Stage
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A stage is a location where characters fight. A stage can also be called a "map" or "board." The stages are usually locations that are from a character's universe, however there are some stages like Final Destination that come from the Smash Bros. universe. There are many different types of stages that appear in the Super Smash Brothers series. The typical stage generally comprises a floored center with ledges on each side, separating the floor from the abyss, and platforms above to which characters can jump upon and drop through. Some stages, however, such as Fourside, can be much more complex, complete with moving platforms, walls, and ceilings. Furthermore, there are some stages, like Icicle Mountain, that move continuously.
A stage can also contain obstacles and enemies, which contribute to the zaniness that is Smash Bros. These stages are designed to give characters challenges and take precautions while they fight. For example, the Mushroom Kingdom 2 stage features the beloved Birdo and her eggs, which she promptly fires upon the fighters.
There are stages that have simple designs and do not contain any obstacles or enemies. These stages include Final Destination and Battlefield. These stages focus more on competitive play (and as such, they are the prime choices for high-level and professional play).
Moving stages were introduced in SSBM. These stages include Icicle Mountain, Rainbow Cruise, Poke Floats, and Big Blue. Moving stages operate in a scroll-like mode, where the scene continuously moves, or scrolls, which makes for some entertaining gameplay mechanics. These stages are not used in high-level play because they introduce too much luck into the gameplay.
There are also special stages that were not designed for battling, like the stages in the Adventure Mode of Melee. These stages were designed for a character to travel across the stage and reach a certain checkpoint. These stages include Mushroom Kingdom, F-Zero Grand Prix, and Underground Maze.
Bonus stages are another type of stage. These bonus stages include Target Test and Board the Platforms. These stages were designed to test the player's ability to complete a task of the bonus stage by using the character's different abilities to achieve their goal. Bonus stages cannot be selected for versus mode play.
Stages are also a factor that is included in tournament legality. Some of the stages in Melee are banned in tournaments because of numerous reasons. Some stages like Hyrule Temple and Yoshi's Island 64 were banned because they gave an unfair advantage to some characters during battle. Other stages, like Icicle Mountain, were banned during tournament play because their movement disrupts the battle, and gives players chances they normally would not encounter (meaning advantages and disadvantages).
