PrestonStarry Ranks All 35 Super Smash Bros and Super Smash Bros. Melee Stages


 * 35: Brinstar (Super Smash Bros. Melee)

Starting this countdown off coming in dead last on the list and probably the worst stage in the entire series, is Brinstar. I find Brinstar to be a very bland and boring stage for your friends to enjoy fighting on. One major problem I had with Brinstar is that the stage itself, is very small to fight on. The main fighting takes place on one medium sized platform at the bottom of the stage with three extremely small platforms on the sides and top of the stage. Big characters alone like Bowser and King Dedede, would take up space for just one of these platforms alone. In a four way fight with your friends this would cause the main gameplay fighting on the stage become very cramped and make yourself and your friends boxed in, not bringing any once of fun whatsoever in combat fighting your opponents on this stage.

The main gameplay elements in this stage and in most Metroid stages in general in the Smash Bros series, is the rising lava. The rising lava that appears and make a cameo attack on you and your friends in the stage, feels worthless on the stage and doesn't add anything fun to the stage. Unlike in the N64 Metroid stage where the lava could make a difference in a match, do major damage to your opponents and add a fun element to the stage and in Norfair in Brawl where the lava could attack you in a variety of ways, the main rising lava in Brinstar would often appear for only about 10-15 seconds each time in a match doing a severe lack of damage possible on your opponents. Along with that fact that the stage is too small to fight on, adds more problems to the stage.

Speaking of which, the stage alone doesn't even feel like something from a Metroid game in the series and I feel like the slight Metroid elements in the stage, the rising lava and music was slapped on at the last minute in the stage. Unlike other stages in the Smash Bros series where the stage is brought to life and built with great personality from the series it originates from, I found Brinstar lacking in the personality department as I am sure, Nintendo could of came up with better stage ideas at the time while and before Melee came out. I personally would of liked using and seeing a stage taken place in Mother Brain's Lab rather then this.

Overall, a very bad stage and not being any fun whatsoever for me. On one final note, I cannot believe that Nintendo bought this stage back in Brawl over many great stages in Melee. >_<


 * 34: Icicle Mountain (Super Smash Bros. Melee)

For you guys that followed my previous ranking topic with myself ranking the Super Smash Bros. Brawl stages, I stated a few times in the rankings, that I really dislike Icicle Mountain. I find it to be not a very fun stage at all, with myself and my friends finding it more annoying then fun to play and fight on back in Melee.

The main gameplay problem I had with Icicle Mountain, was the annoying random side-scrolling shifting in the stage. The stage would at random times screw up the main gameplay action in the stage by shifting randomly up or down, forcing you to jump in the opposite direction where the stage is shifting. The random shifting in the stage would at times go slow and steady giving you a fair amount of time to flee and not killing yourself to moving lighting fast giving you only a few seconds to escape death. This would lead to very cheap KO action happening in this stage and the highest amount of cheap KO action in the Smash Bros series happening within this stage.

The random up and down shifting in the stage happens far too often within gameplay action in the stage for you to ignore. The shifting in the stage would last and appear often more then you and your friends trying to have some simple fighting action on the stage, leading to a stage based on luck where you are in the stage and when the random shifting appears in the stage.

Making matters worse, the main platforms that you fight on in the stage, have a weird, bland, and annoying design to them. Another main problem I had with this stage was, the lack of support recovery in the stage. If you and your opponents are battling on top of one the platforms while the stage is not scrolling, one of your opponents could easily toss you up in the air resulting in for a cheap ko.

Overall, not a very fun stage at all. Icicle Mountain ranks down with Brinstar as one of the worst stages in the series.


 * 33: Flat Zone (Super Smash Bros. Melee)

If you recall in my previous countdown ranking, you would know that Flat Zone 2 didn't rank very high on the list not even making the Top 20 on the previous countdown. What we have here is, Flat Zone worse then Flat Zone 2 IMO, with it not even making the Top 30 in this list. I find Flat Zone to be a pretty crappy stage with bland and frustrating action in it.

The main gameplay problem I had with this stage is much like what Icicle Mountain suffers from. There is no support recovery whatsoever in this stage. Since there is no platform recovery on the sides of the stage, it's extremely easy for your opponent to simply pick you up and toss or throw you around one of the sides of the stage. Due to no support recovery on the sides let alone, the top of the stage, this would lead with your opponents to easily trap you on one of the sides of the stage and KO you.

Another main problem I had with this stage, is the stage is small. Very small. Aside from a few main platforms that pop up in this stage from time to time as gameplay action goes on, most of the fighting action is taken place on a bland, bottom and small screen inside of a Game and Watch system with you basically just fighting with your opponents to see who can knock each other out first by simply just throwing and cheapily trapping you on one of the sides with no platform support sides in the stage. The gameplay flow can ran in a very cramped and slow pace due to the stage being so small. Because of this, Flat Zone makes for a stage that is not very fun at all. You will probably find yourself KO'ed more then you are just trying to have some simple fighting action in the stage.

On one final note that makes this stage even more bad, is the poor camera control system in the stage. Much like New Pork City, the camera system that keeps track of combat in Flat Zone would zoom out of battle at random times for no reason whatsoever. This can be extremely problematic, especially when there is a four player fight going on in the stage.

Overall, I found this stage to be annoying, bland and boring to enjoy back in Melee. Not very fun at all.


 * 32: Jungle Japes (Super Smash Bros. Melee)

The fourth Melee stage in a row to appear on this countdown, goes to Jungle Japes. Just like the three stages before it, I found Jungle Japes to be a very annoying stage and not very fun at all to enjoy fighting on.

The biggest problem I had with Jungle Japes is, the river current in this stage. If you opponent knocked you in the river current, you would have a hard time recovering from it and it would result of a KO. The flowing river would pull on the left side of the stage and you were given hardly anytime to recover and get back on one of the platforms in the stage. You probably only had say maybe 3 seconds to recover and if you didn't you be KO' ed and bigger characters like Bowser and Donkey Kong have a harder time to recover while in the river current and if you had a character like Yoshi or Jigglypuff with a terrible recovery move, you would be screwed. This stage favors characters that have long recovery/special range attacks and is extremely unbalanced and unfair to what character you picked to fight on with your friends in this stage.

The Klaptraps from Donkey Kong Country would also make an attack cameo on this stage and if you came in contact with you, you were forced into the river current by it causing it to KO you and lose a life.

The stage itself was also fairly small making the gameplay action bland and cramped up. There was only one medium sized top and bottom based platform with only two other small platforms to fight on this stage.

The only positive thing, I can say for this stage is that, the stage does have decent music but asside from that mild pro I gave, I really cannot say anything good about Jungle Japes. Not a good stage and not very fun at all.


 * 31: Brinstar Depths (Super Smash Bros. Melee)

If you can't tell by now on the countdown, Melee has some of the worst stages in the entire series, IMO. The fifth Melee stage in a row to appear on the countdown goes to, Brinstar Depths.

Brinstar Depths has a few notable problems. The biggest problems I had with this stage was the, annoying shifting in the stage and the stage itself as whole, was very small to fight on. Shifting would occur in this stage very often and would happen likely every 20-30 seconds when a fight with you and your friends is going on. Kraid would shift and turn the main platform around causing you to find a platform to stay on, until the stage turned back to it's normal platform area.

The shifting is a big problem because, whenever the stage was shifting, you were forced to find one of only two nearby small platforms to recover on. Another notable problem was that, while the stage was shifting, the edges of the stage likely used as recovery just like other stages in Melee, could not be grabbed and used for a recovery leading to a result a KO on yourself.

The stage was fairly small to fight on. Whenever you felt like fighting with your friends on the main circle platform in the stage, multiple objects like pillars would block most of your attacks on your opponents and not effecting them. You were given barely any room to jump and float around in the stage due to, so much random objects in view blocking yourself in movement while you were trying to move on the stage.

The only positive thing I have for this stage is that, the animation is decent. The music that plays on this stage was one of my favorite main themes in Melee and unlike Brinstar, you can tell that this stage shows a nice amount of Metroid personality where Brinstar didn't. Overall like I stated before, animation does not make a stage fun. It's the gameplay. Not a very fun stage at all.


 * 30: Yoshi's Story (Super Smash Bros. Melee)

Continuing with Melee stages once more in the countdown comes, Yoshi's Story. For me personally, I cannot figure out why this stage is seen so popular with Melee fans.

The biggest problems I had with Yoshi's Story, was that the stage was fairly small to fight on and next to zero stage interactivity whatsoever could happen in this stage making up for a very bland and forgettable stage.

The main fighting action on Yoshi's Story is taken place on a medium sized grass platform with three small platforms on each of the left, side and top sections of the stage. Like I stated with Brinstar, big characters like Ganondorf, Bowser and Donkey Kong would take up room for just one of these platforms alone. Making for a stage with crowded and cramped up fighting action in it.

Unlike the other Yoshi stages that I have yet to do on the countdown were there was interactivity going on, I last recall playing Yoshi's Story with the stage having zero stage interactivity. The only mild interactivity you could do in the stage is, occasionally hit Shy Guys in the stage if you want to in which, is pointless and waste of time to do. I normally do not have a problem with stages that have no interactivity in them but, with the stage barely feeling anything from the Yoshi spin-off games aside from the music and the stage being very small on, makes for a stage that isn't very fun and brings back bad memories of Yoshi's Story on the N64.

Overall, Yoshi's Story isn't a very good stage. The main fighting stage gameplay with zero interactivity happening while in combat and the stage being very small to fight on makes up for stage that's very forgettable and not very fun at all. This stage falls way short compared to the rest of the Yoshi stages, I have yet to rank on the countdown so far.


 * 29: Kongo Jungle (Super Smash Bros. Melee)

The only real Donkey Kong stage I ever liked in the Super Smash Bros series was, the original Kongo Jungle stage back in the first Super Smash Bros game on the Nintendo 64. While it's a better stage then Jungle Japes, that really isn't saying much.

The biggest problem I had with Kongo Jungle is that much like other stages that appeared on this countdown already is that, Kongo Jungle has no stage interactivity whatsoever and that the stage was fairly small to fight on. This makes up for a stage with the expection of the catchy DK rap song that plays on this stage, a very forgettable, bland and fairly boring stage.

The main fighting takes place on one medium sized platform with four small platforms forming the top of it. This makes up for chaotic and sometimes boxed up action happening in combat on the stage. The top platforms in Kongo Jungle like I stated earlier, are fairly small. Big characters like Bowser, Donkey Kong and others would take up room for one of the these small platforms alone and Medium sized characters like Mario, Luigi, Captain Falcon and among others, could take up room for half of the size of the platforms at the top of the stage.

Another problem I had with Kongo Jungle was that, the barrel that moves from side to side and the small rock in the bottom right corner of the stage, were annoying and near worthless for use for recovery on the stage. If you enter the side to side barrel in the stage and try to use it for recovery purposes, you would be screwed because the barrel would shift in different directions very fast likely resulting you down the opposite direction you wanted to be in and it would result of a KO. The rock that also appears in this stage and another use for recovery, would sometimes block your action if you were trying to grab and recover on it and it would result of a KO.

My overall opinion on Kongo Jungle is much like Yoshi's Story. It's a stage with decent music but, suffers major problems due to the stage being small to fight on and having next to zero stage interactivity whatsoever in the stage. A very forgettable stage and not much fun at all.


 * 28: Mushroom Kingdom 2 (Super Smash Bros. Melee)

I find Mario stages to be a bit of an oddball in the Smash Bros series. Some Mario stages in the series range from being one of the best in the series to some of them being some of the worst designed stages ever in a fighting game. Coming in at #28 on the countdown is Mushroom Kingdom 2 from Melee. A stage just like some other Mario stages in the series that is very forgettable and not much fun enjoying on.

The biggest problem I had with Mushroom Kingdom 2, is that the stage is extremely small. I believe this and Flat Zone are tied as the smallest stage in Melee. There was only one main platform in this stage which was very small to fight on. The other parts of the stage were broken up by two KO zones on the far left and right of the stage. Due to the stage being very small to fight on, battling your friends on this stage can make the main gameplay fighting action boxed in and bland, especially during a four player fight on this stage.

Just like Yoshi's Story and Kongo Jungle, there is next to zero stage interactivity whatsoever in this stage making up for a stage that isn't very fun. The only stage interactivity that you and your friends could do in this stage is that, some flying random carpets would appear in this stage moving you in a different direction along with you able to smack some sense into Birdo, in which while was funny to do the first few times, was rather pointless.

Another notable problem I had with Mushroom Kingdom 2 is that, if you fell in the 8-bit waterfall and didn't recover right away, it would result of a KO. If you were in the waterfall for no more then 2 or 3 seconds, you would lose a life. Logs would cause a minor problem in this stage. If you were trying to recover and grab on the center platform where the 8-bit waterfall is, a log could appear in this stage and if you were not lucky, you could get stuck underneath the log and the log would push you down the waterfall resulting of a cheap KO on you. No matter what you did, the log would not break and would force you down the waterfall every time resulting of a KO.

Animation wise, the stage is pretty good. The main theme that happens on this stage is the main theme from Super Mario Bros 2 ala Doki Doki Panic on the NES. This tune is one of the better songs in the Melee soundtrack for a stage, IMO and can be extremely catchy to listen to.

However like I stated in the past, animation does not make a stage great. It's the gameplay. Mushroom Kingdom 2 is a stage where it suffers from being extremely small and bland due to the stage having next to zero stage interactivity. Another forgettable stage just like Yoshi's Story and Kongo Jungle and not very fun.

As for an FYI to you guys, it will not be until the Top 25 in the countdown where you will see me rank the stages from "forgettable to okay" on the Countdown.


 * 27: Yoshi's Island (Super Smash Bros. Melee)

The Melee stage trend happens once more on the countdown with Yoshi's Island as the next Melee stage to appear on the countdown. While Yoshi's Island is a stage that offers great music and unlike some other stages on the countdown where it's a stage that has interactivity, it's ruined by some of the cheap and annoying interactivity that happens on it making Yoshi's Island, (Melee version) not a very good stage to enjoy playing friends on.

The biggest problem I had with Yoshi's Island, was the annoying and cheap spinning yellow blocks in this stage. The slightest attack on any of the three pairs of spinning yellow blocks in this stage would cause the yellow blocks to spin around on you and causing some of your main attacks to be destroyed, blocked or reflected back at you if you were to land your attack on your opponent if you were battling with him/her on the top of the Yellow blocks.

Another annoying problem with the Yellow blocks is that the bottom pair of blocks near the center of the stage, were very cheap and annoying. Since the yellow blocks spin every time you attack it, it was easy for you get trapped underneath a KO pit where the pair of the yellow blocks were. If you were trying to recover and get back to the main fighting action on the stage, your opponent could easily come up to you, attack the blocks and by doing so, would have the blocks spin around in the direction you are in where the bottomless KO pit was and it would force you down the pit, resulting of a cheap and annoying KO. This happens more often then you think because, it IS so easy for the yellow blocks to be attacked on this stage and ruin some attack combos and whatnot on your opponents for you in this stage. Major balancing issues here.

The music itself however, is pretty good. The main gameplay theme that plays on this stage is a Western Remix theme from Super Mario World on the Super Nintendo. However once again, music and animation does not make a stage wonderful. It's the gameplay and no matter what, that is what comes first, no matter how good or bad the music and animation is on this stage.

Another minor problem I had with this stage is, the weird and boring stage design in this stage. There is no real stage recovery in this stage other then able to grab and recover by grabbing the Warp Pipe slide on the left side of the stage. The right side of the stage is an upwards hill with no recovery whatsoever. It's extremely easy for your opponent to simply throw, toss and trap you on the right side of the stage resulting of a Cheap KO.

With the weird stage layout in this stage, the annoying and cheap spinning yellow blocks in this stage and the stage being fairly small to fight on, makes Yoshi's Island not a very good stage to enjoy playing friends on and very forgettable like many other Melee stages.


 * 26: Venom (Super Smash Bros. Melee)

To be honest, I really don't have that much an opinion on Venom in Melee since I rarely if ever, played on that stage. I apologize if this write-up isn't as good as my other ones.

The biggest problem I had with Venom is that much like Yoshi's Story, Mushroom Kingdom 2 and Kongo Jungle before it, Venom suffers as a stage with zero stage interactivity. Like I stated earlier more often then not a stage with zero stage interactivity making up for a stage that is bland and very forgettable in the series. I never liked stages in the series where it offered no stage interactivity. Can be boring to fight on especially, if you do not have items on while battling on a stage like that.

One other notable problem I had with Venom was that the wings of the Great Fox were really the only recovery based platforms you could use on this stage. If you were far too away from one of the wings of the Great Fox to grab on to and trying to test your luck trying to recover back on one the wings, it would result of a KO. This would happen often especially, if you had a character with a terrible based recovery move like Yoshi or Jigglypuff.

Another problem I had with Venom was that, the level design in the stage is rather bland and forgettable. The only real main fighting action going on in this stage is you fighting your opponents on all four sides of the wings of the Great Fox. The main level design of fighting on the wings of the Great Fox in Venom isn't bad but, it isn't very interesting and feels for a lack of a better term, bland much like how the stage no real stage interactivity.

On one positive note I like to state about Venom is that unlike the other stages that appeared on the countdown that suffered from the same problems like it is that, Venom is a stage that is fairly large giving you some room to test your attacks on your opponents in different directions on this stage. Despite the lack of action and interactivity in the stage, I do have heart and passion for large stages because you are given a big amount of freedom to do in the stage unlike other stages that are very small to fight on and no stage interactivity.

Overall, Venom is not a bad stage. I just found Venom to be another fairly forgettable stage due to the lack of stage interactivity going on in much like other stages that appeared this early so far in the countdown but, this is thankfully somewhat counterbalanced due to the stage being fairly large to fight on and my love and passion for large stages in the Smash Bros. stages. Ultimately overall, Venom is a stage that has no real negative or positive feel to it from me.


 * 25: Peach's Castle (Super Smash Bros.)

Like I stated earlier at this point in the Countdown, we are going through the stages on the countdown "from forgettable to okay" The remaining 25 Stages on the countdown left to rank are stages that while having a few problems here and there, are decent overall stages.

Speaking of which, after 10 Melee stages appearing in a row on the countdown, we finally come to the first Nintendo 64 stage from the original Super Smash Bros to appear on the countdown starting with Peach's Castle. I personally found that overall all 9 Stages in the original Super Smash Bros N64 were great stages but out of the 9 stages from the game, Peach's Castle was my least favorite.

The biggest reason why I have Peach's Castle ranked last out of of all of the N64 stages is that, Peach's Castle itself was a fairly small stage and that the stage itself didn't fell like truely something from the Mario series. Whenever you start fighting your opponents on the stage you start fighting on, a fairly short brownish railing with a shifting left to right metal platform at the near bottom of the stage.

Since the stage itself is so small with the bottom platform shifting left to right continuously, you are given barely little room to fight your opponents on giving you really the only main platform to fight on is a brown railing in the center top of the stage making up for the main fighting action in this stage somewhat boxed up. On a good side note do is that, you can throw your opponents on the top left and right corners of the stage and throw them into the metal blocks. This at least would keep the fighting action in the stage not boxed up all of the stage and given more room to carefully to test out your attacks on your opponents in this stage. It's not bad overall but, it can get sometimes annoying for the main fighting action slowed down due to the lack of platforms to fight on and this becomes more of a problem when four players are battling it out on this stage.

The only other major problem I had with this stage is that, the stage didn't really like it something from the Mario series. Aside from the main Mario tune that plays on the stage, the rest of the stage design in Peach's Castle doesn't even like it's something from Mario. Compared to the other Nintendo 64 Mario stage Mushroom Kingdom where it was full of Mario charm, Peach's Castle was bland in compression.

Overall, Peach's Castle is an okay stage but, due to stage being small to fight on and no real Mario charm to the stage compared to other Mario stages in the series, Peach's Castle only ranks this high on the countdown.


 * 24: Great Bay (Super Smash Bros. Melee)

I found all of the Legend of Zelda stages in the Smash Bros series to be very fun. Hyrule Castle N64 and Temple are both excellent stages and along with the trio is, Great Bay. While I do have a few problems here and there with the stage, Great Bay is a decent stage with decent enjoyment like Peach's Castle.

The biggest and only notable problem I had with Great Bay was, the water where you weren't able to swim in it. Makes me wish that Nintendo had included swimming effects for the characters in stages but, they didn't do that in the series until Brawl. Anyways, the main problem I had with the water in this stage is that if you knocked into the water and didn't recover on the small platforms on the left or right side of the stage and didn't recover in say maybe three seconds for trying to land on the platforms, you would lose a life. The water would drag the character down immediately as soon as he or she stepped into it.

Aside from that minor problem, I found Great Bay to be a decent stage. The cute little turtle that makes a stage cameo in this stage is nice as it would mix the main action of the stage as the stage itself was fairly bland and basic, if you didn't account on the main water effects in this stage.

While the stage itself was small, for a small stage unlike other small stages in the series where they weren't much fun, Great Bay was pretty good for a small stage. Unlike other bland small stages with small platforms to fight on in the series, at least Great Bay mixes it up with it's platforms in the stage doing something different. The main recovery platforms near the bay of the stage would rock back and forth mixing the action up and the turtle cameo would give you extra room to fight on giving you more time to plan out attacks and so forth. The stage design in Great Bay is great but, it's somewhat ruined due to the water effects screwing up the action in the stage.

Overall, Great Bay is a decent stage where it's only main problem is not being able to swim around and screwing up the action for you. Kinda sad that Nintendo didn't have this return in Brawl where it would benefited with the swimming effects. Oh well. Like I said earlier, Great Bay is a decent stage.


 * 23: Princess Peach's Castle (Super Smash Bros. Melee)

At this point in the countdown it's getting harder and harder to rank the remaining stages because likely from this point onwards, I have to say all of these 23 Stages left to rank, are above-average gameplay wise and just plain fun to fight on. The next stage to appear on the countdown is, another Peach's Castle stage with this one from Melee.

I like this stage better then the N64 Peach's Castle because unlike Peach's Castle where there really wasn't much going on in terms on interactivity, there is a bit of interactivity for you to see and do in Melee's version of Peach's Castle. Two notable gameplay changing elements in this stage is you and/or one of your opponents hitting mystery boxes that once hit, release a few new platforms to fight on for the time being. I enjoy this concept and I think it work very well for other stages in the Smash Bros series.

Another notable gameplay change that happens, is the Bullet Bills crashing down on the castle and once hit by it causes major damage on your character. This is another gameplay concept I liked and I hope Nintendo adds to for other Stages in the Smash Bros series to come.

While Princess Peach's Castle is a decent stage overall, I do have a few problems with it. The most notable problem I had with the stage is the stage design. The stage design in the far left and right corner of the stage where it connects into Peach's Castle is cheap and awkward. It was easy for your opponent to cheaply combo attack you into the corner and not stopping until he/she feels like he/she did enough damage on your character and likely toss you into the other side resulting of a KO.

Another minor problem I had with the stage is that, the stage was fairly small. If all four characters were all battling each other on one side of the stage, the gameplay action would slow down and at times the action would be boxed up with you basically testing your luck with your attacks and hopefully knocking them to the other side of the stage.

Overall, Princess Peach's Castle is a decent stage. Unlike the N64 version of Peach's Castle where it never really felt liked something from Mario, the Gamecube version of Peach's Castle has notable Mario charm in it from the music to the the background fighting on the Peach's Castle from Super Mario 64. I really love Mario games and I am happy Nintendo made this more outgoing and having personality unlike some of the other Mario stages in the series. Like I stated earlier, Princess Peach's Castle, is a decent stage.


 * 22: Onett (Super Smash Bros. Melee)

Onett is a nice stage. Like I stated earlier it's getting harder and harder to rank the stages on the countdown as the remaining stages left to rank are all stages that I have found to be decently fun. Even though there are a few minor problems I had with Onett allowing it not to enter the Top 20 on the countdown, Onett is a decent stage overall.

One of the best things I enjoyed on Onett is the variety in the platforms you fight on. You and your opponents fight on breakaway platforms next to the store which is in the center of the stage to, fighting on top of a small house in the bottom right corner of the stage and finally to, battling on top of a shaking tiny resting tree hanging on near of the houses in the left corner of the stage. Since the stage is decently sized and with the variety of platforms to fight on, adds stage variety to Onett. Something that most stages in Melee never had, let alone in the series in general giving it a bright and cool personality to the battlefield.

Another cool positive I enjoyed from Onett is, the very solid animation and music. Onett is probably close to being the best stage in Melee with the best animation and music. A classic tune track from Earthbound on the Super Nintendo, is the main stage tune on Onett and it's a wonderful tune and the animation in Onett is fantastic. If you have ever played Earthbound in which you should, loads of notable environments that appear on Onett, is something taken right out of classic SNES game from the bikes in the background to the danger sign that appear on this stage. Like I stated before, Onett is one of the stages in Melee with the best animation and music in it. Fantastic, overall.

While Onett is a decent stage, I do have a few minor problems with it. The black vans that make an attack cameo on this stage that attack you and your opponents while unique, can be very annoying to dodge and may knock you into a direction you didn't want to go to such as the possibility of the van sometimes knocking you like a dodge ball in the stage and shoving you into the right side of the stage resulting of the stage. The black vans that would make a cameo in the stage would appear more often then you think and even though it added more personality to the stage, it can be annoying at times to avoid and frustrating because, the black vans often make an attack cameo on this stage every good 15-20 seconds while a match is going on. It would be nice if the black van hazard could only make a cameo only say maybe every minute in the match but, oh well.

Another minor problem I had with Onett is the cheap edge corners in this stage. It was easy for your opponent to trap you into one of two corners in the main center of the stage combo attacking you and getting you stuck and while you are stuck and laid out, you would be attacked by the black van causing massive and cheap damage on you.

Issues aside, Onett is a decent, above-average stage just like Great Bay and the two Princess Peach's Castle stages on the countdown in the past. Onett offers great stage variety and animation but, due to the annoying and cheap black van stage hazards in this stage and the cheap design of you getting trapped in one of the corners of the stage fail to have Onett enter the Top 20 on the countdown.


 * 21: Yoshi's Island (Super Smash Bros.)

The second Nintendo 64 stage to appear on the countdown goes to, Yoshi's Island. I have never been a fan of the Yoshi stages in the series. The only real solid Yoshi stage I ever liked was the, Yoshi Island version in Brawl. This one while better then the rest of the Yoshi stages that appeared on the countdown suffers from a few minor problems giving it unable to enter the Top 20 stage list on the countdown. While suffering from a few problems here and there, Yoshi's Island 64 is a decent stage.

One of the best things I like about this stage is that unlike a few other N64 Smash Bros stages like Planet Zebes and Peach's Castle where it offered a bland personality with nothing really taken from it's series, Yoshi's Island on the N64 really feels like something taken from the Yoshi spin off games and I enjoy that. From the classic Yoshi tune music to the coloring book based background in the stage from the Yoshi games. Presentation wise, Yoshi's Island is colorful and full of personality.

The first minor problem I had with this stage is that, the stage itself is fairly small and the three pairs of platforms on the main section in the stage would more often then not, would block some of your important attacks while battling your opponents. Such as, if you try to use Pikachu's Down B Thunder move on your opponents while you were at the bottom section of the stage and your opponents were at the middle part section of the stage, your attack would be blocked by the upper platform causing your thunder move to be destroyed and not hitting your opponents. This would screw gameplay up and the slightest mistake with your opponents moving on a different platform would make up for a missed attack trying to hit your opponents.

Another minor problem I had with this stage were, the clouds. While it mixes up the gameplay and adds a stage interactivity element to Yoshi's Island, the clouds would often sometimes screw you up. Whenever you landed on a cloud, you were only able to stay on the cloud for maybe two to three seconds and the cloud would disappear forcing you to move to a different platform and if you didn't move in time to jump to another cloud or grab on to one of the stage sides for recovery, it likely result for a KO on yourself.

Issues aside, Yoshi's Island is a decent stage. I like the charm and personality in this stage and can be fun to fight on with your friends on the main four platforms in the center of the stage but, due to the clouds being unbalanced and the stage itself being fairly small, fails to have Yoshi's Island from Super Smash Bros, enter the Top 20 stages on the countdown.


 * 20: Rainbow Cruise (Super Smash Bros. Melee)

As we enter the Top 20 on the countdown, the first stage to come up is, Rainbow Ride or also known as Rainbow Cruise in Brawl. I find Rainbow Cruise to be a pretty good stage by being very different and unique unlike most stages in Melee. Even though I have a few minor problem with the stage, Rainbow Cruise is a solid stage and is very fun to play on with your friends.

Let's get rid of the negatives out of the way. The most and real notable problem I had with Rainbow Cruise along with other people is that, the main gameplay changing concept in Rainbow Cruise can be annoying at times and for a lack of a better term, cheap and making the gameplay slowed down and boxed up at times.

What I mean by this is that, when the stage is scrolling and changing to a different gameplay design at times on the stage, you are given a lack of time to interact with the other platforms to fight on in the stage making up for rushed gameplay action going in the stage. While the stage moves and scrolls at a fairly slow pace, the pace of the gameplay picks up slightly as you go higher and higher on the stage such as fighting on the appearing and disappearing carpets in the stage. It would of been nice if the stage was slowed down to a stop here giving you more time to interact with the platforms on the stage and interact more but, this problem is forgettable due to the stage being easy to get the hang of with the stage always running a consist changing pattern. The stage is easy for experts to get into but, can be annoying at time for beginners in the series to enjoy.

As from that problem, I find Rainbow Cruise to be a solid stage and can be fun to enjoy fighting on with your friends. The animation and music in the stage is solid. The stage unlike other Mario stages I already ranked on the countdown, feels like something from the Mario series. Rainbow Cruise is very unique and something not much like other stages in the series. Overall, a good solid above average stage.


 * 19: Mushroom Kingdom (Super Smash Bros. Melee)

Coming in at #19 on the countdown is one of the better Melee stages, Mushroom Kingdom. Aside from two minor problems I had with the stage, I found Mushroom Kingdom from Melee much like Rainbow Cruise to be a solid stage and just plain fun to enjoy fighting your friends and opponents on. Not the best stage in the series but, enjoyable.

Let's get rid of the negative parts I have to say about Mushroom Kingdom out of the way. The biggest problem I had with Mushroom Kingdom from Melee were the pits in the stage next to pulley based platforms. If you fell into the pit which was very easy to do and didn't use your recovery move within the first two seconds you got stuck below it, you would be sucked down to the bottom of the pit and it would result of a KO. This happens fairly often as it's easy for your opponent near by you to do a knock back punch on you, trapping you below the pit and not recovering. I have never liked death pits in fighting games as there are mostly useless and annoying to the main combat.

The only other minor problem I had with Mushroom Kingdom from Melee, were the breakable blocks in the stage. This is only a minor problem since it usually doesn't happen often but, too many breakable blocks would appear in the center of the stage and would sometimes slow the action now, especially if you near the bottom half of the platforms in the stage. This isn't a major problem because, they can be destroyed easily but, having too many blocks forming near the center of the stage can slow the main gameplay action sometimes.

Issues aside, Mushroom Kingdom from Melee is a solid stage. The stage is decently big and I enjoy big stages with you given freedom to attack in different directions and ways, which is something I like that isn't in most stages in the Smash Bros series.

I enjoy the animation, very well on the stage. Everything from the 2D Mario background, to the classic Mario tune playing on the stage to other background things like Warp Pipes appearing on the stage makes Mushroom Kingdom from Melee, one amazing and looking stage which is also something that isn't seen often in most stages in the series. It can be just fun alone by looking at the stage and looking back at Mario's 8-Bit days happening in the background of the stage.

I enjoy Mushroom Kingdom from Melee very well and is a solid stage just like Rainbow Cruise to enjoy playing your friends on. Not the best stage out there but, it's a fun one overall and frankly, that is all that matters.


 * 18: Dream Land (Super Smash Bros.)

All of the N64 stages in the first Smash Bros game, were great stages. All 9 of those stages in that game were better then half of the stages in the series in total with only two stages only appearing on this countdown so far and both of those stages didn't even reach the Bottom 10 on the countdown. I really loved all of the N64 stages and it proved that "quality over quantity" matters as none of those 9 stages in the game were real stinkers and pure fun all around.

The next N64 stage to appear on the countdown is, Dream Land. It's not the best stage in the first Smash Bros game but, Dream Land is a solid stage and very fun to enjoy playing your friends on. Aside from one slight problem I had with the stage, Dream Land is very fun.

To get the problem out of the way the only negative thing I have to say about Dream Land is that, the stage itself is fairly small. If you read over my previous write-ups, I am not a big fan of small stages. Due to the stage being so small, at times the main gameplay fighting action on Dream Land can slow down at times and can make yourself feel boxed in with no real room to attack your opponents on.

Aside from that problem, I found Dream Land once again to be a very fun stage. I enjoy the animation in this stage well. Dream Land is probably the best stage in Smash Bros 64 (next to Mushroom Kingdom) where it offered the best personality and animation for a stage in a series in the game. I enjoy the Kirby Rock remix tune that plays on the stage. It's catchy and I enjoy the calm nature Dream Land has when you battle your friends on the stage. Overall, one of the best animation and personality seen in a stage in the N64 version of Smash Bros, and one of the best in the series as a whole.

I also enjoyed how Whispy Woods, the fodder like boss from the Kirby series, makes a cameo on the stage. Often when battling your friends and your opponents on the stage, he would try to blow you off the stage. This is one gameplay element in the stage, I surprisingly loved. When he is trying to blow you off the stage, it forces you to try and plan your attacks on your opponents in a different direction on the stage. I found Whispy Woods adding more fun and personality to Dream Land and I am glad this wasn't his only appearance in the series. (More will be stated when the Green Greens write-up is shown to you guys.)

Overall, Dream Land is a very fun stage and while it's not a AAA grade stage compared to the rest of the N64 stages I have yet to rank, it's definitely a AA+ grade stage. Very fun stage like most Kirby stages in the series. Once again, Dream Land is a fun stage.


 * 17: Battlefield (Super Smash Bros. Melee)

Even though I had Battlefield and Final Destination ranked at the Top 10 of my list back when I was ranking the Brawl stages is that, I realized now that are going to be a few people that ARE going to dislike bland stages with nothing in them to do with basic and bland fighting action going on in it like Battlefield and I got a fair amount of bad criticism on my countdown for ranking them high because I enjoyed stages with fair gameplay going on it. Because of this and due to the fact that not everyone is going to like these types of stages, I decided to rank Battlefield in the middle of the countdown and I realize how these types of stages are not for everyone as these stages are love-hate stages.

One thing I enjoy for Battlefield is that unlike many people, I enjoy stages that are fair and balanced with no real gameplay mix to screw up the action. I enjoy stages like that because, it's a true test of skill, testing your dexterity and skill on the character you choose on your opponent. I enjoy this also because if it wasn't for this stage and one other stage left to rank on the countdown, we would never have Super Smash Bros tournaments and that is something that is important and great in any game, let alone mostly fighting games right?

The stage design is something I enjoy, in Battlefield. The main fighting takes place on one medium sized platform and the rest taken place on three medium sized platforms at the top of the stage. Not the largest stage ever but, not the smallest either. The stage design and room in the stage is large enough, for anyone to enjoy as you are given a decent amount of room in the stage for you to plan your attacks on your opponents, even in a four way fight.

I enjoy the presentation and animation in Battlefield. The music is decent and the dark backgrounds that appear in this stage, fits the stage style well giving it a fair amount of personality.

Like I stated earlier, there is going to be a love-hate it stage. People will enjoy the stage due to the stage being great for testing the most skilled players in a fair fight in Smash Bros, while others will be disappointed to the stage with no real gameplay action going on in the stage. Because of this like I stated earlier in the write-up, this overall ranks Battlefield ranked in the middle of the countdown. I personally would ranked it a bit higher but, this stage from users stated back when I was ranking this and a few other stages back in the Brawl write-ups, know it's not for them. Battlefield is overall, a stage that is good for what it is.


 * 16: Final Destination (Super Smash Bros. Melee)

Much of what I said about Battlefield, can be said about Final Destination. It's a stage that offers no degree of gameplay platforming interaction in it and is a stage true of skill to players and fans of Smash Bros unlike many other stages that offer using cheap platform actions on your opponents.

While there is going to be those types of people that hate stages with no stage interactivity in it, I found myself to enjoy Final Destination much like the other 15 Stages I have left to rank on the countdown and when I want to have a match sometimes that involves skill, I am happy that Final Destination and Battlefield are there in Melee.

I apologize for the fairly short write-up but, the reason why this write-up is so short is once again, most of the things I have to say about Final Destination is something I stated before in the previous write-up. Luckily, the rest of the 15 stages left to write-up about on the countdown are all unique and fun with all of them standing out as something different and special in a neat way for a stage in the series.

Like I stated earlier before is that, this stage is good for what it is. A stage that offers no real gameplay changing action in it, giving everyone a fair chance to enjoy and fight on with a big degree and master of skill to win on in the stage. This is something I really enjoy from a stage as so because, it is something absent in almost all of the stages in Melee and most stages in general in the series. No matter who you are, it can be very fun to enjoy and playing your friends on. Especially, for veteran players in the series and hardcore fans of the series and even casuals can still have a fun time enjoying playing on the stage with other people.

The only reason why I have Final Destination higher then Battlefield is that, I found myself to enjoy the nature and setting in the stage more then Battlefield. What I mean by that is that, Final Destination is more special and understandable for a stage then Battlefield is to the series. Final Destination was the last stage many players of Melee could unlock and when you unlocked the stage, it always felt good. I enjoy the music tune on the stage and found it to be more catchy then Battlefield's theme. The dark nature and pitch black background on the stage, makes you feel like you are fighting somewhere in a life or death fighting situation which fits the Smash Bros series tone, very well.

Like I stated earlier this is the type of stage, that is not everyone' s taste and I can understand that. The series is mostly about mixing and interacting with your opponents on stages with the stages mixing the action up but, it does not hurt having a stage or two like this from the series added to the mix in the series. Even though I will admit that stages with great interactivity are some of the series best and stages that are like that are still left to rank on the countdown, there is no denying enjoyment out of Final Destination and Battlefield and gives them this good rank on the countdown.


 * 15: Planet Zebes (Super Smash Bros.)

It's sad how there never was a Metroid game on the N64. By looks of the Metroid world display in this stage, there would be lots of way to create a cool and nice Metroid game for the system.

Anyways, the next stage to appear on the countdown and the next N64 stage to appear on the countdown is, Planet Zebes. I found Planet Zebes to be the best Metroid stage in the Smash Bros series due to the unique lava flow in the stage, the music and animation was great and the stage being fairly large and you given plenty of room to battle your opponents. Aside from one nitpicking problem I had with the stage, I found Planet Zebes to be a very fun stage and should appeal to any fan of the series and have a fun time playing with friends on Planet Zebes.

Let's start with what's great about Planet Zebes. At the time with Planet Zebes, the stage was very unique. I enjoyed how the lava would infect gameplay as the lava at random times would grow stronger or become weaker while battling your opponents on the stage. I enjoyed this concept well for the stage and albeit somewhat cheap, it was fun to screw with your opponents in the lava and have fun in it and try to kill them in it.

I also enjoyed how the lava would rise at the top of the stage at random times with players mad dashing to the highest platform of the stage and hoping that one of his/her opponents didn't knock them into the lava causing a fair amount of damage to them. I enjoyed the style and personality in this stage, as well. It didn't bring the best personality for a stage but, this problem can be overlooked due to the amazing remix song that plays on the stage and how the dark nature background and lava fit the Metroid series well.

The only problem I had with this stage, is a nitpicking problem. I found myself to be somewhat disappointed of how the lava would not rise up in the stage very often. The lava would really only rise in the stage every minute or so in a match, while a battle is taken place. This was the best part of the gameplay for me on playing Planet Zebes and I wished the rising lava would play more of a factor on the stage but nitpicking aside like I said, I found Planet Zebes to a very fun stage.

Fans of the N64 Smash Bros, consider Planet Zebes as the worst stage of the 9 Stages in the game. I really don't understand why because it was one of the unique stages of the 9 Stages in the game. I still believe it's Peach's Castle that is the worst but anyways overall, I found Planet Zebes to a very fun stage to enjoy playing your opponents and friends on and easily the best Metroid stage in the series. While not saying much, is saying a lot of how Nintendo and HAL need to try to make a good solid stage for the series, like this. Once again, Planet Zebes is a very fun stage and should appeal to any Smash Bros fan and have a fun time playing on it.


 * 14: Green Greens (Super Smash Bros. Melee)

HAL and Nintendo do a great job making fun Kirby stages in the Smash Bros series. I found every single Kirby stage in every Smash Bros game, to be very fun and enjoyable to play on with your friends. One of the most underrated stages in Melee and one of the best in Melee is, Green Greens. This is the part in the countdown where it's harder and harder for me to rank the stages as all 14 of these are very fun with no real faults to talk about for the stages.

The gameplay fighting on Green Greens is much like Dream Land from Smash Bros 64 but, made better. The stage is noticeably larger and more varied then Dream Land from Smash Bros 64. My favorite gameplay concept in the stage I enjoy is, the falling blocks that fall on the sky and form near the right and left platforms. The blocks would also often, drop bomb blocks where if you attack the block and/or of your opponents touch it and you are nearby the area, the explosion from the bomb blocks would do a fair amount of damage to your character and it would mix up the action very well. Whispy Woods also make a reappearance cameo in the stage occasionally trying to blow you off the stage much like what he did in the first Kirby stage in the first Smash Bros game.

I found the music and presentation in the stage, to be very solid. The main theme that plays on the stage is a remix main tune from the Kirby series and it fits the stage very well. Rainbows, Clouds and so on and so forth can be seen in the background of the stage giving the stage a well amount of personality from the Kirby games that also like the music, fit the stage very well.

The only problem I had with Green Greens, is only a nitpicking problem. Whispy Woods does not interact in the stage on the players very much and doesn't play a big factor on the gameplay on the players like what he did in Smash Bros 64 in Dream Land. This problem can be fairly forgettable, thanks of how well enjoyable and cool the blocks make a big change to the gameplay on the stage to the players. Espically, the bomb blocks.

Overall, Green Greens is a very solid stage and is one of the best stages in Melee, which is saying a lot since how crappy most of the Melee stages were. Green Greens is an improvement over Dream Land in Smash Bros 64 and is a stage that can appeal to just about any Smash Bros player and enjoyable to fight and play on with your friends. Fun stage.


 * 13: Corneria (Super Smash Bros. Melee)

The stages are getting harder and harder to rank as these stages are stages, I really do not have a problem with expect for a nitpicking problem here and there on them. The next stage to appear on the countdown is, Corneria. Much like a few previous write-ups with the exception of one minor nitpicking problem I had with the stage, Corneria is a very stage to enjoy and play on with your friends.

The biggest and notable gameplay concept on the stage is that, the stage is modeled much like Sector Z from Smash Bros 64, expect that Corneria is taken place through the city and forest areas of the Planet Corneria in the Star Fox games rather then space and the stage itself was smaller then Sector Z. Occasional Arwings would come into battle firing lasers at your opponents much like Sector Z. I find Corneria while not as good as Sector Z due to one nitpicking problem, I enjoy the main concept design and gameplay on Corneria given the fact that the stage is a near carbon copy of Sector Z, one of my favorite stages back in Super Smash Bros 64.

The only problem I had with the stage and it's a nitpicking problem is that due to the stage being a near carbon copy of another stage back in the previous game in the franchise, Corneria does not feel like something unique. The stage itself is noticeably shorter and smaller then what Sector Z was and the Arwings that make a big attack cameo in Sector Z on you and your opponents, make a noticeable smaller cameo on Corneria then back on Sector Z. Some new minor additions to the stage like adding more Arwing action to attack you and your opponents or something else making an appearance on the stage would be nice. Issues aside, Corneria is a very fun stage and one of Melee's best stages.

Nitpicking aside, I still found Corneria to be a very fun stage and enjoyable to play and fight on with your friends. Since this is basically a stage remake of one of my favorite stages back in Smash Bros 64, I didn't mind seeing something like it back and I still had fun with it.

The music and presentation on Corneria is great. The main music theme that plays on the stage is a main remix tune of Corneria from the SNES Star Fox game, which is a catchy tune to listen to and the stage background on Corneria give it some personality where Sector Z's background was a basic black sky over it.

Again. One of Melee's best stages and if it wasn't for the fact that this is a stage that is basically a remake of a very good stage in the previous installment in the series, I would of ranked Corneria higher and likely in the Top 10 but, as a result of this, it fails to crack the Top 10 on the Countdown. Still, Corneria is a stage that is very fun and enjoyable to fight and play your opponents and friends on. Great stage.


 * 12: Mushroom Kingdom (Super Smash Bros.)

I really miss the stages from Smash Bros 64. Like I stated back in previous write-ups, the stages in Smash Bros 64 were some of the best the series offered. I wished Nintendo could of have had at least 3 to 4 stages from Smash Bros 64 make a return appearance in Brawl. If you could bring back Melee stages, why not any Smash Bros 64 stages? It would be nice for newcomers in the series to play these stages they missed out on the first time and play them and see how much fun they can be but, whatever. Lazy Nintendo.

At any rate, the next stage to appear on the countdown goes to the Mushroom Kingdom version from Smash Bros 64. I found this to be one of the best Mario stages in the series. It's full of wonderful Mario charm with great music and style. Much like previous write-ups I wrote with the lone exception of one nitpicking problem I had with the stage, I found Mushroom Kingdom from Smash Bros 64, to be a very fun and wonderful stage to enjoy battling and playing your friends on.

The best aspects I enjoyed from this stage is that, this is the stage from Smash Bros 64 that showcased the best and most personality and set the standard for stages to follow in the series to showcase personality. Unlike Peach's Castle where it sometimes didn't even feel like something taken from a Mario game, Mushroom Kingdom from Smash Bros 64, is full of bright Mario charm. With Green Pipes appearing near the top and bottom right corners of the stages, to the classic 8-Bit Mario tune playing on the stage and to classic 8-Bit sized background with Koopa Troopa's random walking around on mushrooms. Any hardcore fighting fan looking for a stage to enjoy to showcase personality and charm, should enjoy the N64 version of Mushroom Kingdom.

One other notable aspect I enjoyed from the stage is that besides this stage and Saffron City, Mushroom Kingdom from Smash Bros 64 was one of the stages at the time the first game came out in the series that also showcased great variety in the stage. You can fight your opponents on the green pipes but, you had to be careful of the Piranha Plants as they could bite you to trying to survive on higher ground when the seesaw platforms would disappear in the center of the stage to fighting on top of multiple platforms in different sections in the stage. There was something great for anyone to enjoy and have a fun time doing in the Mushroom Kingdom version from Smash Bros 64.

While Mushroom Kingdom 64 is fantastic overall, I do have one nitpicking problem with the stage and it's a major one. Due to the stage being fairly small and with several objects appearing in the way of the stage, it was easy for one of your opponents to trap you on of the sides of the stage ad give of a cheap combo on you. Also due to the fact that there is no support recovery on every single side of the stage, your opponent could easily come up to you, throw you once or two near of the edge corners of the stage, trapping you and it would result of a KO. This is something I wished some stages added and fixed upon with support recovery on edges of the stages, especially if the stage is very small like Mushroom Kingdom from Smash Bros 64.

Nitpicking aside, Mushroom Kingdom from Smash Bros 64 is one of the best Mario stages in the series and is very fun and enjoyable to enjoy with battling and fighting your opponents and friends on. Much like Corneria, if it wasn't for the fact of a few minor nitpicking problems I had with the stage, I would likely had the stage in the Top 10 section in the countdown but, because of the few minor problems, this is how far it gets on the countdown. Still, Mushroom Kingdom 64 is a very enjoyable stage to enjoy with just about anyone. I really hope Nintendo re-adds stages from Smash Bros 64 into Smash Bros 4. I guess we will then in the future and see if they will or not.


 * 11: Pokemon Stadium (Super Smash Bros. Melee)

I have found all of the Pokemon stages in the Super Smash Bros series to be very enjoyable. Every single Pokemon stage is unique and fun in it's own way. The worst Pokemon stage in the series, Spear Pillar is a decent above-average stage while the rest of the Pokemon stages can be very enjoyable to enjoy and play with. This is true with Pokemon Stadium. The stage is very fun and thanks to how the four changeable stage platforms mix the action up on the stage well, Pokemon Stadium remains as one of best stages in Melee and aside from one nitpicking problem that has it not entering the Top 10 on the countdown, Pokemon Stadium should be enjoyable to just about anyone.

My favorite gameplay element in Pokemon Stadium, was the changeable element based environments on the stage. The stage could transform into four different element ways. Grass, Water, Rock and Fire.

Unlike Pokemon Stadium 2 in Brawl, in which the element changing platform sections, were not thought out well, the first Pokemon Stadium has the element platform sections in the stage, designed and planned out well with all three of them being enjoyable to fight on. My favorite changeable element stage field, was the water element stage. You could fight your opponents on a giant windmill that would mix up the action well and it was a great way to block your opponents attacks if you were high at damage and decided to be a breather or attacking your opponents with you special moves at the top of the windmill.

The elemental stage designs were also very fun and enjoyable to fight on with your opponents. In the Grass type section design in the stage, you and your opponents fight on regular and bouncy platforms and so on and so forth. Pokemon Stadium was one the best stages, design wise due to how well everything was planned out and how much variety and personality is shown on the stage. Definitely a very good thing, since you rarely if ever see that out of most stages in the series.

I enjoyed the music and animation in the stage. The music is remix tunes from of the best music from Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow/Gold/Silver/Crystal. The animation on the stage was well done and sometimes enjoyable to see. Fireworks would go off in the stage and the stage would even sometimes show who's the current leader in the stage, something I really like that I somewhat wish that was in most stages for the series.

While Pokemon Stadium from Melee, is a very fun stage and one of the best Melee has to offer, I do have one slight problem with it. When you battle your opponents at the start of the stage, you start out in the "normal" type section in the stage. This section at the start of the stage, can last a while as the elemental type changes to the stages do not happen very often in the stage. Matches can go on for 2 to 3 minutes before one single elemental change in the stage can happen. This is something I have a problem with, because when fighting your opponents on the normal section type platforms on the stage, it can get somewhat boring at times due to the regular fighting basically happening on the stage when the stage is in it's normal base type platform form.

Nitpicking aside from the slight problem that keeps Pokemon Stadium out of the Top 10, Pokemon Stadium is a stage that should appeal to just about anyone and remains as one of the best stages from Melee. With variety in the type changing platforms on the stage to the great style and Pokemon charm in the stage, just anyone should have a fun time playing with friends battling each other on the stage and find something enjoyable out of the stage. Very fun stage that everyone should at least try.


 * 10: Congo Jungle (Super Smash Bros.)

Starting off our Top 10 on the countdown is, Congo Jungle from Smash Bros 64. Like I stated earlier, these remaining stages are stages I have no real problems with and was getting harder and harder to rank them. One of the better stages from Smash Bros 64 is, Congo Jungle. I found Congo Jungle to be a very underrated stage. I enjoyed most of the gameplay mixing elements on the stage and remains as a very fun and enjoyable stage to play on with friends.

My favorite gameplay elements I enjoyed from the stage, were the albeit Ferris Wheel like platforms in the center of the stage. This is one gameplay element that was surprisingly fun as it mixed up the fighting action as the Ferris Wheel like platforms, could help you getting blocked by one of your opponents attacks or causing you to screw up and miss your own attacks. I enjoyed this concept because since the platforms move in a fast speed, it would mix up the main gameplay fighting action on the stage, often. Something that isn't in most stages in the series, let alone in Smash Bros 64 at the time the game came out.

Unlike Kongo Jungle from Melee where the barrels in the stage were completely useless and sometimes screw you up for no reason whatsoever the barrels in Congo Jungle from Smash Bros 64, were designed well for the stage. If you needed to recover on something and the timing was just right, the side to side barrel beneath the bottom of the stage would catch you and save you from losing a life. If you also timed where you were and what direction of the barrel was at the stage, you could form around a cheap shot on your opponents as the barrel would throw you in the air and help you back on the stage. This is another gameplay element, I enjoyed from Congo Jungle as much like Ferris Wheel like platforms, mixed up the action well and were design well gameplay wise in the stage.

The music on the stage is well done and showcases personality from the DK universe well. The main background music is music from Donkey Kong Country. (I hope I am right, about this.) and the main background in the stage itself, gives off a jungle based feel to it from the Donkey Kong series. It's well done and crafted well much like the main gameplay on the stage.

That's all I got to say about Congo Jungle from Smash Bros 64. Very fun stage and very enjoyable to play on with friends. Much like I stated earlier, I really do not have any problems with any of these remaining stages on the countdown. These stages are "must have" stages that deserved to at least worth trying out on by any type of Smash Bros fan. A stage that involves pure fun and remains as one of the best the series offers, especially involving Smash Bros 64 at the time.


 * 9: Fountain of Dreams (Super Smash Bros. Melee)

Of what's been said about Fountain of Dreams before by other Board 8 users, hasn't been said already. It's a beautiful and wonderful stage that while it doesn't bring anything new gameplay wise like other stages in the series, it remains as one of the best stages in the series wise, that showcases personality to the Kirby series and to the player well.

For a small stage with no real interactivity in it, Fountain of Dreams is a pretty dang good stage for what it is and remains as one of the best stages from Melee. Despite the fact that there is no real gameplay elements on the stage, Fountain of Dreams is good for showcasing calm and cool personality and fits the style of the Kirby series well. Fountain of Dreams offers what I find to be the best music and animation for a stage in Melee.

While fighting your opponents on the stage, you see the stage gives off a calm and majestic feel to the player with beautiful crystal buildings seen in the background of the stage, water forming in and out of the main fountain you are fighting on in the stage and warp star like rotations forming around the crystal buildings. This stage is the total package of what a stage should be for, animation and personality wise. No matter who you are, it's always nice to feel happy and competitive at the time will battling your opponents on Fountain of Dreams. The music is a remix tune from Kirby Super Star and fits the style well on Fountain of Dreams, majestic and cool, which is what overall what Fountain of Dreams is. Kirby fans will enjoy the style of the stage as it fits the franchise well.

It wasn't for the fact that the stage could be a little larger, I would of ranked Fountain of Dreams a little higher. Like I said earlier in past write-ups, I am a big fan of small stages in the Smash Bros series. Nitpicking aside, Fountain of Dreams is a great stage and remains as one of the best stages from Melee and continues to the trend for great Kirby stages in the series. Any fan of Smash Bros, should at least give Fountain of Dreams a try and see how it works for them and see if it's their type of tea.

Overall for me and not everyone is going to agree but, Fountain of Dreams is an amazing stage and I found myself and my friends always having a fun time battling each other on this stage. Excellent stage.


 * 8: Hyrule Castle (Super Smash Bros.)

There is one thing that Nintendo needs to do if they plan on making a Super Smash Bros 4 in the series. I would really enjoy it if they brought back at least 3 to 4 classic stages from the original Super Smash Bros game from the N64 into the next installment. I was mighty PO'd of how not a single stage from Smash Bros 64 was not included in Brawl. I don't understand why didn't they include any of the stages as they could please both newcomers and veterans from the franchise and it would help make everyone happy. Not the mention, Smash Bros 64 had some of the best stages in the series, even to this day for the series.

At any rate coming in at #8 on the Countdown is, Hyrule Castle from Super Smash Bros 64. There are multiple reasons why this stage is in the Top 3 of my favorite stages from Smash Bros 64. The stage was large, full of Zelda personality and the gameplay was designed well for the stage where anybody could have fun enjoyable battling his or her opponents on the stage.

My favorite gameplay elements in Hyrule Castle were that, the stage was very large. Hyrule Castle was the one largest stages from Smash Bros 64 and because of this, the action would get very chaotic and enjoyable. You could fight near the center of the stage where there was three platforms to battle and jump on causing the fight to go higher and higher. You could fight on top of a green based platform and to battling each other on the narrow sides of the stage. There was multiple ways to battle your opponents on the stage and due to the stage being large, it makes the action fast paced and enjoyable and making it one of the best stages in the series for it's time.

Another gameplay element I loved in the stage, were the blue spinning tornadoes that randomly form in different sections of the stage. These added more fun to the main fighting gameplay on the stage as it always forced you to battle your opponents in weird and cool ways on the stage while trying not to get sucked up by the tornadoes on the stage. While albeit the tornadoes would move in a cheap way at random times for no reason whatsoever on the stage on your character, this wasn't that big of a problem due to the stage being very large causing you to avoid them most of them for the time and the fact that they don't make an appearance that often on the stage.

The stage had great personality that fits the Zelda series well. The main music on the stage was a remix classical tune from the Zelda series that fits the style of the competitive gameplay and the Zelda series in general, well.

Overall, Hyrule Castle remains as one the best stages from Smash Bros 64 and much like in other write-ups I have stated in the past, every type of player and fan of the series should at least give Hyrule Castle a try and see how well they enjoy it. I personally found the stage to be one of the best for what it was at the time back in the day of gaming and how it remains as one of my favorites stages still in the series to this date. One of the best from Smash Bros 64 and in the series in general and is a stage that should appeal to anyone and have a great time fighting their friends on the stage. Unique, fun and among other words is what can be described for Hyrule Castle from Smash Bros 64. Very fun, stage.


 * 7: Poke' Floats (Super Smash Bros. Melee)

The Pokemon stages in the series are some of best stages in the series to this date and this trend continues with Poke' Floats from Melee. One of the best stages in Melee and I enjoy popping in Melee on my Wii and playing on the Poke' Floats stage again and again, thanks to the high variety in the stage with each Pokemon float having personality and how well the main gameplay fighting action works on the stage.

The best gameplay elements in Poke' Floats is, the fact that there is high variety in it and remains as one of the stages in the series to this date, with the most variety for a stage. Like I stated earlier, each Pokemon float has personality and adds something cool to mix of fighting while battling your opponents on the stage. You start off fighting on Squirtle's head to moving and fighting on Onix's body to battling on Psyduck's nose and so on so forth. Notable gameplay elements you had to be careful for of in the stage, was not getting stuck in Sudowoodo's arms, avoid Chansey's head popping up and down on the stage and so on and so forth. The stage had great personality and so much gameplay that it can be hard to get bored of the stage anytime soon and remains as one of the best from Melee.

The stage was blooming with Pokemon personality and it shows it off well on the stage with multiple Pokemon from the 251 Pokedex list making cameo appearances on the stage that can hurt and help you while battling your opponents on the stage. The Pokemon floats mix up the action well and are well designed where anybody can have an easy time testing out timing and combos on their opponents well as the Pokemon floats never feel cheap while battling your foes in combat and each Pokemon float in the stage, has a purpose and each please to any type of Smash Bros player. The stage mixes skill, luck and fun very well as it remains was one of the best stages in Melee, let alone one of the best in the series to this day.

The music was well done on the stage and very catchy to listen to. The main theme song on the stage is a soft rock remix tune of the Gym Leader theme song from R/B/Y. It fits the style of the stage well and adds more package and personality to the stage to an already great stage, without it.

Poke' Floats remains as one of my favorite stages in the series. (Every stage in the Top 10, are stages that are some of the stage I always find fun with and never get bored with it.) Thanks to the slick and solid style of the Pokemon franchise, solid gameplay concepts on the stage with great personality and gameplay effects for the floats on the stage, Poke' Floats is one awesome stage where any type of Smash Bros player should at least and will hopefully enjoy. For those reasons above and so, have Poke' Floats at the lucky #7 slot, on the countdown. Very, fun and well designed stage and one of the best from Melee.


 * 6: Temple / Hyrule Castle (Super Smash Bros. Melee)

The Zelda stages in the Smash Bros series are...strange. The stages from the franchise in the series can range from being fairly bad to being one of the best stages in the series and in so with the case with Hyrule Temple from Melee or better known as regular Temple in Brawl. The stage one of the best in Melee and let alone in the series to date, thanks to the great animation, music and personality in the stage. The main gameplay flows well on the stage and the stage is extremely enjoyable, thanks to the stage being the largest stage in Melee and making up for countless fun action with your friends, no matter how many times you play and fight with them on Temple / Hyrule Temple.

The best gameplay element I enjoyed from Temple and most other fans in the series in general would agree with is, the stage is extremely large. The stage is the largest stage in Melee and even one of the largest so far in the series. Because of this and thanks to the stage not being to large like New Pork City from Brawl, the main fighting action flow is solid and just plain fun on the stage. You fight on a variety of platforms such as possibly going lower and lower underneath the stage to the point on fighting on a small circle platform in the middle right corner of the stage to fighting on battling with your opponents on the top of wooden like platforms from the Zelda series. Thanks to the variety in the platforms on the stage and thanks to the stage being large enough for the action never slowing down, Temple offers one of the best pure gameplay skill fighting in the series and in Melee, in general. The stage was well designed and overall, this leads reasons why and more reasons below in the write-up, why I have Hyrule Temple / Temple near the very top of this list.

The animation and personality on the stage was, well done. The main theme is a remix tune from Zelda II on the NES and it fits the style of the stage well and the castle like platforms you fight your opponents on in the stage from the Zelda series, also fits the personality and style of the stage well.

Despite the stage not having any real gameplay changing hazards in it, a stage that is very big like Hyrule Temple / Temple, doesn't need it as while battling your opponents and your friends on a big stage like this, can make the matches fun still without it. Thanks to the stage being very large more often then not, every single time you battle your opponents on the stage can make the gameplay feel different and enjoyable. I really enjoy stages that always make the combat fresh unlike many others in the series, let alone in most fighting game series in general.

Overall, Hyrule Temple / Temple remains as one of my favorite and best stages from Melee and let alone one of the best in the series, thanks to the stage being very large and always changing and making the main gameplay fighting action feel fresh with you battle your friends and opponents on it. Every single fan of the Smash Bros series, should definitely give this stage a try and see how well it appeals to it. It was great for me and it should remain enjoyable and great for you. Amazing stage and very enjoyable.


 * 5: Fourside (Super Smash Bros. Melee)

We are now in the Top 5 section in the countdown and kicking off the Final 5, is Fourside from Melee. Aside from the two F-Zero stages from the same game, I found Fourside to be the stage from Melee. The stage is full of calm and peaceful personality, the large is very large making up for a stage with high paced action taking place as you battle your opponents on the stage and much like Hyrule Castle / Temple from Melee, the stage is kept fresh and exciting thanks to the stage being very large and full of different types of platform sections in the stage to battle your opponents on. Fourside remains not only as one of the best stages from Melee but, one of the best the series to date.

Before moving on and talking about the main fighting action on the stage, I can really see and wish that a full 3D remake of Earthbound was made on the Wii by Nintendo. By first judging by the 3D based backgrounds and models used for in Fourside, makes Earthbound a great game that could be pulled off well with a 3D remake for the Wii. Anybody else agree? Hope, Nintendo revives the classic for people that haven't played it, like myself. I would rather see that at E3 then the return of Golden Sun.

At any rate by moving on to the stage in Melee rather then the Earthbound series in general, there are multiple reasons why this stage is set near the top of the countdown. My favorite type of gameplay element on Fourside, it that with the exception of the Number 1 and 2 stages left to reveal on the countdown, Fourside had the best personality and animation for a stage in the Smash Bros series to this date. The main music theme on the stage, is a remix tune from Earthbound and the backgrounds of the buildings in the the stage is full of a downtown night sky tone which fits the stage very well and the series well where while battling your opponents on the stage. The player can have a calm, enjoyable and competitive tone in battle battling their opponents on the stage. Animation wise, one of the best in the series to this date and better personality then over half of the stages from Brawl.

One of the other best gameplay elements in Fourside that make it one of the best stages in the series to date is that, the stage is extremely large and you could battle your opponents in a variety of ways in the different platforms on the stage. You could battle near the top of the highest building in the stage, to battling in the air, to battling on the top of the appearing and disappearing UFO in the stage and to battling and slamming your opponents on the sides of the building in the stage. There is a variety of things to do on the stage and thanks to the stage being very large, the action always feels fresh no matter how many times you battle your opponents and friends on, adding more fun and flavor to amazing stage.

Once again, not only is Fourside one of the best stages from Melee, it remains as one of the best in the series to this date, better then over half of the stages from Brawl and Smash Bros 64 and easily makes the list in as one of my favorite stages so far personally in the series so far. The words graceful, calm, cool, fun, amazing and so on and so forth, are good words to desribe Fourside as a whole. Amazing stage that every fan and player of the series should try and get an enjoyable out it. Thanks to the reasons above, those reasons are more then enough to have Fourside in the Top 5 on the Countdown.


 * 4: Sector Z (Super Smash Bros.)

Saffron City aside, this was the best stage from the original Smash Bros on the Nintendo 64 and remains overall in general, one of the best stages in the series and by far the best Star Fox stage from the Smash Bros series. Much like other write-ups I stated on the countdown, Sector Z offers great variety, great gameplay elements and stage personality and most people that stated that makes Sector Z awesome, is stuff that can't be said already of how great of a stage it is. Despite the fact it's not #1 on the countdown, it remains a very enjoyable stage that everyone should at least give a try and enjoy with.

Some of the best gameplay elements in the stage, it that it showcases personality well unlike many other stages in the Smash Bros franchise. The stage is set on Sector Z from Star Fox 64, which came out on the N64 a few years before Smash Bros 64 was released for the system. The main logo from Sector Z in SF64 makes a main appearance on the stage.

Adding more flavor and fun personality to the stage, are the occasional Arwing ambush attacks on the characters. Unlike in Corneria from Melee where the Arwing ambush attacks on the characters didn't make a difference in the stage and hardly appearing on the stage, the Arwings mix up the fighting action on the stage well and designed well on the stage. Thanks to the stage being fairly large, the main gameplay with the Arwings can be very enjoyable to see and stay on your toes with. The Arwings can cause a decent amount of damage on the player and if the player is not careful, it can screw the player over. This isn't much of a problem, thanks to the stage being large enough where you are given enough recovery room to recover from the Arwings and quickly recover back to battling your opponents on the stage.

Really. All of these four remaining stages left to announce on the countdown, are some of the series best and are so good that, every fan and player of the Smash Bros series should give them a try and see how enjoyable they are. Sector Z can be a very enjoyable stage, especially when a four player fight is going on in the stage. All of these remaining stages are amazing and I found it hard to rank which one on the countdown, should be #1. All of them are so enjoyable and fun.

Thanks to the high personality of the stage and how enjoyable I find Star Fox 64 to one of the greatest games of all time and also full of personality that fits the Smash Bros universe well, makes Sector Z entering the #4 slot, on the Countdown. Very fun stage and should appeal to just about anyone that is a fan of the series.


 * 3: Saffron City (Super Smash Bros.)

This stage is without a doubt, the best stage from the original Smash Bros game on the N64. Saffron City, is a classic stage that everyone should enjoy and respect with thanks to such much great things to talk about with the stage, with the stage full of variety of interactivty on the stage to the classic and catchy main Pokemon theme playing on the stage and so on and so forth. If Nintendo and HAL ever make Smash Bros 4, they should have some stages from the games in the series return. Nintendo did so with Mario Kart. If you can have stages reappearing and making a return in Mario Kart Wii, how come you didn't have any of the N64 stages return in Brawl? These N64 scream the word "retro" and I am sure newcomers and veterans to the series, would really enjoy it if they some of the N64 stages reappear in the series.

At any rate, there are so many reasons why this stage is the highest of the Smash Bros 64 stages on the Countdown. The first and for most important positive about Saffron City is, the variety of the stage hazards in the stage. You could battle on the main left side of the stage where you be fighting on flying up and down platforms to battling near the center of the stage where random Pokemon at random times would attack the characters mixing the action well on the stage.

Electrode would cause a massive explosion on the Battlefield and cause major damage on the characters if you are nearby it, Porygon would tackle you down on the left side of the stage, Charmander could use flamethrower and cause a fair amount of damage on the characters on the stage and Chansey would appear and do nothing. It all adds up to a stage, that offers so much stage hazard variety that it would be hard to ignore and enjoy with. Saffron City was the first true stage in the series that mixed action and hazard stage gameplay in a stage for the Smash Bros series and set that standard for other stages in the series to follow.

The fun does not stop there. Thanks to the stage being fairly large, you could battle on a variety of platforms such as fighting your opponents on the top of the Pokemon center tower near the right side of the stage, battling on top of middle tower in the stage where the Pokemon would make an attack cameo from and battle on that or battle on the rear left side of the stage with floating up and down platforms. Also much like Fourside, you could possibly throw and slam your opponents on the sides of the tower of the stage. Thanks to this stage being large in scale and variety of the gameplay on the stage, Saffron City is a true classic and a stage that any fan of the series should enjoy with.

The animation and music on the stage is also classical and fits the Pokemon franchise very well on the stage. Non-attacking flying Pokemon like Butterfree would appear in the background of the stage and a main Pokemon float sign would appear near the rear left corner of the stage giving the stage some of the best personality for a Smash Bros stage in the series to date and easily the best stage with the best personality from Smash Bros 64. The main Pokemon opening theme from Red/Blue/Yellow, is the main theme that plays on this stage and it adds more fun and personality to the stage. Game Freak, HAL and Nintendo did a very good job with this series matching the Pokemon franchise on the stage, very well.

Thanks to the high amount of fun gameplay hazards and personality on the stage, Saffron City is a true classic where every single fan of the series should try and enjoy with. The stage can be very enjoyable and chaotic once four players battle each other on the stage. I will say it once and I will say it again, any fan of the Smash Bros series should give the stage at least a try with and see how enjoyable it is. If you don't have Smash Bros 64, you can go on Ebay or at your local Pawn Shop and hunt a copy of the game down for $10 to $15 dollars. Smash Bros 64 is a classic game in the series with some of the best stages in the franchise to this stage. Saffron City is an amazing stage that everyone should enjoy and have fun with friends, family and so on and so forth. Saffron City remains as a classic in my heart and with that, earns it the #3 slot, on the Countdown.


 * 2: Big Blue (Super Smash Bros. Melee)

Fans of Melee argue which F-Zero stage from the game was better and they still do, to this day with at least someone stating that, "Mute City rules and Big Blue sucks!" or "Big Blue rules and Mute City" sucks. I really do not see what the problem is, with both stages. Both of the remain as the best stages from Melee and the best in the series so far to this date.

Even do both Mute City and Big Blue are stages, that both have a place in my heart as some of the best stages in the series so far, I have to give the nod to Mute City of being better and ranked higher then Big Blue on the countdown. I will get back on to that when I do my Mute City write-up on the countdown.

As for Big Blue, it's an amazing stage, very unique and very enjoyable for any type of player in the Smash Bros to get into and hopefully enjoyable to them. The music and animation on the stage, remains as THE best I have seen for a stage so far in the series. The main theme on Big Blue, is a rock based tune from the F-Zero series and it fits the style of the stage well. Other detail animation on the stage is also enjoyable and cool to enjoyable on while battling your opponents on the stage.

I enjoy the huge gameplay variety in this stage with some of it much like the animation, the best in the series to this date. You and your opponents start battling on the big Falcon flyer owned by Captain Falcon to jumping from F-Zero flyer to flyer on the stage and trying to not get killed as the stage moves at Super Sonic speed and always trying to be careful of yourself not getting killed by rearing off to the right or left sides of the stage. It takes skill and stage practice to get used to it but, once you get passed it, you should have a fun time battling in different sections of the stage and doing different types of tactics on the stage as the stage goes on. Big Blue is a very unique stage and is a stage like no other, which is neat which is something that wasn't seen at the time Melee was released back in 2001.

Big Blue is set at the Top of the countdown, thanks to the variety of the stage and being unique and nothing like it with other stages in the series. If it wasn't for the fact there are a few reasons of why I have Mute City at #1 (In which, I will announce when I post Mute City's write-up) Big Blue, is one of the best stages in the series to this date. Mute City, Luigi's Mansion, Saffron City, Big Blue and Sector Z all sit at Top 5 of my favorite stages in the series so far. Overall, Big Blue is an amazing stage and very enjoyable with nothing else like it in the series. It remains as much as a big classic stage like #1 on the countdown and I will have both stages in the heart as the best in the series in Melee and both stages make up for the high list terrible stages in Melee.


 * 1: Mute City (Super Smash Bros. Melee)

Much like Big Blue, Mute City is a classic stage and remains as not only the best stage from Melee and the best stage out of the 35 stages on the countdown, it's easily MY own personal favorite stage in the series to this date and that counts all of the stages combined in Brawl.

Likewise for Big Blue, Mute City is a very unique stage in Melee and one of the most unique stages in the series to this date with no other stage out there like it. In Mute City, you and your opponents start out battling on shifting platforms in the sky then to fighting briefly on the main road of the stage to again battling on top of the shifting platforms that moves the fighters from section to section on the stage. Adding more flavor to the main simple fighting gameplay and design, is trying to avoid the F-Zero racers clashing against you in the stage. This and fact of trying to recover or screw with your opponents in the air while the platform in section change, only adds more fun to the experience. The stage is kept at core and pure gameplay fast paced fun and with this and the fact it mixes with the gameplay so well, helps Mute City more and more on how classic of a stage it is.

The only reason why I have Mute City ranked higher then Big Blue is that, the main fighting action on Big Blue can at times, be boxed up and while I never found this be a big problem with myself, it can be somewhat annoying to some fans of the series having to be careful of slightest thing on the stage. You never have to be careful that often on Mute City that much due, to the fact the shifting platforms give players a warning sign to return to the main platform and the fact the cars never cause that much damage on the players and always giving them a chance to stay alive. Still, I love both Mute City and Big Blue to my heart and both stages remain the best in the series to the date.

The style and animation in Mute City is, fantastic. The main rock based music on the stage fits the F-Zero series well and fits the style gameplay personality on the stage well. The song is catchy and more personality is brought to life on the stage with the F-Zero racers appearing as attacking cameos on the characters and the stage shifting and appearing as Mute City from the F-Zero X.

The stage is a true classic and remains as my own personal favorite stage in the series with the incredible hidden depth style and fighting gameplay on the stage and how unique the stage is. A true classic that every type of fan in the Smash Bros series should enjoy with.