The Sky's the Limit

Kirby can inflate himself up like a balloon and take to the skies at any time. Given his uncanny abilities, it’s not surprising that he occasionally finds himself among the clouds. There are many sky levels in the Kirby series, but this is the perfect opportunity to give Kirby’s Return to Dream Land some more attention. The first stage of the game’s fifth world starts off with a stroll across vine-covered platforms before Kirby and his friends climb a beanstalk into the clouds. Powerful winds will propel you through a vertical section, and you’ll have to avoid flying enemies along the way. Later on, you’ll jump around on cloud platforms that are suspended by vines. With the right power-up, you’ll be able to cut these vines and send the platforms down to earth along with anyone unfortunate enough to be standing on them. As you proceed through the stage, clouds in the foreground will obscure secret pathways, so you’ll have to be mindful of your surroundings if you want to find everything. It’s not the longest or most complex level on this list, but it’s absolutely delightful.

For the most part, the level designs in Banjo-Kazooie and its sequel are logical and coherent. In contrast, Cloud Cuckooland is a surreal place that feels like a dumping ground for unused ideas. It’s the only level in Banjo-Tooie that isn’t directly connected to any of the other stages, and you can only reach it by riding in a giant bubble elevator. It’s clear from the very beginning that there’s something different about the level, and some of the objectives seem completely random. You’ll race an aardvark in a jogging suit, battle a robotic shaman impersonator, and contend with paper-thin enemies that inexplicably attack you with sausages or candy canes. Some of the objectives are directly linked with the sky motif, however. You’ll perform rain dances, climb beanstalks, and walk across a majestic rainbow bridge. You’ll also race a moronic canary through the sky while riding on the back of a mechanical mouse, but I’d rather not talk about that stupid bitch right now. Nothing in Cloud Cuckooland makes much sense, but at least it’s unique.

Air Man’s stage from Mega Man 2 was memorable and Storm Eagle’s stage from Mega Man X was exciting, but neither of them can match the intensity of Storm Owl’s Air Force stage from Mega Man X4. You’ll enter the stage at night, and the brightly-lit cityscape in the background makes the level stand out from most of the entries on this list. As you proceed through the stage, you’ll jump from one flying ship to another, and you can even eliminate some of them if you are so inclined. You’ll also take out mounted gun turrets and avoid giant UFO death lasers. Fortunately, you’ll find a flying mech along the way that makes everything considerably easier. When you finally reach Storm Owl, he’ll unleash an onslaught of aerial maneuvers. He’ll dive-bomb you from the air, manipulate the wind, and create miniature tornadoes for good measure. It’s a fun stage from beginning to end, and everything is tied together by the overarching sky theme.

SkyTown is a research station that floats high above the planet Elysia. The spanning system of buildings was constructed by the Chozo and conceived as a interstellar observatory. Due to harsh planetary conditions and intense winds, an army of sentient drones was created to maintain the outpost. The city is comprised of a vast network of research pods that acts as a protective web in the upper atmosphere, and you can travel around the city by grappling onto rails and riding them like zip-lines. SkyTown was almost scrapped during development since it was so ambitious, so it’s no surprise that it wound up being one of the most visually impressive areas in Metroid Prime 3. In a series primarily known for subterranean environments, it was nice to step into an expansive area that stretched out as far as the horizon. The sound design was incredible too, and the ethereal choirs were a perfect fit for the heavenly skyline.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 takes place in a world covered in a sea of clouds. There’s no stable land on the surface, so the last remnants of civilization live on the backs of colossal beasts called Titans. These ancient beings range in size from boats to continents, and the ecosystems differ drastically from one Titan to the next. Many of the game’s Titan’s could have been considered for this list, but some of the landmasses are so large that you’ll forget that you’re airborne. In the case of the Leftherian Archipelago, it’s impossible to forget that you’re among the clouds. The archipelago is made up of large jellyfish-like creatures that are connected together to form a spectacular group of floating islands. You’re surrounded by clouds the entire time, and you can even swim through them if the situation calls for it. The archipelago is crawling with hostile avian creatures, but it’s one of the most peaceful areas in the game. As soon as you hear the tranquil background music, your stress will be wisped away like the winds of the ocean waves.

Skyloft from Skyward Sword was a more obvious choice for this list. The game revolves around the floating island, after all, and the town acts as a centralized hub for the entire adventure. The reason why I’m recognizing the City in the Sky from Twilight Princess instead is because it feels drastically different from the other areas in the game. Link can only reach the city by launching himself out of a cannon, and this sets the stage for one of the most otherworldly dungeons in the Zelda series. The ancient city runs on complex machines that are far more advanced than anything found on the surface. There are high-altitude platforms, narrow walkways, and bottomless drops around every corner, so Link has to find creative ways to navigate through the stage. He’ll need iron boots to combat the powerful winds, and his hookshot can latch onto the spinning propellers that keep the city afloat. (Some of the rooms don’t even have floors, so it’s fortunate that he finds a second hookshot while exploring the city.) The city is populated by an ancient race of bird-like beings, and Link can use them as makeshift gliders to float across large gaps. It’s not very respectful, but it sure is fun! Before Link’s trip to the city is over, he’ll come face-to-face with a giant dragon in a battle for air supremacy.

In the penultimate stage of Sonic Heroes, Sonic and his friends race through the stratosphere towards Eggman’s flying fortress. They’ll have to contend with an armada of aerial battleships as they push forward, and they’re under constant fire from robot armies. The ships are modeled after aquatic creatures like sharks and narwhals, and the heroes will have to make daring leaps from one steel behemoth to the next. The armada is miles above the surface, however, so the risk of falling poses just as much danger as the gunships. This doesn’t slow anyone down, though. Sonic and his friends will take advantage of grind rails to move across the sky at breakneck speeds, and they’ll also launch themselves out of cannons and use propeller blades to take flight. It’s a fast-paced stage that leaves little room for error, and it really gets the adrenaline pumping. Eggman insists that his battleships are invincible, but you’ll be able to tear right through them if you build enough speed.

Mario often has his head in the clouds. In Super Mario Bros., you could climb beanstalks into the sky, Super Mario 64 let you ride magic carpets along rainbow rails, and Super Mario RPG featured a cloud kingdom populated by cloud people. Without question, Cloudtop Cruise from Mario Kart 8 is the most visually interesting sky level in the entire Mario series. Giant beanstalks and fluffy clouds act as veritable roads throughout the course, and you’ll also take a quick detour across a floating airship. Later on, you’ll be launched out of a cannon and onto a metal track that happens to be located inside a storm cloud! Boost panels are liberally spread across this section of the track, but the relentless lightning makes it difficult to take advantage of them. Sky Garden from Mario Kart: Super Circuit had similar features, but the HD graphics and anti-gravity mechanics of Mario Kart 8 make Cloudtop Cruise the clear choice for this list. I also appreciate the whimsical orchestral arrangement that plays in the background.

As the events of Chrono Trigger unfold, you’ll travel through time and visit different eras. At various points, you’ll jump from the sword and sorcery of the Middle Ages to a post-apocalyptic future overrun by robots. You’ll even land in a prehistoric era where dinosaurs roam freely. Without question, the magical Kingdom of Zeal is the most enigmatic place you’ll visit during your journey. Zeal is comprised of four islands that were lifted into the sky after mankind discovered magic. The floating kingdom became the center of art, culture, and technology, and only magic users were granted entry. The so-called Enlightened Ones are of a higher class than their earthbound counterparts, and they literally look down on the rest of the world. It’s fascinating to see how advanced things were during the age of antiquity, but it’s impossible to ignore the divide between the citizens of Zeal and the starving people who live below. Needless to say, I was not expecting to find so much opulence during an ice age.

Most of the events in BioShock Infinite take place within a floating city, so it’s unfair to recognize Columbia as a single level. The setting is radically different from past BioShock games, however, and it’s hard not to view the city within the context of the entire BioShock series. The first two BioShock games were set in confined underwater cities, so the openness of Columbia makes BioShock Infinite feel less restrictive in comparison. The majestic city is suspended by blimps, propellers, and quantum levitation, and players can quickly traverse the town by riding the Sky-Line rail system. You get a profound sense of scope when your dangling above the abyss and moving from one floating island to the next. The Sky-Line could be likened to a one-man rollercoaster in many regards, and you’re free to jump off or switch tracks at any moment. Your enemies will also use the Sky-Line in creative ways, and this leads to all kinds of interesting combat scenarios. Columbia was commissioned as a symbol of American exceptionalism, but the supposed utopia devolved into a place where racism was an institution and elitism was widespread. The city is a tremendous technical marvel that simultaneously represents the best and the worst of humanity.