39. Invade Wario Castle Story 2: Storm the castle!!
Like the rest o’ the levels in this underwhelming chapter, this level is mostly a bunch o’ mid or weak challenges that repeat mechanics from other levels, lack much cohesion, & just in general goes on a bit too long. Particularly baffling is the dark room where you need to dodge weights dropped by bats, with no twist to this like in chapter 1’s “Go down to the cellar”: no reward for jumping on the weights after they fall or intentionally getting flattened anywhere. ¿& did this level need 2 levels where focusing on hopping on platforms & dodging moving spikes?
That said, there are some subtle touches to other rooms. There’s this unique roll section where you need to break thru & ground pound a bunch o’ pots before being able to roll out thru the short passage — tho it is a bit annoying have to go back & forth, rolling thru twice. The moving spike section on the small platforms just after has interesting arrangements, tho the awkward camera makes the last platform unfair, as you can’t see what’s down there till you already make the jump & the coin arrangements are just ludicrous: all the coins are down @ the bottom, where you go if you fail, but there are none on the main path with no extra challenge to collect certain coins while dodging the moving spikes. The fire-block arrangements in the room after that require fiddling with where you get set on fire so you’re position is timed right to burst into flames on the right side o’ the lakes on the top & bottom — tho this is mo’ a case o’ trial & error than making the right moves or thinking laterally.
Continue reading @ Level Rankings.com…
