Uploaded April 2023 | Updated September 2026, 4 hours ago
This level is very challenging. Getting a mistakeless run like this took maybe 15 hours or so of attempts. I'm proud of the end result as it looks very clean. Tough starbit shots, nonstop movement, inputs being dropped, luck. This level has it all.
I'll be numbering octoombas based on when they are killed in this video in this description for clarity's sake
For the cutscene a little after the octoombas start moving left I skip the cutscene.
For the beginning, I perform a long jump and drift up right before doing a spin canceled long jump into the octoomba. I do this instead of the previous strat in order to spawn more starbits for the rest of the level to reduce the RNG factor a bit. This can still go wrong and can sometimes net 0 starbits, but more often than not you'll get 2 or more. In addition, absolute faith that the next 2 starbit shots hit the 2 octoombas is needed. If you hesitate, then the starbits are more likely to go off camera as you move away. I also recommend hitting the octoomba before the long jump to octoomba #5 on its left side to have better odds of the starbits being on camera.
After octoomba #6, you'll see my pointer near where octoomba #5 died. I am trying to grab his starbits, but I got unlucky and none dropped on screen. I still had enough for the run to complete without them, but often times I get 1-3 there.
The next section was very tricky to figure out. The starbit stun order here is very particular and also inputs are prone to being eaten here due to kicking octoombas. Every time you kick an enemy the game pauses for 2 frames and during those 2 frames no inputs are registered. This makes many of the sections way harder as if you accidentally press a button in that window then the run dies right there. That's why I shoot octoomba #8 and #9 one after the other before then hitting octoomba #11 in the distance (to stun him in a good spot) and octoomba #10. I needed to give myself enough time to avoid this input eating property.
During this ending section, I try to collect the static starbits at the end of the level while continuing my movement. This reduces the amount of luck needed while increasing the skill floor required for completion. I grab them at very deliberate times. The 2 by yoshi's crystal I grab around octoomba #14. The ones in the end area I grab when jumping to octoomba #18. The top of the screen is weird with the pointer, so I chose these times as they were easiest to grab at these points.
At the ending crystal, I forgo killing the enemy in front of the crystal and instead long jump into a fast yoshi grab technique and opt to eat him with yoshi instead. Sometimes this can make the jump to the last 2 octoombas awkward as the jump is prone to getting eaten due to the fact that eating 3 enemies takes more time and you end up cutting it really close. That's why I hesitate slightly instead of taking the most efficient route to octoomba #29. Also if you need help with the jump to octoomba #29, press a in reaction to the yellow star that shows up when yoshi eats an enemy. This jump also is prone to getting eaten unless you use this visual cue.
There isn't too much more to be done with this level. There may be room for improvement by getting running speed conserving long jumps, but I found the cycles weren't fond of them and often would be too tight or just not there at all. It would make this level way harder than it already is. Would probably become something like a 100 hour+ journey.
This level is very challenging. Getting a mistakeless run like this took maybe 15 hours or so of attempts. I'm proud of the end result as it looks very clean. Tough starbit shots, nonstop movement, inputs being dropped, luck. This level has it all.
I'll be numbering octoombas based on when they are killed in this video in this description for clarity's sake
For the cutscene a little after the octoombas start moving left I skip the cutscene.
For the beginning, I perform a long jump and drift up right before doing a spin canceled long jump into the octoomba. I do this instead of the previous strat in order to spawn more starbits for the rest of the level to reduce the RNG factor a bit. This can still go wrong and can sometimes net 0 starbits, but more often than not you'll get 2 or more. In addition, absolute faith that the next 2 starbit shots hit the 2 octoombas is needed. If you hesitate, then the starbits are more likely to go off camera as you move away. I also recommend hitting the octoomba before the long jump to octoomba #5 on its left side to have better odds of the starbits being on camera.
After octoomba #6, you'll see my pointer near where octoomba #5 died. I am trying to grab his starbits, but I got unlucky and none dropped on screen. I still had enough for the run to complete without them, but often times I get 1-3 there.
The next section was very tricky to figure out. The starbit stun order here is very particular and also inputs are prone to being eaten here due to kicking octoombas. Every time you kick an enemy the game pauses for 2 frames and during those 2 frames no inputs are registered. This makes many of the sections way harder as if you accidentally press a button in that window then the run dies right there. That's why I shoot octoomba #8 and #9 one after the other before then hitting octoomba #11 in the distance (to stun him in a good spot) and octoomba #10. I needed to give myself enough time to avoid this input eating property.
During this ending section, I try to collect the static starbits at the end of the level while continuing my movement. This reduces the amount of luck needed while increasing the skill floor required for completion. I grab them at very deliberate times. The 2 by yoshi's crystal I grab around octoomba #14. The ones in the end area I grab when jumping to octoomba #18. The top of the screen is weird with the pointer, so I chose these times as they were easiest to grab at these points.
At the ending crystal, I forgo killing the enemy in front of the crystal and instead long jump into a fast yoshi grab technique and opt to eat him with yoshi instead. Sometimes this can make the jump to the last 2 octoombas awkward as the jump is prone to getting eaten due to the fact that eating 3 enemies takes more time and you end up cutting it really close. That's why I hesitate slightly instead of taking the most efficient route to octoomba #29. Also if you need help with the jump to octoomba #29, press a in reaction to the yellow star that shows up when yoshi eats an enemy. This jump also is prone to getting eaten unless you use this visual cue.
There isn't too much more to be done with this level. There may be room for improvement by getting running speed conserving long jumps, but I found the cycles weren't fond of them and often would be too tight or just not there at all. It would make this level way harder than it already is. Would probably become something like a 100 hour+ journey.
