I like specific location stages. Shows Nintendo loves us and it's cool to see how they're utilized. It'd be boring if every stage in the game was just some generic location used throughout each corrisponding series. It's cool to have those stages that represent the series as a whole as well, but I think when a series gets more than one stage, they should be specific too. Peach's Castle is cool for one stage, but then making other generic Mario stages just gets boring.
Edit: also, here's a few of my ideas. I don't have any fancy pictures so use your imagination and/or knowledge of the setting it's based on.
Hyrule Castle: This is the Hyrule Castle from Wind Waker, not the rest of the Zelda games. The stage takes place in the center of the castle. This is a flat floored stage so the only way to die is to be thrown off the sides. The statue of Link is crumbled on the floor of the platform in the center. There are two more platforms to the side that are meant to be the top floor but you can’t go all the way to the side or you’ll die. There are also Moblins and Darknuts in the background. The stage starts out in black and white with everything but the characters in play frozen. As time progresses, the stage begins to change color and the statue of Link and the rest of the castle fixes itself. The moblins and darknuts come to life and can attack players at times. Fighting for a period of time messes up the stage and things eventually change back to black and white. Repeat.
Mario Clash: This is a stage based on the Virtual Boy title, Mario Clash, so naturally, it’s all black and red. The stage is your standard stage with a long platform on the bottom and a few platforms floating here and there. At the ends of the bottom platform are two pipes. Here in lies this stages gimmick, you can run through this stage and appear in the stages background, which is just another long platform, with two pipes and a few more platforms here and there. Just like the game, Mario Clash, Buzzy Beetles and Koopa Troopas occasionally come out of the pipes. They can be knocked into their shells and then kicked to the background or foreground of the stage.
Mother Brain’s Chamber: This stage is a replica of the final boss stage of Metroid. Mother Brain is located on the left side of the screen and occasionally attacks the players fighting on the right side of the screen.
Smash City: If Smashville in the town of Animal Crossing, then Smash City is the City of Animal Crossing. You fight amongst the hustle and bustle of the city from AC: City Folk. Another one of those stages with no way to fall through the floor. The fountain in the center can be used as a platform, as can the balloon cart and the things above the doors of the building or whatever. I dunno, I didn’t really think this one through.
The Underworld: If ever there was to be an upward scrolling stage ala Icicle Mountain and Jungle Falls, it should be from Kid Icarus, a game centered around scrolling up. This could be a replica of one of the stages from Kid Icarus where you jump upwards as the stage scrolls, avoid enemies and crumbling bricks and what not.
Edit: also, here's a few of my ideas. I don't have any fancy pictures so use your imagination and/or knowledge of the setting it's based on.
Hyrule Castle: This is the Hyrule Castle from Wind Waker, not the rest of the Zelda games. The stage takes place in the center of the castle. This is a flat floored stage so the only way to die is to be thrown off the sides. The statue of Link is crumbled on the floor of the platform in the center. There are two more platforms to the side that are meant to be the top floor but you can’t go all the way to the side or you’ll die. There are also Moblins and Darknuts in the background. The stage starts out in black and white with everything but the characters in play frozen. As time progresses, the stage begins to change color and the statue of Link and the rest of the castle fixes itself. The moblins and darknuts come to life and can attack players at times. Fighting for a period of time messes up the stage and things eventually change back to black and white. Repeat.
Mario Clash: This is a stage based on the Virtual Boy title, Mario Clash, so naturally, it’s all black and red. The stage is your standard stage with a long platform on the bottom and a few platforms floating here and there. At the ends of the bottom platform are two pipes. Here in lies this stages gimmick, you can run through this stage and appear in the stages background, which is just another long platform, with two pipes and a few more platforms here and there. Just like the game, Mario Clash, Buzzy Beetles and Koopa Troopas occasionally come out of the pipes. They can be knocked into their shells and then kicked to the background or foreground of the stage.
Mother Brain’s Chamber: This stage is a replica of the final boss stage of Metroid. Mother Brain is located on the left side of the screen and occasionally attacks the players fighting on the right side of the screen.
Smash City: If Smashville in the town of Animal Crossing, then Smash City is the City of Animal Crossing. You fight amongst the hustle and bustle of the city from AC: City Folk. Another one of those stages with no way to fall through the floor. The fountain in the center can be used as a platform, as can the balloon cart and the things above the doors of the building or whatever. I dunno, I didn’t really think this one through.
The Underworld: If ever there was to be an upward scrolling stage ala Icicle Mountain and Jungle Falls, it should be from Kid Icarus, a game centered around scrolling up. This could be a replica of one of the stages from Kid Icarus where you jump upwards as the stage scrolls, avoid enemies and crumbling bricks and what not.