Uploaded November 2020 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Randomness plays a large factor in a lot of video games in determining certain elements. Certain games have very limited amounts of random elements, whereas other games have large portions of the game structured around random events. Donkey Kong 64 is no stranger to randomness, but it has been pondered for a while on how Mad Jack works in terms of randomness and whether there are any strategies to improve your chances of favourable switch positions. This video takes a deep dive into the algorithm and various parts of it which are exploitable to potentially increase your chances of getting faster Mad Jack times.
As Oprah might say:
"You get Cfox Luck, and you get Cfox Luck. YOU ALL GET CFOX LUCK!"
LUCK CALCULATOR
theballaam96.github.io
Twitter: twitter.com/tjballaam
Contact: Ballaam#6738
THANKS TO
Horhay the Dragon:
twitch.tv/horhaythedragon
youtube.com/channel/UCzxXQtmWl6Y9H0OrNakFGjw
REFERENCED
How we solved the worst minigame in Zelda's History
youtube.com/watch?v=1hs451PfFzQ&ab_channel=Linkus7
MUSIC:
Her Spaceship (Snatcher): youtu.be/pAXnWmsn9ko
Puzzles: youtu.be/x2nPysfmt0U
Tachmania: youtu.be/wfEEqLP2aDI
Kang and Kodos Strike Back: youtu.be/pKsDvPq-7e4
Seaweed Sanctum: youtu.be/Dag3IEDI6c8
Mad Jack: youtu.be/fXWCotTeNgk
CHAPTERS
0:00 - Introduction
1:22 - Decimal & Binary
2:34 - RNG Algorithm
3:23 - Switch Spawning Algorithm
5:26 - Mad Jack Square
5:42 - Kong Square Algorithm
6:30 - Equidistant rule
7:07 - When the Kong position is checked
7:39 - Speedrun Example
8:34 - The Future
Randomness plays a large factor in a lot of video games in determining certain elements. Certain games have very limited amounts of random elements, whereas other games have large portions of the game structured around random events. Donkey Kong 64 is no stranger to randomness, but it has been pondered for a while on how Mad Jack works in terms of randomness and whether there are any strategies to improve your chances of favourable switch positions. This video takes a deep dive into the algorithm and various parts of it which are exploitable to potentially increase your chances of getting faster Mad Jack times.
As Oprah might say:
"You get Cfox Luck, and you get Cfox Luck. YOU ALL GET CFOX LUCK!"
LUCK CALCULATOR
theballaam96.github.io
Twitter: twitter.com/tjballaam
Contact: Ballaam#6738
THANKS TO
Horhay the Dragon:
twitch.tv/horhaythedragon
youtube.com/channel/UCzxXQtmWl6Y9H0OrNakFGjw
REFERENCED
How we solved the worst minigame in Zelda's History
youtube.com/watch?v=1hs451PfFzQ&ab_channel=Linkus7
MUSIC:
Her Spaceship (Snatcher): youtu.be/pAXnWmsn9ko
Puzzles: youtu.be/x2nPysfmt0U
Tachmania: youtu.be/wfEEqLP2aDI
Kang and Kodos Strike Back: youtu.be/pKsDvPq-7e4
Seaweed Sanctum: youtu.be/Dag3IEDI6c8
Mad Jack: youtu.be/fXWCotTeNgk
CHAPTERS
0:00 - Introduction
1:22 - Decimal & Binary
2:34 - RNG Algorithm
3:23 - Switch Spawning Algorithm
5:26 - Mad Jack Square
5:42 - Kong Square Algorithm
6:30 - Equidistant rule
7:07 - When the Kong position is checked
7:39 - Speedrun Example
8:34 - The Future
![[TAS] Hideout Helm 100% in 5:41.983 | Donkey Kong 64](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/wpBP-9lphiU/mqdefault.jpg "[TAS] Hideout Helm 100% in 5:41.983 | Donkey Kong 64
Rerecord Count: 4623
Timing starts on first black frame on the loading zone entering Helm, timing ends as soon as you collect the final collectable needed for 100%.
This is an improvement of 55.297s over my old TAS that I did in Feb 2017. Safe to say I wasnt that good at TASing back then: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJSJ8MbIzvE
This TAS uses the Japanese version of DK64 to beat Hideout Helm in under 6 minutes. The Japanese version is necessary because it is the fastest version between PAL (European) & JP (Japanese).
One of these two versions are required to perform a glitch where you can beat Helm with only completing 2 of the minigames.
The US version of DK64 has a bug where if a few conditions are fulfilled, all of the medals become uncollectable (unless you spawn snag them). More information on this bug can be found here: https://pastebin.com/5M9pTb5m
This was patched in the PAL & JP versions and therefore can be abused for this glitch.
Since JP is patched in some aspects, there are a few places where it would lose time to US *if* US could pull off the glitch. Primarily skipping some of the orange clips (which are pretty brutal), getting to the slam pad in the Rocketbarrel minigame faster (with a phasewalk) and also being able to text skip in the 2 minigames. Outside of that, JP does not lose a single second to US.")
![Portal Skew [Theoretical] | Donkey Kong 64 Glitch](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xAZnbdAH2I4/mqdefault.jpg "Portal Skew [Theoretical] | Donkey Kong 64 Glitch
UPDATE (28/02/2017): Portal Skew is now possible without tools in Fungi Forest. (See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v v9Cei43NTc&feature=youtu.be)
MAINTAINING SKEW IS NOT POSSIBLE ON CONSOLE YET, JUST IN CASE THERE WAS ANY CONFUSION WITH THIS
I found this a while ago when I was messing around with Portals & Levers, but forgot to document it/make a video on it.
By interrupting the kong rotation effect (that you get from entering a DK Portal) with Orange Damage, you can get Skew.
This normally sends you to the portal destination soon after (Level Lobby/Main Level Map etc.).
However, if you interrupt this with a cutscene and then move far enough away from the portal (presumably deloading it), then you can maintain skew as long as you dont go too close to the portal.
Currently, this is not achievable RTA since you cannot move far away enough after the Cutscene ends. However, if we were to find a way (Lever Storage maybe?) to instantly teleport the kong to a location far enough away from the start of the level, then weve got something.
Moving away from the portal was done using ScriptHawk
https://github.com/Isotarge/ScriptHawk")
![[TAS] Donkey Kong 64 101% in 3:58:46](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/y_7ZymBtT_Q/mqdefault.jpg "[TAS] Donkey Kong 64 101% in 3:58:46
RTA Time: 3:58:46.833 | TAS Time: 3:59:18.242
Raw Encode: https://youtu.be/DfbPedho-Go
Commentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnLO9oPnvls
FAQ: https://bit.ly/donk-tas-faq
CHAPTERS
0:00 Boot
0:35 Run Start
4:34 Aztec 1
10:39 Castle 1
24:41 Factory
55:51 Helm 1
57:50 Fungi & Galleon Chain
1:21:08 Fungi 4
1:35:04 Caves
1:58:35 Aztec 2
2:25:01 Japes
2:44:35 Castle 2
3:11:07 Helm 2
3:16:56 Galleon 3
3:48:03 K Rool
3:59:22 End Credits & 101% Endings")
