Your Favorite VF Stages?

I apologize if this thread has been done before. A quick search only led me to this thread, which is short (but it supports how great Sarah's VF3 stage is). I just thought it would be fun to see what everyone's favorite Virtua Fighter stages are. Specifically, I mean just the stages themselves as fight locales, without taking the stage's theme into account. Of course, I'm sure some of the soundtracks will sway people memories and decisions anyway. So, what do you all think are the coolest VF stages?

My top favorites, in no particular order:

Virtua Fighter 3tb - Sarah

I think this one is widely held in high regard, because it's just so cool. I specifically like the one I linked, the Dural version of the stage, which takes place outdoors at night. It reminds me of the L stations along the highway in Chicago, which I find even cooler than the subway. Without a doubt one of my favorite fighting game stages of all time.

Virtua Fighter 4 (Vanilla) - Akira

This is such a cool stage. While the interior of the Dojo is nothing to write home about, the day/night transitions are just awesome and easily launch this one into the top echelon of VF stages. The opening pan where we get to see the outside and surroundings of the Dojo is also superb. While not quite as cool, the VF4FT version with the snow outside is right up there with the best of them and another favorite of mine. The VF4Evo version's light rays coming through the window are awesome, but I'm not so sure about its dreary color scheme.

Virtua Fighter 3 - Pai

Again, all three versions of this stage are great, but the VF3 Vanilla version with the early morning pink sky takes top honors for me. Of all the "city" levels, this one was always my favorite. The city is extremely well-detailed here, with cool signs like the record store and pharmacy breathing life into the environment, as well as the cool Sonic cameo on the "Hedge Hog Company" sign. And of course, nothing can beat tossing your opponent waaayyyyy off the rooftop with a Giant Swing or the like -- it's still hilarious.

Virtua Fighter 3tb - Taka-Arashi

Possible spoilers on the video there -- that is near the end of the VF3tb World Cup. However, the VF3tb version linked with the red sky is my favorite, followed by the VF3 Vanilla version with the light morning sky. The Dural version is alright, but the vast, empty landscape doesn't do much for me. I love the surroundings of this stage, with the Torii gates in the background and the birds flying high above. The sky in the background of the VF3tb version is gorgeous too. I feel like the circular, flat ground to fight on would also be well at home in today's world of boring, flat VF stages (I love VF5's stage backgrounds a lot, I just miss the undulated ground. But I'd never consider myself a high level player, so what do I know).

Virtua Fighter 4 - Pai

This always stood out as a really cool stage to me, and I think it took a big hit in the coolness factor in VF4Evo and FT. This design always struck me as really unique, exotic, and fun.

Virtua Fighter 5R - Aoi

I think that this one combines what made her different stages cool -- specifically the nice fog effect, reminiscent of her VF3 stage, and the awesome Shrine locale of her stages from 4 onwards.

Virtua Fighter 3 - Shun

I love all three versions of this stage, but the VF3 Vanilla version linked above with the city in the background probably takes my top spot. The VF3tb version with the trees/greenery in the background and the Dural version in the cave are also high favorites of mine. I love Shun's VF2 raft stage as well. In fact, my ultimate Shun stage would probably combine the motion of his VF2 and VF5 iterations with the bobbing motion of the VF3 versions and the cool decorated cave backdrop from VF4.

Virtua Fighter 2 - Chicago

A true classic from VF2. A really cool landscape to fight in, with great graphical touches in the background. I know I said not to let the stage's song sway your decision too much, but the sound effects in this stage simply cannot go without a mention. The sirens, etc. are just hilarious - (the soundtrack version of this stage's song opens with three gunshots and the scream sound effect).

Virtua Fighter 4 - Lion

I started with VF4Evo, and I remember that this stage struck me as a really beautiful and detailed one when I first came across it in Quest Mode. The snow effect is incredible, as well. The drop in cool factor upon the VF4Evo/FT upgrade was not nearly as severe as it was for Pai's stage, though.

Some honorable mentions for me, again in no particular order:

VF5 Akira - I like all versions of this stage, as it easily has the coolest interior of any of Akira's Dojos.
VF5R Wolf - The snow effect here is awesome, and really reminds me of the VF2 glory days of headbands and ponytails whipping wildly in the wind in Wolf and Sarah's stages.
VF5 Kage - I like all three of the seasonal variations here. His VF4 and 2 stages are great, too.
VF5FS Lei-Fei and Lion - Two awesome backdrops, and I love the rectangular stage layout.
VF5FS Dural - Specifically the one with the Water background. They're all cool, even in the "Raining Fire" one is a little cheesy.
VF3 Wolf - I love the Vanilla VF3 version with the sunset, and the Dural version with the city background -- especially when the train flies through the sky in the latter after hitting Jeffry's Toe Kick of Doom.
VF1 Pai - This one always looked like a raft in the middle of a lake on a serene, peaceful morning. A remake of this could be gorgeous.
VF1/Fighter's Megamix Sarah - Another really cool rooftop.

I'm sure I'm forgetting some great ones, and of course my favorites will probably change depending on the day. I'd love to hear from all of you, though - what are your favorites?

 

This:

 

VF3 stages are so amazing....






easily my favorites across the whole series. I don't care that they're completely fucked for competitive play except for Akira's and Taka's stages.

 

God damn I love that game. It was so ambitious, but still very strategic. The overall aesthetic was classy as fuck!

 

Is that the #1 train going by ? I wonder what station they designed that after.

 

My favourite stages are shun's vf5vanilla and all of vf3

 

Slopes interfere with combos, a player facing downhill can do more damage than a player facing uphill. this gives P1 an advantage over P2 on pai's stage, for instance!

 

it's because the juggled opponent hits the ground sooner if the player is pushing them uphill!
mids are still mids I'm fairly sure

 

I know it would be something considered superfluous, but I would like a "stage editor". Something like create your own stage in VF6, would be cool !

 

I love your post, especially those GIFs, @oneida! I can tell that those are from the arcade version...did you capture them yourself? I would have to agree that VF3 has my overall favorite stages. I'm sad that I won't be able to make it to Virginia to play it with you on your Model 3 board... maybe next time though

I wouldn't, however, go as far as to call the undulated terrain completely fucked for competitive play. I can confirm that mids are always still mids, even on the highest slopes. The only thing that really changes on the ground are just where hitboxes will line up -- I've been playing a lot of VF3tb on DC recently and sometimes mid attacks can be crouched under on a big incline and throws will whiff at close range when they shouldn't. While a lot of people disliked how the slopes affected combos, I genuinely loved it -- needing to be on your toes to recognize whether you can add to or need to subtract from the standard launch combo you'd use on Akira's or Taka's stage was a lot more appealing to me than just regurgitating the same optimized combo on VF4 and 5's flat stages.

 

yes, those are all from the arcade version, i captured them from the VF3tb streams coming out of mikado from 2014 onward.

i love VF3.

 

I hope they include a Rio de Janeiro stage for Vanessa in VF6, maybe with the Sugar Loaf in the background or maybe Copacabana Beach

and maybe a more detailed Mansion for Leon would be cool too