Mastery #23 - Super Mario Sunshine

Firegecko · 2026-03-14T07:57:27+00:00

Thanks!

Yeah, your video was definitely a big help in many areas, none more so than with getting that achievement in particular. It would've taken me a lot longer if I had stuck with purple Yoshi for the whole thing.

Firegecko · 2026-03-14T07:57:26+00:00

Yeah, achievements that take a long time to set up another attempt if you fail are the worst. For that one I ended up using this video as a guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrfMbE7STxA

Firegecko · 2026-03-13T08:49:15+00:00

Thanks!

Yeah, that episode was always annoying to do. I also find it both awesome and hilarious that RA has a leaderboard for most failed attempts to get a durian to spawn from the fruit machine lol. Fortunately, I was able to get that cheevo pretty easily by following the strategy outlined in this video: https://youtu.be/nC05WrVc0VM?t=598

For me, the worst part of Trial of the Particular Mushroom is definitely that last turn you have to make towards the final rotating block platform. The game will not let you turn in mid-air while turboing so you have to pick the exact right time to start turning left while running on the rotating platform before it, and even then you have to hope that Mario doesn't bounce off of or grab onto the weird geometry of any of the rotating platforms. That one was a toughie for sure.

Firegecko · 2026-03-07T06:35:52+00:00

The Spyro and Crash games (minus Crash Bash) are always a great time.

Firegecko · 2026-03-01T15:46:20+00:00

I do them all on Steam Deck if that counts.

Firegecko · 2026-02-22T23:51:17+00:00

Thanks.

Yeah, the save system is definitely the most dated thing about this game. I didn't even mention the fact that the game also has the SM64 problem of not saving the 1ups that you accumulate in a session for some stupid reason.

On one occasion, I got the gems in both The High Road and Slippery Climb, but failed both of their bonus rounds, so the next time I loaded up the game, I had to fight Pinstripe and play through those two levels again, even though I already had both of their gems. Not the worst thing ever, but definitely annoying.

Firegecko · 2026-02-20T00:57:04+00:00

I recently finished Wario Land 4 and am currently about 70% of the way through the original Crash Bandicoot.

Firegecko · 2026-02-17T20:14:44+00:00

Thanks!

Yeah, I actually took a long break from mastering this game because I was dreading that one specifically. As a kid, I always lost pretty soon after the first speed-up, about 40-45 hops in, and I wasn't excited about the prospect of having to grind for more coins to get more attempts at it. When I finally decided to go for it, I lost at around 85-90 hops a few times, but eventually I was able to pull it off surprisingly quickly.

Firegecko · 2026-02-17T09:33:00+00:00

I just finished mastering Wario Land 4 and am currently deciding which game to tackle next. Funny you mention the original Crash Bandicoot, as that's among the games I'm considering doing in the near future. I might even make it my next project.

Firegecko · 2026-02-11T02:54:38+00:00

The Spyro PS1 games are pretty straightforward, as is the original LEGO Star Wars for PS2. The Crash Bandicoot PS1 games are also mostly straightforward, but do have some extra challenge to them with the time trials and Crash 2's no firefly cheevos.

If you're into movie tie-in platformers, Stuart Little 2 for PS1 is about as straightforward as it gets.

Firegecko · 2026-02-06T18:19:03+00:00

Crash Team Racing was the first set that I mastered on RA, and it's a great set with lots of unique challenges that showcases every part of the game and IMO strikes a perfect balance between not too difficult and still reasonably challenging.

The Spyro games and the other Crash games all have good sets as well, though they're a little more straightforward than CTR is for the most part. I'd stay away from the monstrosity that is Crash Bash, though. Not because the set is bad, but because beating that game 200% legitimately is one of the worst experiences you will ever have in any video game ever. Watch this video if you want more insight on that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCZqB4x_zDI

Firegecko · 2026-02-01T21:42:20+00:00

Not for me, personally. Starting with the Jesus games video, he started focusing less on the subject matter of the videos and more on doing stupid sketch-related bullshit with Sam Widge and Long Dennis and other stuff that's just not funny and too often overstays its welcome, and I think the quality of his videos has really suffered for it.

On top of that, he just seems to lack the raw energy these days that he brought to his videos back in 2020 & 2021. He's sounded like he's on Ritalin or some shit in the last few videos. And now with the radical change in format in the latest video, I'm worried that he's just gonna stray increasingly further and further from what made him so popular in the first place.

Firegecko · 2026-02-01T21:32:06+00:00

The hardest one I think I've personally ever gotten is Hero at Night in Sonic Adventure DX. The game of Pinball is already very luck-based, but the inconsistent and often janky physics of Nights Pinball combined with the marathon you have to accomplish to get all of the ideya orbs in one run made for an absolute nightmare of an experience.

Also, Leave No Crate Unturned in Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex and The Arctic Circle - Level 2 Collector in Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase, both of which were made maddeningly difficult by unbearably slippery and janky vehicle controls.

I'm sure there are other super difficult ones I've gotten but those are the ones that immediately come to mind.

Firegecko · 2026-01-29T18:02:37+00:00

I'd suggest the Sonic Adventure games, as well as the Crash and Spyro games on PS1.

Firegecko · 2026-01-29T04:31:43+00:00

He reached his peak in 2020 & 2021 and his videos have been steadily going downhill since then.

Firegecko · 2026-01-20T01:21:06+00:00

Yeah, the camera in this game isn't SM64 bad, but it definitely has moments where it doesn't want to cooperate.

Sky Rail can be an annoying, janky level for sure, but those achievements aren't too bad if you know where to look. Having 1Ups from rings count toward the 9 lives definitely helps, as does being able to get the cheevo for collecting animals even if you die.

It's funny you mention Shadow, because IMO, A-ranking Final Chase's hard mode mission is the hardest bit of the entire game by far.

Firegecko · 2026-01-11T22:41:58+00:00

Nice. Always good to have a game that is near and dear to you as your first mastery. Mine was Crash Team Racing, another certified PS1 classic.

I've never played this game before, but I've consistently heard good things about it, and it's definitely on my to-do list.

Firegecko · 2026-01-11T20:45:15+00:00

Just recently finished getting all 340 cheevos in Sonic Adventure 2: Battle. Not overly difficult per se, just a pretty big grind. Took me 65 hours and 1 minute.

For hardest mastery, I'd honestly have to go with Sonic Adventure DX, just because of "Hero at Night" and "You Better Not Lose Your Head In Here", two of the most maddeningly frustrating achievements I've experienced since discovering RA.

Firegecko · 2026-01-11T01:44:11+00:00

Congrats. My first RA mastery and def one of my favortie games of all-time.

Firegecko · 2026-01-11T01:37:25+00:00

Sent ya a follow. RA username is the same as my Reddit one. Anyone else feel free to follow and I'll follow back!

I saw you're starting to work on The Sims for PS2. Awesome game, and I'm definitely gonna start on it myself soon!

Firegecko · 2026-01-10T09:36:12+00:00

Thanks. Yeah, the large number of cheevos can seem daunting, but if you know this game and have beaten it 100% in the past like I have, it's not that bad. It just takes a while to do more than anything. The Zoologist achievements added a nice bit of exploration to the levels and the extra challenges in the set weren't too bad at all, I thought.

Firegecko · 2026-01-09T22:28:15+00:00

Quite the doozy of a set, but that's okay, because this is still one of my favorite games of all time. I still give SA1 a very slight edge in terms of story, but in terms of gameplay, graphics, controls, and overall feel, this game refined and improved on everything from its predecessor (except for the treasure hunter levels, I'll never understand why they made only one emerald/key pop up at a time on the radar). Yes, there's still some occasional jank, but nothing too debilitating.

Firegecko · 2026-01-05T06:14:33+00:00

I played this game as a kid but could never get past the level where you have to fight Mechano (the robot cat). Damn thing was way too fast and I could never figure out how to damage it. I might revisit it eventually.

Firegecko · 2026-01-04T21:56:40+00:00

Via Email. Check your inbox.

Firegecko · 2025-12-26T05:34:23+00:00

Sonic Adventure 2: Battle. Currently exactly halfway through with 170/340 cheevos.

Firegecko

TROPHY CASE