During a game of Classic or All-Star, stages appear in a predetermined order. When you begin a round of Smash or Training, however, you’ll be prompted to select one of the available stages. In these cases, the game begins immediately after stage selection, so be sure you’ve activated your preferred settings before you make your choice.
Each selectable stage is inspired by a well-known game or franchise. Most selectable stages are related to one or more of the available fighters, but there are a few stages based on separate franchises or that were established by the Super Smash Bros. franchise itself.
Normal Stages
On the “Normal” setting, most stages contain some combination of animated backgrounds, moving platforms, environmental hazards, and scene transitions. Learning to recognize these scripted events—even in the heat of battle—can provide a notable advantage over less observant players.
Final Destination Forms
Although environmental elements can lead to some particularly exciting matches, players looking to minimize distractions can take advantage of each stage’s Final Destination form, indicated by an omega (Ω) near the stage name. These simplified stages incorporate some design elements from their respective normal variants, but they all share the same basic layout—each stage’s Final Destination form contains a single large platform. This reduces the need for spacial awareness, making it much easier to focus on your opponents.
Unlocking Stages
The game contains a total of 34 selectable stages, but not all of them are available by default. To unlock the game’s seven hidden stages, you must complete the corresponding Challenges.
Hidden Stages
| Stage | How to Unlock |
|---|---|
| Balloon Fight | Use Villager three or more times in Smash. |
| Dream Land | Use a Final Smash while playing as Kirby. |
| Flat Zone 2 | Unlock the hidden character Mr. Game & Watch and complete the first Challenge panel. |
| Magicant | Unlock the hidden character Ness. |
| Mute City | Win three Smash battles with Captain Falcon. |
| PAC-MAZE | Use a Final Smash while playing as PAC-MAN. |
| WarioWare, Inc. | Unlock the hidden character Wario. |