We're down here this time, with two point-infusion snacks, four Pit-only heals, and a Life Shroom just in case.
It's time for us to attempt the Pit of 100 Trials! Since this game's mechanics don't really punish being underlevelled the way RPGs do, doing this underlevelled isn't as horrible an idea as it sounds. The power of healing items and extra HP/Atk is more of a safety net.
Of the new Pixls, Dottie is a really good one to have. Being invisible to enemies is a great asset. Cudge being high power in close quarters also encourages the casual strat of reaching Chapter 5 before attempting the place, but afterwards, you've got nothing to wait further for. Well, OK, there is one more thing we can still get, but spoilers, it's not very useful in the Pit.
How does one do "Pit of 100 Trials" with a 2D platformer? All combat floors take this rectangular shape, a 4x4 grid of rectangles that can fit two of these doors side by side. Each floor has its own pre-determined layout of filled blocks that follow the outsides of these rectangles (as we can see from the example, they can do so partially), and is populated with a fixed quantity of enemies. One enemy will be randomly given the key to the locked door to the next floor, and your job is to kill that enemy, claim the key, and get to the door. Killing any other enemy is only for points, clearing space, and wasting the five minutes you have to complete this task (this timer resets to five minutes for every floor, never more, never less). The doors are also randomly positioned in one of the 32 positions- although, of course, the door can only actually appear on one of the positions where there is ground underneath it.
All floors of the Pit play this rather droning sort of theme. On loop, until we clear floor 99. It is not a fun part of the Pit.
As demonstrated, this can randomly be done in ten seconds, or it might take you longer. It will usually take you longer if the room is filled with enemies and simply navigating around is a hassle, but in some of the emptier floors, you might find everything you need right on top of each other.
One down, 99 to go.
The first 10 floors are filled with Squigs, Goombas, and other Chapter 1 fluff. The easy fluff, too. The background of the first 25 floors bears the design of Flipside Tower and the red Pure Heart.
Incidentally, the black bricks exist only in 2D. If you flip into 3D, most things that follow you will drop to the bottom floor. Whether this is desirable or not depends on the circumstances, but this can come in handy for circumventing some navigation.
Sproing-Oings are a bit of a pain here. Close quarters is the name of the game. Also on display are pipes- they will warp you to the opposite wall level with them, and some room variants require you use them to get to parts of the map where no other connections are possible. I know there's at least one room layout like this that exists above the bottom floor, so even 3D mode isn't helpful.
Gloombas are not technically Chapter 1, but they're close enough.
Look at this, key in a dead end.
Also Cherbils in here. Although Peach's shield is good for dealing with them.
Merlee's power! Merlee is good to have in the Pit, because resource starvation is a factor and her ability gives you free resources.
...YMMV half the time, but you'll be grateful for the other half.
The enemies still have drops in here, so you're not completely out of luck if your inventory is bare, but you know, you're not exactly sitting pretty.
Especially if you get poisoned.
Every 10 floors gives you a prize, like in TTYD, but unlike TTYD...
They're not actually useful for anything.
Also, it turns out I was wrong... the Catch Card description for Tippi is still a spoiler right now. I thought they explained themselves by now, but apparently I was wrong. When do they expect you to go through the Pit, then...
Remember you do need to kill Koopa Troopas and Paratroopas. I recommend Cudge, or Bowser if the turtle shell is on the move. If you move far away from the shell and despawn it and it happened to be carrying the key, the key will spawn next to the door.
The first chance you have to attempt the Pit is after acquiring Boomer, so these enemies are not hard locks unless you're a TASer and are skipping him with glitches. (With RNG manipulation, there were only three floors that require you to defeat enemies with means other than Jumping, although any floor with some enemies that can't be defeated with a bounce has a chance in an unmanipped run.)
I'd like to keep this as an ingredient, but it could always give me HP in a corner.
This can kill something irritating, or it can get me that Megaton Dinner. Who knows.
This can only end in shenanigans.
Note that Boomboxer rings pass through the Pit walls. Yes, this is where they get dangerous.
Room 16 is the first floor where there is a continuous line of blocks from floor to ceiling, requiring you to use the warp pipe to fully traverse the room in 2D.
Or you can just walk through. I think that key did the safety spawn and was dropped to the ground by 3D.
Are you going to miss that Squig...
Oh, wow, that is an ingredient. Must keep that at all costs.
So long, Fresh Pasta Bunch!
That's a Koopatrol, a merciless minion wrapped in spikes and armor... Max HP is 15, Attack is 3, and Defense is 4. You better not try to stomp on it... Koopatrols tend to rush in and tackle, so watch out... Only the toughest Koopas are selected to join the elite Koopatrol guard... They have to sharpen those spikes every day. That's what it takes to be the best...
Koopatrols won't appear until Chapter 8 in the main story, and yet here they are on Floor 19. Jump on them with Carrie and you can kick them around like Koopa shells, or blow them up the normal way you deal with spiked enemies. Really, the limiting factor for spiked enemies in the main series is how to bypass them.
Look at him go!
This handy Pixl can pick things up and hurl them. He's very... handy.
As you might expect, all of the prizes from the Pit of 100 Trials will be our Pixl's Catch Cards. It goes all the way up to Dottie- the three optional Pixls are found elsewhere. Obviously, you will be spoiled on the later Pixls, their abilities, and in some cases, their joining circumstances by doing the Pit up to and past Room 40. Whether this counts is your discretion.
Like Charlieton, Flimm will make his appearance in the Pit of 100 Trials, although that is certainly a funny way to phrase it. His store is his shirt?
You can find goodies like this, and I think he keeps consistent, if full, prices this time around. You can buy as much as you like, assuming you can carry it, and it's good for you in the same way Merlee is. Unlike TTYD, you have the money to burn and the prices aren't quite as ridiculous.
This one's all Spinies. You've gotta have some plan in here.
A healing item is always good.
Boos beeline to you, which can honestly make them easier to deal with than having to navigate the passageways. And comedic when they all come right at you.
Levelling up is a vital full heal.
Oh, you. Chain Chomp is the only thing in Room 25, and you've gotta hit them hard.
Background change! Starting Floor 26 and continuing to Floor 49, the background changes to being themed around Fracktail and the Orange Pure Heart.
Crazee Dayzee inhabits this floor, spitting its vile musical notes my direction and through walls. Glad I got his Catch Card.
Fracktail is cool in this design. What is less cool is the fact you have to pass through two warp pipes to access this top-right corner of the floor I am currently standing in.
Say hello to the worst enemy in the Pit, Hammer Bro. and his wall-bypassing hammers. This screenshot should give you a good idea of what that looks like.
Oh, you. Rawbus on one of these tiny ledges is an absolute nightmare.
Save a lot of headache and switch to Dottie. That's the only way you're getting enough decent shots at the tail to defeat it.
You could also try finding the opposite side of the wall, but even that's made far easier if you're in Dottie form.
Flipping into 3D to get the key without navigating the maze... although dammit, that door won't be quick to return to.
This Pixl has an appetite for demolition. "You build it, I blast it." That's his motto.
Don't let him near anything you actually want, clearly.
Oh boy, Tileoids. These guys can go all over the place, especially if they have a lot of walls to touch.
And these guys are just irritating: their necks can stick out while you're trying to jump to a more advantageous position.
...Sure.
...Hey, wait, I can use that on these guys!
...When I was closer.
Ah, Growmebas. Don't bother waiting for them to expand, especially if they're in these cramped quarters.
And Cursyas. He's going to be a pain. Flip into 3D, they tend to fall down if you do.
USE FOR THE FIRE BURST!
...I didn't need another one.
...Sure?
That's a Ninjoe. These devious ninjas support Sammer Guys from the shadows... Max HP is 6 and Attack is 2. They hop around and throw ninja stars at you. They are said to sell their ninja skills to the highest bidder... And they have long been in the service of King Sammer.
Ninjoe is an enemy that we can occasionally see in Chapter 6, but their appearances in the Pit make them far more terrifying. Their ninja tricks of throwing shurikens and not actually being there when you jump on them make them absolutely irritating even when they're not just jumping away.
If you find the key, just go.
That is, if they don't make your personal space interesting anyway.
It's a Fire Bro. These lethal Koopas spit searing balls of flame... Max HP is 10. Attack is 3. Defense is 1. Learning to shoot fire from your mouth must have taken some practice... Those fireballs bounce on the ground, so watch it very carefully...
Fire Bro. is an enemy otherwise held for Chapter 8, and of the three varieties of Bro., it's probably the easiest. Fire Bros capitalise on long, hallways for their fast-moving fireballs to rocket down, but their fireballs are on the slower side here and they often don't get the terrain to take advantage. That's not to say they're not more irritating than some of the other folks we bump into down here.
This sidestepping Pixl can turn you sideways in a snap. Slim likes close calls and hair-raising experiences.
I don't, that's why I like Dottie!
Healing, snagging some more healing items. Always good to have more.
These Clubbas are either really easy or really annoying in tight spaces, depending on whether you can get a good combo off the ceiling. Usually, this happens if you approach from the back.
As Pokey gets smaller, it gets easier to jump on him. That's more true with the low ceilings.
Let me get my Super Shroom Shake...
Ah, great, these guys.
If they're just in the worst position, just do this. They kick their shells into themselves on the nearby wall and take themselves out. Note this doesn't get you their points, although it does give you their coins.
They'll also do this if you're just slightly nearby and they notice you. They were far scarier in 3-1 than they are in here, where they are often positioned with either a wall to kick shells into themselves with or a different Striker above their heads to kick shells into them for them. Striker rooms are the funnest in the whole Pit.
Although I do need healing.
Same to you, game.
Ooh, Ghost Shroom.
Now that was an effective shell kick!
...So many Cherbils.
Do note that their projectiles don't go through walls.
These guys can, though. I think Magikoopas on broomsticks are only in here, and that's just to make it hard to get a vantage point.
This former wrestling-star Pixl can pound the ground. A hip replacement kept him out of high-end competition.
Thudley used to be a wrestler? Who knew?
...Ultra Shroom Shake is tempting...
I do want to save some money.
...Looks like a chance for Ghost Shroom to lend a hand.
Om nom nom nom!
Notice, also, that we have got to Floor 51, and thus we are now getting shots of the Yellow Pure Heart in Merlee's Mansion and Gloam Valley. An exterior shot, of course.
...And going on the ceiling, of course, why not?
Thank you!
...Less helpful, but I'm sure we'll find something!
Oh, yes, this is a money-making opportunity!
Let's see if I can't get started on that guy through the floor...
Because this is another of those rooms where you need to use the pipe to get up close.
Ah, Spanias. A pain in either dimension.
First Emergency Rations, and we're over halfway in. I'd say that's pretty good.
That's a Dry Bones. At one time, it was a Koopa, but now... Max HP is 10. Attack is 2. It will keep getting up no matter how many times you stomp it... Because it's already dead, you may have to use fire to stop it for good...
Dry Bones is a Chapter 7 enemy, and their HP is entirely meaningless:
They die only if set on fire with Bowser's flame or Boomer's explosion. All other damage is completely ignored. By the time you'd fight them, odds are these sources of damage oneshot them anyway.
Bowser's flame, annoyingly, doesn't go through walls.
But it is good for Clubbas.
...Uh, who's in here?
Ooh, Hooligons.
Yay?
That's a Dark Boo. It likes the dark even more than other Boos... Max HP 13 and Attack is 2. When it sees someone, it gets in their face... I wonder... do you think it looks forward all day to startling people?
Ah, another Chapter 7 addition, Dark Boo. They'll flip into 3D to make their approach before they jump back into 2D to scare you.
They instantly go away after scaring you, although the way they work means they often pile up on top of each other as they make their way closer. If they're desynced, this is a combo opportunity.
Thanks for the help!
Oh hi, Merlee! This is showing the Dark Boos while on the move in 3D, but cool mural shot.
It's a Zoing-Oing... They're very rare creatures only a few adventurers have seen... Max HP is 12 and Attack is 3. If you hurt it, it will split into multiple Mini-Zoings... Zoing-Oings are very similar to other Oings... Except for their lovely pale hides...
Zoing-Oing is a Chapter 8 upgrade to Sproing-Oing. Right now, we're still splitting them into minis, and we probably still will be when we get to their home habitat. Level ups do slow down.
...Although if I can catch one in this, maybe that won't be the case.
That's an Amazy Dayzee. They're very rare and elusive creatures... Max HP is 30 and Attack is 10. They are rarely seen. When they are spotted, they tend to run away quickly... Their songs are also very potent. Many consider them very challenging to hunt...
Amazy Dayzee, found here and in the Gap of Crag, love to run away and flip into 3D, although they don't go away forever like in the RPGs.
If you've cornered one, Dottie's a good way to stop having to deal with them.
Didn't work. Shame. Oh well, I suppose we can grind up those Tokens eventually...
And hey, 3000 points is 3000 points.
That's a Yellow Magiblot. They are mad mages that live between dimensions... Max HP is 20 and Attack is 5. They only appear long enough to hurl spells at you... They use magic, so I assume they are quite intelligent, but nobody knows for sure... Yellow Magiblots are known for their average HP and Attack...
Another enemy found in Chapter 8, Yellow Magiblot will appear out of nowhere, shoot a magic spell at you, and disappear into nothing. There are variants with higher or lower Atk and HP, but Yellow is the basic variety.
This is Floor 59, incidentally. We'll be seeing more of them, of course.
These guys, like Dark Boo, also have a tendency to pile up in one place if left for a bit.
This thing is activating a lot.
This platform Pixl will go where no other Pixl can. But she will only help heroes that are on her wavelength.
Luckily, she conforms to our wavelength rather than her own.
Look at that, we've got about the same amount of coins as we did last time we met Flimm! See, long game.
Thoreau is a really funny Pixl to bring to the Pit. Just throw an enemy into something and watch chaos happen.
Time to try another one of these somewhere.
So many ingredients...
These guys have a Catch Card freely available in Chapter 7. That was a waste anyway.
Now how did I get myself in this mess?
...It only gets more and more confounding as I try to get out.
...Huh. We can safely carry this guy. Er... somehow.
Room 65 is just these two guys. Nailed 'em.
...I think I'll save the Tattles of these guys for Chapter 7, but these are Skellobits, Chapter 7 enemies deeply entwined with the story of Chapter 7, but clearly not so much that they'll be unavailable to appear as enemies in Chapter 8 and the Pit.
Fittingly, they first appear on Floor 66.
They can even be carried!
That thing is a Longadile. It can stretch beyond the limits of imagination... Max HP is 20 and Attack is 2. It likes to stretch its neck at enemies... They aren't fast, but they can attack a wide area. Be careful near narrow ledges...
The Longadile is the successor to the Longator found in Chapter 8, and they join it here in the Pit. Higher HP to be annoying longer, of course, and the name seems to just be a continuation of Longator and not a reference to them being reptilian in nature.
Although it does sound like other languages use crocodile jokes too. I'm not 100% sure if the alligator reference lands in those languages, although I think the JP name for Longator (カックン) is going somewhere.
Regardless, this is what Thoreau was made for.
If you can get a grip.
This is a Squoinker... It’s the strongest and meanest member of the Squig family... Max HP is 15 and Attack is 4. Squoinkers will spit rocks at you... The rocks come at you fast... Don’t just stand there, or you’ll get hit in the face...
The Squoinker is the strongest Squig, shooting rocks the fastest and the strongest, and appearing only here in the Pit of 100 Trials. They're still Squigs, but...
They're being supplemented by Hammer Bros.
This is a Soopa Striker. These superstars of the pitch have cleats of solid gold... Max HP is 16. Attack is 5. Defense is 1. The way this athlete puts the shell right in your neck is truly inspiring... I hear Soopa Strikers never miss their goal...
Soopa Strikers are the upgraded form of Koopa Strikers appearing in Chapter 8. Much like Koopa Strikers...
They are not very good at thinking things through in the Pit. This is another fun floor.
Somehow I got a kill of my own for Merlee.
Just the concept of my existence is going to be enough to confuse the hell out of those guys. Challenge, defeat them before they defeat themselves.
I'm running out of HP, should probably drink something now.
This flippy Pixl is really good at finding hidden goodies. Without you, he never would have left that outhouse...
See what I mean about these Cards spoiling encounter circumstances? We could theoretically obtain this before getting Fleep out of the outhouse.
...I forget if these guys have spikes, best heal before I find out. (They don't, the spiked ones are the brown ones.)
More Jawbuses. Weirdly, the wrong way around: the purple ones are weaker than the red ones.
These guys are also easy because, you know, I have the height advantage. I think that's just how we spawned this time, though.
Room 73 is full of Cursyas of all varieties.
Of course it's the slow one I get hit by.
That's a Copta, a curious organism that flies through the air...and dimensions... Max HP is 10 and Attack is 3. It's hard to track, as it occasionally flips... Just stay after it, and hit it repeatedly when you can...
Oh, joy, the stronger variant of the Choppa, Copta. And it'll be a while before we can oneshot these ones, too. They appear in Chapter 8 and I'm not sure we oneshot them there, either.
Just let me be rid of them.
...Although it'll be a little bit more until I am.
That's a Ruff Puff. It floats in the sky, like a little grumpy thundercloud... Max HP is 15 and Attack is 4. It will shock you if you get too close... You'd better keep your distance until you see an opening to attack... Do you think it's related to the cloud Lakitu rides around on?
Ruff Puffs appear in Chapter 7, and their electrical blasts pass through these walls. They feel as weird to see cameo here as they did in TTYD, although it turns out Tippi has the same thought I did back in the Paper Mario 64 blog: long-lost relatives of Jugem's Cloud?
Please help!
...Er, as best you can. With my setup, this is basically random.
This Blastboxer blares sound at anyone it doesn't like... Max HP is 16 and Attack is 6. It gets startled by its own loud noises... I wonder if its neighbors ever complain about the noise...
The white ones are Blastboxers, also from Chapter 8. This room has all three varieties and they're all equally annoying when you can't reach them through the walls.
Also note that, since we're in Floor 76, we now get a background mural of Fort Francis and the Green Pure Heart. Considering you're expected to at least visit Gloam Valley before this point, this is the only real spoiler in the art, and even "it's a castle" doesn't tell you much. Even the artstyle doesn't really tell you it's a pixel art level.
That's a Blue Magiblot. These mad mages live in the space between dimensions... Max HP is 25 and Attack is 4. They only appear long enough to hurl spells at you... They use magic, so I assume they are quite intelligent, but nobody knows for sure... Blue Magiblots are known for their high HP...
Blue Magiblots have the weakest magic blasts, but the highest HP of the group. All three varities can be found in Chapter 8.
A part of the room like this is a good place to get surrounded by Magiblots.
...There goes the Life Shroom.
I was this close to a level, left it too close.
That’s a Chromeba. It clones itself constantly to overwhelm its enemies... Max HP is 10 and Attack is 3. If you defeat the main one, the clones will die... The primary one has slightly different moves and looks, so watch closely... For fun, you can let it clone and then stomp on the main one to destroy them all...
Over there is Chromeba, the last of the Growmebas and another visitor from Chapter 8. Funny how Tippi mentions that means of fighting them for more points. Here, I think that's just a product of finding my way over to their position.
This is certainly an idea.
The purple Skellobits are Spiked Skellobits, and they're usually depicted as commanders. When they're not just thrown in with the rest. Their spike does not confer on them any additional health or attack, though.
This hard-hitting Pixl can shatter yellow blocks. But he's a real people Pixl.
They say about the Pixl that screams motivational help at the top of his lungs.
...Yes buy buy buy.
This bizarre beast is called a Hogarithm. They are strange on so many levels... Max HP is ??. Attack is 4. It takes three stomps to finish off this piggy... But each stomp makes it smaller and faster... It's very hard to stomp the last one... Hogarithms often drop many coins, so you may want to hunt them if you're broke...
The upgrade to Pigarithms, Hogarithms are, once again, a visitor from Chapter 8. They are stronger only in Atk and possibly speed.
...Wow, does Chapter 7 introduce anything beyond its own things?
That's a Red Magiblot. These mad mages live in the space between dimensions... Max HP is 15 and Attack is 6. They only appear long enough to hurl spells at you... They use magic, so I assume they are quite intelligent, but nobody knows for sure... Red Magiblots are known for their powerful attack spells...
Ah, the Red Magiblots, the real hard hitters of the bunch. Although it's not like the difference is that severe.
It hurts a lot when they attack in numbers, though.
This bouncing ball of fur is called a Pink Fuzzy. It lives to endlessly bounce around... Max HP is 10 and Attack is 2. I wonder if it thinks about the color pink all day... You better keep your distance and use ranged attacks to defeat it...
The Pink Fuzzy appears in here and in Chapter 8, and despite the implication that they're dangerous in some way, they really aren't any different from normal Fuzzies. No FP to steal, no magical attacks to fire, just... Fuzzies.
Take that!
Oh joy, Shlorps and Spanias. Not enemies that are fun together.
You had the key, this is a formation to run away on.
That's a Poison Pokey. It's much like a regular Pokey, but it has poisonous spines... Max HP is 12 and Attack is 2. Watch your step... Being poisoned isn't pleasant... If you do get poisoned, most items that restore HP also cure poison...
Surprisingly, Poison Pokey is another enemy from Chapter 8. They'd fit right in with Chapter 7. I guess they'd be a bit too hard for the part of the game I have in mind. At any rate, Poison Pokeys are the perfect way to make Pokey harder for SPM specifically- throwing spiky objects at you that can poison you. That's just not something the main series can do, Mario dies too quickly in that game.
Paralysis power!
And a bunch of Dried Shrooms to get through.
...Oh, this is going to be a thing.
There are how many of these guys?
At least they're all getting knocked around by the Koopatrol shells.
So many hexagons...
Out of one frying pan and into more fires.
That's a Ninjohn. These devious ninjas support Sammer Guys from the shadows... Max HP is 8 and Attack is 3. They hop around and throw ninja stars at you. They are said to follow any order... Ninjohns are the middle managers of the ninja world...
Ninjohns, fittingly the middle of the three Ninja families, are "found" in Chapter 6, although we're not going to see any of them in there. The Ninjas are honestly more of a Pit enemy than a Chapter 6 enemy, the way they work. They're also far more dangerous in here, Chapter 6 isn't really kind to them.
Expect a lot of bombs from them when you try to kill them and fail.
It's a Headbonk Goomba. These guys really know how to use their heads... Max HP is 1 and Attack is 2. They're outcasts among Goombas... The other Goombas look on these Goombas as brainless, uncultured thugs... But I've never wanted to get close enough to have a conversation with one...
Headbonk Goomba can be found only in Floor 89 of the Pit. This is probably the funniest enemy type in the game- they're Goombas that do the 64/TTYD Headbonk. This room is clearly designed for chaos to happen, but honestly, I do kinda want these guys to show up in the main series. Imagine that 1-1 level opening you've seen a million times, but as you go to jump on the first Goomba, it headbonks you first.
Tippi's dialogue feels really scathing considering these are nostalgia enemies for the RPGs. Like, seriously, what's the problem with the headbonking variety? OK, maybe headbonking is bad for your cranial development, but still.
The Headbonking never stops, because there's Headbonks everywhere.
This helps.
Take that!
Like, imagine what we'd be dealing with if I didn't pack this.
This puny Pixl can micro-size you. Sometimes, less is more! More or less...
It's so much easier to fight things when they don't see you.
This is a Gawbus, a beast that's even meaner than a Rawbus... Max HP is 20 and Attack is 4. Its only weakness is the glowing spot on its back... By now, you should know you can flip to 3-D and get behind it...
Like Gawbus. Another Chapter 8 refugee, it's so much easier to deal with them when they can't see you. Especially when there isn't something to stand on in the third dimension, stop judging me Tippi.
Just let me wander over and jump on that tail before it becomes a problem...
Oh great. More ninjas.
At least all I've got to do is get to the door...
...I'd say that'd be useful, but I'd be lying.
I'll be using other buffs.
That's a Ninjerry. These devious ninjas support Sammer Guys from the shadows... Max HP is 10 and Attack is 4. They hop around and throw ninja stars at you. They also have secret ninja techniques to use against their enemies... They hold the highest positions in the ninja world...
Following Ninjohn and Ninjoe, the ultimate ninja is everyone's favourite random guy, Ninjerry. He will also be found in Chapter 6 outside our notice, and he's otherwise just a more irritating version of his lesser counterparts. I just hate dealing with all three.
These are the sorts of enemies I'm using items to deal with.
And even then, I need Emergency Rations.
And we move on immediately to Fire Bros. In the sort of room that plays to their strengths.
Oh, sure.
Thank you, 3D.
Honestly, Skellobits are easy in comparison. Sometimes they'll slowly charge you with their spear. Usually, this is super easy to counter in one way or another, and the Pit doesn't change that.
Also, Thoreau comboes are cool.
Yet another level up! This won't be a big problem when we get back to the main story, but I don't mind it as much.
This is a Boomerang Bro. These Koopas love to throw their boomerangs... Max HP is 10. Attack is 3. Defense is 1. A tough foe indeed... The boomerangs fly back, so watch the back of your head...
Boomerang Bro. was also in Room 63, but here's a clearer shot of him. Boomerang Bros. are also less scary in SPM than in the main series, because their boomerangs always go horizontally rather than in an arc like they do in the main series. Still, though, these corridors are the worst place for him, especially if he's on the top of a ledge rather than the bottom.
...I legitimately have no idea how I'm killing those two. At least flipping probably makes them easier.
Room 97 is absolutely hilarious.
You virtually have to visit every single rectangle in the 4x4 grid to wrap your way around to this Squiglet. And yes, since that's the top level in 3D, 3D can't skip this trip. It's the kind of joke I don't entirely begrudge them for making.
That's a Red Chomp. This angry Chomp is filled with uncontrollable rage... Max HP is 8, Attack is 3, Defense is 8. Even flames won't hurt this beast... Some say this Chomp's red color comes from its urge to devour pizza sauce... Maybe someone let it loose in a sauce warehouse...
Red Chomp is the last new enemy in the Pit of 100 Trials, and is once again a Chapter 8 cameo. Much like its TTYD counterpart, its red colouring is a joke about being coloured by external causes. This time, it's pizza sauce jokes, and not just being painted by something. With 8 Def, it'll be tough to deal damage to this thing unless you're using some damage doubling. Bowser jumps or Boomer/Cudge only.
Floor 99 is filled with all three Magiblots. Nothing but horizontal platforms here, too, for clear shooting lines.
Need all the HP I can get.
And I'm not 100% sure that was enough...
We have reached Floor 100. Fans of TTYD might suspect what we'll see here, and the music being Mount Lineland will probably tip you off.
Wander forward, and you will find your boss fight.
It's the return of Bonetail! Rest assured there won't be a Gloomtail in Chapter 8- we have enough bosses thanks to Team Bleck that they won't need padding in there.
This guy's name is Wracktail, and it seems to be Fracktail's prototype. He doesn't seem to be entirely pleased about not being finished and allowed to fly around.
He takes his anger with the Ancients out on us. Because we're the only person he's seen in a long time, we're the Ancients' favourite people, and in general we're hardly the worst targets of his aggression, although the fact is we have no idea who he is and would probably have some good arguments in his favour if he didn't react like this.
...Wait, did he just say he'd punish us with death? Somebody forgot we call those "game overs" here.
That's Wracktail, the very menacing lord of the Pit of 100 Trials. Max HP is ??. Attack is 10. It can fly and swoop down with its big open mouth... I think this is a prototype of an improved Fracktail from the Yold Desert... The Ancients must have built it. But like Fracktail, its antenna is its weak spot...
Wracktail has come soaring by for a remix of Fracktail's match, and much like Bonetail for Hooktail, he brings back Fracktail's theme. Unlike Bonetail, I actually like this theme enough I don't begrudge hearing it again. This whole "prototype version of the Fracktail robot" angle is an interesting reason for seeing this boss again on an in-universe level, I've got to say.
This phase is identical, and isn't any more tricky. It wasn't difficult for Fracktail, either.
...Is that a computer motherboard underneath the terrain? It feels appropriate, although I'm not sure for what.
Up we get.
It's this point this guy gets hard.
That's a Wrackle. These little defense bots protect Wracktail's body... Max HP is 10. Attack is 10. They will attack any intruder they find on their master... They must have been made by the Ancients, just like Wracktail...
Tippi is serious. These Wrackles, unlike the Frackles on Fracktail's body, have an attack. They shoot these tiny electrical bolts at you you can barely see around the white and yellow glow of his body. These bolts do 10 damage. If you wait until after Chapter 7, you don't have to care about these guys. If you don't, like I haven't...
Well, Wracktail takes 10 hits per phase, as opposed to Fracktail's 3. Keep on top of your Wrackles. Notice how I've already been hit.
At any rate, as Wracktail prepares to go into the sky, we get into something else that's been made easier at this point in the game:
Switch to Peach.
And glide onto Wracktail after he does his loopy loop. No bothering with the ground phase!
Uh oh, not good, Life Shroom, overwhelmed by Wrackles...
And that is the story of why I made a save state before this fight and am not playing this as I would on console, because I think this moment is when I put down the entire playthrough in frustration that I have to do the Pit again.
Anyway, second try.
Aside from this, things went better the second time around.
Including this part where I found the correct point to jump such that Peach glided from Wracktail's tail to on top of the antenna and completely trivialised the third phase.
Wracktail is an incredibly easy boss to fight if you know the cheese.
And incredibly painful to fight legit.
Remember what I said earlier about not wanting to replay the Pit of 100 Trials? Well, surprise, the counterpart to the Pit of 100 Trials in Flipside is a matching Pit of 100 Trials in Flopside. You must complete the Flipside Pit for the entrance to the Flopside Pit to be made available, and I'm not sure if this is a parody of 100 floor endurance dungeons the Gamecube era was far too overly fond of, or the Paper Mario developers enjoying the idea of 100 floor dungeons so much that they overused them and ruined it for everybody. Somehow I like both options.
Wracktail explodes the same way Fracktail did, raising the same questions as to why a robot dragon has a spine made of bone.
Beating Wracktail gets us a big black-and-white chest, although its contents could really be anything. It's certainly better than the Catch Cards we've been dealing with.
It's the third and final optional Pixl!
Pay no attention to the second try. I did the other 99 floors of the Pit in one take, at least.
I can, weirdly, imagine him clapping with those two little appendages.
The Flopside Pit is, indeed, much harder. There's only so much mechanically they could do, but they knew what they needed and they took it.
And that involves not going into Pits of 100 Trials.
I think this is a Pixl I can get behind. Welcome to the world of not hanging around with the ancient prototype Fracktail, buddy.
Welcome to the team. And yes, we're going to get along swimmingly.
Say hello to the best Pixl Dashell. What can he do for you?
Why, he's the run button. In addition to making travel faster, he's also responsible for my personal favourite way to play with the game's physics. It's really nice to pick him up for Chapter 6 in particular, although he's not necessary.
The Metal Slime approach to combat. He jokes, but leaving a dangerous situation is a good way to find an advantage. The old adage is "the key to victory is the element of surprise", and the best way to get surprise once a battle starts is the ability to disengage, disappear, and approach from a new angle.
That's Dashell. He allows you to run really fast... Dashell was spending his time in the last room of the Flipside Pit of 100 trials... Dashell is a firm believer that life is a sprint, not a marathon...
Tippi says that, but his philosophy expresses the opposite- Dashell uses his power of running to turn sprinting into a marathon. He is in his element in a match of endurance, and it certainly doesn't hurt that he can run faster for longer.
The game makes sure you cannot leave the Pit after spawning Dashell's chest but before opening it.
You know what I love about Dashell and physics? Getting a running start and then Peach gliding. You'll see the practical benefits of this in 7-4, but it's also just cool to do. And funny to think it's a woman running in heels and a dress before whipping out a sun parasol.
(Semi-related comment, but in motion, the terrain's pattern here on Floor 100 makes me sick in motion. At least it's not much of the screen.)
Right, so what can we do before we move on into Chapter 6?
Cooking a few recipes, mostly.
Including this chocolate bar, which is cheaper to make through Dyllis than in outer space. The other one, I'll buy from the store, but there's a Map that takes me there that I'll want to grab first.
You can actually use a bunch of chocolates for this, although Mild Cocoa Beans are always a must.
This is the Hot Sauce recipe I chose to make, pouring it on a Fresh Pasta Bunch (although any spaghetti will do).
One suggestion to consider is making the Spicy Dinner first (Hot Sauce + virtually any ingredient, from Big Egg to Power Steak to Fresh Veggie and nearly anything in between), and then you can combine that with your Pasta Dish to make this. Long-term recipe planning is not my forte, especially when I don't know the variety of recipes to make.
Picking up some more maps with my surplus of cash. I was serious, earlier, about Map 17- that doesn't give you a good prize, don't bother with it unless you want the satisfaction of all 48 maps.
Catch Cards for the Pit of 100 Trials:
Max HP: 15, Attack: 4. Squoinkers are proud to be pretty in pink. The polka dots are for extra intimidation.
The Squiglets are pink. These ones are more white, and they are indeed pretty intimidating in appearance. For Squigs.
Max HP: 1, Attack: 2. A tenacious Goomba that'll headbonk anything in sight. Caution: headbonking is a leading cause of headaches.
Did Goombario and Goombella ever have to deal with those? I never asked, and I kinda feel bad about it now. Goombella at least had a helmet.
Max HP: ??, Attack: 10. The baddest baddie in the Flipside Pit of 100 Trials. He may fight like Fracktail, but he's 100 times stronger.
10 times. Don't exaggerate.
Max HP: 10, Attack: 10. This bot defends Wracktail from foreign invaders. It was made long ago, so its warranty has expired.
I don't think the company that makes them still exists. By which I mean the Ancients are a source of lost technology, and the existing ones show no interest in creating or maintaining the inventions of their predecessors. Even if the warranty was valid, we weren't turning it in.
Anyway, onto Chapter 6 for real.
Next time: Did you enjoy this update? Do you want to see me do it again?
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