Friday, January 31, 2025

PrinceWatercress plays Wario Land II - Part 3 of 51


Now that we've turned the water off, it's time to get it out of the castle so we don't have some weird flooding problem.



Chapter 1: One Noisy Morning

Story 3: Let the water out!



There's some coins to the left, so tackle the wall at the start.

The fish with the drills for noses will hurt you and cost you coins if they ram into you. You can hit them from above or below to stun them.

It's already been established that D-Pad will let you swim in eight directions, while underwater, but A and B will also be useful here. A lets you dash upwards and break the jars in the water from underneath, while B will allow you to dash in the current direction you are going. That's a good thing, as the bubbles that come out of the cracks in the walls will carry you upwards past the currents that will push you down. You'll just need to use Left and Right on the D-Pad to move past all the platforms that are in your way and make sure that you've gotten rid of any and all breakable obstacles. The balloon will pop when you hit a ceiling or reach the water's surface.

The pirate ducks will throw boomerangs at you. Be ready to take them out before they wave their boomerangs when you get too close.

To toggle a switch, toggle it from underneath. Toggling switches will change things in other rooms, so take a look around.

The game will tell you that if you press Down on the D-Pad at the top of a slope, you can roll down it. While rolling, you can tear through obstacles in narrow pathways that you normally couldn't break through, and you can also jump to other areas and reach other narrow pathways if your timing is good. While what's going here is simple, but you'll see more complex uses of this gameplay mechanic later on.

The treasure room is in one of the underwater rooms with the bubbles, and winning it nets you a black flag.

The cork with the face and the glowing eyes will let out the water if you tackle it, and when that happens, the level is over.

Thursday, January 30, 2025

PrinceWatercress plays Wario Land II - Part 2 of 51


In this video, we do some basic swimming, learn how Fire Wario works, and turn off a giant faucet.


Chapter 1: One Noisy Morning

Story 1: Turn off the giant faucet!



In this level, you'll be swimming for the first time. You can swim in eight directions with the D-Pad. If you see moving white lines in the water, you'll be caught in the current and sent back to the start in it.

You can jump on dresser drawers to get across the water, which sure beats swimming.

The fox with the torch in his mouth will turn you into Fire Wario if he burns you. You'll run around with your overalls on fire until you turn into a moving flame. When your overalls are on fire, you will keep running, you can only jump, you cannot stop, and you can only change direction by running into a wall. When you are a fireball, you can change the direction you are moving with the D-Pad, but you won't be able to jump and you won't be able to stop moving completely until you either fall into water (which will douse out the flame) or until enough time passes and you return to being regular old Wario again. 

The fire blocks can only be broken if you are in Fire Wario's fireball form. All you have to do is walk into or onto them, and they will break.

The fish that leap out of the water can only knock you back.

You'll need to stand on a floating dresser to enter the treasure room. The treasure is a bed, which Wario seems to already have, if the last stage was any indication.

The slime enemy will shock you and cost you coins if you touch or attack it. To get rid of it, throw an enemy at it.

Inverted colored coins will make a special sound when found, and give 100 coins when collected. You'll want to pick these up if you can find them, as they are very crucial for beating the treasure and picture panel mini-games. Somehow, I lucked out and found two at once!

Tackle the faucet from the right side three times to turn it off and complete the level.

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

PrinceWatercress plays Wario Land II - Part 1 of 51


It's been a long time since I played the first Wario Land, but here I am, finally playing the second game in the series. This one is different from the first game in a variety of ways, and there's a lot more to do in this game. Get ready to collect coins, find treasure and get even more rich with Wario!


The game begins with a few pirate goons with pitchforks breaking into Wario's castle, stealing his treasure and flooding his castle. Meanwhile, the alarm clock (which is probably on the other side of the house, for all we know) wakes up Wario...and it's really, really loud.

Remember all of Wario's moves from the last game, such as the tackle and the ground pound? Well, they're back, and they'll be more useful than ever!

The main thing that sets this game (and its sequels) apart from the first one is that you can't die or lose energy from touching an enemy. Instead, Wario just loses some coins. He can sometimes gain their powers from touching enemies, which is crucial to solving puzzles in this game and ultimately finding everything there is.

Chapter 1: One Noisy Morning

Story 1: Turn off the alarm clock!



As soon as the level starts, press A to wake Wario up. Otherwise, you'll get the secret ending if you leave on the bed long enough, and we will not cover that until much later in the Let's Play.

The controls for this game are the same as ever. A jumps, B tackles, Left and Right left you move left and right, Down ducks, Down-Left and Down-Right let you crouch walk, and Up enters doors. Outside of doors, Up, when held, allows you to jump higher. Pressing Down while in mid-air lets you do a ground pound. Start pauses the game, while Select also pauses the game and also lets you know what level you're currently on, how many coins you have for the level and in total, whether or not you've found the treasure for the level, and the treasures and pixel panels that you've collected.

As you go through the castle, jump into ceilings, ground pound floors and tackle walls. You just might be able to find hidden areas. You can also ground pound and tackle jars to smash them. Pay attention to any coins that pop up and collect them.

Enemies don't kill you, but some of them will cause you to lose coins if you're not being careful. Tackle the Spear Goons when they are facing away from you so you don't lose six coins from running into the Spear Goon's spear.

The mice that pop out of the holes in the wall just bounce you around if you run into them. 

The blocks with the picture that look like a Spear Goon can only be broken if you throw enemies at them. Stun an enemy by jumping on them, then walk into them to pick them up. You can press B to throw them, and if you hold B down, you can do a superthrow that will allow you to throw them so hard that they die and turn into a coin when they hit a solid wall. If you're holding Up on the D-Pad while charging up the throw, you can throw them straight up.

Some enemies will carry coins and drop them when defeated; others will not.

The bat carrying the huge weight will turn you into Flat Wario. You'll move slowly because you're flattened, and you won't be able to jump vey well. The bat without the weight will grab you and stretch you back into shape (and can take coins away when that happens if you're regular Wario; if that happens, keep mashing B and the D-Pad). 

The fireplace past the bats leads to five big coins with Wario's face on them. These big coins are worth ten coins each.

To move the wood heater, just keep tackling it until you have it where you need it. Tackling the dresser will break it, but watch out for any hidden enemies. 

The fireplace behind the dresser leads to the first of so many treasure rooms in the game. The more coins you have, the easier you can make the game, but at the same time, you don't want to spend too much in case you mess up. Hard is 50 coins, Normal is 100 coins and Easy is 200 coins. When you start the game, you'll get a picture of an enemy on a panel. The eight panels at the bottom will open up, and you'll have a very short amount of time (how short depends on which difficulty you pick) to remember and pick which panel matches the enemy panel that the game gave you. If you get it right, you'll get the treasure for the level. If you get it wrong, you'll lose the game and you'll need to get a bunch of coins (which can take a while) and try again. The treasure here is a Viking helmet.

The enemies with the football helmet will keep punching forward as they move. If you hit a ground pound, you can stun any enemies that move back and forth on the ground and make them move in the opposite direction, and this move can definitely make these guys vulnerable to attacks from behind, which you'll want to hit them with if you don't want to lose coins.

To "turn off" the alarm clock, just tackle it one to get it upside down, then tackle it again to destroy it. When you're near the goal, you'll get some happy music that is different from the level music, and it won't take long to tell this music apart from the level music because it's the same musical track everytime. Once you turn off the alarm clock, you'll beat the level. You'll get credit for the treasure from the treasure room if you grabbed it, and the current amount of coins that you ended the level with will be added to your grand total.

After you beat the level, you'll play the panel. There are nine panels, and you can turn a panel for 50 coins by pressing A. The first panel is always free. These 50 coins come from your grand total, so you'll want to grab as many coins as you can in each level. Use the numbers at the bottom of the screen to help your identify the number at the upper-left corner. When you're ready to answer, you can press B to solve. You only have one shot to do this, and if you get it right, you'll fill out a panel for a mystery picture. If you get it wrong, you'll have to play through the entire level before you can get another shot at getting the panel again.

When you complete a level, the game will automatically save. Wait for the game to tell you that saving is complete before turning the Game Boy off, if you need to.

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

PrinceWatercress plays Fruit Machine - The Longplay


Now to play this game again, minus commentary. Enjoy!


This game is also known as Bandit, and was written by S. Crump and published by Beebugsoft in 1983. It was also sold as part of a double pack with another Beebugsoft game known as Honest Joe. It's a simple slot machine game, but it works and it can be fun. 

To get a winning combination, you'll need to line things up on the red "win" bar at the bottom. Three bananas or grapes will net you the most, followed by the pineapples, then the bars. The cherries, apples, oranges and lemons give you the least from lining three up. If you get two bars on the first two reels regardless of where they are positioned, you'll get a little bit of money. You'll also get a little bit of money if you get the same fruit on reels 1 and 2 on the "win" bar, and if you get a cherry on the first reel, you'll get the lowest reward of ten pence.

The current amount of money you have is in the lower-left corner. You can either collect your winnings with C or gamble them for more winnings with G, and if you gamble them, you'll have to time the lights so you win double instead of earning only half. 

Sometimes you will be able to hold reels; other times, you will not. Z, X and C will let you hold reels 1, 2 and 3 respectively. If the word "Hold" is yellow and solid instead of white and flashing, you have held the reel. See if you can get some winnings that way!

If you get the "Nudge" message below the slot machine, you can use A and Z to nudge reel 1 up and down, S and X to nudge reel 2 up and down, and D and C to nudge reel 3 up and down. You'll have a number underneath the word "nudge," which acts partly as a timer and party as the amount of nudges you have left, and if you know what you're doing, you can salvage your previous pull of the lever and get some winnings.

If you win 200p from getting three bananas or grapes, you'll get a nice little jingle for doing it. Interestingly, I always get it after a couple of minutes.

I had no problem with this game. No coding errors, everything worked like it should, and it's simple and fun to play for an early game in the BBC Micro's lifespan. Try this one out if you can.

Return - spin reels

Z, X, C - Hold/unhold reels 1, 2, 3 respectively

While nudging: 
A, S, D - Nudge up reels 1, 2, 3 respectively
Z, X, C - Nudge down reels 1, 2, 3 respectively

Escape - see the controls again

N - change fruit on reels

Winning combinations:
200p - three bananas/grapes
100p - three pineapples
100p - three bars in any position
50p - three cherries/apples/oranges/lemons
20p - two bars in any position on reels 1 and 2
20p - reel 1 has the same fruit as reel 2
10p - cherries on reel 1

Monday, January 27, 2025

PrinceWatercress plays Fruit Machine


A simple, fun slot machine game for the BBC Micro? Well, somebody had to make it...and it's quite the delight.


This game is also known as Bandit, and was written by S. Crump and published by Beebugsoft in 1983. It was also sold as part of a double pack with another Beebugsoft game known as Honest Joe. It's a simple slot machine game, but it works and it can be fun. 

To get a winning combination, you'll need to line things up on the red "win" bar at the bottom. Three bananas or grapes will net you the most, followed by the pineapples, then the bars. The cherries, apples, oranges and lemons give you the least from lining three up. If you get two bars on the first two reels regardless of where they are positioned, you'll get a little bit of money. You'll also get a little bit of money if you get the same fruit on reels 1 and 2 on the "win" bar, and if you get a cherry on the first reel, you'll get the lowest reward of ten pence.

The current amount of money you have is in the lower-left corner. You can either collect your winnings with C or gamble them for more winnings with G, and if you gamble them, you'll have to time the lights so you win double instead of earning only half. 

Sometimes you will be able to hold reels; other times, you will not. Z, X and C will let you hold reels 1, 2 and 3 respectively. If the word "Hold" is yellow and solid instead of white and flashing, you have held the reel. See if you can get some winnings that way!

If you get the "Nudge" message below the slot machine, you can use A and Z to nudge reel 1 up and down, S and X to nudge reel 2 up and down, and D and C to nudge reel 3 up and down. You'll have a number underneath the word "nudge," which acts partly as a timer and party as the amount of nudges you have left, and if you know what you're doing, you can salvage your previous pull of the lever and get some winnings.

If you win 200p from getting three bananas or grapes, you'll get a nice little jingle for doing it. Interestingly, I always get it after a couple of minutes.

I had no problem with this game. No coding errors, everything worked like it should, and it's simple and fun to play for an early game in the BBC Micro's lifespan. Try this one out if you can.

Return - spin reels

Z, X, C - Hold/unhold reels 1, 2, 3 respectively

While nudging: 
A, S, D - Nudge up reels 1, 2, 3 respectively
Z, X, C - Nudge down reels 1, 2, 3 respectively

Escape - see the controls again

N - change fruit on reels

Winning combinations:
200p - three bananas/grapes
100p - three pineapples
100p - three bars in any position
50p - three cherries/apples/oranges/lemons
20p - two bars in any position on reels 1 and 2
20p - reel 1 has the same fruit as reel 2
10p - cherries on reel 1

Sunday, January 26, 2025

PrinceWatercress plays M.C. Kids - Part 7 of 7


PuZzLeWoRlD ended up being a little easier than I expected, but I like the level designs up to a point.


Now for PuZzLeWoRlD. There are no cards to pick up here or anywhere else in the game. If you complete all of PuZzLeWoRlD, then go back to Ronald in that world and talk to him, you'll get ten extra lives. It is possible to pick up all of the arches and get infinite lives (after being taken to 99, losing ten of them, and then talking to Ronald in PuZzLeWoRlD to get infinite).

PuZzLeWoRlD


Level 1: Phony Finishes



Grab the platform block, then throw it at its dotted line counterpart on the other side. When you grab the next one, drop down when you see the platform above with the goal all the way to the left. Make your way right, avoid the goals and get the platform block in the dotted line block. You'll need to ride it to the right, then get the platform block, use it to get further up, then ride the platform to the right when it's in place. You'll need to stay left and drop down, grab the plaform block, avoid the goals, and use the trampoline to place the platform. Do the superjump to get to the next platform. Jump over the goal and the blocks that send you all the way back to the beginning, and use the trampolines to get to the green platform at the end. Wait for the flying Ronald platform, and use it to get over the blocks that take you back to the beginning to get to the real goal. 

The real goal is the one with the arch moving back and forth in it. The others are fake. 

Level 2: Clowning Around



Grab the platform block and ride the Ronald platform. Wait for the next one, and be ready to maneuver yourself around the green platforms, then throw the platform block into the dotted line block moving around below the nearby zipper.

Enter the zipper, then wait at the left end of the platform you are on for another flying Ronald platform. Take it to the left, ride the next one, then wait for the third. Ride it and take the green platforms to the fourth. Wait for the platform block and jump to the top with it, make a running jump to the last trampoline, then keep holding Right to stay away from the blocks that will take you back to the beginning. Use the next Ronald platform to get around the green platform (and the arrow blocks), and use it to jump to the right, which leads to the final area. 

Here, you're meant to ride the Ronald platform all the way down, but if you're not on it perfectly, you're going to be sent all the way to the beginning of the level. Instead, you can run and jump to the right over the wall, drop straight down, then make your way to the goal.

Level 3: Zippety Do Da



At the start, enter the zipper on the left.

At the next platform, enter the lone zipper.

At the next platform, enter the lone zipper.

You'll be at the upper-left corner of the level. Enter the left zipper.

You'll be at the upper-right corner of the level. Make a running jump off the left edge, then drop down. At the platform shaped like an upside-down triangle, stand above the center dot. Run to the right and jump from the edge to reach the goal. That's all there is to it.

Hamburglar's Hideout


Level 4: Magic Cave



Use the trampoline, get to the end of the bridge and then grab the red block. From here, take a short hop to the left, throw the block with Down and B while in mid-air, then face right before you land so you can travel in that direction. From here, watch the fireballs as you jump from platform to platform to get to the boss. 

Press B at the hill of dirt to grab dirt clods to throw at everything. You'll have infinite dirt, so don't worry about running out of ammo. You'll need to avoid the tied-up towels and throw dirt clods at them as they approach to get rid of them. If they get too close, you'll need to make a running jump over them.

To beat the magic wand, stay directly underneath it as it moves back and forth to avoid getting zapped. From here, you'll want to make a running jump, then hold Up and B to throw the dirt clod upwards. If you're at the areas where the magic wand switches direction, you'll have a good chance of hitting the magic wand. 

You'll then face a rabbit in a hat that bounces around. Get under it as it is airborne, and jump straight up and throw the dirt clod to easily hit it. When it stops bouncing around and runs back and forth, you'll need to jump straight up and hit it with dirt clods until it is defeated. I got lucky and only had to do one more hit. After the bunny is truly defeated, run up to the Magic Bag and press B to pick it up and beat the game. Ronald will thank you for saving the Magic Bag, and you'll get the credits. You just beat M.C. Kids!

Saturday, January 25, 2025

PrinceWatercress plays M.C. Kids - Part 6 of 7


Prepare for the hardest cards to get in the game!


If you've collected everything up to this point, you'll have three of Hamburglar's cards. The other three will be here.

Hamburglar's Hideout


Level 1: Burning Bridges



Cards: Hamburglar's Hideout

To avoid landing on the bridge, you'll need to run and jump to the right to get past the bridge below the start.

The red blocks that look like sponges act as rafts that you can ride along the dangerous lava. The rock will move on its own, and you'll need to stay on it as you jump to avoid the fireballs coming out of the vents. When you are able to jump upwards on some blocks near the goal, do it. You'll need to take a big running jump to the right to get the card above the goal before ending the level. This card is for Hamburglar's 

There is a zipper here that leads to some 1-Ups, but I never take the path leading to it because I'd rather just get the card and be done with this level, anyway.

Level 2: Lava Belts



Cards: Hamburglar's Hideout

The conveyor belts move when you run in place on them. Moving left makes the platform move right; moving right makes the platform move left. The trick is to watch your speed so you don't get too carried away and run the platform straight off the track.

When you get off the first platform, grab a red block and take it with you as you take the second platform to the top. Take the third platform over the lava, then ride the next lava pool with the red block. Get the blocks out of your way, then ride the final platform. You'll want to be careful on it so you can easily get to the card on the far right. Grab it, then hit the goal below.

There are 1-Ups here, but you're better off not even going for them.

Level 3: Molten Madness



Cards: Hamburglar's Hideout, SECRET

For the first card, you'll want to make a mad dash across the bridge, then stop when you are above the card. Jump straight up and over the flame that spawns when you get on the bridge, then get to the right and grab the card from the side before getting back on the ground. Grab the nearby block to uncover a trampoline, and jump off it to the left. Take the nearby platform across the track, and you'll reach the goal. This will net you the Hamburglar's Hideout card.

As for the Secret Card, get to the goal like before, but hit the blocks with the arrows that take you all the way to the left. Before riding up the platform, go up and use the gears to become upside-down. From here, you'll have to ride the first conveyor platform, get to the second conveyor platform and then get to the card without going too fast or being hit by any fireballs, which will knock you off the conveyor platform you are on. You'll also want to be careful after you get the card, as it is possible for the conveyor belt to fall off while going down a diagonal part of the track with no momentum. Make sure you're on a straight part first.

As for the last platform, be sure to jump to the left before it goes off the track, then hold Up and jump to do the superjump and touch the goal. This will net you the final Secret Card.

If you talk to Hamburglar with all of his cards, you'll unlock the Magic Cave and the boss battle. But before we do that, we're heading to PuZzLeWoRlD...

Friday, January 24, 2025

PrinceWatercress plays M.C. Kids - Part 5 of 7


The low gravity here makes for some interesting conundrums when it comes to getting some cards.


If you've gotten everything thus far, you should already have one card for this world.

CosMc's Retreat


Level 1: Moon Monsters



Cards: CosMc's Retreat (x2)

When you start playing these levels, you'll find out that holding the A button will give you big air. Thanks to the low gravity, you'll be able to make some huge jumps.

You do not want to be too close to the craters when above them, as the tendrils that pop out of them will pull you in and will cause instant death.

One of the cards is in mid-air. You'll need to make a big jump to it in order to get it, and you'll need to be left of the crater just after the card to get there. If you know what you're doing, you'll be able to reach it and grab it from the side.

The other card is in a hidden area. There is a crater near a sign pointing to the right, and if you stand right of that crater, you'll find a hidden passage under the ground. Head further to the right to get the platform blog, then throw it into its dotted-line counterpart so you can get the card more easily.

Level 2: Swisserland



Cards: CosMc's Retreat 

The enemies that look like Fry Kids just get stunned when you hit them. The guys with the two big eyes, however, can be defeated, as do the flying enemies that you've been seeing since the first level.

For the card, you'll need to get to the zipper in the middle. Go to the left at the start, jump the gap, then keep going right and make a running jump past the big gap. You'll be able to reach the zipper. Go in, keep going right until you can't anymore, then grab the card. The goal is below.

Level 3: Constellations



Cards: SECRET, CosMc's Retreat 

The card here is at the bottom, underneath the trampolines. Walk past them from the right side, then keep going until you reach the lowest point in the floor. Stand in the center, tap A and hold Left. You should be able to get to the Secret Card and grab it.

While the goal is in the center of the stage (where the stars create a face in the background), the goal tape and posts really make it hard to get to the trampoline and launch to the top of the level. Taking the trampoline to the right will take you to the other card for CosMc's Retreat, while taking it to the left takes you to a zipper leading to an area where you can get a bunch of arches and two extra lives. It's nice that there's a way to get out of her quickly, but again, the level exit itself gets in the way. At least you can leap from one to the other once you're at the top of the level.

Level 4: Spring Fever



Cards: CosMc's Retreat

The goal is at the bottom of the level. You'll want to keep that in mind as you get around this place. 

You'll start off at the top. Grab a box, then go where it was and drop down the opening. You'll need to drop down to where the zipper is, and the best place to land is in the middle of the level near where the zipper is. This will allow you to jump left and go through the wall to the zipper. Entering the zipper will allow you to get to the card. Go left and drop down, then avoid the trampolines on the way down. When you reach the blocks, pick them up and throw them downwards with Down and B. Watch out for the evil Fry Kids. When you reach the floor, do not jump. Just run straight to the goal.

At this point, you should have all the cards for this world. Talk to CosMc, and he will show you straight to Hamburglar's Hideout, the final world of the game. Hamburglar will tell you that the Magic Bag has a mind of its own and has escaped, and that you'll need all six of his cards to get to the final level.

Thursday, January 23, 2025

PrinceWatercress plays M.C. Kids - Part 4 of 7


By the time you get to the Professor's Workshop, things get a little more interesting, and you'll get introduced to a few new game mechanics.


If you've collected everything up to this point, you should have two of the Professor's cards when you enter the fourth world of the game. The other cards will be found around here.

Professor's Workshop


Level 1: Ports O'Comets



Cards: SECRET, CosMc's Retreat

This level is one big dock with some gaps in between. To get the first card here, you'll need to get to the boat past the goal, ride it all the way to the left, and get the card. This is one of the Secret Cards, believe it or not. The zipper will lead to an area where you can use the D-Pad and press B to dig through the sand, and if you're lucky, you can find a few hidden 1-Ups. The second card is above the big trampoline near the goal, and you'll need to grab a block and jump on it to get to the card above. Interestingly, this card is for CosMc's Retreat, which is the next world.

Along the way, you'll need to watch the sky for flying comets, as they can seemingly hit you from out of nowhere despite falling diagonally downward from the left. The flames also hurt you. At least the meteors fall to the same place and have their flames spawn in the same place on impact every time. Take your time if you need to; it just might save you from losing a life and having to re-collect a card.

Level 2: Dino Dunes



Cards: Professor's Workshop

The hermit crab enemies move in small spurts randomly. Sometimes they move left; other times, they move right. Be careful near them.

To get the card, you'll need to take the platform block back to its dotted line counterpart, then take it upwards, head to the right and dig through the sand. Leave some sand for the way back, then use the nearby gear to become upside-down. Jump down the sand, then get to the left. Jump over the trampolines, then get the card. From here, you can go back and make yourself right-side up again. If you need the 1-Up below the card, use the trampolines.

The sand pit near the end has two 1-Ups. Leave some room in the sand you can make your way back up when you get them.

Level 3: Magic Forest



Cards: Professor's Workshop

Head to the right and grab the platform block, then take it back to the start. Watch out for the beaver, who can randomly stop to look around with the binoculars for no reason, and don't touch the fake goal. Ride the platform up and use the block on the spider to get to the moving platform, then get to the zipper. Use the leaf platform to jump to the tree platform on the other side and get the card. Watch out for the gopher who is running back and forth. From there, you can get to the goal.

Level 4: Desert Cove



Cards: SECRET, Hamburglar's Hideout

There is a 1-Up below where you start, so grab it before you do anything.

At the pairs of sand blocks, only dig out one. When you get to the bone platforms, be ready to keep jumping to the left when you drop to the water so you can eacht he zipper. Before you grab the card here, dig into the sand on the right for another 1-Up. Once you do that, grab the card from above with Down and B, then touch the goal. You've found another Secret Card!

The other card here is above all of the bone platforms above the water. You'll want to keep making running jumps from one bone platform to another before they fall. The card will be on some blocks. From there, you'd better be ready to throw some blocks at hermit crabs once the hermit crabs get in close as you also avoid some drill enemies and get to the goal. This card is for Hamburglar's Hideout.

Level 5: Captain's Ship



Cards: Professor's Workshop (x2)

Dropping down to the left of where you start leads to a 1-Up. Use the block to get back onto the ship.

The first card is above the second sail, and you'll need to do some platforming to get it. 

The second card is right of the goal. To get to it, you'll need to drop down between the last two masts, grab a box to the left (watch for the fish!), then head right to the big trampoline with the block and jump on it to get to the card and the goal. Interestingly, both cards are for the Professor's Workshop and not for two individual worlds.

Talking to the Professor now will allow you take the rocket ship to the moon and meet CosMc, a short-lived McDonald's character used from 1986 to 1992. He will tell you that there is hardly any gravity on the moon, and that if you find five of his cards, he will tell you where Hamburglar is hiding.

If you get back on the rocket ship, you can go back to the Professor's Workshop. If you talk to The Professor with all six of his cards, you'll get a shortcut back to Ronald's Clubhouse and PuZzLeWoRlD, the latter of which is west of Ronald's Clubhouse.

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

PrinceWatercress plays M.C. Kids - Part 3 of 7


In this entry, we play through the third world of the game in Grimace's Highlands. There is where things get a little bit tougher.


Grimace's Highlands


Level 1: Cliffton Heights



Cards: Grimace's Highlands

The lone card here is just above the start. Once you make your way up the mountain, make a running jump to the left to get the card.

The tornado enemy will track you and keep chasing you. You're better off avoiding it. If you can get it to drop down to a lower level, that's even better.

The zipper leads to a bunch of arches and two 1-Ups.

Level 2: Moose Bridge



Cards: Grimace's Highlands, SECRET

There are two cards. One is just down and to the right of the start, on the other side of the bridge with the gap. The other one is at the bridge above the exit. Just go all the way to the right on that bridge, then drop down and grab the card with Down and B. Getting to the top is no easy deat, as you have to jump off a trampoline underneath a bridge. To do that, you'll have to stand on some bridge segments to bring them down, then be ready to make a running jump to the trampoline, land on the right edge of it, then hold Right once you land to launch yourself to the top of the level.

The moose will charge at you. When it brings its head down, be ready to jump over it.

Level 3: Lumberjack Lane



Cards: Grimace's Highlands, Professor's Workshop

For the first card, you'll want to take the low road at the start and watch out for the gophers that run back and forth. The card will be at the tall tree. From here, you'll need to take the high path to continue.

At one point, there will be a block in mid-air on the left end of a tree ledge. If you hold Down and press B to grab the block, you'll reveal a trampoline that will launch you into the air. From here, carefully jump your way to the right to get the second card, then drop straight down to get to the goal.

One of the cards is for the Professor's Workshop, which is the world after this.

Level 4: Fry Kid Falls



Cards: Grimace's Highlands

The 1-Ups at the start are a trap. However, if you stand in the middle, you can grab both before you plummet to your doom, making it easy to farm extra lives.

The zipper at the bottom of the third pit leads to a waterfall. Believe it or not, you can grab the boat with B, then keep pressing A to stay on the water, then make a running jump to the platforms above the water. You can then throw the boat to the top of the waterfall and ride to the right for a 1-Up. Just watch out for the piranha underneath as well as the purple fish that keeps jumping around in an arc.

The lone card here is to the right of the goal. To get to it, you'll need to stay at the top of the level at all times, giving yourself enough running room to get to one platform to the next. You'll eventually find a red platform floating in the air. Jump on it to ride it to the card.

When you complete the first four levels with at least three cards for Grimace's Highlands collected, go back to Grimace's house and talk to him. He will open up a path in the previous world that you can take to Levels 5 and 6. From here, you'll need five cards to open up a path to the Professor's Workshop, but we're just one card away and we're getting the other two, anyway.

Level 5: Danger Lake



Cards: Grimace's Highlands

You'll be riding a boat to get across the water in this level. Grab the boat when you reach dry land at the bottom to keep going.

In order to get the card here, you'll need to make your way to the top of the level. You'll need to grab the block with the square outline in the center and place it in its dotted-line counterpart, and you'll have to be pretty clever with the platform that goes down the column in order to grab a block, make your way back and then superjump to make your moving platform to the top. Once you've got the block in place, ride it to the right, then head right for the card.

From there, carefully drop down, and watch for the drill enemy that pops in and out of the ground. You'll have to ride another boat and watch out for some fish again, but it's a quick ride to the goal.

Level 6: Far Falls Forest



Cards: Ronald's Clubhouse, Grimace's Highlands

At the start, jump to the left and drop down to the far left for a zipper. Enter the zipper, then grab the card on your way up to the goal. This card is for Ronald's Clubhouse, believe it or not.

Now for the hard part. Head right, grab the boat, then ride it to the right until you cannot move it anymore. Grab the boat by pressing B while inside, then keep mashing A while holding Right to get to dry land. Throw the boat onto the top of the waterfall ahead, and watch out for fish. At the other side of the waterfall is a card for Grimace's Highlands and a 1-Up.

Hold Left as you drop down off the edge to land on dry land, then jump your way to the goal. Watch out for the fish near the end!

If you talk to Ronald with all six of his cards, you'll unlock PuZzLeWoRlD. In order to enter it, you need to find all the SECRET cards. We've already found two, and these six cards reveal a picture of Mick and Mack.

Talking to Grimace at this point will unlock Professor's Workshop. The Professor has been tinkering with a rocket ship that can take you to the moon. If you can find five of his cards - two of which we've found already at this point - you'll be able to head to the moon on the rocket ship and find clues as to where The Hamburglar is.

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

PrinceWatercress plays M.C. Kids - Part 2 of 7


The second world takes us to Birdie's treehouse, where getting the cards will get a little bit tougher.


Birdie's Treehouse


Level 1: Stratosphere



Cards: Birdie's Treehouse, Hamburglar's Hideout

To get the card at the start, get on the cloud platform just to the right of the start. When the platform moves up and to the right, immediately jump to the left. Get to the top of the wall on the left side, then jump to the card and hold Down and press B to grab it.

The squirrels carrying the shark fins as they move back and forth are annoying, to be honest.

To grab the other card, take the platform on the next area at the bottom. The platform you're looking for will be moving up and down. Jump on it, then make your way to the right past the "smiley face." You'll find the second card.

The platforms near the end, if you can time your jumps to get onto them, will take you to a zipper. This will take you to the two 1-Ups above the bottomless pit. Further to the right is another zipper that leads to another section. To get the 1-Ups here and get through the area unscathed, you'll need to use the cloud platforms. For the first 1-Up, you'll need to get on the first platform; for the second 1-Up, you'll need to jump on the middle cloud platform when it is low enough to reach.

Below the second zipper is the goal. Interestingly, one of the cards is for Hamburglar's Hideout...

Level 2: Slippery Slopes



Cards: Birdie's Treehouse

The gophers stuck in ice will stay in place. This doesn't make them any less annoying, however, especially when you're dealing with the slippery ice physics that the level's icy grounds provides. As for the yetis, they just move back and forth, should you see them.

The card here is up in the air in the middle of the level. To reach it, you'll need to jump on the trampoline after the set of icy platforms in the middle of the level and head to the right. The platform you land on will have the card at the end.

To get the 1-Up at the start, you'll need to head left of the card, use the gear to go upside-down, go left, grab the block, jump on the trampoline and get on the underside of the icy platform at the start of the level.

The snow platforms crumble if you put your weight on them for long enough. If you're fast, this won't happen (at least, not very much).

The zipper takes you to a bonus area. If you can get to the left of the gopher, you can get two extra lives.

Level 3: Icy Maze



Cards: Birdie's Treehouse, SECRET

There are two cards here, and they are both on the right side of the level. One of them has you making your way to the top at that end, where you'll have to get to a zipper, go through it, and get the card on the other side. This is the SECRET Card, and you'll unlock a special area if you get all six of the SECRET Cards. If you can slide off the slope to the right and jump left at the end of it, you should be able to reach the zipper.

Along the way, you'll probably have to superjump. Yes, there is a superjump in this game, and it works just like in Super Mario Bros. 2: hold Down on the D-Pad for a second, then jump straight up in the air with A. Your character won't flash, but you will jump a little higher.

The other one is above the goal, but you'll need to move just right to get on top of it, and then hold Down and press B to grab it. This one is for Birdie's Treehouse. 

If you grab one card, but not the other, you won't need to re-grab it when you re-enter the level.

Avoid the trampolines at the bottom; they will launch you into the icicles, which will cause you to lose a life.

Level 4: Secret Surprize



Cards: Birdie's Treehouse

Watch out for the squirrels with the shark fins, as you can only see the shark fins.

If you leap to the left from the platform hidden in the clouds from the right of where you start, you'll find a hidden wall that takes you down and below the path. Keep heading right while in the clouds to get the lone card for the level, then use the trampoline to get out.

As for the rest of the level, make sure you get all the way down to the level as soon as you're able so you can get to the non-cloud platforms and get out of here.

Level 5: Frozen Caverns



Cards: Birdie's Treehouse

Take a big jump from the start. If you land on a platform with the yeti on it, you did it right. Just head right and grab the card.

As for the rest of the level, be ready to grab blocks and chuck them at enemies in your way.

Going upside-down leads to more arches, but if you can get rid of the blocks at the top and get past the top of the screen while right-side up, you can get to four extra lives above where the goal is.

Level 6: Frosty Mountain



Cards: Birdie's Treehouse

Jump all the way to the right at the start (but not into the arrow blocks), so you land on solid ground when you go through all the snow platforms. There are two 1-Ups at the bottom, but they are above a bottomless pit.

If you jump over the gopher above where you need to take the platform block, you can jump your way around and look for platforms that will take you to two extra lives that you can actually collecting without dying.

The card is near the end. At the trampoline leading to the top, go left, but not left to the point that you hit the arrow blocks and get sent back to the beginning. The small hint of ground near the arrow blocks will help you get the card. The goal will be to the right from there.

Back at Birdie's Treehouse, you'll be able to head to the cliffs now that you have at least five of Birdie's cards. This will take you to Grimace's Highlands, where you'll need three of Grimace's cards to open up the last third of the world. Until next time...

Monday, January 20, 2025

PrinceWatercress plays M.C. Kids - Part 1 of 7


I still can't believe I played and beat this one.


Ronald McDonald was showing off his magic bag at a picnic in the meadow, when all of a sudden the Hamburglar runs off with it. The game starts out with you and the other playable character in the game reading about it when all of a sudden you're meeting with Ronald about it. Maybe you just did this and now you're reading about it or something; I dunno.

You'll start out in Ronald's Clubhouse. You'll need to go through the six levels in the world and get at least four of the Puzzle Cards. Doing this will allow you to advance to Birdie's Treehouse. You'll be on an overworld map similar to that of Super Mario Bros. 3. The D-Pad allows you to walk on the path, and A will allow you to enter the level. If there are moving lines on the M, that means you have not completed the stage yet.

At the top above the map, you'll see your current world (and current level that you're standing at, if applicable), the amount of cards you need for that world that you have yet to get, and your current amount of lives and arches. There will also be some blocks with M's on them to the right, signifying which cards you have collected for the current world.

Level 1: The Garden



Cards: Ronald's Clubhouse

Left and Right let you move left and right, Down lets you duck, and A lets you jump. B lets you grab and throw things. B by itself will allow you to grab a block in front of you, but standing on a block and holding Down while pressing B allows you to pick it up from above, a la Super Mario Bros. 2. When you hold Left or Right, you'll gradually get faster, much like in Sonic the Hedgehog or Psycho Fox or Kid Kool, and this will allow you to make longer jumps. Start lets you pause, and if you've completed a level, you can press Select to exit the level. Pressing Select while the game is unpaused causes you to abort the level and lose a life in exchange, in case you soft lock yourself or something.

There's a lot to learn in this level. The dotted line block that is moving around won't be solid until you grab a solid block that looks like the dotted line outline and place it in the outline. You don't have to throw the block; you just have to put it in the outline. If it's a solid block with a plain face, it can be used to defeat enemies, but if it has the smaller square inside of it with the diagonal lines that represent some sloped surfaces, you can put it in the dotted line outline that is moving around.

The trampolines will allow you to jump up to higher areas. If you're holding a block, you'll get even more height due to your weight causing the trampoline to move further down before springing back up. This is especially true of the larger trampolines.

The things that look like gears with four teeth will allow to go upside down if you run across them with enough speed. This can allow you to access things you could not before. Just remember that you can fall into a ceiling and die, which is true for later levels, and that you'll be on the underside of some platforms. To get back right-side up, just run across the gear again. You'll need to do this to pick up the M Block. The M Block is actually a Card, and you'll need to collect cards in order to open up more worlds. The card here is for Ronald's Clubhouse, so that's one of the four right there that you're going to need.

The McDonald's M's - also known as arches - are much like the coins in the [i]Mario[/i] games, but if you reach 100 at any given time, the M's in the upper-left corner will flash and you'll be able to enter a bonus stage when you reach the goal tape at the end. Underneath the M's in the upper-left corner is your current amount of lives as well as the amount of health you have. Health is few and far between and you'll get one heart for every 25 arches you grab, but thankfully it's pretty easy to get lives if you know what you're doing, especially in the bonus stages.

The black blocks with the arrows pointing to the left that move endlessly will carry you all the way back to the beginning of the level if you touch them, so be careful.

Some platforms will lower when you stand on them. This will make getting around in some parts of some levels a little tricky.

The posts with the tape with the M moving back and forth is the goal. Touch it to end the level and open up some more. If you grab the arch, you'll get ten arches and make it easier to get to the bonus area. Also, you need to head to the goal in order to get credit for any cards you pick up, so pressing Start to pause the game and Select to leave will not work. Also, if you die after collecting a card, you'll have to re-collect that card.

The block with the "1" on it is a 1-Up. Grab it to get an extra life.

When you reach the end, the game will tell you which worlds the cards you've collected, if any, belong to. When you come back from this stage, one of the M Blocks in the upper-right hand corner on the HUD will flip to reveal part of a picture.

Level 2: Gopher Grove



Cards: Ronald's Clubhouse

This is where you will meet with your first enemies. You can throw blocks at the gophers that move back and forth as well as the spiders that are hanging there. Just don't run into them, as you only have so much health and it's hard to have four hit points to work with unless you play pretty well. Enemies will re-spawn if you return to previous areas after defeating them, so keep that in mind, as you can refill health by beating up enemies. Just keep in mind that the amount of blocks in a level will always be finite. 

Going up shortly after the start takes you to a 1-Up.

Don't grab the blocks above the arches shortly after the start. This is a trap, and you will have to fall into the water and die just to get out. Keep in mind that if you die, you lose some of your arches.

The lone trampoline in the level will take you to the card. 

The little bucket in the water will take you across to the other side. Just jump and land in the bucket, then use Left and Right on the D-Pad to move around in the water. Jumping will allow you to jump out of the boat. It is possible to keep jumping while on the surface of the water to stay afloat and then run to the other side while mashing A, but you won't be using that until you reach the later levels of the game. If you have a block, you can use it to protect yourself while in the boat, but just remember that you'll only have one block to work with unless you can somehow get another.

The platform that moves around in mid-air moves in a pattern. Ride it to get some arches, as well as to get to the zipper. The zippers act as doors to other areas, and you can enter them by standing in front of one and pressing Up on the D-Pad. In this area, you'll need to watch out for the triangles that take you back to the beginning, as unless you are holding Right when you get shuttled all the way to the left, you will be falling into a pit. If you can make it all the way to the right without touching any of the black arrow blocks, you'll be rewarded with a 1-Up. The zipper at the left end will allow you to go back.

In the bonus game, you'll need to jump on the block that lights up with the arrow pointing up. Doing so will allow you to move that block up and give yourself some breathing room on the way to the top, where you can get a few extra lives. If you fall to the bottom, you'll be able to exit, but you won't get anything. If the block you are on lowers before you can leap off of it, do not sweat it too much; you'll be able to jump on the next one (hopefully). When you're about one or two spaces away from the top of the sliders on the wall, you can enter one of the extra life rooms.

Level 3: Lazy Leaves



Cards: Ronald's Clubhouse

This is more of the same from Level 2. The leaf platforms will allow to reach some higher areas.

At the lone trampoline of the level, jump on it and make running jumps to the left to get the card. To the right of the trampoline is a bunch of leaf platforms that lead to a 1-Up, and if you head right from there, you can easily get to the goal.

Level 4: Mountain View



Cards: Ronald's Clubhouse

If you know how to explore the place, you can get a ton of 1-Ups. Once again, you'll be able to go upside-down, but be careful not to fall into the sky and lose a life.

The card is at the end of the last right-side up platform before all of those trampolines.

Level 5: Hidden Glen



Cards: Hamburglar's Hideout

If you go up at the start, you'll be able to get an extra life. Just watch out for the gopher.

At the start, use the trampolines to get to the leaf platforms that fall from the sky. Take those upwards and head right to get the card. Interestingly, this is for Hamburglar's Hideout. Hmmmm...

Watch out for birds. They move up and down as they fly towards you, making them harder to hit.

Level 6: Towering Trees



Cards: Ronald's Clubhouse, Professor's Workshop

The chicks bounce up and down, and the fact that they always try to bounce towards you will make getting rid of them with a block a must.

There are two cards here. One is just above the start, and you'll need to go up and around to get it. The other is at the top near where you need to drop down (and if you know what you're doing, jump across the trampolines to get a ton of arches).

If you've picked all of the cards so far, you'll have five for Ronald's Clubhouse, one for Hamburglar's Hideout and another for Professor's Workshop, another world that we have yet to see.

Now that you have a minimum of four cards for Ronald's Clubhouse, go back to the clubhouse to talk to Ronald. You'll be able to head to Birdie's Treehouse, but you can always back to previous worlds for lives and cards if you need to. At Birdie's Treehouse, we'll need to collect five of the cards for the world, but that will have to wait until the next video...

Sunday, January 19, 2025

PrinceWatercress plays Gumby vs. The Astrobots - Part 6 of 6


...and now, the thrilling conclusion to what is possibly the only video game based on Gumby that I've ever heard of.


Attack of the Astrobots


Chapter 1


This place is full of ramps and platforms. Use the ramps to get to the platforms, and ride the platforms to get where you need to go.

There will be snowblowers similar to the one from the battle with the Abominable Snowman around here. Just walk into the tops of them while in ball form to get launched elsewhere.

The bars in the floor limit where you can push trampolines.

There is a pit with two ice cream cones near two skull and crossbones signs, with two more ice cream cones below. Grab the top ones first, then go left. Get everything there, then use the trampoline to double back to that pit and get the lower ice cream cones. From there, you'll want to double jump left to the snow blower. You'll need to do all that to get all the ice creams without losing a life.

The springs raise floor platforms, and those platforms will only be raised for a short time before you have to jump on the springs again. 

Near the end of the chapter, there will be a lot of skull and crossbones signs. Be ready to jump on trampolines as well as on the heads of Astrobots to get to the other side.

Chapter 2


You'll meet the Blockheads. When you chase them, you'll find that they have taken control of the Astrobot King. You'll need to defeat the Astrobot King to beat the game.

Hit the lever, then push the ball that comes down down the slope into the Astrobot King to damage him. You'll then need to head to the other side of the room while dealing with all the Astrobots in the way, hit the lever there, and repeat the process. The Astrobot King will keep throwing projectiles at you while you're pushing the ball, and you'll have to go into the process of moving back and forth to push the ball towards the slope while simultaneously avoiding the projectiles. At least there is plenty of pie pieces to pick up in case you need the health.

When you beat the Astrobot King, the King will come to his senses and make remote controls illegal on Planet Astrobot. You'll then head home and continue to have that picnic with family and friends...but it becomes obvious that Gumby forgot Professor Kapp! Nevertheless, you've completed this game! Congratulations!

As for all those ice cream cones? You get absolutely nothing for collecting them all. Oh, well...



Saturday, January 18, 2025

PrinceWatercress plays Gumby vs. The Astrobots - Part 5 of 6


This place has quite a few twists and turns, and you're going to have to explore them all if you want to get everything!


The Magic Castle


Chapter 1


You're going to be doing a lot of jumping around not just to get everywhere and get everything. There will be a lot of purple and yellow Astrobots to bounce off of and quite a bit of ramp launching and wall jumping to do around here.

At this point, don't be surprised if you use the ball form attack to take care of some of the Astrobots out of safety.

If you see a catapult, just walk into it and you'll be launched over to the other side.

Chapter 2


Once again, you'll want to take a good look around to find all of the ice cream cones. You should have 50 cones by the time you meet the wizard, who has kidnapped Gumby's mom and dad to experiment on them. To get rid of the wizard, you'll have to walk into the yellow levers in order to pull out the floor from under him. Once you get the wizard to drop three times, you'll be done with him. The hardest part about the boss section is not the wizard, as he is really easy. It's the jumps and double jumps off the hovering yellow Astrobots that you will have to make. Make sure you can clear the huge gaps as you jump from one Astrobot to another, watch where you're going while in the air, and use that double jump!

Friday, January 17, 2025

PrinceWatercress plays Gumby vs. The Astrobots - Part 4 of 6


This is easily the quickest level to get through...and not a wild animal in sight!


African Safari


Chapter 1


There are plenty of places to look for ice cream cones, so take a good look around. Also, the purple bouncing Astrobots are back with a vengeance.

To use the curved ramps, get in ball form, then use L or R (depending on which direction you're going) to rocket up the ramp for some big air.

Chapter 2


Here, you'll find Minga. Thankfully, there is no boss. Just jump up the tree from one branch to another to rescue her. That's all there is to it. When you get to her, she will mention that the Blockheads are behind Professor Kapp's kidnapping, the theft of the remote and the sudden change in the Astrobots' attitude, as she ran past them while trying to seek safety. Now that Gumby knows what is going on, it's time to get serious.

Thursday, January 16, 2025

PrinceWatercress plays Gumby vs. The Astrobots - Part 3 of 6


The third level of the game gets a little interesting with the ability to wall jump.


Transylvania Tales


Chapter 1


Time to save Goo. As soon as you head to the right, you'll find another lollipop which will give you the ability to stick to walls in ball form. Jump towards the wall to stick to it, then hold the D-Pad up and left or up and right (depending on what the opposite direction is) and jump. This will allow you to wall jump your way to higher areas. You can also use Left or Right to switch walls without ascending.

To use the ziplines, just walk into them. You'll stop whenever you either reach the end of the zipline or if you jump off partway through. At the fourth and last zipline of the level, jump off and drop left as soon as you get on for a big ice cream.

Chapter 2


In Chapter 2, you'll meet Goo as soon as you show up. Goo will almost tell Gumby about the Blockheads kidnapping Professor Kapp and taking his remote control when Count Dracula suddenly shows up...and his singing voice is absolutely horrific. Gumby will turn into a flying platform for Goo to stand on and drop bombs from.

The D-Pad lets you fly in eight directions while A drops bombs. You'll need to use the bombs to destroy the notes that Count Dracula sends at you. Dracula will not only send notes at you, but he will also send pie pieces at you, and while you can grab those pie pieces, you can also accidentally destroy them with the bombs. Also, while there are thirty ice cream cones to grab here, you'll have to go up and down the entire level just to find them all, and getting them all was a pain to do. Eventually, you'll reach the end of the area, and when you do, you'll evade Dracula and head back to the library. 

Next up is African Safari...

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

PrinceWatercress plays Gumby vs. The Astrobots - Part 2 of 6


Now that Pokey has been rescued, let's go save Prickle!


Tales of North Pole


Chapter 1


As soon as you start the level, Pokey will leave due to the cold.

The lollipop at the start of the level will teach you a new move: the roll attack. While in ball form, you can press L or R to perform a ball charge. L charges to the left, while R charges to the right, and if you are moving when you press either of the shoulder buttons, you'll charge even further. The charge not only speeds you up briefly, but lets you smash through the enemy in front of you.

The brown Astrobot is on wheels and can slide down slopes. The yellow Astrobots hover, and they sometimes move around in patterns in mid-air.

There are plenty of moving platforms in this level, so pay attention to where you are you going when on one.

The big ice cream is worth ten ice cream cones.

When in icy cave areas, watch out for icicles. They will shake and fall if you get in front of them, and they hurt regardless of whether they are falling or not if you run into them.

Chapter 2


At the start of the chapter, you'll find another lollipop. This will give you the ability to double jump by pressing A in mid-air. Instead of being a traditional double jump, pressing and holding A in mid-air allows Gumby to turn his feet into a propellor and hover.

The purple Astrobots bounce up and down with the springs on the bottom of their bodies. You'll need to jump from one to another and then double jump to get a big ice cream cone.

Chapter 3


When you find Prickle, you'll find out that he is being held against his will by an abominable snowman. To beat the abominable snowman, take the platform upwards, then head right and jump into the cannon to shoot yourself into the abominable snowman. All the while, you'll want to watch out for icicles as you make your way to the cannon, as they will show up in droves. After three hits, the abominable snowman will be defeated. Up next is Transylvania Tales on the second floor...

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

PrinceWatercress plays Gumby vs. The Astrobots - Part 1 of 6


Of all the kids' characters I've known in my lifetime...Gumby is the last one I would ever have expected to receive a platformer.


The game begins with Professor Kapp creating a remote control that allows him to control his Astrobots. As he realizes that this remote control should not be in the wrong hands, he is rolled into some sort of metallic closet and locked into it by those no-good Blockheads, who then run off the remote.

Meanwhile, Gumby is having a picnic with family and friends, with Prickle using his flame breath to toast some bread. As Pokey and Gumby wish something exciting would happen for once, Goo shows up and tells everyone that Professor Kapp has been kidnapped and that he and his remote control are missing. Not long after this, the Astrobots show up and chase everyone into the nearby books, with Pokey running into the Wild West book. This will be the first stage you will enter.

Left and Right let you move around, and A lets you jump. You'll be using this to explore the hub world, but the only place you can go is into the Wild West book.

Wild West


Chapter 1


When you start the first chapter, you'll end up in the Wild West, where the game gives you a tutorial as you head to the right.

Trampolines help you reach high places. You can move them by walking into them, and jumping on them allows you to bounce higher. Thankfully, you don't have to hold A to increase your jump height.

Jump on Astrobots' heads twice to defeat them. One hit will merely stun them, and if left unchecked, they will get back up from being stunned. The ones here just move back and forth, but there will be other types of Astrobots that you will encounter later.

Every chapter has a certain amount of ice cream cones. Collecting them all nets you nothing but bragging rights, but at least you'll know that you've been everywhere in the level. However, it is worth noting that if you get enough in a chapter, you'll get an extra life.

Green lollipops unlock special moves. The one here allows you to turn into a ball. To do that, press B. B will let you go in and out of ball form, and while in ball form, you can roll down narrow corridors.

The book in the upper-right corner shows how many lives you have left, and collecting more books gets you move lives. The pie plate shows how many hits you have out of four, and if you get hit without any pie, you will lose a life and get sent back to the beginning of the chapter. However, if you find a green flag, you'll get a checkpoint that takes you to the midway point of the current section, so you won't get sent back as far.

To refill health, look for a piece of pie. Here's a fun thing to note: if you find one, move back a bit once you grab it and then go back to where you found the pie. The pie will return. This is useful if you need health badly. Just keep in mind that you'll have to go back a little bit and not just move the location of where the pie was off-screen to get the pie to re-spawn.

Up and Down on the D-Pad allow you to look up and down, respectively. 

If you see a sign with a skull and crossbones, be careful in the area where you are, as there will be a bottomless pit that you will not want to fall into. Falling into it leads to the instant loss of a life and being sent back in the level. 

There are moving platforms, but they move slowly. This is the first level, after all.

If you see any raised planks on the floor, you will not be able to move trampolines past them.

Chapter 2


There is a dead end where you can re-create the "echo" scene with Gumby if you go to it.

You'll soon find out where Pokey is: cornered by a cowboy named Ricochet Pete, who wants to make Pokey a steed against his will so he does not have to ride a mine cart. This leads to Pete wagering Pokey's free will in a race to the end of the mine shaft where the winner gets Pokey. 

You'll then control Pokey in a mine cart racing against Pete. A lets you jump, and L and R lets you perform a charge attack to get past the green Astrobots that are floating around. It also gives you a speed boost, which should keep Ricochet Pete at bay. You can also press Right to perform the speed boost, but the shoulder buttons are better.

Be ready to jump over pits and off the heads of Astrobots to get to higher places, as there are still ice cream cones to pick up in this area.

Be mindful of signs. The X signs tell you not to jump, and the skull and crossbones signs will warn you of bottomless pits.

Chapter 3


This is more or less another racing section, much like Chapter 2. As long as you take this are aslowly while still staying ahead of Ricochet Pete, you should not have much trouble getting some of the ice cream cones that are tricky to get.

When you reach the end, you'll be flying right out of the book and back in the hub world.