Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Stages

Stages are one of the unique features of Smash Bros., with each stage having unique layouts and different elements that spice up play. A major difference between the 3DS version and the Wii U version is the stages. The stages in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS are mainly based on handheld games, although it does share some stages with Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. To be a good smasher, one must know the ins and outs of every stage, and be able to adapt to the unique challenges presented by each.

Omega Mode
New in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U is the Omega Mode feature available for every stage. By pressing on the stage selection screen and choosing a stage, you can play on the Omega form of said stage, which is a single, flat platform like that of Final Destination, with its size adjusted to that of Final Destination as well. These stages are not playable in For Fun, but is the only type of stage selectable in For Glory.

Omega stages usually come in either trapezoid or fully rectangular forms. The trapezoid platform is the simplest to grasp, with sloped walls that lets you wall jump off of or hug to the side of while recovering. Rectangular platforms often extend all the way down beyond the blastline. Their sides are straight, but their walls are much longer, giving you more space for wall jumping.

Battlefield
One of Smash's recurring stages, Battlefield returns with the nature and ruins aesthetic that started from Brawl. Comprised of a medium-sized base with three platforms arranged in the classic pyramid formation above the base, Battlefield's layout is simple, but allows for diverse strategy. The background cycles from bright daylight to the night over the course of two minutes, the standard time limit for a Free-For-All. Omega Battlefield removes the three platforms and enlarges the base platform, while still retaining the day-and-night cycle.

Battlefield doesn't have any gimmicks, but its platforms alone adds a layer of strategy to fighting. The two lower platforms help you approach from multiple angles and against projectiles, or let you refresh your jumps while chasing an opponent to the air, or sometimes to extend combos. Standing opponents can poke through the platforms from below, so it's not good defensive position. The top platform acts as a brief safe spot, since it is safer from attacks below and requires a bit more commitment to reach, since most characters must expend both jumps or use the lower platforms to approach. It also assists in getting KOs off the top as it is closer to the top blastline, or as a foothold when pursuing airborne foes or the Smash Ball.

Battlefield is a fairly neutral stage, and no character benefits significantly from its layout or design. Generally, characters that do better here are ones that have difficulty with projectile zoning, have a strong air game or can navigate around platforms well. The lack of any hazards puts more focus on positioning and movement. Moreso than any other stage, you should be aware of any minor positional advantages to get an edge over your foes in this stable and uneventful stage.

Final Destination
Final Destination is undoubtedly one of the series' most well-known stages, and it's also one of two original stages of Smash Bros. The redesigned Final Destination now sports and interesting contrast between the sleek, mechanical left side and the fiery, jagged right side. Despite its new look, Final Destination still sports the same layout as always, a lone, flat platform with no other features other than a magnificent view in the background. As this stage is the basis for all Omega stages, it is completely unchanged when playing on the Omega version.

Your strategy and tactics here are straightforward: face your foes directly. The total lack of dynamic stage elements or dangerous hazards lets you focus only on your enemies. A general rule of thumb is to stay close to the center, which is the point furthest away from the edges on both sides. Being near the edge makes it easier for you to get knocked off, where your foes can get extra damage or even a KO by edgeguarding. Staying at the center leaves you vulnerable to attack from more directions, but also reduces the chances of you getting knocked off the ledge.

While a flat, featureless stage sounds completely fair, certain characters have a clear advantage. The stage is moderately large, and it does not have any platforms hovering over the base. These attributes benefit projectile-reliant characters like Link, as it is harder to dodge constant projectile barrages without platforms. Characters that are strong on the ground, notably Little Mac, also fare well on this stage, as fighters will have to remain on the base platform more, giving the aforementioned characters more chances to strike and punish more aerial dominant fighters.

3D Land
Based on the newest handheld 3D Mario game Super Mario 3D Land, this colorful stage takes you on a tour through a variety of terrains, where you will be moving horizontally, vertically and along the z-axis. It's a scrolling stage with a set path and slow scroll speed, so you can quickly familiarize yourself with many of the stage's features with just a few playthroughs. The length of the stage is designed so that one full loop of the whole stage should take about 2 minutes, the default time given for free-for-alls. The Omega version of the stage takes place on a trapezoid platform, with the sea section as a backdrop.

The match begins with players spawning on three platforms arranged in a V-shape, with the center platform twice as large as the higher side platforms. Players will then drop to the ground as the platforms scroll offscreen, moving to the right. The terrain of this first grassy section is very tame, with a few hills here and there. There are small gaps that you are unlikely to get KO'd in. There are some brick blocks and question mark blocks. You can break brick blocks with attacks or by jumping into them from below, while question mark blocks yield items, likely Super Leaves, when hit. There are also Donut Blocks covering gaps. Stand on them too long and they will drop into the abyss.

As you continue along, the height difference in the terrain starts to become great enough that hillsides can serve as walls. Use these walls to increase your survivability by teching when you're hit into one, or try to bounce items or other players off them for combos or traps. You will soon get to a series of Flip Panels, which slowly unfold and spread across a grate. You can drop through the panels and the grate, although it is advisable to stay on the panels so that you don't get stuck behind the wall as the screen scrolls onward. Eventually, you will come to another red grate which ascends to the next section. There is a note block below that bounces you up, but your character's recovery will usually suffice for getting on board. Overall, the initial grassy section involves a balance of movement and fighting. KOs will occur most frequently at the sides, where players are very close to the side blastzones.

The grate will take you up to four platforms arranged in a rough ellipse. You will now pass through a canyon while fighting on the platforms. All the platforms can be dropped through and passed from below, but only the bottom platform has grabbable ledges. As you move through the canyon, 2 out of 4 randomly selected stone pillars will jut out from openings in the walls. They will tilt the platform that is the same color as the opening, as well as harmlessly pushing players out of the way. The openings always appear at the same time and in the same order, and there is plenty of warning before the stone pillars come out. The fight is more close-quarters due to the arrangement of platforms. Aerial fighters have an advantage due to the small area of each platform and their arrangement. The stone pillars are a mild concern, but they would rarely if ever cause you to lose a stock.

At the end of the canyon, players will drop down on to a terraced hillside. The screen scrolls to the right once again. As a general rule in this section, you should stay on the right. It is easier to respond to approaches and attack foes when you're below them. Being at the left also places you uncomfortably close to both the left and top blastzones. At the end of the hill, you will have to cross an abyss using rotating platforms and pipes that move up and down. The block platforms are your main concern, as they do not have grabbable ledges, and might cause you to slip due to their rotation. The movement of the pipes may create temporary walls or pits, but it alters too quickly to be exploited. Just like in the first section, focus on a balance of moving forward and fighting your foes. When you come to the rotating blocks, be especially careful with your movement, attacking only for self-defense.

After the pipes, you will board three platforms of identical lengths. Then, the platforms will start moving to the back across a seaside area. The platforms follow a colored track and will shift their positions around as they move. Partially through this section, you will see a thick spiked Skewer shoot out from the sea at a randomized location. This is a helpful warning, as the Skewer will extend upward again after a while, destroying half of a platform. It will also launch fighters hit by it upward, but it will never cause KOs. Finally, the platforms enter a warp pipe, dropping you back at the start and restarting the loop. Like the valley section, the seaside section emphasizes aerial fighting, since you will need to move from platform to platform as they shift around the screen. The skewer should be easy to avoid if you're paying attention to the background.

Golden Plains
This wide open plain comes from New Super Mario Bros. 2, bringing with it its source game's emphasis on collecting coins. The majority of the battle takes place on the center area of the plains, which is a long flat platform with no gaps to fall into and a raised section around the middle. There are also stationary, non-solid platforms as well as moving platforms. This starting arrangement is a wide open area that benefits ground fighters, as there's a lot of room to run about, while aerial characters can use the suspended platforms to escape from the chaos below.

Every once in a while, an arrow will appear and the stage will start scrolling in that direction until it reaches one of the side areas. Eventually, the stage will scroll back to the middle section. The left area features one small gap, two suspended platforms and two non-solid hill platforms. Air fighters fare a bit better here, as there are more platforms above the ground to move around on. The right area is the most aerial-centric, with a wide abyss in which two mushroom platforms extend from. Other than the recurring floating platforms, there is also a scale platform. Standing on one end of the scale causes it to fall and the other end to rise. Stand too long and the whole scale falls off. Due to the large abyss and short platforms, battles will happen more often in the air.

This stage has a unique coin collecting mechanic. Each player has their own coin counter, which goes up when collecting coins. Yellow coins litter the stage and a continuously replenished. Occasionally, P-Switches appear which fill the stage with blue coins when hit. Finally, Red Rings will also appear. Passing through them generates 8 red coins worth 5 coins each. When one player collects 100 coins, they will temporarily turn into a gold fighter, gaining stronger attacks and super armor. This mechanic is not present in the Omega version, which features a flat, rectangular platform with sides extending down into the abyss. The long walls of the platform benefit characters with wall jumps.

Work your strategy around the gold fighter mechanic. The super armor from the golden buff is very helpful, since it lets you go fully offensive and ignore opposing attacks for the duration of the buff, though you still have to watch out for grabs. The increased attack strength is just icing on the cake, but it is much easier to execute powerful moves without being interrupted by other players' attacks. However, going out of your way to get coins forces you to ignore your opponents, give up advantageous positions and miss potentially game-changing items. Do you commit to getting coins, then attempt to rack up damage and KOs while golden? Do you ignore coins altogether and focus on the battle, running the risk of falling behind whenever another player becomes gold? Find a balance between collecting coins and fighting your foes to optimize your strategy on this stage.

Dream Land

 * Unlock condition: Use a Final Smash while playing as Kirby.

Mute City

 * Unlock condition: Win 3 Smash battles with Captain Falcon.

Magicant

 * Unlock condition: Unlock the hidden character Ness.

Flat Zone 2 (SSBB)

 * Unlock condition: Unlock the hidden character Mr. Game & Watch, then complete Challenges 1-35 (Challenge Panel 1).

WarioWare, Inc. (SSBB)

 * Unlock condition: Unlock the hidden character Wario.

Balloon Fight

 * Unlock condition: Use Villager 3 or more times in Smash.

Pac-Maze

 * Unlock condition: Use a Final Smash while playing as Pac-Man.