their appearance in the Olympics, Mount Volbono would have to be based on Captain Toad Treasure Tracker instead of Mario Odyssey, that kind of thing.

Feel free to ask if you're not sure whether a game will count. You can ask me via a post in this thread or via PM. Whichever you prefer.

And with that, on September 3rd 2018, Round 30 has begun. You have until Friday, September 7th to submit entries.

Good Luck!

 

[Cosmic77]

I fully expect a Luigi's Mansion stage. Anyone who fails to deliver will be burdened with a 5-point penalty for the rest of the competition.

Have fun!

 

[Kevandre]

Mario’s Tennis​

(Virtual Boy)​

​

​

​

I thoroughly enjoyed making my Teleroboxer stage featuring Virtual Boy graphics back in the day and have wanted to do another VB stage since then. Coming into this round with the limited amount of games on the docket, I figured jumping back into virtual reality might help to set the stage apart. So here we are- The OG Mario Tennis game.

​

Truly, aside from the eye cancer, there isn’t a whole lot to this stage. There is only one platform, the net in the middle of the stage. But that wouldn’t set it much apart from an Omega version, so what else do we have?



Well, it is a tennis game after all. And there is a match occurring right now. The giant tennis ball flying overhead is a damage hazard! If you get hit by it, you’ll get 15% damage and some knockback! The ball is always on screen though so don’t worry.



The other gimmick of this stage is in keeping with what the Virtual Boy was meant to be… virtual reality. You are meant to believe that you’re really there, in this black and red world. As such… the camera will move alongside the server on the tennis court.

​

​

It isn’t much, but it can take a bit to get used to since it’s pretty unusual for a Smash Bros stage. Keep up with your character and everything will be fine!



Not much else going on here, but I’m reasonably happy with this one. J



Unlockable: Summon the Waluigi assist trophy with ROB.

Music:​

​

Singles 1 (I swear, the only Virtual Boy song… Ow, that hurt): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkz8LEuWl7U​

Tournament 1st Match (Mario Tennis 64): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTQ7HnRut64​

Tiebreak (Mario Tennis 64): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEHzWUJ2NWc​

Title Theme (Mario Power Tennis): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBlzlqhrong​

Mario Classic Court (Mario Power Tennis): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNxH2PBFiO8​

Exhibition Court (Mario Tennis GBC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESL7y-pTPEQ​

Menu Theme (Mario Tennis Aces): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV5BsFVkNIA​

​

​

 

[GolisoPower]

Stage Name:
Phantom Stage

Origin:
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle

Gimmicks and Hazards:
Cover blocks, effect blocks

Description:

Maestro, can you play something spooky, yet whimsical, if you please?

*ahem*

From Mario + Rabbids,
I bring to you this stage,
That's memorable by players,
And will last for an age...

The Phantom of the Bwahpera,
The first boss shown for the game,
Is fought at this part of the story,
And has brought many to shame...
The blue blocks shown right here,
Have hit boxes of their own,
And are destroyed in three hits,
To ensure none are left alone,
But sometimes when you crush them,
A strange new block is seen,
That will explode when hit,
For e-ffects not too keen!
From Flowers on their heads,
To Ramblin' Evil 'Shrooms,
The effects of the blocks are random,
And could spell certain doom....

Oh! A new guest has arrived!

You and I both know quite well,
That the stage is not complete,
Without the Phantom himself,
To sing with a voice so sweet,
He will choose a fighter active,
And sing a song of them,
Taking jabs at their character,
Which I'm sure that they'd condemn,
From Ridley's size to Meta Knight's guise,
To Pittoo's lack of difference,
To K. Rool's evil motives,
To Lucas' great...dif-fid-ence!

Now that you have heard my voice,
In this great big contest round,
I'll either be in the dust,
Or I'll dri-i-i-i-i-i-ive...the-e-e-e-e-e-e-e...re-e-e-e-e-e-e-est...to-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-...the-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e...GRO-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-UND!

*Applause is heard as GolisoPower bows*

Unlockable:
No

Music:
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle Medley
Phantom of the Bwahpera Medley
Mid-boss Theme (Mario + Rabbids)
Rabbid Kong Theme (Mario + Rabbids)

 

[Deleted member]

Poll for round 31 is up. Like I said in an earlier post, every remaining round other than the final round is on there. Details of those rounds are in said earlier post.

 

[Good Guy Giygas]

"MINI-LAND"
from Mario vs. Donkey Kong series

Here is my stage based on the Mario vs. Donkey Kong games. I've only played the first game, which is pretty different than the subsequent entries in the series. However, I wanted to capture the Lemmings-esque gameplay present in the more recent games since it's what the series has become known for. My creation isn't based on one level/game in particular; it's more of an amalgamation of the core elements morphed into a stage (though the art style is borrowed from Tipping Stars, so I guess it's kinda loosely based on that game more). The picture shown above is what the default version of the stage looks like. Here's a picture demonstrating the stage collisions for those interested:

Spoiler: Default Stage Collisions

The red lines represent solid ground, while the yellow lines are pass-through platforms.

In the newer games, one of the main mechanics is drawing lines between the blocks/screws to create platforms that guide the Mini Marios to the finish. Therefore, I decided to use this as the central "gimmick" of my stage. As you can see, there are a bunch of red screws scattered all over the terrain. Attacking two screws in succession will create a platform/wall, depending on which ones you attack.

Shown above is a visual explanation of how this works: As an example, say Lucas first attacks block "1" and then jumps and attacks the block labeled "2." A vertical platform will form, creating a wall. Next, he attacks block "2" and then "3" (or vice versa). This will create another diagonal platform between these points. Hopefully this explanation makes sense and you can see the direction this stage is going. This is the fun part of the stage; you can create your own platform layout mid-battle! To demonstrate just what is possible, take a look at some of the possibilities I whipped up below.

Spoiler: Possible Layouts

Just as a side note, the platforms will always be pass-through unless they are completely vertical (then they will be solid walls).

Notes About Platforms:
Similar to how these platforms function in the games, they can't overlap each other or any other ground. There is also a limit on how many can be used at a time in the source games, so in this stage there can only be 3 platforms total at any given moment. If all 3 are already present, there is a hierarchy to which platforms will remain when another player starts creating new platforms. Basically, it works backwards, with the most recent platforms staying the same, while the new platform replaces the oldest of those 3 (Hopefully that makes sense). Also, over time, if no new platforms are created, the platforms will disappear, starting with the oldest.

Now that we got all the technical details out of the way, we can take a look at the practical use of these platforms in battle. After all, this stage hails from a puzzle game franchise, so expect more than just switching up the playing field! Throughout the match, a Mini Mario will appear out of a warp pipe at a random spot on the stage. Simultaneously, a door will appear at a different random location. The Mini Mario won't have any direct effect on the battle, and players cannot interact with it either. Or can you...?

Just like in the games, the Mini Marios move on their own and can only be directed to their destination using the platforms. You can do this here as well! If you can successfully direct the Mini Mario to the exit door, then everyone will be rewarded with a random power-up (Super Star, Golden Hammer, or Metal Box). Players can work together to try and guide the Mini Mario, or you can sabotage another player's attempts to complete a path. See if you can figure out how to get the Mini Mario to the door based on the above image. There are a few different ways to do it, but check the spoiler to see one potential route.

Spoiler: Possible Solution

If no one succeeds (i.e. the Mini Mario exits the screen, falls down the hole, too much time elapses, etc.), then the door will simply vanish until a new one appears later on in the match. This can happen multiple times during the battle, regardless of whether it is completed or not.

Unlockable?
Yes. Collect all of Pauline's lost items on the 75m stage in less than 10 seconds.

Music
1st Floor, Mushroom Mayhem I (Remix)
3rd Floor, Pipe Works I (Remix)
The Final, Really Final Battle (Remix)
Battle Theme - Paper Mario: TTYD
Boss - Digga Leg
Prisma Splash
Stadium - DK Jungle - Mario Super Sluggers

Thanks for reading!

 

[TKOWL]

Mario Paint
from Mario Paint (1992, SNES)​

A creative studio for your Super Nintendo, Mario Paint was a highly-memorable drawing program with oodles of its own charm. It shipped with the SNES Mouse accessory, which was a novel concept at the time since most home computers were in their early and less powerful stages. Players could draw, stamp, and animate their creations on the television, and then save them for later. There was also a music maker and a bonus minigame where the player took control of a flyswatter and hit gnats from the sky.

When the stage loads in, one of 20 potential stage drawings are loaded in, each with a slight variance of a big middle platform and one to four pass-through platforms in many variations, some closer to the blast zone and some higher up. The blast zones are on the sides of the screen, slightly obscured by the framing. A layout for the stage is made, and then the coloring and effects are added in as the match progresses. The drawings can be a huge variety, from child-like scribbles to stamped-out designs to gorgeous pieces of work (one example is seen above, with someone who just likes using stamps a lot). The color contrast in all of these is specifically programmed so that the platforms can be seen from the background. At random points, the cursor creating the stage can slap in stamps of little objects like Galoombas and Dogs, which slightly damage anyone who comes into contact with them but can be knocked away with little knockback. The cursor can also erase and redraw parts of the stages, sometimes getting rid of one of the thin platforms and redrawing its size, or adding another one.

There are many, many combinations for the cursor to draw, but sometimes it might get bored and select the Music Maker. Once this happens, the stage layout freezes and the background turns into the music editor. Music is created at turbo speed in the background, and once the cursor hits the play button, the current music track on the stage is lowered in volume as this newly-created track plays. Once it is over, the cursor will return the players to the previous background. However, it sometimes chooses Gnat Attack, and when it does this, the background turns into a white checkerboard and the stage layout freezes to its current position, as Gnats fly into the screen from all angles. The smaller white gnats don't cause any knockback, but the yellow, blue and bomb ones can if they are not knocked away. After about 20 seconds, the giant queen gnat flies in the background, as the fly swatter wails on it, destorying it and ending the game. The platform will then transition back into the previous background, and the original stage mechanics will resume.

There are a lot of background stamps and animations that can happen, but some of the special ones might be Coursebot, Undodog, Monica, and even 16-bit Mario himself running around the background.

MUSIC:
Mario Paint Medley (Super Smash Bros. for 3DS and Wii U)
Course Bot (Mario Paint) (Remix)
Monkeys (Mario Artist: Paint Studio) (Remix)
Title Screen (Mario Artist: Talent Studio) (Remix)
Graphics Editor (Warioware DIY) (Remix)
Body Rock (Warioware: DIY)
Flipnote (Remix)
Main Theme (Nintendo Labo)

 

[SkySkipper]

I fully expect a Luigi's Mansion stage. Anyone who fails to deliver will be burdened with a 5-point penalty for the rest of the competition.

Have fun!

Actually, that reminds me of one I came up with a while back. I forgot about it ever since the official Luigi's Mansion stage debuted in Brawl. Revisiting it now, I like it better than I remember it. Maybe I'll see if I can find the time to get some illustrations put together. I just hope it doesn't lose me too many points that there's already a stage called Luigi's Mansion.

 

[Deleted member]

Actually, that reminds me of one I came up with a while back. I forgot about it ever since the official Luigi's Mansion stage debuted in Brawl. Revisiting it now, I like it better than I remember it. Maybe I'll see if I can find the time to get some illustrations put together. I just hope it doesn't lose me too many points that there's already a stage called Luigi's Mansion.

I can't speak for the others, but I can tell you that I wouldn't take off points for another Luigi's Mansion stage. Nothing wrong with a series having more than one stage after all.

BTW in the past I've extended a few rounds to the end of the day on saturday instead of friday because contestants needed more time. If that ends up being the case here let me know if the you need the extension and I can work it out.

 

[SkySkipper]

Well, I had some time today, so here it is:

Luigi's Mansion

Description: This stage is made up of two levels. Up on top, the roof of the mansion is a solid flat platform. In the middle of it are two of the pillars from the fight here against King Boo. They aren't barriers, so you can walk past them, but they can be stood upon. However, they can also be broken by taking 30% damage. Below the roof on either side of the stage is a balcony, which has easy access to the interior of the mansion. The mansion roof is solid, and so cannot be jumped up through or dropped down through, so the doorways connecting to the balconies are the only ways to get in or out of the mansion.

Gimmicks/Hazards: As shown in the picture above, the interior of the mansion is divided into two rooms. Both are usually dark. However, every 20 seconds or so, a ghost will appear in one of the rooms chosen at random, and lighting it up with an eerie, otherworldly glow, and showing the background of the room, which changes depending on the ghost, though this is mostly just cosmetic. The ghost will stay for about five seconds before fading away again.
I was going to try to draw all of the ghosts and their respective rooms, but it was taking way too long, and my pictures weren't helping to illustrate the ideas much, so I'll just have to give screenshots and describe what each one does, The ghosts that appear are chosen at random from the following:

Spoiler: Portrait Ghosts

Biff Atlas appears in an exercise room with a punching bag suspended from the ceiling. This punching back acts like an upside-down version of the Wobbuffet Pokeball. Biff will actively try to use it to hit players.

Mr. Luggs appears, sitting behind a dining table. He will breathe out two or three small fireballs, which do 5% damage each.

Sir Weston appears standing in the back of a freezer. Icicles hanging from the ceiling will fall and do 6% damage anyone they fall on.

Nana appears sitting in a rocking chair, in which she will chase players. She's slow, but is too big to jump over, so the only way to escape her is out the other side of the room. She does 12% if she hits.

Melody Pianissima appears standing in front of a piano. She surrounds herself with music sheets, which she sends soaring at players, for 2% damage if they hit.

Slim Bankshot appears standing behind a pool table. He shoots a ball and two more begin ricocheting around the room. They do 6% damage if they hit anyone.

Miss Petunia is in the bath with the shower curtain drawn and won't bother anyone if it remains that way. However, if someone runs past the tub from right to left, the breeze will pull back the curtain and she will shoot scalding water at them for 4% damage.

Sue Pea appears sleeping in a bed on the ceiling. She likewise won't bother anyone if left alone. If she's hit by an attack, though, she'll wake up and throw a doll at them, doing 3% damage.

Jarvis pokes his head out of one of several jars in the background and throws one of the others at anyone who's nearby, doing 5% damage.

The clockwork soldiers march around the room, shooting their popguns. They only do 1% per hit, but they can attack a lot more than other ghosts.

The twins Henry and Orville appear together. Henry drives along the floor in a car, while Orville flies across the ceiling in an airplane in the opposite direction, but they won't both attack at the same time. They each do 7% if they hit.

Vincent Van Gore paints ghosts that come out of the canvas and chase players. This is the only ghost attack that doesn't disappear when the portrait ghost does, though they disappear before very long. He is also the only one that can leave the room where they appear. Depending on the type of ghost, it can do 4% - 12%.

Madame Clairvoya will generate a star that nearby players can pick up.

Neville and Lydia appear separately, and neither one does anything when they appear.

Neville and Lydia are the two most frequently appearing ghosts, with one of the two appearing about 30% of the time between the two of them. As the only helpful ghost, Madame Clairvoya appears about 8% of the time, with the rest evenly divided between the other ghosts.


Unlockable: Defeat 100 Boos in Smash Run.

 

[Luminario]

Back at it again with the ****ty Paint images.

Vibe Island (Super Princess Peach)

Based on the wide shot of the entire Vibe Island, this stage takes inspiration from Bowser's Villa, Giddy Sky, Gleam Glacier, and Fury Volcano, all mashed into a single stage.

Spoiler

Pink lines are clouds. The double line in the centre is a hard platform you can't go through. Every other black line besides it and the lowest platform along with the pink cloud lines are soft platforms. Right cloud goes up and down.

Every so often, the Vibe Scepter comes flying in to throw down a large vibe heart to affect the first person to touch it. As there are 4 Vibes, there are 4 hearts and 4 effects. Characters can't use their own attacks, shield, or dodge as they're affected by the vibes, but they can move around and jump. Lasts for around 10-15 seconds. Hitting the affected fighter enough or holding shield will cut the current vibe short.

Spoiler

Joy: Yellow Heart. The fighter that touches this gains the Rocket Belt item effect that allows them to fly indefinitely for a short amount of time, letting go of the jump button while in the air creates a tornado around the fighter that drags in opponents nearby before blasting them away.

Gloom: Blue Heart. Doubles dashing and air speed and gives the fighter's movement a hitbox, where dashing into an opponent knocks them away. Like the Superspicy Curry you can't walk while under this effect, only run. Vertical movement doesn't do anything, it's only horizontal movement that has a hitbox on it.

Rage: Red Heart. Creates a large fire hitbox around the fighter. Fighters can't dash while under this affect, and their air speed is halved with jumps only doing full jumps instead of short hops. hitting the ground creates a POW block effect that knocks ground opponents straight up.

Calm: Green Heart. Touching this heart has the fighter heal 2% every second. There's no hitbox on this one and you can't dash or attack while it's active, so stay away from opponents!

Music~
Flower Event
Fury Volcano 2
Gleam Glacier 1
Boss Fight
Bowser's Final Battle 2
Slidebrella + Subrella mashup
Mario Kart Double Dash: Peach Beach

 

[PeridotGX]

Shame my stage was predicted, but here we go anyways.

WarioNessRool Floats: The Game
WarioNessRool Floats

​

Wait, this isn't right!

Mario Super Sluggers
Wario City

​

Much Better! Anyways, Super Mario Sluggers was a Wii game featuring everyone's favorite Plumber and his friends playing Baseball (It was also K. Rool's most recent non-Smash appearance). Every main character had their own location, and Wario City was the home stage of Yoshi, obviously. In Smash Bros it's a very large stage, about the same size as the top left portion of Palutena's Temple (until the cave and bridge). There are two portions of the stage, the bottom portion with walkoffs and a huge, Casino-esque building with Wario's face on it, that can be dropped through. It takes the average character's full recovery to go from one layout to another

That isn't the only way to get to the top though. About where K. Rool and Ness are standing lay manholes. At random they shoot up so you can get up to the top layer very easily. If attacked they also shoot up, but the hight is dependent on the attack's strength (A jab is nothing, but a smash attack is almost as powerful as the random ones). The pillars of water last for 5 seconds, and if an opponent gets hit into it they get shot straight up (It kills at about 120% on Mario in Smash 4.

The stage is unlocked by KOing opponents with the baseball bat 5 times or completing Classic Mode with Wario. Simmilar to Moray Towers, there's a day/night cycle that's 100% cosmetic.

 

[Deleted member]

Reminder that Round 30 ends tomorrow. Planning to call it somewhere between 9-10pm Pacific Time.

 

[MacDaddyNook]

"MINI-LAND"
from Mario vs. Donkey Kong series

Here is my stage based on the Mario vs. Donkey Kong games. I've only played the first game, which is pretty different than the subsequent entries in the series. However, I wanted to capture the Lemmings-esque gameplay present in the more recent games since it's what the series has become known for. My creation isn't based on one level/game in particular; it's more of an amalgamation of the core elements morphed into a stage (though the art style is borrowed from Tipping Stars, so I guess it's kinda loosely based on that game more). The picture shown above is what the default version of the stage looks like. Here's a picture demonstrating the stage collisions for those interested:

Spoiler: Default Stage Collisions

The red lines represent solid ground, while the yellow lines are pass-through platforms.

In the newer games, one of the main mechanics is drawing lines between the blocks/screws to create platforms that guide the Mini Marios to the finish. Therefore, I decided to use this as the central "gimmick" of my stage. As you can see, there are a bunch of red screws scattered all over the terrain. Attacking two screws in succession will create a platform/wall, depending on which ones you attack.

Shown above is a visual explanation of how this works: As an example, say Lucas first attacks block "1" and then jumps and attacks the block labeled "2." A vertical platform will form, creating a wall. Next, he attacks block "2" and then "3" (or vice versa). This will create another diagonal platform between these points. Hopefully this explanation makes sense and you can see the direction this stage is going. This is the fun part of the stage; you can create your own platform layout mid-battle! To demonstrate just what is possible, take a look at some of the possibilities I whipped up below.

Spoiler: Possible Layouts

Just as a side note, the platforms will always be pass-through unless they are completely vertical (then they will be solid walls).

Notes About Platforms:
Similar to how these platforms function in the games, they can't overlap each other or any other ground. There is also a limit on how many can be used at a time in the source games, so in this stage there can only be 3 platforms total at any given moment. If all 3 are already present, there is a hierarchy to which platforms will remain when another player starts creating new platforms. Basically, it works backwards, with the most recent platforms staying the same, while the new platform replaces the oldest of those 3 (Hopefully that makes sense). Also, over time, if no new platforms are created, the platforms will disappear, starting with the oldest.

Now that we got all the technical details out of the way, we can take a look at the practical use of these platforms in battle. After all, this stage hails from a puzzle game franchise, so expect more than just switching up the playing field! Throughout the match, a Mini Mario will appear out of a warp pipe at a random spot on the stage. Simultaneously, a door will appear at a different random location. The Mini Mario won't have any direct effect on the battle, and players cannot interact with it either. Or can you...?

Just like in the games, the Mini Marios move on their own and can only be directed to their destination using the platforms. You can do this here as well! If you can successfully direct the Mini Mario to the exit door, then everyone will be rewarded with a random power-up (Super Star, Golden Hammer, or Metal Box). Players can work together to try and guide the Mini Mario, or you can sabotage another player's attempts to complete a path. See if you can figure out how to get the Mini Mario to the door based on the above image. There are a few different ways to do it, but check the spoiler to see one potential route.

Spoiler: Possible Solution

If no one succeeds (i.e. the Mini Mario exits the screen, falls down the hole, too much time elapses, etc.), then the door will simply vanish until a new one appears later on in the match. This can happen multiple times during the battle, regardless of whether it is completed or not.

Unlockable?
Yes. Collect all of Pauline's lost items on the 75m stage in less than 10 seconds.

Music
1st Floor, Mushroom Mayhem I (Remix)
3rd Floor, Pipe Works I (Remix)
The Final, Really Final Battle (Remix)
Battle Theme - Paper Mario: TTYD
Boss - Digga Leg
Prisma Splash
Stadium - DK Jungle - Mario Super Sluggers

Thanks for reading!

I really wish this was a real stage, it'd be fun to play on.

 

[ryuu seika]

Ladida Plains
Game of Origin: Super Princess Peach

Layout:

Spoiler

Description: Similar to Battlefield in terms of its layout, with a middle section of raised ground instead of the uppermost platform. Its main area is a little smaller than that stage but it has a couple bridge like areas to make up for this (see gimmicks).

Gimmicks/Hazards: The first oddity you will notice is the presence of sectioned bridges at either side. These are platforms that will drop once stepped on and they make it impossible to grab the ledge when atleast one of the inner two on a side are present.
Second is the bushes. These are foreground, not background, allowing small and/or crouching characters the ability to hide.
Third, we have the platforms themselves. They are puffy clouds, looking much like yellow equivalents of those on the original Yoshi's Story stage. They do not disappear though. Instead, they are thick platforms that you will slowly sink into at a rate depending on but significantly slower that your fall speed. Until atleast part of your character drops out the bottom, you are considered to be on solid ground for all other purposes, though crouching will cause a faster fall rate. Once you have fallen through to the point where your feet drop out, you are considered to be in the air, though your fall rate is still reduced until atleast half your character has passed through.
Finally, the most important gimmick. The main stage colour. Every 30 seconds or so, the stage colour will change, from green to yellow to red to blue and back again, with the flowers being one colour ahead most of the time and changing slightly early to give the players warning.

Colour Effects:
Green - Players will heal at a rate of 2% every three seconds.
Yellow - Players will have their fall speed reduced to 80% of its normal rate and get a 10% boost to aerial movement speed.
Pink - Players will deal 1.2 times their normal damage and knockback.
Blue - Players will receive a 25% boost to ground movement speed.

Visuals: The background consists of your average, light blue, mushroom kingdom sky and the stage is built atop a stretched out version of your standard mushroom kingdom brick. You don't see much of this, however, only the very bottom, as the rest is overgrown with grass and bushes. These start out green but shift to yellow, pink and blue (darker than the sky but not that dark, still) as the match goes on. From above this watch two happy looking yellow clouds, somewhat reminiscent of Cloud 'n' Candy from Yoshi's Story, though this is probably only a coincidence. We then see 3 hollow logs at either end.
Near the middle of the stage lurk two happy little tulip styled flowers, also following the stage's hue cycle but roughly 33 seconds ahead of the grass and bushes.

Overview: Simple layout and no obvious character favouring but perhaps a touch too eventful and different for your average tournament player. It would, however, be a lot of fun for those who play casually but still care about balance and fair games. Like me.

Unlockable: Yes
KO characters with all four of Peach's specials during one match.

Music:
File Select (Super Princess Peach)
Ladida Plains (Super Princess Peach)
Wavy Beach (Super Princess Peach)
Gleam Glacier (Super Princess Peach)
Boss Fight (Super Princess Peach)
Music Room (Super Princess Peach)
Toad Shot (Super Princess Peach)
Booster Hill (Super Mario RPG)
Peach's Castle (Fortune Street)
Peach' Castle (Mario Sports Mix)
Note: the style of the notes used should change to match the colours of the stage.

 

[Deleted member]

Alright guys. Round 30 is now closed. See you on Sunday with the grades for it.