Cloud Sea of Alrest
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Cloud Sea of Alrest | |
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Cloud Sea of Alrest as it appears in Smash. | |
Universe | Xenoblade Chronicles |
Appears in | Ultimate |
Availability | Downloadable |
Crate type | Normal |
Maximum players | 8 |
Cloud Sea of Alrest (アレストの雲海, Sea of Clouds in Alrest) is a stage in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate based on Xenoblade Chronicles 2. It is bundled with Pyra and Mythra in Challenger Pack 9, which is also part of the Fighters Pass Vol. 2.
Stage overview
The stage takes place on top of Azurda (also known as Gramps), which is the home of Rex in Xenoblade Chronicles 2. The stage continuously floats through the skies as other titans fly by. There is a single floating platform on the left end of the stage, and Azurda's neck acts as a mild slope on the right side. Occasionally, Gramps will raise and lower his head, which will affect the angle of the slope. He will also turn his head to look at the titans, which temporarily shrinks the size of the stage. The stage contains indications for when he is about to turn his head, such as his neck shaking, a windmill spinning faster than usual, and the door to Rex's home closing. Throughout the battle, Azurda will provide banter and comment on the state of the battle. Examples include when a figher is KO'd and when a titan appears in the background.
Occasionally, the following titans will appear in the background:
- Argentum, with the Maelstrom following behind
- Gormott
- Uraya
- Mor Ardain
- Genbu
- Indol
Additionally, the lighting and color scheme of the background changes as the titans appear.
The following characters appear as cameos in the background, with one Driver and Blade pair being randomly selected:
- Nia and Dromarch
- Tora and Poppi α
- Mòrag and Brighid
- Zeke and Pandoria
They can appear either next to or on top of Rex's house.
Ω form and Battlefield form
The main platform of the Ω form and Battlefield form does not feature Azurda as the main platform, but instead uses a haphazardly constructed airship that matches the size of Final Destination and Battlefield, respectively. Additionally, the character cameos do not appear; however, the titans still appear in the background.
Hazards Off
With hazards off, Azurda's head does not move at all, staying at the starting position throughout the match.
Origin
The general aesthetic of the stage comes from the beginning of Xenoblade Chronicles 2, when Rex lives on the back of Azurda and they swim around the Cloud Sea in search of salvaging opportunities. The titans and other entities spotted in the background are all areas that can be explored in the game. The various background characters that appear on the stage are party members that Rex befriends throughout the game.
Tournament Legality
Due to its recent release and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the legality of this stage is not fully decided, as Azurda's head does not move with hazards off.
Trivia
- Sakurai stated that the reason why Azurda is not the main platform for the Ω and Battlefield forms is because the development team thought he would be "crushed into jelly" if they tried to make him the same size as Battlefield.
- During one of Pandoria's animations, her glasses unfog, briefly revealing her eyes before they fog up again.
- Like Pyra's fighter model and Mythra, Brighid's outfit as a background character has been modified from Xenoblade Chronicles 2 due to Ultimate's lower age rating, covering up her midriff and legs.
- The World Tree, a location in the original game, can be found at the beginning of the stage, when moving the camera to the left side. This applies to both its default form and its Ω and Battlefield forms.
Xenoblade Chronicles universe | |
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Fighters | Shulk (SSB4 · SSBU) · Pyra (SSBU) · Mythra (SSBU) |
Assist Trophy | Riki |
Stages | Gaur Plain · Cloud Sea of Alrest |
Other characters | Azurda · Dunban · Fiora · Metal Face · Nia · Rex |
Trophies and Spirits | Trophies · Spirits |
Music | SSB4 · Ultimate |