What's your favorite Smash 64 skybox? Also-- what other games would make for great Skybox Appreciations? I was just admiring the skybox in Pokemon Legends the other day. There's only one though. www.patreon.com/any_austin

I like how you showed that one skybox in the target level and then completely ignored it, such a power move

The Congo Jungle skybox always makes me wistful. The sun cresting over the trees, the warm color palette, it just screams late summer to me, and that makes me feel things.

The “I got a blanket on the floor right there. Not impressed by that either” joke really hit me and made me laugh really hard

Surprised you didn't at least mention Mushroom Kingdom and the arcade mode stages (Metal Cavern, Duel Zone and the original Final Destination) at least in passing. Mushroom Kingdom basically uses a really close to real Super Mario Bros. 1 screen as a combination of a background and skybox, which is neat because it's the only stage that really blends them together in this game. The non-playable stages are a bit boring, yes, but the original Final Destination skybox is the only stage in this game that is fully dynamic, and would set the tone for future iterations of the stage going forward, and there's also a lot of bells and whistles with the colorful shooting stars and some other things moving both in front and behind the players. The Metal Cavern's background personally fascinates me, because it isn't really so much a skybox as it is just some strange texture that kinda resembles Yoshi's Story in practice.

I'm a bit disappointed you never mentioned peach's castle, as a kid being told that the name of the stage is "Peach's castle" but the actual castle is a background element and you're instead fighting on some random structure hundreds of miles above it was so abstract and weird to me I kind of loved it. Plus it has that bizarre dreamlike perspective you talked about, and I also just thing the clouds above it looks really nice :) Also you GOTTA do one these on the Sonic Adventure games and Heroes, those gotta be the most beautiful skyboxes in gaming

I think you should really cover the skyboxes in Super Mario Odyssey. They've always kind of given me weird vibes. Odyssey is all about giving the player a nice big explorable space, and for it to give you these massive, completely inaccessible areas makes every kingdom feel like a tiny rock floating in the middle of a vast universe. Galaxy gives off a very similar feeling, too.

I like Meta Crystal, the level you fight Metal Mario in while going through 1P Mode. It has a bit of a Saffron City thing going for it, in the sense that the perspective of how distant the crystals are is affected by how close you are to Metal Mario, but I also like the sort of threatening atmosphere that comes with it. It definitely makes it seem like more of a final battle than Master Hand, since Final Destination relies a lot on moving objects rather than the skybox proper.

Wow just found your channel. Exactly what I needed in my life right now lol

That Planet Zebes skybox window thing shook me to my dang core man. There is something about a skybox implying a larger world that gives me whatever the good version of heebie jeebies is called

Something about the resolution and style of N64 skyboxes give me this timeless oil painting vibe. P.S. Did you know that Ridley flys in the background Planet Zebes similarly to KingDedede?

Love the videos! Maybe do a part two with the missing stages? Peach’s Castle, Metal Mario’s stage, Duel Zone, and Final Destination would be great to see. Also, you can find the skybox images ripped from the game pretty easily online so you can see everything without obstructions

One of the weirdest feelings I get while looking at a game is the look of the battle spaces in Pokemon Colosseum and Pokemon XD. It's always so strange to see a normal space blown out to these crazy, empty proportions, like stepping into your own little pocket of the world for a duel.

King Dedede can occasionally appear flying in the skybox of Dream Land, for that reason it gets a S+++ for me. Same as Planet Zebes with the very smol Ridley.

The blue on the edges of Sector Z are also complimentary in color to the orange nebula in the center. It's a very simple skybox, but it uses its contrast in hue and value nicely! Edit: also my favorite is either kongo jungle or peach's castle!

loving this series so much! i like it when you get a chance to talk about things games make you feel, or evoke in you, even if the devs didn't intend for it or necessarily put that much thought into it, because those are the things that often stick with me the most after playing a game. also i love that king dedede sprite

I never knew the one on Planet Zebes was a cave. I always thought it was just sun rays leading up to the space void in the background. It’s been 20+ years but thanks to you, I now know I was fighting in a cave this whole time on that stage. Crazy how you could still learn stuff from a game that’s almost 25 years old.

I always looked at Yoshi's Island as a baby's room... Like the child who was playing with the "toys" went there to change up the fighting landscape.

So glad they brought these stages back for ultimate. Even with all the new maps, theres very little that my brother and I go to more than the original Hyrule castle or Peaches Castle.

I love how you're a "skybox guy" whereas it's something Ive not paid too much attention to. What about BK skyboxes or metroid prime if you want non n64 skyboxes? Just an idea. Also love the music! Your music reminds me of an album by Destroyer called Kaputt

Hey, I like this series. It's fun to look at all the skyboxes that I forgot existed. Keep up the great work

would love to see a revisit for the metal mario / fighting polygon team / master hand stages, the colors used for those backgrounds is stunning. also, i *just* saw a tiny ridley sprite flying around in the background of zebes for the first time ever this morning! still making discoveries in classic games to this day, crazy

Been watching since 2012 and idk if I’ve ever commented,but thank you for all your great content over the years. I appreciate it now more than ever. Lovin your sky box series, I used to get lost in sky boxes as a kid as well, it’s nice to see them get some well deserved attention

you literally have the best and most insightful video game content on youtube

Half Life 1's Black Mesa Desert skybox is the platonic ideal of skyboxes.

this channel is such a cozy place. thank you

Another interesting feeling with horizons is in blaster master backgrounds. Especially since you are underground. Super surreal

Now that I think about it, I'd love to see a skybox appreciation on the Crash Bandicoot PS1 games. They don't use them in every stage, but when they do there's always some magic to them. The way it's used to advance your journey to the castle in 1, the ruins level in 2 where you can see the silhouette of the castle from 1. The medieval castle skybox from one turning into a real castle at the end of the stage... most of the good examples are castle related but you get my point

I think Little King's Story has a skybox which, due to the almost overhead perspective, you only see in a few cutscenes' camera angles. It's got a mix of realistic and cartoon-drawn clouds, and stars appear at night. It's weird, and fantastic

If you ever made a video like this for Smash Ultimate, there's a few stages where, when you really stop and look at it, it becomes obvious where the 3D elements of the stage stop and the skybox begins. Kapp'n's Island and Great Plateau Tower are great examples. The Great Plateau in particular feels almost akin to the N64 Hyrule Castle in the sense that its a 2D representative of the 3D Hyrule Field it's based on. Also, the Alrest stage. If you take out the titans(is that what they're called? I never played this game), the background almost feels like an animated version of that one sky painting from Mario 64. You know the one.

Truly an excellent video. Never realized Zebes was so intricate, but I agree it's probably now my favorite in the game! I really also like Kongo Jungle, and I like Saffron City and Hyrule Castle a bit more than you seemed to. For other video ideas, how about one of those "odd and unsettling places you've never been to" for Ocarina of Time? There are things tucked away in the lost woods, kakariko village, and so on that would fit really well

Man, I just want to watch you talk about each Spyro 1 skybox in detail, for like an hour straight 😩

the skybox in Target Test always made me hear a familiar phrase in my head: "Coming soon to own on video and DVD"

Love this series. But on the topic of making things we want to watch, could you make a video or series about self-made challenges within games? My friends and I have dumped so many hours into so many games that we're constantly looking for things to do within besides beat and/or 100% complete them. I know there are things like nuzlockes and the ganondorf challenge, but if you could find other "games within the games" or think of some for a series that would be super dope. I feel like you're the perfect person to ask of this. But regardless, keep doing what you're doing brother.

Surprised you didn't mention the visual clusterfuck that is master hands final destination skybox. No joke, it freaked my brain so bad that I was completely unable to beat master hand due to it pulsating all weirdly.

10/10 great video, lots of information Quotes about skyboxes: "Represent the sky" "Just sort of a giant painting"

lighting making that eye color pop. nice!

I like the ones with layers. Not just stuff moving, but structures or trees. Pokemon has an actual 3D building.

I love your attention and appreciation of the big and little things in video games. Great vibes!

Luv this series, do more pls, thanks.

Kongo Jungle is a really beautiful skybox and probably the first one my mind immediately goes to when I think of Smash 64. However, I think my personal favorite might have to be Peach's Castle. I know it's pretty standard, but I just really like pastel colors, the aerial view of that iconic castle, and the cloud layer covering the skybox as well.

Brinstar is my favorite too, but why are we ignoring the Peach’s Castle skybox? I feel like there’s something to be said there about how the perspective is weirder in that one than in any other probably. Like, in order for it to make sense, the players would have to be standing with the length of their bodies aligned horizontally with the earth instead of vertically just about.

2023 and still enjoying skybox appreciations ♡

These videos feel sarcastic and genuine at the same time. I really like it, keep it up!

Thanks for sharing you glorious perspective! ☆ Parallax backgrounds from the Sonic 2 era are worth a mention for the pixel-ification variety of sky boxes & so fun yet tell astory (off the cuff Chemical Plant Zone depicts Doc Robotnix dystopian world of cute baby animals being dominated by industrial toxic waste. 🤮 So many of these colorfully scenic level elements certainly tell a tale for why Miles Prowler & Sonic D. Hedgehog must confront deus ex machina; butt they also set the stage for both foreground action AND pixely sky boxes! 🕹🎮 So sorry for the cerebral brain dump, hopefully this series continues;-)

I absolutely love this series

Hey Austin I think you should look at Paper Mario 64’s skyboxes, or maybe the backgrounds? I always remember that game being so full of detail

I like the hyrule field skybox a lot but the congo jungle just reminds me of all the time i spent playing donkey kong with my grandfather before I had my n64

I absolutely love the sky boxes in the Banjo-Kazooie games.

Brawl had a very liminal skybox when you were in the swamp levels in adventure mode. Was a bunch of winding rivers and waterfalls in a jungle fading into the forground of a vast sea of water. I still think about it from time to time

I like how in the metroid level, you can see Ridley flying across the screen.

I think the whole of the Peach's Castle level is like a fever dream. The actual castle is down below in the sky box with all the colors subdued to show just how high up the stage is, and the angle of it is pretty much nonsensical because it seems like the fighters should be sliding off and falling down to the ground. Also what's with that stage anyway? It's just stray pieces of Mario 64 floating with no rhyme or reason. It really seems like one of the first levels they designed

When I was younger I thought Zebes background was like a planet and some galaxies, not a cavern.

I love this series so much

This is the kind of thing I want to watch

solid tier list. i like the little floaty sprites from sector Z

„Kirby earth“ BRUH It‘s Planet Popstar.

I really liked this video!!! Glad to see you back on KZfaq with this kind of content. I really like the skyboxes on Doom and Shenmue, will you ever take the time to look at them? Thank you and have a nice day!

Ape escape 3 has beautiful skyboxes

Did you seriously make a Smash logo with the acoustics panel just for this video?? That’s dedication, man

Where does Peach’s Castle skybox fit on your tier list?

The Congo Jungle's skybox and music always made me feel melancholic for some reason. I think because jungle themed movies were a big part of my childhood in the 90s

Austin Austin Austin - Banjo Kazooie. Surely? I think I’d cry if that video existed.

Hey Austin, been a fan since egg busters and I recommend getting with boundary break. Because he has tools for you to look into any sky box!!

I like the Peach castle Skybox... It's like you fight above the starting area of SM64. As a kid, I used to play SM64 and look up at the cloud at the starting area to see If I could see the stage of Smash... Yeah I know, I was dumb haha

I'm very curious about some Mario Kart 64. Really only played Zelda and Mario 64. But I love your videos! Thank you! 💜

Kongo Jungle is probably my favorite from 64, I'm a sucker for a pretty sunset. You aren't always able to get a great look at them, but I think Ape Escape has some very pretty and atmospheric skyboxes that might be up your alley.

These videos are great.

Nice! Loving these videos man great work!

You provide content I never knew I needed. ^^

100% agree kongo jungle. I experience strong nostalgia for basically all references to Donkey Kong Country.

Very dope takes on gaming

Absolutely love this series Austin

where could we find more of your music? I saw you have a sound cloud, but noticed all the work on there is from 2 years ago or earlier and i quite like your vocal work

I always love this N64 vids.

I remember liking the sky boxes in Lord of the Rings the Third Age on the GameCube.

Hey man, would highly recommend checking out Halo skyboxes for one of these. So many beautiful skyboxes in those games that I know you would enjoy. Would be willing to even help/collab for this sort of thing if you don’t feel super confident diving into halo for any reason! Love this series homie.

This is perfect

Super Mario Galaxy has really cool skyboxes!

delightful

I definetely agree that Kong Jungle is the best Skybox in Smash 64

Bangerrrr.

love this

I loved this video, my favorite games are SOTN and Saga Frontier so maybe a video on Castlevania: Symphony of the Night backgrounds?

My favorite is the dreamland skybox.

Hey! I liked this video. This is the one that I liked and this is the one I want you to make. Thank you

The original "story" of smash bros is that all the characters are action figures being played with by some kids (master hand is literally the kids hand, normally manipulating the characters, turned a character all its own). I think the fact that some of the skyboxes have that "fake small background trying to imply a larger, realer world" vibe plays nicely into the narrative that this is all just some kids bedroom.

is patreon the only place to go for your music? thanks for the entertaining video austin

I’d share this video if it wasn’t missing so many skyboxes in the game. It hurts my OCD. Thanks for the video though it’s great.

final destination is really neat skybox, from the other smash game though

I suggest you check out Yoshi's Islands backgrounds on the SNES It even has a Van Gogh - Starry Night - esque one.

I had to double take the start of the video because that box on the right looks like what we receive cremated remains in before they are transferred to urns 😅

King Dedede is my favorite character from Smash Bros 64

The skyboxes in the uncharted games are kinda insane if you get a chance to peep them.

I was here for the bonus content

I like this. For realsies

Skybox appreciation irl

I never got that out of Brinstar. To me, it looked like some kind of canyon or gulley with spires that extend upwards.

i luv ur music its so good !

golden eye sky boxes, WHEN