The 'Shroom:Issue 222/Strategy Wing
Director's Notes
Written by: Hooded Pitohui (talk)
Hello, all you readers of The 'Shroom, and welcome to an autumnal edition of Strategy Wing! I can't speak to the weather all of you are experiencing, but here the temperatures are finally taking a turn to the cooler side. Drizzle and overcast skies are returning, so while it remains a bit warm for my tastes, better days are ahead! With Legends Z-A and Octopath Zero on the horizon, autumn and winter are set to treat me well! I need only make it through hosting a KG to get there...
Enough prattling on about myself, though! We have eight sections for you to enjoy this month in Strategy Wing, including the return of Killing the Killing Game Roles and So You Want to Romance the Three Kingdoms?. That's right, Lord Kong Rong's late-summer banquets have drawn to a close. Under his wise guidance, we'll hunker down through the autumn and winter as we shore up the governance and defense of Bei Hai. As for what KG analysis awaits you this month, let's just say it's a secret for now. To round out the returns, Four Steps for a 3D World dissects a mission as retro as a it gets.
In addition, Sparks (talk) moves right along from Mega Man 3 to Mega Man 4 without missing a beat. If you left the last walkthrough wondering if the Blue Bomber had started to rust, this new entry promises to show that the classic Mega Man games aren't out of worthwhile experiences to deliver! On the other end of the spectrum, Rhythm Review has one of Rhythm Heaven's most infamous minigames queued up. I won't spoil it here or in the ToC, so see if you can guess what it is before you give it a read! Beyond that, we have our usual slate of sections. From clashes with the Koopa King to mythical 'mons, there's plenty for you to read!
If you feel so inclined after perusing this issue, send in an application and join the team! Just... perhaps don't bring any arachnids along with you. The stray Pikmin that have colonized the office are awfully skittish, and one incident was enough...
Section of the Month
It's a beautiful day outside. Penguins are jumping, flowers are blooming, and bunnies are hopping. On days like these, readers like you... should be taking a rest. Yes, having learned to time our rests to the rhythm and watching out for consecutive jumps, we can now congratulate Zange (talk) on taking their first win in Strategy Wing's section of the month with Rhythm Review! You'd best be paying attention to prepare for Groove! Thank you for supporting our writers, and be sure to keep those votes coming!
| STRATEGY WING SECTION OF THE MONTH | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place | Section | Votes | % | Writer |
| 1st | Rhythm Review | 3 | 30.00% | Zange (talk) |
| 1st | Pitohui's Pokémon Academy | 2 | 20.00% | Hooded Pitohui (talk) |
| 2nd | An Overly Detailed and Funny Walkthrough of Mega Man 3 | 2 | 20.00% | Sparks (talk) |
| 2nd | The Tattle Log | 2 | 20.00% | Hooded Pitohui (talk) |
Brothership Boss Battle Guide
GWAHAHAHA! Welcome to a really special edition of Brothership Boss Battle Guide, the best place to get your info on the mighty bosses of Mario & Luigi: Brothership! Why's it so special? I'm going over the greatest villain in video game history, and he just so happens to be celebrating his 40th anniversary this September - The Koopa King himself - BOWSER!! He's also the first boss of the Gulchrock Sea!
Seeing how dangerous the effects of Glohm are, Mario and Luigi make it their mission to retrieve Ampberries so they can cure the affected residents of Concordia. They only grow on Wayaway Island, a far-off isle only reachable via pipe. Bowser and his minions have made the island a base for themselves, creating a large castle that is also heavily guarded. The Ampberries are stored near Bowser's throne room, so the Bros. battle their way through the castle to reach there. Unfortunately, Bowser refuses to share the fruit and starts a battle with them. The Ampberries will have to wait!
These are the stats of Bowser!
Bowser's stats
| Image | Level | Location | HP | POW | DEF | SPD | Type | EXP | Coins | Item(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
33 | Wayaway Island | 4800 | 156 | 176 | 271 | Bowser's Army | 11000 | 1000 | None |
Bowser's abilities
Bowser has four attacks at his disposal:
Jump Defense: Bowser jumps in front of Mario or Luigi and can do one of three things:
- Bowser's eye glows before he swiftly strikes at his target with his tail. The tail swipe can cause the Trip status effect.
- Bowser prepares fire breath before expelling it out at whoever he's in front of. This can cause the Burn status effect.
- Bowser jumps up into the air, front-flips, and slams down on the ground (it's basically a ground pound). This deals no damage, but if Mario or Luigi is not in the air when Bowser lands on the ground, the impact will shake them, preventing them from doing anything. This essentially makes the target vulnerable to another move from Bowser. Speaking of, Bowser always follows up with a tail swipe or fire breath attack on the same character.
- Additionally, Bowser may change targets after performing a move, except for ground pounds. The attack ends after several moves from Bowser.
- Jump Defense: Bowser walks forward and charges up his fire breath. As he charges up, Shy Guys carrying iron balls walk up to Mario and Luigi, intending to toss them at the Bros. If only one Shy Guy carries an iron ball, it will take it a second to throw it. If a pair of Shy Guys carry one together, they'll throw it immediately at the target. Mario and Luigi will receive one iron ball each. Afterwards, Bowser will breathe fire and move his head to make the fire "sweep" the battlefield from left to right or vice versa. Both Bros. must jump over the fire breath to avoid taking damage. If Mario or Luigi land on an iron ball thrown by Shy Guys, it will stop rolling and become a stepping stone for the character, making it easier to avoid Bowser's fire breath. Bowser's fire clears away all iron balls. Sometimes, Bowser may greatly charge up his fire breath, as signaled by the glow in Bowser's mouth becoming larger and gaining visible fire. If this happens, there will be two additional iron balls thrown by Shy Guys, allowing for extra height for Mario and Luigi. The timing for landing on the second iron balls are stricter however, because they'll bounce off of the first ones if missed. Bowser's extra-charged up fire breath is more difficult to avoid than the normal version. It is possible to avoid the fire breath without iron balls, including the charged-up version.
- Bowser's fire can cause the Burn status effect, and 1-2 Shy Guys will join the battle after the attack ends.
Hammer Defense: Bowser retreats into his shell and spins off the screen to the right. Three Koopas, also spinning inside their shells then follow Bowser one at a time. After all three Koopas exit the screen, they'll launch themselves at Mario and Luigi before Bowser follows suit. The Bros. must counter the shells before they take damage. By watching the Koopas closely, you can see who they're targeting due to them exiting the screen at the same horizontal level as Mario or Luigi. Bowser however has no hint on who he's going for, but you'll still have plenty of time to prepare for him. If Bowser is countered, he will spin towards the other character. If the other character counters him, he will be launched backwards and land on his shell, making him vulnerable (more on that below)! If Mario or Luigi fail to counterattack Bowser, he will continue spinning behind them and begin a second phase of the attack:
- A row of Spiny shells fall in front of Bowser. He will spin at them to send them at Mario and Luigi, which also must be countered to avoid damage. Not all of them are sent directly at the brothers, as only the second and fifth Spinies can hurt the Bros. The others will simply miss them. Bowser can spin from left to right, right to left, or even start in the center and go either right or left. After two sets of Spinies, Bowser launches himself at Mario or Luigi, and countering him will make him spin towards the other character. Once again, if both characters successfully counter Bowser, he will be flipped on his back. If Bowser successfully strikes Mario or Luigi, he will spin back to his spot in the battle, and the attack will end with Bowser on his feet.
- This attack can cause the Trip status effect, and 1-2 Koopa Troopas join Bowser's side after the attack.
- Jump Defense: Bowser summons many of his minions before ordering them to charge at Mario and Luigi. He sends them out one at a time, but as the attack goes on, he sends them out at increasing speed. There are four minions Bowser sends out:
- Goombas, which simply charge forward at a normal speed. If they're stomped on, they'll be sent flying at Bowser, dealing damage to the boss. Goombas may cause the Trip status effect.
- Koopa Paratroopas, which fly above their target, so they're avoided by standing still. It is possible to stomp on them though! If you do, they will be sent flying at Bowser and damage him, like the Goombas.
- Spinies, which charge at a slower speed than Goombas and Koopa Paratroopas. Because they're spiky, stomping on them will hurt you. Don't land on them!
- Bob-ombs, which charge at a faster speed than Goombas and Paratroopas. Jumping on one is bad because the enemy will explode, dealing damage to Mario or Luigi. Bob-ombs may cause the Dizzy status effect.
- After sending out several minions, Bowser growls in frustration before jumping in front of Mario or Luigi. He then charges up a punch before sliding forwards, unleashing said punch. If the character gets hit by the punch and still has HP left, he will be knocked off the screen for a few turns. If the punch knocks them out, the character will move back to their position and faint. Stomping on Bowser as he punches will damage him and knock him back to his position. Regardless, the attack ends after Bowser's punch. 1-3 Goombas or 1-2 Koopa Paratroopas will enter the battle after the attack ends.
After performing an attack, enemies may join the battle to aid Bowser. Below are all the enemies that can appear!
| Image | Level | Location | HP | POW | DEF | SPD | Type | EXP | Coins | Item(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
30 | Wayaway Island | A little higher than 208 | A little lower than 146 | A little lower than 117 | A little lower than 151 | Bowser's Army | 0 | 0 | None |
| Image | Level | Location | HP | POW | DEF | SPD | Type | EXP | Coins | Item(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
30 | Wayaway Island | 233 | 135 | 145 | 111 | Bowser's Army | 0 | 0 | None |
| Image | Level | Location | HP | POW | DEF | SPD | Type | EXP | Coins | Item(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
30 | Wayaway Island | 233 | 135 | 145 | 111 | Bowser's Army, Flying | 0 | 0 | None |
| Image | Level | Location | HP | POW | DEF | SPD | Type | EXP | Coins | Item(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
30 | Wayaway Island | 328 | 134 | 97 | 118 | Bowser's Army | 0 | 0 | None |
| Image | Level | Location | HP | POW | DEF | SPD | Type | EXP | Coins | Item(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
30 | Wayaway Island | 180 | 138 | 200 | 105 | Bowser's Army, Spiked | 0 | 0 | None |
As of writing this, the Goombas' stats for this battle are not on the wiki yet. Fear not, for I've noticed a trend when looking at the other enemies here! Compared to their level 32 counterparts wandering around Bowser's Castle, they have slightly higher HP, but lower POW, DEF, and SPEED. This means that the support Goombas fall under the same rules.
Goombas only perform the attack where they charge at both Bros. one at a time, Koopa Paratroopas only attack by flying high into the air before landing on a character, and Shy Guys only use their flag attack (the parody of Shy Guy Says). Koopa Troopas do not attack alone. They only do so when at least two are together, and this attack is the one where one Koopa kicks the other (who is inside their shell) at Mario or Luigi. The limited fighting space with Bowser only allows these attacks to be done from the enemies.
I have never seen any Spinies join Bowser's side during this battle. The wiki has Spiny stats that fit in with the rest of the enemies, so maybe there's potential they could also show up? I don't think Spinies actually appear as enemies here.
If you successfully counter Bowser's spinning attack, he will be knocked on his back, unable to get up on his feet. While he's like this, he can't attack, and all jump-based attacks become critical hits (including Jump Helmet but strangely not Yoshi's ground pound from Hatch Me if You Can)! After a few turns, Bowser will eventually get back up on his own. If there are enemies with Bowser, they can try to help Bowser by running into his back, which may or may not work. If the attempt fails, then another minion will do the same. If a minion runs into Bowser, it'll get knocked out of the battle. This continues until all minions are gone or if Bowser gets back on his feet. If Bowser was brought back up with the help of an enemy, then any minions who haven't attempted yet will return to the battle.
When Bowser gets to about 40-50% of his HP, he will become furious. He will roar in anger and get stronger. Some of his attacks are altered while he's like this:
- Bowser performs more moves during his one-on-one attack, and he can change targets more than once during the attack. The pace is also a little quicker.
- Bowser will always supercharge his fire breath attack.
- For Bowser's spinning attack, there will be 4-5 Koopa Troopas, and Bowser's speed is increased. There will also be three sets of Spinies instead of two.
- Bowser will send more minions during his army attack. His punch is also faster.
Like the fight against Ten, this battle doesn't have a Luigi Logic. Think of this as a normal battle - one against a strong foe!
Tips and tricks
Recommended gear
Here is the best equipment sold by the merchant outside Bowser's Castle on Wayaway Island:
- Boots: Masterpiece Boots and Double-Edged Boots
- Hammer: Masterpiece Hammer and Double-Edged Hammer
- Wear: Masterpiece Wear and Full-Belly Wear
Double-Edged Boots and Double-Edged hammer are stronger than the Masterpiece items by 28 points, but they come with a price - you'll take 5% of the damage you deal! You'll be very powerful, but you'll also get a taste of your own medicine at the same time. If you plan to use them, make sure you heal often! Full-Belly Wear thankfully has no drawbacks. It's two points stronger than Masterpiece Wear, and reduces the damage you take by 30% when at full HP! Nice.
There is only one piece gear of similar strength found while exploring the Gulchrock Sea:
- High-Heal Boots DX: Three points stronger than Masterpiece Boots, and found in a ? Block on Meeger Islet. Heals 10% of your max HP when defeating an enemy.
- These Boots are great because of the numerous enemies that appear with Bowser during the battle. You can heal from defeating enemies and not from items!
Yeah. The Masterpiece gear in general is no joke! Not many alternatives here.
Unlike previous locations, you're allowed to leave Wayaway Island at any time after arriving, so you can always go back and find these pieces of gear to help you out!
As always, you can use whatever gloves and accessories you wish! I'm only suggesting the best Boots, Hammers, and Wear for you. You're allowed to have freedom!
Recommended Battle Plugs
You can use whatever Battle Plugs you like best for Bowser, especially those that fit your playstyle! I have selected this set of plugs because they help greatly against this boss:
Anti-Army Specialist: Makes all Jump/Hammer attacks and counterattacks to Bowser and his minions critical hits. This is a really nice Battle Plug to have for this boss fight!
Deluxe Auto: The Auto Mushroom and Auto Syrup Jar Battle Plugs by themselves won't cut it anymore due to their limited restoration capabilities. Deluxe Auto will make the aforementioned Battle Plugs give you just what you need to recover your HP and BP!
Auto Mushroom and Auto Syrup Jar: Make sure you have at least one of these equipped alongside Deluxe Auto. Deluxe Auto by itself is a waste of a slot, but together you'll receive what you want when you need it! Using turns to heal will allow more enemies to fight alongside Bowser, and you don't want that.
Auto 1-Up: This Battle Plug will allow you to revive KO'd characters without using a turn. You'll need all the turns you can get in this battle! Pair it with Deluxe Auto so you can use 1-Up DXs instead of regular ones!
Notdroppin: Bowser's attacks are no joke! This Battle Plug will ensure you stay in the fight if you take more damage than you can handle. Less effective in multi-hit attacks, but if paired with the Deluxe Auto and Auto Mushroom Battle Plugs, you'll be able to survive and restore your HP to maximum or near maximum!
Damage Shield: Taking less damage and increasing survivability is always nice! reduces the damage taken from enemy attacks by 20%.
Attack Boost, Kaboom Attack and Surprise Iron Ball: By equipping all three of these Battle Plugs, you'll make standard Jump/Hammer attacks feel like mini Bros. Attacks! Deal high damage to Bowser while also attacking surrounding minions! Add in a second Surprise Iron Ball Battle Plug for even more mayhem!
Easy-Peasy Counters: Bowser's attacks are tricky to dodge, especially when he sends all of his minions at you. Makes attacks easier to avoid!
Bros. Boost and Performance Bonus: You'll want to constantly use powerful Bros. Attacks to end this fight quickly. Deal higher damage with your Bros. Attacks with the normal BP cost! Well, as long as you perform EXCELLENTS!
That's a lot of Battle Plugs to recommend! Goes to show there are many unique strategies you can do in this fight against Bowser!
Other things
Bowser is level 33, so make sure you match his level or surpass it. If you're underpowered, battle against the roaming minions inside Bowser's Castle on Wayaway Island to get EXP and coins. Use the earned coins to purchase more items and better gear.
WAHOO!! Two new Bros. Attacks are obtained before getting to Wayaway Island - Clockout Blow and Yoo Who Cannon! These attacks are sure to help against Bowser and his forces, so be sure to practice them until you master them!
Clockout Blow is very effective when Bowser is alone. The damage dealt will add up to a very high number if you get an EXCELLENT! Don't use this attack if enemies are with Bowser, as one of them may get knocked into the air instead, resulting in wasted damage on an already defeated enemy. Koopa Paratroopas won't be targeted during the attack because they're flying, so you don’t have to worry about them.
Bowser only has 300 more HP than Pipegunk, but don't let that fool you - he's the toughest boss so far! Bowser's attacks are powerful and usually involve multiple hits that add up to lots of damage. You may find yourself healing more often than usual, so look out!
Bowser will have support for pretty much the entire battle. While his minions aren't that strong, there will be lots of them if you don't get rid of them, resulting in more attacks to avoid. Because of this, you'll have to constantly perform Bros. Attacks that deal damage to multiple/all enemies, like Zapperator, Yoo Who Cannon, and Hatch Me if You Can to make sure you're not overwhelmed. If using the latter, make sure you aim for Bowser!
If Bowser has little support, you can also use the Kaboom Attack, Surprise Iron Ball, Attack Boost, and Anti-Army Specialist Battle Plugs to deal high damage to Bowser while also doing good damage to his minions. If the minions are too far away from Bowser, they may avoid the shockwave from the Kaboom Attack Battle Plug. If this happens, swap out a Battle Plug that isn't Kaboom Attack (either Attack Boost, Surprise Iron Ball or Anti-Army Specialist, your choice!) for another Kaboom Attack. The damage will be lower, but it's better than them avoiding damage entirely. I'd honestly choose to remove Anti-Army Specialist; I want two iron balls to fall on Bowser and the enemies for more damage! No BP required at all! Perfect if you want to conserve/don't have enough BP.
Keeping two Koopa Troopas around isn't a bad idea, as countering their team attack will allow you to send a shell at other enemies in the battle, including Bowser. If only one Koopa Troopa is here or not Dizzy/Tripped then it won't attack. If two Koopa Troopas attack together, you'll get an opportunity to keep kicking the shell (with properly timed inputs of course!) to land more hits. The Anti-Army Specialist Battle Plug will make all hits critical hits, and if Bowser is the only enemy around, you can deal incredible damage to him if you keep kicking that shell. I should also mention that this is from an enemy's turn, not your own! Cool, right?
One strategy you could do is just go for Bowser and ignore his minions. You'll have to put up with their attacks, but you could end the battle faster this way. Clockout Blow won't help in this strategy due to the amount of enemies, but Jump Helmet will become Luigi's most important attack as it focuses on Bowser only. Keep in mind that if Bowser is flipped on his back from successfully countering his shell attack, he's guaranteed to be brought back on his feet quickly due to his many minions. You could still defeat the supporting enemies by counterattacking their attacks.
Only Bowser has to be defeated to win the fight! Once he loses all of his HP, all enemies with him will instantly be KO'd.
Do not get hit by Bowser's punch! If Bowser punches Mario or Luigi, they will be knocked off the screen for a few turns, preventing you from using Bros. Attacks and allowing minions to gather around Bowser more easily. Additionally, if the remaining character is defeated while the other is offscreen, he won't come back, resulting in a game over right then and there. If you're not confident you can avoid the punch, equip the Easy-Peasy Counters Battle Plug for easier dodging.
When Bowser breathes fire during his one-on-one attack (where he either swipes with his tail, ground pounds or breathes fire), the hitbox for it is weird. You have to jump the instant Bowser breathes fire, not when the flames visibly reach you. This means you can land on the fire unharmed.
The most difficult attack to avoid is when Bowser sends a Spiny and then a Bob-omb at the same character during his army attack. You need to wait until the last possible moment to jump to avoid taking damage. Easy-Peasy Counters will allow you to easily avoid such an unfair combination of enemies.
Don't worry! If you miss an opportunity to flip Bowser on his back, you'll get another chance after the Spiny waves. Think of Bowser flipped as a successful Luigi Logic outcome! You'll want to attack him while he's helpless!
For the most powerful attack on Bowser, perform a Jump Helmet Bros. Attack (preferably with the Bros. Boost and Performance Bonus Battle Plugs equipped) when the boss is on his back! You will deal a ton of damage to him, possibly over a thousand if you're strong enough! That's over a fifth of Bowser's HP!
Make sure you bring in plenty of items to make sure you're prepared. Without 'em, your Auto Battle Plugs won't work, and you won't have ways to replenish your stats/remove bad status effects.
If you're annoyed by Bowser's status effects, equip the Temperature Guard and Surefooted Guard Battle Plugs. Auto Herb is another good Battle Plug to help you recover.
What a rousing battle against the Koopa King! Next month, I'll look at Glohm Gobblick, the first optional boss! We're now strong enough to take on this powered-up version of a previous boss. The reason why I didn't go over it yet is because it's level 35, which makes it too difficult to take on before Pipegunk. Bowser is level 33, and the next main boss is level 36, so it makes sense to cover Glohm Gobblick next. The Glohm will make it appear more evil too, which is perfect for Halloween! Goodbye for now!
Killing the Killing Game Roles
Welcome back, readers, to another edition of Killing the Killing Game Roles, the section where we analyze various player roles from past Mario Boards Killing Games in hope of answering the question, what makes for a good role? By analyzing what's come before, we can discover some tricks and tips that could even help you design your own roles!
Well, a new hand touches the beacon, and by that I mean, a new Randomizer KG is on the horizon, this time hosted by Pitohui. It's sure to be an exciting adventure as we all fumble our way through truly ludicrous role abilities and map arrangements. While waiting in the interim, why don't we return to the world of randomizer yet again, and see which Awards Randomizer Killing Game is on the docket for analysis?
Hmm... What else is a notable role from that game to talk about... Let's see here...
Oh
Oh no
ARKG - The Secret Player
- +Your existence in the game is a complete secret to the other players. You move around the map using a network of vents and secret passageways.
- +If another player roleplays as an Ace Attorney character at any time during the game, you will receive another good attribute. You can receive additional good attributes if multiple players do it, for one per player.
- -You hold an unusual slab which causes an entity known as "Mr. Blobby" to stalk you through the map and try to kill you.
Boy, if this isn't a notorious one. Though not as talked-about as the AKG3 Baba is You role, there's no denying that this role absolutely made a splash upon its reveal Day 2 of ARKG. Like with the Proposal Wizard, the Secret Player as a name is a Rose exclusive. Its meaning feels much more direct in this context, though.
The Secret Player was given to the user MoonAge, making this, by sheer coincidence, her second time in a row being named in this section. I suppose she can't stop ending up with all of the mysterious Mario Boards roles. There's a little extra behind this role's existence, though; when rolling the wheel to determine who would get what traits, the first positive trait rolled. With 14 player sign-ups and room for 13 players overall, the decision was made to let Moon into ARKG as its secret 14th player. How did this decision turn out? We'll chat about it.
General Overview
Right, so, there's clearly a centering attribute on display here. Now, there have certainly been secrets in KG before - a murder mystery with secrets, who could've guessed? There's been secret floors to maps, secret characters played by the host... but never before has a KG seen a fully secret player. In making this work contextually, MoonAge was provided with a vent network map at the top of the game, denoting which rooms and floors could be moved between, as well as a secret home-base room. Important to note is that not every room had an accessible vent or pathway, meaning that Moon couldn't live in the vents permanently; if she wanted to really do anything, she had to pop out into the main map. Still, this all means that at the top of the game, Moon was the only player privy to an entire traversal system in the map - as well as her own existence in the game. Hoo.
The second positive attribute is a fairly straightforward one, more of a comedic thing than anything else. Mario Boards users are renowned for repeatedly roleplaying as Ace Attorney characters in forum games, so this is just a way to poke fun at that trend that I am 100% guilty of propagating. Nobody actually roleplayed AA during the events of ARKG, though, so that went by the wayside. Thank goodness it did, because then Fun With Despair came along and passed the proposal where everyone got new role attributes every night anyway. Could you imagine if Moon was also getting the addition AA-roleplay-based attributes?
Lastly, there's the negative role aspect, and the malevolent Mr. Blobby. This aspect itself is a kind of fusion of past KG references. In KG8 on Minus World, there was a cursed mummy's slab that would cause its holder to always be chased by a killer mummy. This is fused with the time the user MCD played a truly demented version of "beloved" English children's television character, Mr. Blobby. You can see an absolutely lovely depiction of Mr. Blobby in his Scribble Circuit submission from this week!
Anyway, this is definitely a funny role aspect to pair with the vents system. Like, imagine crawling through the ventilation system while in the dark distance, Mr. Blobby is always slithering up after you. The aspect that I'd want clarification on is the nature of the slab - is it transferable, like its KG8 incarnation, or is it permanently affixed to its holder? For my money, I'd absolutely lean towards making it permanent. You need something that can consistently limit this role's capacity to use those vents.
Ability Application
What can the Secret Player do with the tools that are provided to them? On the surface, it might not seem like a lot. There isn't an inherent role ability at play, really. You're an average player with an extra traversal option that any other player can utilize, given that they learn about the ventilation.
I cannot stress enough, however, how incomparable being a secret player is in a game like this. It is staggering how much innate power this gives you. You have the opportunity to stockpile resources and discover secrets around the map essentially unbothered, because why would anyone aim for an attempt on you? We must consider the nature of Randomizer, too, and how basically anything can happen in its format. Even if by some chance, you end up being spotted by another player, how likely are they to think that you're secretly a player in the game? You could just as well be a role-induced delusion, planted into their head by somebody who is actually on the player list. There's nothing telling them that you're actually there, in the game.
Essentially, this role's most potent strength is the trust in the player list. In KGs, it's assumed that certain aspects of host-given information, such as the map and player list, are indisputable fact, resources that the players have to rely on. The host being able to lie in "objective" information like this would threaten the security of the entire game format. The Secret Player asks the playerbase to question that reliability - and why would anyone do that? This was already named by a number of players of ARKG. Yap notably mentioned that when the players eventually discovered the ventilation system and Moon's secret room, he thought the entire thing was just a role-inspired distraction from the case at hand. It was too bizarre and trust-breaking to be real.
This special kind of metagame shield makes this role, frankly, one of the strongest that's ever been in a Killing Game. It's one thing to have mechanical protection during the night. It's another to have protection afforded by the game format itself.
Environmental Functionality
Environmental functionality isn't a major area of focus for this role at its base, though you'll have to be certain that your map has the capacity to host a ventilation system. If this role rolled on a flat map set in the middle of the desert, you'd have a lot more explaining to do for why there are vents everywhere. Although the vent system becomes introduced by this role, I'd argue that plotting it out becomes a concern for the broader map once other players discover they can use it.
Drawbacks & Balances
So we've talked about the monstrous amount of innate potential the Secret Player has. What about it then provides the balancing factor needed to make the role reasonably functional?
I'll tell you now, not a lot. Mr. Blobby definitely limits the Secret Player's ability to scurry any- and everywhere they want to, but he is a map-based obstacle that can be overcome. Requires a careful hand for the player in night actions, but doesn't account for that metagame shield I thoroughly explained before. So then, what could act as a counter to the meta-ness of it all?
In the gameplay proper, it was decided that other players would be able to chart through the vents and find Moon's secret room, which did happen. Hindsight tells us what the next steps should've been. In the actual game, a sign labeled "14", to indicate that this was the secret 14th player, was outside the door. This was not enough information to convey to the players that MoonAge was, in fact, in the game.
Basically everyone involved in ARKG agrees with what should've happened next: the host should've made an official, 100% verified announcement that MoonAge was discovered as the 14th player, and that she was votable in trial.
Honestly, I think if this had happened, the role would've been several times better received than it was. It wouldn't have inherently solved a lot of the role's balancing issues, and it wouldn't have fixed the fact that Moon was a culprit they were trying to chase like a ghost; but if nothing else, it would've cleared up a lot of confusion, and likely left the Secret Player remembered as an odd experiment, over a detrimental gameplay moment. After all, it makes sense that being found out would unravel the nature of the Secret Player role. A secret isn't that secret when you find its bedroom!
It's tricky, because the balancing in the game itself was not conducted most appropriately, but nearly everyone can look back and go "this is probably how it should've happened." Sometimes, hard game creation lessons like that can only be learned through experience.
Player Responsibility
What all is your responsibility with the Secret Player role? You have to keep the constant force that is Mr. Blobby at bay, which can prove difficult while traversing a ventilation system. You're mechanically a full-sized person, and Mr. Blobby is a towering monster of a being, so the two of you will not fit through the vents side-by-side. In addition, your mobility, especially with your arms, is going to be limited. You'd be wise to have several back-up plans, in case you come face-to-face with the horror show himself.
What about maintaining the secret? This is pretty much as simple as putting conditionals in your submission to ensure you aren't spotted. You'd want to be conscious of the path you're leading back to your secret room, as well; if you're dripping water everywhere, for instance, you're going to be found sooner or later.
Host Responsibility
As for host responsibility... yeah, yikes. I'll say it straight-up: nobody should ever attempt to host the Secret Player exactly as it says on this tin again. The amount of responsible balancing required, especially when writing a murder case that involves this player, is just not realistic. Determining when to pull the curtain back would already require a careful hand. Managing everything else about this role in a healthy game environment would drive plenty of hosts mad. You'll notice I said "on this tin again". Is it possible for a host to ever adequate include a secret player in KG? I mean...
Overall Thoughts
The Secret Player is a role that perfectly demonstrates the extremes to which experimental roles can go, and what weaknesses are inherent to them. When designing KG roles, it's important to remember that too much power or deterrence from the expected formula can cause a collective headache for all of your players. Of course, the Secret Player was rolled, not intentionally crafted, but the point still stands. Really, really be wise if you're going to include something this bombastic.
That being said... should the Secret Player never come back? I... wouldn't say that. Don't put words in my mouth! The Secret Player should not return in this state, with all of the freedom that your standard player sees. But beyond that, I can see a world where a "secret player" could work. I would encourage any host to treat it more as a controlled npc, over another standard player in the game. Chat with a user you trust and enlist them to roleplay a secret character that's important to the plot or world of your game, and have their reveal be more of a narrative experience. Handing off an intrinsic host-created character to a player could create a really interesting story, since that player would be impacting the events very closely, independent of the host. Don't let that player commit a murder, or if they do, ensure that it feels like a "scripted" case that's meant to be solved. Allow them the opportunity to have their fun moment in the spotlight, before likely succumbing to the trial vote. You'd likely reserve this for a KG that's very plot-forward; a format like Randomizer is less conducive to this thought experiment.
I think the Secret Player shows us the potential that exists for unique, game-defining mechanics. These inclusions, I cannot caution enough, must be handled with delicate care. But if anyone wants to have a mystery surrounding the secret player in a future Killing Game... I can't say I would be utterly opposed.
That’s all for this month. Tune in next month for more Killing Game goodness!
Four Steps for a 3D World
Written by: Hooded Pitohui (talk)
Hello, all you readers of The 'Shroom, and welcome back to Four Steps for a 3D World, a section in which we look at levels from a selection of 3D Super Mario titles through the lens of a design philosophy Koichi Hayashida discussed in an interview.
In brief, 3D Mario game levels in certain titles are designed around an introduction that lets a player learn a mechanic in a safe environment, further development that builds on what the player is learning and introduces more complicated aspects of a mechanic, a twist that adds some kind of significant wrinkle or challenge to force players to consider the mechanic from a new angle, and a conclusion which gives players one final satisfying chance to show they've mastered the mechanic. We look at 3D Mario levels and see if they conform to this model while trying to get some insight on how a good level is constructed.
It has been a hot minute, hasn't it? I suppose with the summer special, it's been even longer since I've put together a normal edition. Well, that changes today! Er, or, it does for a given value of "normal". You see, today, the usual preamble up there won't be all that relevant, for we're turning our eyes to the distant past. Long before anyone articulated these four steps, long before Hayashida directed any games, and long before there was a 3D World, Mario first stepped out into a third dimension on Bob-omb Battlefield in Super Mario 64.
Today, we'll go back to the very first 3D world in which Mario ran and jumped. It won't follow our usual four steps, but that's understandable. After all, its opening mission had the taller task of getting the public comfortable with Mario moving out of the 2D plane of his previous platformers. Let's see what we can glean about how it approached this gargantuan goal!
| Step | Notes |
|---|---|
Opening Area 
|
The mission opens by dumping Mario into a large, mostly flat grassy area with a defined pathway to mark the route forward and a handful of points of interest. A couple Bob-omb Buddies to talk with, signs to read, and crates to break and pick up acquaint players with some of the game's basic controls, while a smattering of Goombas give them a chance to practice avoiding or defeating enemies. This area vaguely resembles the Introduction step we see later on, being a relatively open and safe area where players can learn basic actions. There are a few threats, but also enough coins and space to flee to offset the danger. This section, which guides players down a linear path through its pathway and the surrounding hills, ends with a climb up an inclined bridge. To me, the path and bridge here seem to be testing a simple-but-essential skill - can players walk in a straight line? It may have been harder than it seemed for young kids playing what was likely their first 3D platformer, so it makes sense to have a seamless skill gate! There's also a sense of spectacle in the bridge. By taking players "further back" in the level (relative to the starting point of view) and rising up at the same time, it serves to emphasize what the Z-axis brings to the table in terms of more expansive level design. It's a test of abilities and a showcase all at once. Interestingly, with coins hidden under the bridge, there's a cushioning reward for players who fall off, letting them discover a secret which will encourage them to look for more throughout the game and help alleviate the frustration of falling. |
Curving Path 
|
Just past the end of the first bridge, the main guiding path curves, turning around and going the other direction. Once again, it combines a test of the game's most basic skills with a bit of a showcase of potential. Smoothly curving into the opposite direction was new ground for a Mario platformer, so this showcased the benefits of 3D gameplay. At the same time, it checks that players can successfully turn around, testing if they can both orient Mario in a new direction and get the camera to cooperate. Here again the developers put a cushion for failure. A player who struggles and walks straight off the path or takes a large turning radius goes into a large field with a few enemies and points of interest. This field introduces the collectable Red Coins, teases cannons, and even has a hidden warp for players to find in a conspicuous flower patch, all serving as some of the first signs that straying off the path and exploring every inch of the game's sandbox levels will reward players with secrets and tools. |
Chomp and Bridge 
|
The curving path straightens out from here and goes past a Chain Chomp, ending with another bridge. This time, the bridge is flat, but tilts in response to Mario like a see-saw (and is a little thinner). This is where mission goes out of its way to remind players that it is, in fact, in a Mario platformer. To this point, players diligently following the path haven't strictly needed to jump or even to run quickly. Walking sufficed until now. The lunging Chain Chomp, not quite able to reach as Mario approaches but able to bowl over him as he goes by, tasks players with hurrying and running. The seesaw bridge does much the same, but its tilting also prompts players to jump, either as a startled reaction or to reach an increasingly-distant ledge (if they linger on its far side). Here, there's spectacle in the Chomp lunging "towards" the screen and there's a safety net where the bridge drops you into the dried riverbed below. More fundamentally, though, there is a reminder that this is a Mario platformer, which means running and jumping to contend with enemies (Chain Chomp) and obstacles (wacky platforms like the bridge). |
Open Field 
|
Something interesting happens past the tilting bridge; the path disappears. Until now, the mission made the path forward abundantly clear. Here, there remain arrow signs and it's not wildly difficult to find the way forward, but for the first time Mario 64 says "figure it out, explore". Curious or confused players will wander into an open field with trees, more Red Coins, falling water bombs, and lots of Bob-ombs. Those Bob-ombs, in turn, can help them learn to grab and throw objects, imparting or reinforcing an important lesson for later. For the most part, though, I feel this stretch of the mission exists to say "there won't always be a road to guide you, figure it out". As a sandbox game, Mario 64 emphasizes exploration. From the level's start, the Bob-omb Buddies tell Mario to reach the top of the mountain, so players know where to go; this portion of the mission just removes the leash and tasks players with taking their own route. |
Mountain Climb 
|
Once they've figured out their own route, players arrive at the mountain itself, confronting immediately a pit with two rolling iron balls. After crossing the pit, a spiraling climb up the mountain ensues, following a well-defined path but involving jumping over gaps and avoiding rolling iron balls. This portion of the level feels most like Mario classic, like a direct translation of the 2D platforming to a 3D space. It's an obstacle course! Moreover, it's basically a straight- line obstacle course! Sure, the path winds around the mountain, but it's a straight shot. If you conquered the mission's earlier curve, then the winding of the path isn't even that noticeable except as another demonstration of the potential of 3D games. This is the long stretch that says "okay, run and jump through an obstacle course with a bunch of damaging things coming at you and some gaps you need to cross", all while having the novel spectacle of a corkscrew mountain climb to back it. |
Boss Battle 
|
Finally, the mission ends with a boss battle, the first boss battle of a 3D Mario game. The game explicitly tells players to get behind King Bob-omb, grab him, and throw him. It's interesting to me that the game doesn't feel very confident that players have intuited they can and should throw objects by this point. I suppose it makes sense. The mission had a lot of other lessons to cover, and nothing to this point could grab Mario back if not approached from the right direction. That said, there were attempts to prepare players for the boss fight with the crate at the mission's start and the Bob-ombs throughout. They just weren't emphasized. Regardless, having established that players can walk in a straight line, curve their path, and run, the mission ends by asking players to run in a circle to get behind King Bob-omb. It's not exciting, but I can see the progression and it sets the stage for future boss fights, so I suppose it works well enough. |
Obviously, "Big Bob-omb on the Summit" does not follow the four steps which emerged years later as a strategy for developing more linear 3D Mario games. Though we've seen hints of the four steps in other Super Mario 64 missions, I am completely unsurprised this one fails to fit the mold. "Big Bob-omb on the Summit" simply had too much it needed to accomplish. I can envision a modern re-imagining of the mission which would hew to the four steps more closely, one in which the developers could assume players know how to move in a 3D environment and in which fewer technical limitations allow for more obstacle variety. Maybe in such a re-imagined level, a breakable rock would block the path to the mountain, requiring players to grab and throw a Bob-omb at it. You could start with throwing crates as the introduction, move on to throwing Bob-ombs away before they can explode as the development, have the breakable rock as the twist, and the boss fight as the conclusion. Sure, you could do that.
Mario 64 couldn't have done that, though, because it needed to drill in the fundamentals first. "Big Bob-omb on the Summit" couldn't take for granted that players (especially young players) could navigate a 3D space, nor did it have the benefit of Mario having an established track record in 3D. All at once, it needed to subtly teach and test players on very basic controls, prove that the Mario obstacle course formula could work in a 3D space, and give players a taste of the sandbox environments found in the rest of the game. It needed to do all of this without confusing or overwhelming players and leaving them stranded in the level without a sense of where to go. It needed to do all of this while adding cushioning rewards and safety nets so failure wouldn't cause young kids to immediately give up and stop playing out of frustration.
Remarkably, it does very well at that. You see a clear progression from "walk in a straight line" to "okay, now turn and follow a curve" to "now run and jump past these obstacles" to "now go on your own a bit" to "take the challenge of this obstacle course". All along the way, the game offers little moments of spectacle to showcase what the Z-axis adds and moments where players can intentionally or unintentionally find secrets and rewards off the beaten path. In this way, it sets up for the rest of the game without ever leaving players lost. Though its structure fails to resemble our four steps in the slightest, and though it leaves some of its own lessons about throwing objects hanging and underdeveloped, it's a remarkably well-designed mission which succeeds at its most important goal.
There are certainly finer details to this level's design I couldn't touch upon, but this analysis has given me more appreciation for the fundamentals of "Big Bob-omb on the Summit". It seems so simple a mission, but there was quite a bit of thought put into its design, and its design is effective at setting up the rest of Super Mario 64. With four Bob-ombs in the mission's latter half; three wooden bridges to cross throughout; two rolling iron balls in a pit; and one mission to kick off decades of hunting down Stars, Shines, and Moons; this has been Four Steps for a 3D World!
Rhythm Review
Hello and welcome back to Rhythm Review! This is Zange, and I’m still kinda recovering from Awards! No matter though, it’s a new month which means a new ‘Shroom with another stage from Rhythm Tengoku for Game Boy Advance! Last time we covered Stage 3, so this month we’re moving right to Stage 4!
As a reminder: In most Rhythm Heaven games, a stage consists of four rhythm minigames, followed by one remix, in which all the other minigames in the stage are put together in a new way to new music. However, Rhythm Tengoku is weird and has five minigames in each stage instead of four, and there is still a remix. Let’s jump in!
Quiz Show
Starting off this stage is what is probably the most controversial rhythm minigame in the whole series, Quiz Show! You are a contestant on this quiz show trying to match the number and rhythm of button presses that the host gives you using the A button and the D-pad. Be careful though, being even one off will end your career as a contestant!
Gimmicks
This particular section is gonna be less about the gimmicks of this rhythm minigame and more so why the overall mechanics of it are bad. The way you are intended to play this is by matching the rhythm of the host when pressing the buttons. However, the number of presses each round is the same almost every time. The host may throw in one or two extra presses at the end to throw you off, but otherwise the answers are the same in every playthrough. The only thing that matters in this rhythm minigame is getting the exact number of button presses as the host each round. Theoretically, you could just mash the buttons until you have the number of presses and not even worry about following the rhythm the host gives you. It’s truly the most bizarre rhythm minigame in the whole series…
Interestingly, this is one of only a handful of rhythm minigames that can be prematurely ended, by getting even one answer wrong. This will result in a Try Again rating, unless you fail on the very last round, then you can nab an OK rating with a special line of text.
How to Get That Superb
At least getting a Superb rating here is extremely straightforward: as long as you get correct answers for each round, you’ll get the Superb.
Difficulty Rating
Not even a question, 0/5. Look, I know when I started writing this section that the difficulty scale would be 1-5 but this is the one and only rhythm minigame that truly deserves a 0. You don’t even need to have rhythm to play this one as long as you know the answers for each round!!!
Night Walk
Next up, we have Night Walk! You play as a little dude taking a relaxing stroll while also jumping off of boxes. Hit the A button in time to the music to jump from these boxes and fill the night sky with stars!
Gimmicks
This is another rhythm minigame that can be ended prematurely. In this case, it is possible to fall off the stage if you miss a button press at certain times. This will automatically result in a Try Again rating. Otherwise, not too much happening here in terms of gimmicks.
How to Get That Superb
Okay, pretty simple criteria for getting a Superb here. First, you have to make it to the end of the rhythm minigame. So no falling in holes. Second, you need to be able to stay on the beat with your inputs. This is one of MANY rhythm minigames across the series where you constantly have to make inputs. Finally, you can’t miss any of the jumps on the stretches of flat platforms. You might think that just because you don’t have to jump to a new platform that you can just skip those jumps, but that’s not the case here. This one should be fairly easy to get a Superb on.
Difficulty Rating
Simply because this is a rhythm minigame where you have to constantly make inputs, I’ll go ahead and give this a 1.5/5
Power Calligraphy
We have another iconic rhythm minigame from Tengoku with Power Calligraphy! You control a hand writing out various Japanese characters. At the right time, you’ll hit the A button to really put some oomph into your brush strokes! Some people say calligraphy is all about grace, but here, it’s all about power!
Gimmicks
There are two different types of brush strokes you’ll make inputs for. I would describe these as a finishing swoop and a comma. Additionally, the tempo changes two times in the rhythm minigame: It will speed up in a section near the end, and will slow down considerably for the cluster of characters at the very end.
How to Get That Superb
The criteria for getting a Superb here is… not quite that clear, actually. For the most part, as long as you’re consistently hitting your inputs in time, you’ll get the Superb. However, you also need to be able to hit the inputs for the more complicated characters (the ones that have both types of brush strokes), as well as the input for the cluster of characters at the very end.
Difficulty Rating
I’ll go ahead and give this a 1.6/5, just because it is so easy to get thrown off by things like the tempo change and the characters where you have to make more than one input.
Polyrhythm
Not to be confused with a certain Perfume song, the next rhythm minigame in the set is Polyrhythm! A rhythm will be presented to you using one or both paths. Depending on the path, you will use either the D-pad (for the upper path) or the A button (for the lower path) to repeat the rhythm back as a rod rolls along the path. It’s the first foray into the world of building Widgets!
Gimmicks
This is one of the few non-sequel rhythm minigames in the series that builds on itself throughout - meaning it starts off fairly easy, but by the end it gets a little more tricky. It’s very cool to see a change of pace like that when most of the rhythm minigames stay fairly consistent from start to end!
How to Get The Superb
Thankfully, the criteria for getting a Superb rating is fairly clear here. First, you need to be able to hit your cues on time when the rods are travelling across just one path. Secondly, your hands need to be able to work independent of each other when the rods are travelling across both paths. It might take a couple of tries, but this should be another fairly easy one to get.
Difficulty Rating
I’ll give this a 1.6/5, as by the end you need to get used to pressing the different buttons at different times and it can get quite tricky if your brain isn’t used to multitasking like that.
Worth noting that this particular rhythm minigame has the same issues as Tram and Poline when playing on an emulator but it’s not nearly as bad just due to how differently the two work.
Rap Men
For the final regular rhythm minigame of the stage, we have Rap Men! You control one of two rappers, and you’ll use the A button to make your part of the rap stand out depending on the line your partner says. By the end of this, you’ll be the BEST!!
Gimmicks
There are three ‘endings’ to each line the red rapper will say which will determine the input(s) you as the yellow rapper will need to make. The first is “desuka” / “isn’t it”, for which you will only need to hit the A button once. The second is “kamone” / “could be”, for which you will need to hit the A button twice, with a beat in between the two. The final one is “saiko” / “the BEST”, for which you will need to hit the A button twice without waiting for a beat in between. These are also differentiated by the color of the text on screen for each line of the rap: blue, pink, and yellow, respectively.
How to Get That Superb
The criteria for getting a Superb here is fairly simple! You just need to be able to have good timing on your inputs for all three line endings. You do get a practice here, so this should be a slam dunk.
Difficulty Rating
I don’t know if I’m the only one who has this problem or not, but the timing for when you’re supposed to make inputs just feels… weird. So I’ll give it a 1.6/5 to reflect that
