Cataclysmic Castle (skill tester) (also Kaizo)

[Superiorstar]

Here is my Christmas present to the forums, Cataclysmic isn't it?

What player: peach

What skill: 3/5

Screenshot:

Spoiler: show

Download: https://www.mediafire.com/?j2qx4z08888xzaa

[MECHDRAGON777]

From the screen shot, I can say it looks easy, or I see why I do from he screen shot! I will record it and if I can, I will see if I can revive "help"

[Marina]

Please don't post kaizo levels in the normal level section, it's a pain for the judges to review them... :/

[Superiorstar]

Please don't post kaizo levels in the normal level section, it's a pain for the judges to review them... :/

..which is why I have only Bossedit8 review them, he reviews every last one of the skill testers (and kaizo).
I request someone move this back please.

[Marina]

Well you could at least write that in the OP then..

[Navi]

You can make one Kaizo level, but Nemu beats you at doing it!

You should've posted this at the Casual levels section.
Also I'm gonna play this.

Edit: ragequit

[MECHDRAGON777]

Please don't post kaizo levels in the normal level section, it's a pain for the judges to review them... :/

..which is why I have only Bossedit8 review them, he reviews every last one of the skill testers (and kaizo).
I request someone move this back please.

That was exactly who I was going to ask for assistance in the video! Most my commentarys have also had him speak as well, so... Does that count if he agrees?

[Superiorstar]

Please don't post kaizo levels in the normal level section, it's a pain for the judges to review them... :/

..which is why I have only Bossedit8 review them, he reviews every last one of the skill testers (and kaizo).
I request someone move this back please.

That was exactly who I was going to ask for assistance in the video! Most my commentarys have also had him speak as well, so... Does that count if he agrees?

It might spoil the level for him, I think he'll have to sit this one out this time.... sorry Mech not this time.
EDIT: change of thought, let him in.

[Imaynotbehere4long]

Please don't post kaizo levels in the normal level section, it's a pain for the judges to review them... :/

..which is why I have only Bossedit8 review them, he reviews every last one of the skill testers (and kaizo).

This was posted on Dec. 25? Eh, Bossedit8 had his chance.

What skill: 3/5

That...doesn't make any sense. Are you saying that, on a scale of 1 to 5, this level has a difficulty rating of 3? I thought that "Kaizo" is reserved for only the most unfairly difficult levels.

And now, my review of Cataclysmic Castle (skill tester) (also Kaizo, apparently)

This level is just kinda there. The first section is completely pointless because the start point and the player filter can easily be moved to the second section, and little effort is required of the player to get from Section 1 to Section 2. The second section does require evasion of NPCs and some platforming skill, but it's still not very difficult, and not just because the player can jump over the ceiling and skip all of the section's hazards; NPC placement in this section is very sparse, and any challenge that this section has comes from the block placement alone (and the semi-randomness of npc-84, which I'll get to later). A good example would be the screenshot in the first post:

Spoiler: show

Not only is there absolutely nothing challenging about the Thwomp on the left whatsoever, but the Thwomp on the right is completely pointless. All the player has to do is jump face-first into the blocks on the top-right and fall straight down onto the npc-104 sprite-swap to proceed, avoiding both the Thwomp and the spikes on the right entirely. Not long after this is a Bully sprite-swap that runs straight into a pit, so the screenshot is well representative of the level.

The jump at the beginning of the second section can be tricky for players not used to playing as Peach, such as myself, but it still doesn't take long to figure it out.

The third and final section is where the level actually gets a bit challenging, but most of the challenge is artificial because the level doesn't have a midpoint or any power-ups. Although it is possible to make a pretty good level without power-ups, not having a midpoint is just annoying because it means that if the player dies, he/she has to go through the entire level again no matter how far he/she made it, and that's just annoying no matter what. Also, the background objects you use in this section look too much like ordinary blocks; I recommend that you change that. After an unremarkable P-Switch run, there is a key, a row of six Bowser Statues (five have spikes over them), a keywall above the spike above the fifth statue, and spikes in between the last two. This is the most difficult part of the level, mainly because of the unpredictability of Bowser Statues (and the aforementioned lack of a midpoint and power-ups); I don't know why, but the Bowser Statues will fire their first flame randomly after coming on screen (after that, they fire at set intervals), and this can cause first-time players to take an unfair hit if they don't know what's coming and they're running to try to escape a P-Switch run. I'm not saying not to use Bowser Statues; I'm saying not to use so many of them so close together (and not that close to the end of a P-Switch run). Once the player knows what's coming, the hazards aren't too difficult to avoid. After that part, there's some more wood-block-NPC sprite-swaps, a Chase-AI-Paratroopa that will kill all first time players, and then the star.

Summary:
GOOD:
-Graphic choices aren't terrible.
-Song choice goes well with and helps emphasize the level's empty and uninspired atmosphere.
-Block placement is well done for the most part.

BAD:
-NPC placement is as sparse as most "first levels" are, making the level boring and unmemorable.
-The first section is completely pointless.
-The second section can be broken.
-Most of the hazards are more annoying than difficult, and the others are just kinda there.
--NO MIDPOINT.
-No power-ups.
-No coins or much decoration of any kind (aside from pillars), really.
-Minor background/foreground confusion in Section 3.

In conclusion:
Although I died a lot on the first jump in the second section and the Bowser Statue part in the third section, this level was just boring overall. I'd say this deserves a...3/10.

[bossedit8]

Original Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CacLjeBsj_U

[MECHDRAGON777]

I beat the level three times in 32:25 and the 00:04:22

[Superiorstar]

I beat the level three times in 32:25 and the 00:04:22

Could you provide a link to the video then?

[MECHDRAGON777]

How?

Didn't you record yourself doing it?

Yeah, thing is that it will take a few hours to upload^_^

Original link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkCodim6xqQ