Push harder. Here comes the crown.

Captain Toad: snags on corners, can't jump, but BRAVE

I am pleased to announce I have completed the challenge!

The fourth Mummy-Me was a clever addition, running about ten seconds behind the third one, making remembering a safe route out of dead-ends difficult.

Dashing to the finish worked as a finishing tactic on levels 36 onwards. Collecting the ultimate prize (a royal crown, pictured before starting the challenge) makes toad so very happy! Lots of whooping and cheering from the other toads almost made this challenge worthwhile.

On to the final three levels - bonuses from the first three chapters - and the game can finally be given a well-earned rest. And with that - I end my blog.

Thank you for reading.

Keep on tracking treasure!

The unseen path

must run faster but have only little legs

After several patient attempts at trying to run through this simple - in theory at least - maze-based puzzle, it seems I'm going to be caught out twice during the levels around the mid-20s. Not only are there some pesky goombas hiding around the corners, but the camera becomes increasingly difficult to point in the direction of travel when trying to race to the finish transporter.

The increase in menacing mummies is a neat way of making the levels that little bit harder while keeping the game-play the same. There are other subtle touches too: the colour of the floor and bricks and the increase in accompaniment to the background music helps everything feel fresh as each group of ten levels is completed.

Trying to get to level 50 is proving difficult, so I changed tactics and tried to collect 5000 coins - but again I become unstuck around 3000. I now have no sure way of completing this level - and with it, the remaining content on the disc.

Cannot...keep...avoiding...Mummy-Me

I'm half way but Mummy-Me is still gaining on poor Captain Toad. 

I am delighted to report the tradition of having a rest on every tenth level (as seen in the Pit of Trials in Zelda) is maintained here.

Also, the music and colouring of the levels changes every ten levels making it look slightly different and so avoiding the challenge becoming stale.

Two thousand more coins to go, but better tactics for avoiding enemies and the second Mummy-Me need to be implemented.

The third Mummy-me follows a little further behind, blocking easy escapes from cul-de-sacs and a further strategy is needed to get in and out. Goombas love to hide behind walls, so my camera skills need to improve.

Are you my mummy?

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp!

In a cute blend of the hardest enemies from Super Mario Galaxy

Cosmic Mario

and the voice of Toad comes mummy-me: a scratchy, squeaky, shadowy form of Toad (like Toad being drowned in a barrel of apples) is able to match his direction, his speed and his actions all over a level, but from about half a second behind him.

Snagging on corners, climbing on ladders and hiding from other enemies are a certain way to get caught by mummy-me. Trying to pull up a mushroom to become Captain Toad once again is difficult because it has to be done in four steps.

Mummy-me will follow - or better haunt - Toadette on three bonus levels that are modified versions of her earlier adventures. Finally, Toad must avoid mummy-me forever in what is undoubtedly the longest level in the entire game.

Do you have the right time?

The answer staring me in the face

Having overcome the problems on the train, it wasn't long before all the levels were given a red crown stamp - which in turn unlocked the bonus levels.

Additionally, a new time target is given to every level - even the levels that are mostly mine cart and have the speed controlled automatically - and  suddenly all the levels are given a higher replay value.

Questions that crop up when given especially difficult time targets are:

• is it possible to defeat the piranha plants and still reach the star in nine seconds? 
• can I do this any faster if I take a hit rather than waiting for a gap in the enemies?
• how is that a realistic target?!

Exclamations that can be heard from around the room are:

• ooh! That was so close!
• that must have been 9.9 seconds!
• The Toads keep getting stuck on corners!

There's a little reward for beating all the time targets which just about makes up for all the required effort.

Mud Troopers, Party Poopers

If there's one thing that's standing in my way of unlocking another bonus level on Captain Toad, it's the large amount of Mud Troopers that are on the train. I have to defeat ALL of them, and there's more of them than there are turnips. There's also a lack of those powerful pickaxes that come in handy.

Sometimes I find a turnip, but when I want to take it back to show the Mud Trooper, the turnip won't fit through the doorway. The Mud Trooper won't come out of the doorway either.

Running to my rescue is a chap in American Football pads. He can take out most of the Mud Troopers that are out in the open. However, he cannot fit through all the doorways and he can't climb a ladder to help me with the Mud Troopers that are resident in the front of the train.

Perhaps further exploration of the train is in order. What am I missing?

Pick up the pace, lads.

Captain Toad is joined by his brigade. These three toads helped Mario collect stars in Super Mario Galaxy. Now they are scattered in variations of worlds previously cleared by Toad. Still, their outfits are suitably expeditionary.

Throughout the rest of the game these three would appear and perform the same tasks: yellow would like on the floor and sleep, green would immerse himself in an old map, and blue would find a power-up shroom for Toad to restore him to...Captain?... or give him ten extra coins. It seems Captain toad cannot store up these lovely power-ups the way Mario et al can in Super Mario 3D World.

Toad has to be careful, however, because the brigade is vulnerable to attack: any hit on any member of the troupe results in all of them shouting out and falling off the world. Surely these guys have some sort of shroom power-up?! They are the same size as Captain Toad and should withstand some knocks. They struggle to fit themselves on pads and constantly look in danger of being left behind. 

I haven't mentioned the biggest intrusion of this game - the spinwheel. A massive graphic of a water shut-off valve with arrows appears on the gamepad screen any time you want to rotate, raise or lower a part of the level. I can understand it for the first use, or throughout the first level, but for the rest of the game is an unwanted addition. It's as intrusive as sports and sports resort showing every single replay - even if it's unremarkable.

Favourite Brigade level:
Bullet Bill - plenty of delicate manoeuvring of the party as bullets, small pads and lava all attempt to thwart the brave but ultimately feeble brigade.