8th VLDC: RIP Ningamer

[Tenlade]

that glitch key area was giving me flashbacks to a ceartin level in super demo world...thankfully it wasn't anything like that one.

[Nimono]

that glitch key area was giving me flashbacks to a ceartin level in super demo world...thankfully it wasn't anything like that one.

I don't remember what hack it was in, but it reminded me of a level where near the start is a massive key all alone underground, and you have to search the level with fireballs, looking for the tiny keyhole frozen in ice to take back to the bigkey. That level amused me!

[Koopster]

I think that's Brutal Mario

I remember the DW:TLC one, it's terrible. I don't even remember how I managed to beat it back then...

[Tenlade]

I think that's Brutal Mario

I remember the DW:TLC one, it's terrible. I don't even remember how I managed to beat it back then...

disabling layer 1 and stepping on all remaining keys until one wasn't a p-switch.

[Mata Hari]

Good Lord that is a subtle SMW remix

[FrozenQuills]

Great levels today, especially matrix mines.
It probably got 24th because it was a kind of long backtrack-ish level, lol. Still other than that the design and aesthetics are super good.

[Mata Hari]

Yeah also the secret exit is like, you have a decent chance of never finding it.

[Window Squeegee]

Who would've guessed that The Chosen One was a rotund italian plumber with a limited vocabulary? And who's been screwing with the Vinesauce rom corruptor?

[Alice]

Great levels today, especially matrix mines.
It probably got 24th because it was a kind of long backtrack-ish level, lol. Still other than that the design and aesthetics are super good.

It also had some issues with background objects looking too much like foreground objects and vice-versa. Past that though it was an interesting level.

[aterraformer]

10 0011 10101

[yoshicookiezeus]

Matrix Mines is definitely up there among my personal favourite levels in this hack. It's always fun to see someone do something so different in terms of aesthetics, and even more so when the level design is good as well. And that factory SMW remix is nothing short of amazing.

ZMann - Caloric Crater

S.N.N.
CREATIVE USE OF VANILLA RESOURCES: 19/25
APPROPRIATE DIFFICULTY CURVE: 24/25
OVERALL LEVEL QUALITY: 19/25
AESTHETICS: 21/25

OVERALL: 83/100

COMMENTS: A good romp-styled level. I feel like you could have taken the white rock platforms a little bit further (even the original game used them more intuitively), but it felt fine overall. Nice use of alternate paths to reach the Dragon Coins - they never felt too far out of the way, and they were always reasonable to obtain.

Eternity
CREATIVE USE OF VANILLA RESOURCES: 20/25
APPROPRIATE DIFFICULTY CURVE: 22/25
OVERALL LEVEL QUALITY: 18/25
AESTHETICS: 23/25

OVERALL: 83/100

COMMENTS: A simple but fun level. It doesn't try too much or do anything awesome, but it has some nice sprite placements and I really like how you hid the Yoshi Coins as well. While it's a bit lacking in overall creativity, the overall design makes up for it. And as a bonus, this also has some really nice aesthetics!

MrDeePay
Creativity: 20/25
Curves: 20/25
Level: 20/25
Aesthetics: 20/25

Overall: 80/100

Comments: A pretty standard level, which is the norm for you (that's a good thing). The curve kinda plateaus midway through the level (like Reisen's), so the second half didn't seem so troubling. That moon as-is feels useless (like Reisen), but it's evident that it's a bonus for would-be players who have a cape on hand.
Other Notes: Apparently another way Reisen burns calories is by going to a cavern that has some fire (lava) and just sweats it out there. I can't say I'm surprised about this new discovery.

Aquamentus - Matrix Mines

S.N.N.
CREATIVE USE OF VANILLA RESOURCES: 22/25
APPROPRIATE DIFFICULTY CURVE: 21/25
OVERALL LEVEL QUALITY: 23/25
AESTHETICS: 24/25

OVERALL: 90/100

COMMENTS: The use of the numbers as a main factor in the gameplay was incredibly cool, especially with those weird blue platforms (which were a bit underutilized, unfortunately). One thing that really irked me was trying to distinguish what was solid and what wasn't - it wasn't always clear.

Eternity
CREATIVE USE OF VANILLA RESOURCES: 20/25
APPROPRIATE DIFFICULTY CURVE: 20/25
OVERALL LEVEL QUALITY: 20/25
AESTHETICS: 23/25

OVERALL: 83/100

COMMENTS: The Matrix theme is really unique, and helps differentiate it from most levels, even if it's only a visual gimmick. It was also implemented in nice ways, such as the blue sprite-only ledges, but they could have been explored more through the level. Some solid work, both aesthetic-wise and design-wise.

MrDeePay
Creativity: 25/25
Curves: 21/25
Level: 17/25
Aesthetics: 25/25

Overall: 88/100

Comments: And here's one of the most unique themes I've seen using just SMW resources- and it's pulled off very well here. Gameplay wise, not so much. It kinda drags on too much in both the first and second half- which certainly isn't helped with the slower pace of the level.

[Ditocoaf]

I've always loved that song used in Conveyer today. It's from Mr. Gimmick, a Famicom game that included its own extra sound chip. I've never actually watched any gameplay from it, but its music is great.

This song, Sophia, is goddamn beautiful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oR_CU_Ru9ZM

[DrTapeworm]

Why was Sea Side Hoarse in forest world if it's a seaside level? Wouldn't it fit better in wet world? Come to think of it, Zone 343 is awfully forest-y for a water world level...

On a darker note, I sense some

one-level videos

in the days coming ahead.

[10204307]

Sea Side Course was physically, mentally, and emotionally draining. Probably the worst level in the entire romhack. Even Epic Nothing was better than that. And I still need to go back and get the dragon coins. Yeah.

As for the rest of Forest World... Welcome to hell! Welcome to hell! Welcome to hell! Welcome to

[Mata Hari]

More like Sea Side Coarse (probably) (I've not actually watched it yet)

[ZgreenZ]

Man, to be "One more level'd" by Sea Side Course is so rough, I felt so bad for raocow. He's said himself that he prefers this type of make-up compared to just going worst to best though...

[S.N.N.]

Welcome to the worst world in the hack!

(well, actually, the most sporadic. There are some incredible levels near the end and some awesome ones near the start, but the middle is just .. oh boy.)

[DrTapeworm]

Don't be silly; the worst world is obviously the Worst World!

[Grounder]

Nice pallets in the first two levels today!

Also, fun fact: the whole new world area is actually comprised entirely of the third level.

[Koopster]

Sea Side Course was physically, mentally, and emotionally draining. Probably the worst level in the entire romhack.

Honestly, I would love to be able to agree with this...

I place it as third worst level. Spoilers: second worst is very, very soon.

[Leet]

i

i kind of liked it

[S.N.N.]

Thankfully it's not very hard. It's just .. stupidly long.

Tomorrow's level will be the opposite (stupidly hard, but very short), and then we're safe for a while.

[Ozzy Ment]

From what we've encountered so far, I'm inclined to say MariYOLO is the worst level in hack. This one was tragic though; just cut out about 2/3 of its content and it would've been really good. Well, that and get rid of those few situations where Mario get crammed off the top of the screen, especially when there's a bomb/goomba generator going on.

[Fidget]

I can criticize it for being amazingly long, but at the same time, it does stick in the head as memorable, so I can't really hate it. So.
Oh yes, and I loved the palletes for the other levels too. Bright, pastel? Whatever the word is.

[FrozenQuills]

First few levels were really really good. Absolutely love the palette in the trunk level and the conveyor level was pretty neat overall.
While I don't mind long levels that much, they tend to be pretty bad if they have minimal variety like what sea side did. The super out of place midpoint (the second half is over 10 minutes long!) and random spots where all you could do is wait didn't help either. The author did have a good sense of graphics and design though, I'll give them that.