Preston Ward Condra Ranks All 35 Super Smash Bros 64 & Melee Stages

by Preston Ward Condra

A project I initially made back in June 2009. I critiqued, discussed and ranked all of the Super Smash Bros 64 and Melee stages from worst to best. I wrote this down, when I was 15 years old. As with all of my other stories, I wrote over 10 years ago? I won't be fixing any of the spelling mistakes, that may or may not be present here. Enjoy reading this now ladies and gentlemen.

29. 8 - Hyrule Castle (N64)

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.