Sector Z

Sector Z (セクターZ) is a default stage appearing in Super Smash Bros. based on the Star Fox 64 level Sector Z. This stage did not return in Melee but a similar stage atop the Great Fox appeared, Corneria (which subsequently reappeared in Brawl). This is the largest stage appearing in Super Smash Bros. In the 1-Player mode the player fights Fox on this stage.

The Great Fox is the only platform on this stage but it has three different terrain levels. The front two-thirds of the ship are the first terrain with the tip of the wing acting as a good vantage point for projectile throwing. The back third of the ship near the engines and the Arwing bay is another terrain with the left wall being a good place to rack combos on another player. However, unlike the Corneria stage in Melee, the guns on the bottom-left of the ship cannot be used as a platform. For this reason, it is best to avoid this area of the ship as you cannot recover from the guns.

Occasionally in this stage, Arwing fighters will fire at the players, causing significant damage/ flight time. For this reason, this stage has been banned in many tournaments. Also, a character standing on a fighter may be KO'd if the fighter flies offscreen to the top or side; however, the Arwings do tend to barrel roll or fly upside down, which essentially pushes the character off. Unlike the Arwing fighters, though, the main guns of the Great Fox do not fire.

While the stage reappeared in spirit as Corneria in Melee and Brawl, the stage was much smaller than its N64 incarnation.

Origin
There are numerous references to the Star Fox series in this level. Commonly seen ships in the game, the Wolfen and Arwing, can be seen in the background. As mentioned earlier Sector Z is a level in Star Fox 64, the fifth level when taking the hard path. The level takes place in a nebulae en route to Venom when the Star Fox team and the Great Fox is ambushed by Andross' fighters who have a weapon never seen before, missiles. These missiles also appear in the background of the stage. The player must protect the Great Fox in this level from enemy fighters and missiles hits. Sector Z was also a multiplayer level in Star Fox 64. This area was probably chosen for the setting of this stage because it is the only stage where the Great Fox is prominently seen in its normal form and the Great Fox acts as a great platform.