Playing The Classics: The Lost Levels: Vol 4

-- Part One -- Part Two -- Part Three --

So... I got past that sort of. The freak out from the last entry was from the looping of Level 5-3. You see, the level loops like you'd expect from certain castle stages. This happens out in the wild, with no pattern or understanding. Do I jump over that enemy? Do I kill it? Do I go under it? There were so many possibilities, all while I was stuck on a moving platform... I had no idea what to do. I stepped away briefly and came back and realized that jumping off a red koopa troopa and landing in the pipe was the solution. Phew... well, not really. The next part of the level is ridiculous. Perfect jumping and timing is required. How this was ever released without a modern save system is beyond me. Japan seemed afraid it was too difficult for Americans... but I find it hard to believe it wasn't too hard for most Japanese as well. In the end I succeeded and well... I hope I never have to play that level again. :)

The World 5 Castle was an example of a level that's both really challenging. Eventually I could run through it (still occasionally getting hit). Reminded me of Bit.Trip Runner. Once in World 6, I found myself really enjoying it. 6-1 has a great look to it and more of that wind. It made the Mushroom Kingdom feel whimsical unlike ever before. The grass would sway and there were a variety of enemies. I'd like to see a future Mario game like this, perhaps a new 3D Super Mario 64 style Mario game. The aesthetic is just great. 6-2 turned out to be a water level... less attractive and still challenging. Oh well, this comes with the territory. Again, there were more twists. Here there were platforms in the water like those found all over the world. The moving girders were added trickiness but nothing too bad. 6-3 had another nice aesthetic with Goomba Statues in the background. It was another flying Cheep Cheep level which wasn't too hard if you just run constantly. Luckily, at the tricky part I died at, the checkmark was right next to a super mushroom. Finally, some compassion from this game. That's where the compassion ends though. With a level like 7-3, which is almost all platforms with springs on them, the game continues to be tricky from start to finish.

When I got to 7-4 and to that castle.... it was easy and tough at the same time. Easy to figure out, hard to master I suppose. Eventually I got fluid at reaching Koopa and he was actually a little easier than before, by luck. I did one of those epic run and jumps that you just don't know what's going to happen and I slipped through a tiny tiny tiny gap in Bowser's hammer throwing. When I knocked him into the lava I quickly dropped the controller and had a bit of a goofy laugh. I'm proud of it though. I busted out those Toads and headed to the final world, World 8, at least I think it's the final. Four levels left. Four. Levels. Left.

Now run right Mario. Run right, and jump with honor!

Read Part 5