Crateria

Crateria is a starter stage in Super Smash Flash 2 which hails from the Metroid series. It based on the surface location from Planet Zebes, a recurring location in the series, and is notably known for its constant never-ending acid rain.

Layout
The stage is somewhat big and a bit complex compared to the Metroid stages of the past. It consists of a long main platform divided in half by a tall spire. There are two ledges that extend beyond the edges of the spire. There is also a small, solid platform that moves from one edge of the main platform to the other in a slow arc. Occasionally, acid rainstorms will occur, dealing constant damage to players unless they hide beneath one of the ledges.

Music

 * The main music track is titled Super Metroid Medley, a custom theme composed in conjunction by Carlos 194 Alvarado and TheDreamCaster.
 * The alternate music track is titled Lower Norfair, a remix also hailing from Super Metroid arranged by Chernabougue.

Tournament legality
Criteria is considered to be banned in tournament play. The stage itself is rather large and contains a raised section in the middle, which creates walls that allow the player to camp on the lower regions a la Sector Z. In addition to this, there is a solid moving platform that moves across the entire stage, creating temporary caves of life and providing a prime camping spot due to its grabbable edges. The end result is a stage that greatly encourages degenerative play and time-outs, which makes it unsuitable for tournament play.

Origin
Crateria first appeared in the SNES game Super Metroid and is depicted as the surface of planet Zebes. It is a mountainous and rocky zone and contained many caves for Samus Aran to explore. It had little vegetation, except for grass and other small plants. After Tourian's destruction in "Metroid: Zero Mission", the landing site was constantly drenched by acid rain (most likely due to pollution from the destruction). This rain could not harm her due to the physical adaptations she had gone through while on Zebes. However, the Metroid Manga seems to suggest that acid rain has always been a part of Zebes.

In the Wii game Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Acid Rain is also present in the Space Pirate Homeworld and is a very hazardous substance as it can kill Samus almost immediately if she is exposed to it without the suit called the Hazard Shield.

In SSF2, Crateria is shown as a dark, gloomy area that is barely illuminated, surrounded in the inner caves of planet Zebes; much like in Super Metroid, it is constantly raining on the stage with some alarm sirens sounding to warn fighters about the incoming acid rain. The fact the acid rain causes damage might have come from the acid rain from Metroid Prime 3: Corruption as opposed to the harmless acid rain from the original Crateria.

Trivia

 * Four different medleys were composed for this stage's music track. Ironically, the one that was included was the only version that did not include the original Crateria theme.