Board 8 > The Mount Rushmore of: VG Water-Related Stages (& Fire Stage TIEBREAKER)

(+) Yeah! (+)

Rules

1. You may vote up to 4 entries that fit the prompt.
2. No alts.
3. No deleting or editing posts; though, editing posts shortly after you post is fine.
4. If you change your vote, clearly indicate that you are changing a previous vote. Same for adding or subtracting picks.
5. In general, if there are two picks that can be considered the same product (i.e. Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Adventure 2 Battle), I will combine them.
6. If a vote is vague, I will pick the first available choice that best matches the vote (i.e. "Mario" for Wii Games becomes Super Mario Galaxy).
7. I will post the parameters of each Rushmore topic. Other than that, feel free to vote however you like and based on any criteria that best fits the "Mount Rushmore" of that topic.
8. If a vote doesn't fit the topic, it will count as a blank vote.
9. You may nominate as much as you want and have an unlimited amount of seconds for established nominations.
10. Every Sunday, I'll post the schedule for next week. I will pick based on the number of nominations. Any ties will be determined by RNG.

Spreadsheet & Nominations

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1aatA25pW6OsDn2RlAAGP1_GOGCMNvLLumAKckHOhtFk/edit?gid=1117984190#gid=1117984190

Last Topics Results

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/5/543d3583.png
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/5/500103ef.png

These stage results are gonna have wide spreads.

A lot of really solid options. 1-1 dominated, with Sonic close behind. Midgar is a bit too big for a first area, but the Bombing Mission grabbed up multiple votes on its own right. I ended up just combining them. Bob-omb Battlefield barely takes the last spot.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/7/78f8a080.png
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/4/4d23b737.png

Mario 64 gets another spot! Will we get a whole slew of Mario 64 stages?

Super Metroid was almost at risk with Metroid NES splitting the vote, but takes a spot comfortably. Despite a few complaints, OOT gets on as well. Last spot was a toss-up where many, many candidates legitimately had a chance, but we avoid a massive tiebreaker between old and new with FF1 and Minecraft.

Last 5 Rushmores

U.S. Vice Presidents: John Adams / Theodore Roosevelt / Al Gore / Walter Mondale
Cartoon Villains: Mr. Burns / Skeletor / Shredder / Dick Dastardly
American Film Directors: Steven Spielberg / Martin Scorsese / Quentin Tarantino / Stanley Kubrick
Video Game Starting Stages: 1-1 (Super Mario Bros.) / Green Hill Zone (Sonic) / Bombing Mission (Final Fantasy VII) / Bob-omb Battlefield (Super Mario 64)
Video Game Fire-Related Stages: Lethal Lava Land (Super Mario 64) / Norfair (Super Metroid) / Fire Temple (Zelda: Ocarina of Time) / TBD

This Week's Rushmores

Monday: Video Game Cities
Tuesday: Video Game Earth-Related Stages
Wednesday: Video Game Air-Related Stages
Thursday: Video Game Secret Areas
Friday: ON BREAK
Saturday: ON BREAK
Sunday: ON BREAK
(next Monday): ON BREAK
Themed Week will start early and continue until August 21, as I'll be taking August 22 - 25 off.

Today's Parameters

You must pick water-related stages/levels/areas from video games.

Water can range from underwater, beach, island, waterfalls, fantastical water, etc.

Ice does not count as water. That would be its own nomination.

Stages/levels/areas should be contained to singular areas, but can be as large or as small as you like. If most of the game occurs in water-related areas, it counts.

https://www.watchmojo.com/articles/top-10-video-game-water-levels
https://gamerant.com/best-water-levels-gaming/
https://www.destructoid.com/lets-go-swimming-top-10-underwater-levels/
https://www.cbr.com/games-fun-water-levels/
http://www.1morecastle.com/2014/06/top-10-beach-levels/
https://www.watchmojo.com/suggest/Top+10+Video+Game+Beach+Levels
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/UnderTheSea
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PalmtreePanic
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RoaringRapids
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SharkTunnel
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/UnderwaterBase
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/UnderwaterRuins

Coral Capers (Donkey Kong Country)
Hang Eight (Crash 2: Cortex Strikes Back)
Beach Bowl Galaxy (Super Mario Galaxy)
Atlantica (Kingdom Hearts 1)

paulg235 posted...

Coral Capers (Donkey Kong Country)
Atlantica (Kingdom Hearts 1)

Seconding these!

Hydrocity Zone (Sonic 3)
Coral Capers (Donkey Kong Country)
Wet-Dry World (Super Mario 64)
Underwater (INSIDE)

something like this

Oh its not underwater anymore, that changes my answer

Water Temple (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)
Atlantica (Kingdom Hearts)
Dolphin Shoals (Mario Kart 8)
Sootopolis City (Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire) - basically a proxy for TOO MUCH WATER

Oh its not underwater anymore, that changes my answer

Yeah, I decided to make the elemental theming more explicit. Though, I'm surprised how many water-related stages there are. This could be a lot.

Also, completely forgot to do the results for Starting Stages and Fire Stages. It's up now.

Water Temple (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)
Labyrinth Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog)
Dire, Dire Docks (Super Mario 64)
Coral Capers (Donkey Kong Country)

Jolly Roger Bay (Super Mario 64)
Hydrocity Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog 3)
Coral Capers (Donkey Kong Country)
2-2 (Super Mario Bros)

Water Temple (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)
Labyrinth Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog)
Coral Capers (Donkey Kong Country)
Emerald Coast (Sonic Adventure)

I know there aren't a lot of great water levels out there but I'm not sure we need to nominate ones that are infamous for sucking

Get Labyrinth Zone out of my life

But it's the first one with the famous drowning music and air bubbles :(

Just because it's the first doesn't mean it deserves to be on a Rushmore

Chemical Plant should technically count as a water level and it's much more iconic

Water Temple
Level 2-2
Emerald Coast
Besaid Island

2-2 (Super Mario Bros)
Water Temple (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)
Emerald Coast (Sonic Adventure)
Sootopolis City (Pokmon Ruby & Sapphire)

Also I voted for The Nether because there should really be some more recent games on these.

Leonhart4 posted...

Just because it's the first doesn't mean it deserves to be on a Rushmore

Chemical Plant should technically count as a water level and it's much more iconic

Well I do disagree, firsts are pretty huge and I will also defend putting infamous / negative stuff on Rushmores if they are huge / important enough.

Actually, you know what, in the spirit of having a more recent game on here and it being an amazing section of an amazing game

Change Sootopolis City to Underwater (INSIDE)

Coral Capers
Hydrocity Zone
Flooded City (Nier Automata)
Atlantica

Snake5555555555 posted...

I will also defend putting infamous / negative stuff on Rushmores if they are huge / important enough.

I fundamentally disagree with this take. It is definitely contrary to the spirit of the original Rushmore.

Snake5555555555 posted...

Well I do disagree, firsts are pretty huge and I will also defend putting infamous / negative stuff on Rushmores if they are huge / important enough.

Firsts are important, but being first alone doesn't qualify you for a Rushmore. I think people default to "who did it first" way too often on these things.

I'd argue pretty strongly against Labyrinth being the best Sonic rep regardless of the criteria unless we're explicitly doing bad water levels.

Water Temple - Ocarina of Time
Defusing Bombs at the Dam - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (NES)
Treasure Trove Cove - Banjo-Kazooie (i.e. get OUT of the water)
Hydrocity Zone - Sonic 3/Mania

Hydrocity should be, music slaps and they even brought it back for Sonic Mania

thinking of dropping Wet Dry but need to think of another rep

redrocket posted...

I fundamentally disagree with this take. It is definitely contrary to the spirit of the original Rushmore.

While I can definitely see this take, I think when you're discussing video games and stuff, it's a little different, because early / bad stuff can still be fundamentally important.

It can be

Don't think Labyrinth is at all though. It's just a bad water level.

Water Temple isn't even a good level and I think people are just kneejerk defaulting to OOT because the topic themes happen to be lining up in order with the OOT themes.

2-2 (Super Mario Bros.)
Coral Capers (Donkey Kong Country)
Water Temple (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)
Aquas (Star Fox 64)

2-2
Coral Capers
Water Temple
Chemical Plant

Water Temple (Ocarina of Time)
Seaside Kingdom (Mario Odyssey)
Coral Capers (Donkey Kong Country)
Rapture (Bioshock)

Not sure Rapture counts or not. Water Temple represents the many many frustrating water levels.

Atlantica (Kingdom Hearts 1)
Ship Graveyard (technically "Kidnapped by Pirates") (Uncharted 3)
Sea of Serendipity (Rayman Origins)
Water Temple

Coral Capers (Donkey Kong Country)
Wet-Dry World (Super Mario 64)
Dire, Dire Docks (Super Mario 64)

Water Temple absolutely deserves to be on this rushmore far more than Fire Temple deserved to be on its. It is iconic. When you think of water levels, it was part that set the standard for them tending to be challenging.

The Fire Temple is a lot less memorable and iconic.

2-2 - Super Mario Bros.
Coral Capers - Donkey Kong Country
Water Temple - LoZ Ocarina of Time
Dam - TMNT

Where's Flaming Village on the fire list I totally voted for it ;_;

Water Temple (Ocarina of Time)
Zirekile Falls (FFT)
Marshes of Awakening (Rayman 2)
Stage 3 (Touhou 10: Mountain of Faith)

HM: The Sanctuary of Water and Ice (Rayman 2), Stage 4 (Touhou 10).

Coral Capers
Bubble Man
Jolly Roger Bay

Kinda want to put a Sonic level but I'm not sold on any of the current options. Also I'd seriously argue for Great Bay Temple (over Water Temple) for notability of being a water level that people actually enjoyed playing due to the swimming mechanics. But holding off for now.

2-2 (Super Mario Bros.)
Coral Capers (Donkey Kong Country)
Water Temple (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)
Atlantica (Kingdom Hearts)

White_Wing posted...

Marshes of Awakening (Rayman 2)
The Sanctuary of Water and Ice (Rayman 2)

Second these as well

(I'm lazy today)

Jolly Roger Bay (SM64)
Aquatic Ruin (Sonic 2)
Dam level (TMNT NES)
Stoneship Age (Myst)

Hbthebattle posted...

Water Temple absolutely deserves to be on this rushmore far more than Fire Temple deserved to be on its. It is iconic. When you think of water levels, it was part that set the standard for them tending to be challenging.

The Fire Temple is a lot less memorable and iconic.

Water Temple is also an actually good dungeon

Water Temple (Ocarina of Time)
Coral Capers
Hydrocity City
Great Bay Temple

You know what fuck it, The Nether isn't winning the poll so I'm going psycho mode with two N64 Zelda dungeons.

skulltrumpets posted...

Water Temple is also an actually good dungeon

true

Gelato Beach (Super Mario Sunshine)
Hydocity Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog 3)
The Land of the Livid Dead (Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc)
Clanker's Cavern (Banjo-Kazooie)

Swamp Palace (Zelda LttP)

The original hookshot dungeon

Water Temple OoT
Atlantica
Coral Capers
Clanker's Cavern

Ugh, typo, I misspelled Hydrocity Zone.