~The Fourth 25quared Contest~

[Nwolf]

Good luck to everyone.

ftfy

[*Emelia K. Fletcher]

And the results are in! Just over a week of judging elapsed, and I am proud to reveal...

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In sixth place:
SuperMIC, with Great Leaf Galaxy!









In fifth place:
Star king, with shutdown.!













In fourth place:
MessengerOfDreams, with Form!





































In third place:
FrozenFire, with P U L S E!








































In second place:
KABOOM, with Star Factory!






















































In first place:
Venexis, with Starlight Lament!

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Amazing! With seventeen entrants in total (and that can be argued higher!), this has been a vastly contested LDC. Everyone deserves a round of applause! Go on, just imagine yourself a round of applause using your own beautiful head.

Here's the link to the overall table of scores, courtesy of Moy.

Forum Table by Doram



And there we go! Have a good one, and keep it civil!

[MessengerOfDreams]

and that's how MoD finished his medal collection, with the 25quared concept he once was so ♥♥♥♥ wretched at

also <3 at Ven never not winning except the time he got 5th in a 25quared

[SuperMIC]

hahaha i placed after a 2 year break wew

for convenience:



SMIC’s 25quared #4 Judgings

Everything Moves! by Nwoof

12.75/20

Spoiler: show

FUN – 6.75/10

Yay hard levels! Or sometimes not so yay. Whether this level was the former or latter is up for debate but for me it slightly leaned towards the latter. Difficult levels are very fun and this level in particular gave me a kind of Flappy Bird feel, but I think that sometimes the difficulty took away from the fun of this level. There are two main points that I have to discuss:
1) The platforming requires high amounts of precision and near-perfect timing: but what this means is that you can attribute success in this level to luck, which usually isn’t a good thing. I managed to beat it on one of my first play-throughs but then I died over another 15ish times I would say before giving up. Some stars, such as the one that is positioned over the pendulum, require, again, perfect timing to get and continue on. You have to at least double jump on the pendulum to get back on the rotating triangles before you die and more often than not I died. Another problem with rotating triangles is that they have a tendency to make Mario assume the diving position without you pressing anything, and at that point gravity takes over and you fall to your doom. The rotating blocks section also proved to be quite a problem for me. I appreciate the flame tower as an attempt to give users a 1-use chance to not die if they slip up, but you have to recover from the bouncing that accompanies Mario’s “ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!” which seldom occurs because the rotation of the blocks that you can land on don’t allow for you to stay on them (most of the time). So again, more often than not, touching the flame tower can be equated to dying.

2) Relating to point 1, because the level is of this difficulty calibre a silver star mission can be frustrating. With such a high chance to die while collecting 4/5 stars, it can be frustrating to try and play this level because your progress continually gets reset and then you die another 5 times before getting a run in which you *might* succeed.

However, this is not to say that I didn’t enjoy the level. Again, the score is probably the most accurate depiction of the amount of fun I had. (Oh and the music suited the level very well)

GRAPHICS – 2.75/5

I understand that there wasn’t much you could do in terms of graphics, but there is always room for improvement! I do like the tiling: All of the colours match and you really create a mechanical-esque scene. It nice and symmetrical and fits the level. However, the level still looks a bit bland. Perhaps you could have some mushroom/vine-lines snaking around the room or some other clever decorations. Generally however, the level looks fine. It is nothing impressive, but it has nothing to complain about either.

OTHER – 3.25/5

-0.25 The flame tower doesn’t trigger near its end (designer-side issue) and it is slightly off-screen.
[color=#00FF00]+0.5 No lag or loading time

OVERALL – 12.75/20

Not too shabby! Well, there are only a few closing things I have to say: Keep in mind that difficulty and silver star challenges tend to not mix well more often than not, especially when death is highly probable when getting each individual star. I think the platforming ideas that you had in mind were successful, but perhaps they were not executed to their full potential. There are certain missing elements that detract from this level as a whole.

Woof woof!

-SMIC

Trapped! by ~MP3 Amplifier~

14.25/20

Spoiler: show

FUN – 7.25/10

Hey! So I think this was generally a solid level, but sadly there was nothing that stood out to me. A lot of the space was taken up by the main chamber and sadly that left very, little for actual gameplay segments. I think each room (save for the invisible maze) could be cleared in less than 20 seconds, leaving you with not much at all. The flame towers that you have to dodge in the first chamber are pointless because you have to forcibly take damage in a bit anyway (and then you receive a full heal), so you can just tank the damage and move on. The following two rooms are rather standard in terms of gameplay and platforming and can be rushed through fairly quickly. Again, the lack of space here really doesn’t allow for much. The block monsters were interesting; they crush you in ways you don’t expect them to well… crush you. But again, there’s just so little room for you to do much and they can be beaten relatively easily. I still don’t think that the invisible maze made quite the effect that you hoped it would’ve. It’s just so counter-intuitive and you don’t know where you can get squished from, and you only have 4 lives, technically. I admit however, knowing the path makes the maze rather easy but during one of my first-playthroughs I remember thinking that it’s frustrating because I expected the maze to be completely rigid, and that you couldn’t be pushed through floors. Since there is no way to tell which floors you will pass through and which floors you will take damage from, it’s difficult to play this without knowing the path, especially during one of your first plays. And as the maze is at the very end, it can be annoying to die here and have to redo everything.

GRAPHICS – 3.25/5

I don’t think the graphics were all that they could’ve been. The décor seems really sparse and doesn’t really make any notable effect; the top-left and top-right easily strike me as the blandest in the level. The tiling work is perfect, however, and the shaking background blocks add a gimmicky effect. So again, just in general, it felt to me like this level wasn’t decorated enough.

OTHER – 3.75/5

-0.25 The cosmetic black bullet bills are never actually seen by the player while in the bullet bill room: they disappear when the player does the flame towers in the beginning of the level.

+0.5 No lag or loading time
+0.5 Creative block monsters

OVERALL – 14.25/20

I think it was only during writing this review that I realize this level’s biggest flaw: You used too much space to create the first room which didn’t have very much in it in terms of gameplay. There were some elements that I feel just weren’t executed properly, whereas there were other concepts that didn’t get nearly as much space as they should’ve. The result caused the actual gameplay to be limited and short, which is usually not the best for a level. Nonetheless, I still think this level shows your technical prowess with the designer and I’m very glad you’re constructing block monsters. Although I did complain that there wasn’t enough décor, the level itself is presented with a very polished demeanor.

Good luck,

-SMIC

shutdown. by Star King

15.3/20

Spoiler: show

FUN – 7.65/10

Hi Star King, so this was a solid level! You executed the “same path but different each time” idea well, but there’s one thing that bugged me a little, and that was the final challenge. The “touch Shine Sprite and die” concept is usually more realistic on paper than it is actually viable in a level, and that’s what I think this level suffered most from. Especially since the Shine Sprite challenge is the last one and touching a Shine Sprite means almost certain death (I’ll touch on that in Other), it can be frustrating to play the level over and over. However, it is indeed passable, although it took me a really long time to figure out that you had to jump over the flipping platform and then back onto the green platform. The level is again, generally solid in its other aspects. Oh, and the music is generally fitting.

GRAPHICS – 4/5

I absolutely love the graphics in your level. Your tiling choices were perfect and your décor was fabulous. One thing, though, that bothered me was the way all those shines looked in the last segment. It’s too sloppy, and is another pitfall of Shine Sprite death challenges.

OTHER – 3.65/5

-0.5 Near the end, it is indeed possible to grab a Shine Sprite and complete the level by landing on various platforms.
-0.1 If you suck like me (or are playing the level for the first time) it’s easy to jump off the first rising platform because it can catch you off guard. It’s still possible to get back up, yes, but this is still a minor problem.
+0.25 I love the graphical effect of the sling star + warp pipe
+0.5 Cool mechanic that works well with the story you presented
+0.5 No loading time or lag

OVERALL – 15.3/20

Again, a generally very solid level by Star King! You said this wasn’t one of your best works and I can tell that you had to change your idea very close to the deadline, but for something that (I believe) you rushed, it came out quite well. So again, the one bugging point for me was that Shine Sprite death challenge that just has too many downfalls for me to consider as a reasonable form of gameplay. Everything else considered, however, it’s amazing to see how easy it is for you to detail a level wonderfully.

Good luck,

-SMIC

The Lost Coal Pit by Bread

12.5/20

I know you wanted to drop out, but you have a level, so even if this isn’t considered I think it’d be helpful if I gave you a review!

Spoiler: show

FUN – 6/10

Unfortunately, I have to agree with what you said in your description and that’s that this level is generally bland. It’s a very simple silver star search, but judging from what I’ve seen regarding the Sky Goddess Temple, it looks like you just didn’t have enough room to do whatever you wanted to do. The platforming was very short-lived and very basic, and I don’t really think there even was a need for those switch-controlled blocks… the same effect could’ve been achieved with a cloud or something. One problem I found is that hitting the flame towers allows you to bypass the (very short) platforming section in the clouds, and you get the silver star regardless. Keep in mind that even though you intend the player to not hit the flame towers, they still get a very high vertical boost when they do. (This is obviously also true for lava) But other than that, the level is generally solid.

GRAPHICS – 3.5/5

The graphics are very solid as well. The actual appearance colour-wise of the tiling and décor you used was appealing, and your use of tiles generally paid off. Décor was visually benefitting and used appropriately. I also liked your use of pipes. To improve, I guess I really would say do more! I think some cool lines with the twirling tree stems would have been appreciated. The reason why I didn’t give you a very high graphics score is because the level felt rather bland to me, especially near the shine sprite region. I enjoyed the objects in between tiles, but there just wasn’t enough surface coverage in my opnion.

OTHER – 3/5

-0.25 The Shine Sprite is hidden underneath another object and it really doesn’t look good
-0.25 I touched on this in Fun but one of the Silver Stars is accessible without the intended platforming
+0.5 No lag or loading time

OVERALL – 12.5/20

Well, most of what I have to say can be found above, but again it looks like you just didn’t have enough room to do what you wanted! Well, I’m looking forward to what you can achieve in an LDC where you actually DO have the room to do what you want.

Until then,

-SMIC

P U L S E by FrozenFire

16/20

Spoiler: show

FUN – 8.25/10

As much as you think I hate you, I don’t hate your levels. This is a very quaint puzzle level, something that I’m fond of. I think you blended platforming with this maze-type level very well, so congratulations on that. Um, I don’t really have much to say with regards to specifics. I still don’t like the fact that the invisibility stars that get you through the cage are used to get the silver star; it almost negates the necessity of having the permanent invisibility star in the first place. However, it works, and it could be argued that that is an aspect of the puzzle itself. Good work, again, though. Oh, and if you’re concerned about the cage bug: it happened to me on my most recent playthrough, and I was able to touch the other invisibility star and rocket FLUDD again, so it works out fine.

GRAPHICS – 4.25/5

Your graphics are very well done. I really liked the cage blocks you used to decorate the place, and everything else fits together nicely. The theme of the level is very well expressed with your tiling and your use of décor brightens the atmosphere of the level. I do think more décor could have been used in the upper level of the level, however, particularly in the Shine Sprite room itself. Your green platforms don’t bother me as much anymore, in case you wondered.

OTHER - 3.5/5

-0.25 The bullet bills are rendered useless due to the invisibility star + the bone platform, which allows you to double jump to the Rocket FLUDD room.
-0.25 I don’t like the fact that you can step on the switch again and reset your progress; forcing the switch at the beginning and making it inaccessible is possible and more polished.
+0.5 The green platforms really did add a “Pulse” effect
+0.5 No lag or loading time

OVERALL – 16/20

So even though the urge to give you 0/20 was so strong, I had to ignore it. I really liked this level, your use of the space provided to make a satisfying little puzzle level was admirable. Just one tip: Plan more! I think this puzzle could’ve been even cooler than it already was (I’m referencing the Invisibility Star you had to use here).

Good luck,

-SMIC

Boolord’s Mini-Quest by SuperShroom

15/20

Spoiler: show

FUN – 7.5/10

Hiya, so I think this timed challenge was executed fairly well. You give players two choices for a shine: a main path and a second challenge. I really liked your idea of having the path change during the second challenge and it really mixed up the platforming and provided a fresh new challenge. Here’s a few things however: Vibrating platforms can screw up platforming sometimes because they throw you in different directions without you meaning for them to. This is not your fault, however vibrating can be minimized by using platforms with lower speeds. Sometimes, it was hard to see certain platforms. The mansion tiles in the first half, for example, are had to see against the incredibly shiny rocks. I would’ve recommended using a tileset that’s easier to see, although I know that you were trying to match the background tiles. Other than that, however, the platforming is fairly generic and a breeze. It’s a solid gameplay.

GRAPHICS – 3.75/5

Although your idea of hiding the switch-controlled blocks was interesting, I don’t think that it graphically paid off. The layered stones just looked too awkward, and sometimes they even served as a hindrance to the gameplay. I think it may have benefitted to use different types of décor, such as vines, to decorate the spaces that the blocks would have left. Your tiling, however, is varied and looks interesting and the use of décor is adequate and adds to the level.

OTHER – 3.75/5

-0.25 I’m not a very big fan of levels that contain elements which, if not executed properly by the player, may make the level impossible. As such the green platform bugged me. However, it is not impossible to complete the level as you can perform a triple jump between the two green platforms that aren’t bridged by the green platform in the western room.
+0.5 Cool mechanic
+0.5 No lag or loading time

OVERALL – 15/20

This is a very solid level indeed. You took a risk with your mechanic, and it both paid off and subtracted from other areas, but again, that’s what risks tend to do. Most of what I wanted to advise is above, so I suppose that’s it!

Good luck,

-SMIC

The Koopa Boy and the Shy Girl by NanTheDark

14.1/20

Spoiler: show

FUN – 6.25/10

Oh man, you took a huge risk here making a story level. Since there’s actually very little platforming (although there are some nice short segments of it) most of your Fun mark has to come from your story. To be honest, there’s just too little room to make a big love story like this work. It needs more details; in its current state it seems like a cliché Romeo and Juliet-type story. But again, you only have 625 squares so I don’t blame you. The short platforming sections there were played well though, but… yeah, there was just too little room to really make this work.

GRAPHICS – 3.85/5

Your graphics, however, are certainly very pleasing. Life is abundant and there is no cut-off. However, you didn’t really vary your filler tiles! (Tiles in between surface tiles) Another thing is that I don’t really think the use of those disable rocks paid off… although I understand your intent, they appear really choppy and can detract from the other colours in your level. Finally, I hoped that you would’ve varied the height of the plants protruding from the ground; it looks to uniform the way it is now.

OTHER – 4/5

+0.5 No lag or loading time
+0.5 Kudos for taking a huge risk here

OVERALL – 14.1/20

So again, the only problem with this level is that I don’t think there was enough space for you to tell the whole story well! In technical terms, however, this level is very well put together. This level seems to be little more than a prologue to a grander series, however.

I can only speculate that you’ll one day make it!

-SMIC

Galifrey Reimagined by Kimonio

12.35/20

Spoiler: show

FUN – 6.35/10

Ah, so you utilized an interesting gimmick in this level, but as you seemed to express I don’t think it was used or executed perfectly. You don’t actually need to go right at all to complete the level; in fact, the entire level can be completed without visiting the right side of the level (except when getting the silver star in the top corner). The platforming is fairly sparse and standard regarding the rest of the level, however, with certain elements like the switch-controlled blocks not really needing to be there. The invisible block section wasn’t really needed, in my opinion, and I had thought that to get across you needed to jump on the bullet bills (which I did). The silver stars are hidden in rather plain sight, and all are straightforwardly easy to get to except for the one in the top right corner. The level can be completed in a very short amount of time, and as such, there isn’t much gameplay to experience.

GRAPHICS – 3/5

The graphics were fairly standard here, no cut-off and good use of slope. The use of many different terrains was interesting, so I guess Galifrey is a cool multi-terrained world. I don’t think there is enough décor, however, and some areas look rather bland. Using more is my primary recommendation.

OTHER – 3/5

-0.25 The platform in the corner that you have to jump down to is not visible, and so the player has absolutely no idea it’s there on a first-time playthrough.
-0.5 Failure to continue holding right while passing through the transition causes the player to die.
+0.25 I give you Kudos for the idea; it just wasn’t executed properly
+0.5 No lag or loading time

OVERALL – 12.35

So yes, I think this level had a few flaws. The gimmick didn’t really serve a purpose in this level, so more or less it seemed like it was just there. That left the rest of the level, which didn’t have very complex platforming or other ideas. However, with a few changes, hopefully this level, or rather this idea can become something much more revolutionary.

Good luck,

-SMIC

Uncharted Grounds by Yurimaster

15/20

Spoiler: show

FUN – 7.75/10

I like this sort of cyclical platforming scheme that you have going on here, where you constantly move in a circle and obtain silver stars that you couldn’t before. The platforming combined with swimming is very fun and simple, which I really like. Unfortunately, I have to disagree with you when it comes to saying this is a “puzzle” level – you simply have to realize there is a switch hidden behind that ♥♥♥♥ of fence and twisting tree stem. When I first played this level I didn’t find this for a long time and so I wondered how it was possible to get up the waterfall with metal Mario. Sure, the koopa shell is an option but I think you intended that for the challenge red coin, not for the main path. So, the fact that the switch was so hidden kind of bothered me, but the rest of the gameplay was very fluid and fun. I liked the extra red coin challenge and the alternate music, as well.

GRAPHICS – 4/5

My opinion might be unpopular, but I think that you used too much decoration in this level. It’s a lot to look at, and most of the details that you put it in aren’t really even noticed by the player. It kind of hinders gameplay as enemies and such can be hidden behind plants. However, this is not to say that it looks terrible. Your use of décor is interesting, unique, and incorporates colour magnificently. Your tiling variation is great and there’s no cut-off. But, again, I just think there was too much tree spam!

OTHER – 3.25/5

-0.5 You can reach the red coin by triple jumping off of the wooden platform to the right, and then spinning.
-0.25 The loading time for a 25x25 level is a little out of hand.
+0.25 No lag
+0.25 I like how there are multiple ways to get the red coin
+0.5 I really liked the koopa shell idea; I’ve never seen it done before

OVERALL – 15/20

Yey. So you made a really nice level, there were just a few things in terms of gameplay that could’ve been tweaked. However, most of what I wanted to say was said above. I think you know what your plan is for the 30th LDC is anyway.

Until then,

-SMIC

Form by MessengerOfDreams

16/20

Spoiler: show

FUN – 7.5/10

Hey MoD, wow this is a really interesting concept! Unfortunately, however, in my opinion I think it could’ve been executed a little better. The platforming in this level tended to be a little frustrating at times and the lack of healing made this level harder than it needed to be, I think. I had really only one main issue, and that was that the flame towers are relatively unmarked. I was surprised quite a few times by flames popping out when I tried to grab some silver stars, particularly at the star in the top-mid-right that has a flame cannon going off directly over it. A minor problem I have is that shaking blocks can be difficult to platform on; the more violently they shake the harder it is. This shaking can be minimized by using smaller speeds on the blocks. But again, this isn’t your fault, so it was only a minor concern of mine. But yeah, the platforming felt a little awkward to me in certain places, almost like it was forced rather than fluid. Regardless, this idea is very interesting and the level was indeed enjoyable.

GRAPHICS – 4.25/5

I still see, however, that you are king of graphics. The level is very pleasant to look at, although admittedly the flame towers looks a little out of place in parts. I love the central tower blanketed by two jungle tileset constructions, which contain zero cut-off and a lot of slope. I think you could’ve used more décor in some parts, such as on the extreme left and right areas of the level, however the existing décor adds a very nice graphical effect to the level.

OTHER – 4.25/5

-0.25 There’s a block that can squish you on its way to take its form. Minor, but still undesirable.
+0.5 No lag or loading time
+1 Brilliant idea. Thank you for giving me some LDC ideas

OVERALL – 16/20

Although still a fledgling, I think this is an amazing idea that can lead to a lot of interesting puzzles and gameplay mechanics. The idea of accessing something that you couldn’t access before as the level takes form also implies you can use blocks to stop players from accessing areas they previously had access to. This level was a little rough around the edges, but I’m very impressed by the idea behind it.

Good job,

-SMIC

Galactic Jewl Rush by Jumbo101

14/20

Spoiler: show

FUN – 7/10

This is a short, nice 100-coin level. I don’t really have much to say about it; the platforming was fluid and very standard and all of the red coins were easy to get and easy to access. You had to go up using the sling star/green platforms a few times to get the red coins below and I liked that. The level is fairly straightforward and easy to understand. So, uh, yeah a great example of how simplicity can be best.

GRAPHICS – 4/5

Wow, your graphics are very clean and polished. Your use of décor really brightens up the feel of the level and for some reason Gusty Garden Galaxy music makes everything play, sound, and look epic. You varied your use of tiles and there’s no cut-off, and you used background tiles well near the sling star area. One thing to take note of is to try and vary your filler tiles. These are the tiles that go in between surfaces. For grasslands, you’ll notice that there are three types of filler tiles. You should try using all of them so everything doesn’t look the same! Another thing is that the red coins that were placed on top of the grass landform near the top of the screen are placed very sloppily. I think you know how to use grid-item placement, by holding down the control key, so make sure everything looks neat, especially when it comes to coins!

OTHER – 3/5

-0.25 A problem with 100 coin challenges is that it makes enemies almost useless because you can constantly heal. Still, this is a minor problem that’s not your fault.
-0.25 Another problem is that red coin challenges can cause audio problems when you collect too many coins at once. Again, this is not 100% your fault but it’s noticeable.
+0.5 No lag or loading time.

OVERALL – 14/20

Nice level! It was a really simple level that was constructed well. 100-red coin challenges are fairly common but it’s undeniable that they are quite fun. However, if you really want to reach for those high scores it’s encouraged that you try to do things that no one’s ever done before. There are an infinite number of new ideas and gimmicks waiting to be discovered, so go explore in the level designer and find one for yourself.

Good luck,

-SMIC

Star Factory by KABOOM

17.25/20

Spoiler: show

FUN – 9.25/10

Wow, I absolutely love this level. The fact that you managed to fit so much gameplay into 625 squares amazes me, and the fact that it is incredibly well done gameplay. I’ll admit, my first few run-throughs of this level were frustrating because I couldn’t figure out the timing on the flametowers nor the moving blocks and flipping platforms, but once I figured out that you have to move very fast it became easy to clear sections multiple times. I absolutely love that you have to be fast paced in order to get through many of the obstacles you present; it’s incredibly fun and it makes you feel badass. You offer a perfect amount of healing to be lenient enough to the players and to keep the level difficult enough, and you chose the perfect number of silver stars to put in your level. If you die during the level, it’s not too big a deal as each star takes about the same time to get and there are only three of them. Wow, I have so many good things to say about this level but I think I’ve made my point. This is a very fun level. (And the alternate music fits perfectly!)

GRAPHICS – 4.25/5

As this is a factory, the lack of décor makes sense. However, what the décor lacks, the tiling makes up for. Although simple, you use a varying amount of tilesets that look great together, and the column of quick fire towers looks super cool and is a great decoration. I also love the disabled goonies and extra additions, such as the koopa shell. Still, I would encourage some more décor. (Twisty tree lines?)

OTHER – 3.75/5

-0.75 You have to be very careful about blocks that squish you. They can squish you through floors and into places you don’t want people to get to. Moving blocks that squish must always create a half-block space to squish you with; this will work perfectly.
+0.5 No lag or loading time
+1 Incredible and masterful use of flametowers in this level

OVERALL – 17.25/20

This level is very close to being perfect; there are just a few things that hold it back. The most notable thing is the squishing moving blocks. Fine-tuning moving blocks is always a must if they’re squishing you. A half-block is the magical distance! But other than that, I am very impressed with the skill you have shown in this level. This level will do very well in this LDC.

A pleasure to play,

-SMIC

Sky Deck by Megar

12.25/20

Spoiler: show

FUN – 6.5/10

gotta go faster faster faster faster. Sanic jokes aside, yeah it was a really short level. It played very cleanly; however, there were some flaws that it carried. Some silver stars could be reached by jumping from other silver star locations and in general it felt too easy. So, yeah, there’s not much I can really say or critique on other than try to add more gameplay.

GRAPHICS – 3/5

The graphics look very clean, and the level is set on a sky deck after all. However, décor really is needed and some more tile variation would help boost your graphics score. Again, there’s not much to critique on here. All I can say is that it looks average, which is neither bad nor good.

OTHER – 2.75/5

-0.25 You can spin from the platform above to get the silver star in the bottom right corner.
-0.5 Jumping from the top silver star to the left lets you get the other one, negating the koopa jumping part.
+0.5 No lag or loading time

OVERALL – 12.25/20

Again, this was just a really solid and average level. I think that you wanted to spend more time on this level, but well sometimes we don’t have all the time in the world. I’m sad I can’t really give you any tips to improve, however, because it definitely appears like I’m not seeing your best!

Good luck,

-SMIC

Starlight Lament by Venexis

17/20

Spoiler: show

FUN – 8.5/10

i always thought that rosalina was mario’s mom??????? Yeah I haven’t played SMG. More seriously, though, I love this song, and it perfectly blends in with the atmosphere of this level. I didn’t think a story could be executed properly in 625 squares, but you have managed to prove me wrong Ven. You perfectly mixed platforming to get the silver stars with the story along the way, and I can tell you for certain that the effect paid off. I love that it was easy to tell the silver stars from their disabled counterparts, and that hidden platform was very sneaky indeed. But yeah, although at a glance it seems short, the platforming is actually complex and it definitely has substance and fluidity. Again, a round of applause to you for managing to pull this off. This feels like a prologue and I’m dying to know the rest! Ahhhhh!

GRAPHICS – 4.5/5

Beautiful and stunning are two words that come to my mind when hypothetically asked to describe the look of your level. You used the perfect amount of décor, your tiling was on point and everything looks so polished and neat. It’s not too crowded and you get these really nice, sentimental feeling when playing this with the music. The grave is particularly well done.

OTHER – 4/5

-0.5 The snowy platform underneath one of the silver stars is hidden from view. You have to take a leap of faith in order to get it, and I don’t quite like that. I spent a little while looking for another hidden platform or a way to get it.
+0.25 I absolutely love the place you land when getting the shine… so precise and perfect.
+0.25 The grave gets kudos here for creativity
+0.5 No lag or loading time
+0.5 Beautifully executed story

17/20

This, again, is an incredibly well-executed and polished level. The amount of skill and experience behind the designer is so evident in this level. Everything that I really wanted to touch on was mentioned above, and all I can say is that I hope there’s more to this story.

Congratulations,

-SMIC

Powerup Complete by Doram

14.5/20

Spoiler: show

FUN – 7.75/10

I have to agree with you Doram, sadly this level does feel a little cramped. Based on the idea you were trying to pull off, I can empathize with you in the fact that you had a lot that you needed to do but very little room to execute the idea. And I like your idea, it’s been done before, but never in 625 squares, so I really like it. The wing cap challenge continues to tear me in two pieces, however. Although I’ve never seen it before, I just cannot figure it out. It takes me many, many tries on an average playthrough to be able to make it over the cliff (I guess you can call it that) and it’s usually due to luck. I don’t know if you’re supposed to triple jump in a certain way but I can’t figure it out. However, it is at the beginning of the level so at least you get the frustration done first. The rest of the level is relatively straightforward. You included a Turbo FLUDD and Rocket FLUDD section, and I’m wondering whether or not it would’ve been better to sacrifice that space for additional Power Cap challenge space. Either way, the rest of the level plays easily but seems slightly choppy; as if the parts have been sewn together. Nonetheless, however, this level is rather enjoyable.

GRAPHICS – 3.5/5

I often say this and it’s true, but the cave tileset contains the most slope variance out of any other tileset in the game. So I congratulate you on your usage of it; there is no cut-off and there is slope aplenty. However, I think there still could’ve been more décor, particularly at the very top. There are many areas of the level which appear bland. Also, varying tilesets in the lava area could look more graphically appealing as well.

OTHER – 3.25/5

-0.25 If you fail to get the silver star before passing through the cage and touching an invincibility star, the level becomes impossible.
-0.25 I’m confused as to why you use both a silver star and a red coin; it looks a little messy
+0.25 I commend you for trying to pull this idea off.
+0.5 No lag or loading time

OVERALL – 14.5/20

Hey, so a pretty decent score! So again, most of what I wished to be improved was mentioned above. I’m glad to see that you took a risk in this LDC, especially with so little space. Well, there’s nothing much else to say!

Good luck,

-SMIC

Archetypal Environs by emmmkaayyy

14.5/20

Spoiler: show

FUN – 7.25/10

This is a very short but sweet level. You talked about how levels should best fit the capabilities of SM63, and I think you really showed that in this level. The gameplay is very smooth and easy to understand and the platforming flows very well. However, I still feel as if it’s a very basic pure platformer with nothing much else to it. The most difficult red coin to get, in my opinion, is the one that requires you to jump on the bullet bill. In order to score more points in this category, I think you should look into trying out other platforming gimmicks/ideas that work well within SM63.

GRAPHICS – 3.75/5

As the title suggests, this level uses a variety of different terrains to construct itself. Again, however, it still looks quite basic. There are a few things that could improve the looks of this level, including more décor as well as more tile variation when you’re using bricks. Another thing to take note of is that you should try to vary your “filler” tiles, or the tiles that go in between surface tiles. This helps make things look a little more unique and different. One thing I have to complain about, however, is the water and sand area in the top right hand corner. The water cuts off so abruptly, and it doesn’t look very good. I think adding extra tiling at the base of the water block is the only way to fix this.

OTHER – 3.5/5

+0.5 No lag or loading time

OVERALL – 14.5/20

A very decent level, especially considering it was made in one hour. Everything that I really wanted to say I mentioned above, so… yeah.

Good luck,

-SMIC

[*Emelia K. Fletcher]

BONUS CONTENT: look at Moy and MK be an adorable couple in the judges' spreadsheet



and here's my judgings

Spoiler: show

NOTES: I judge by Graphics. It means nothing; Graphics and Scenery are practically synonymous. If you take issue with a judging, please make a post, and be civil about it.

Nwolf – Everything Moves!
Gameplay: 4/10
One star near the bottom requires timing paramount to pure luck, or to simply take damage and bounce back up. The top-left star requires timing paramount to pure luck. It is extremely hard to not die after collecting the bottom-left star. As a whole, the level requires timing paramount to pure luck. I did not, and probably could not finish this level.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure you can tell at this point that I don't think it was exactly the most tightly designed gauntlet. The points I have given are because you didn't completely mindlessly place objects, it looks coherent enough and movement can flow between sections, and I found the pendulum star's placement honestly the Fairest Of Them All – an example of something risky, but entirely possible.
Graphics: 2/5
For what you've done (a more fire-based level), it looks alright. Not much décor would've worked here. I still have to deduct points for the relative plainness and chaotic layout of obstacles with no exact link between each one.
Miscellaneous: 3.5/5
+0.5: Shinmyoumaru is a fitting choice for a music theme, yes
OVERALL: 9.5/20

~MP3 Amplifier~ – Trapped
Gameplay: 5.5/10
I was okay with the forced damage in earlier parts, since I assumed it was necessary (even though it seems like it wasn't). The Bill tower was inventive. The invisibility cap section felt like I cheated by using the flamethrowers to hop up directly (an oversight?). The bloss section felt like I'd been doing something wrong, since I got squashed multiple times, and watching from the LD, there is an extremely narrow timing window for falling through before they go out of sync and you are forced to wait again.
The final section – the invisibility maze – was horrendous. “Helpful push” meant that the first block eventually killed me by going just low enough, and the second sorta just moved me around a little. Watching from the LD again, as far as I can tell, the entire maze was concocted of things happening that you wouldn't know to make happen.
Please, try and look at your level from the standpoint of a player who knows nothing. Get someone who knows nothing to look at your level. Buggy, artificial difficulty was abound here, and it's a shame, because with just a few tweaks, this level could've been so much more great.
Graphics: 4.75/5
It's a gorgeous exercise in making a cave seem lush, though. The points I do deduct are due to the chaos of the final section, and the relative bareness of the pick-a-straw cave.
Miscellaneous: 3/5
OVERALL: 13.25/20

Star king – shutdown.
Gameplay: 7/10
I want to give this a really high score, so badly, but despite the genius of the loop system's execution, and despite the fact the platforming was tight and still allowed for failure, the final loop really messed things up for me. The superfluous Shines throw off the player with their noisiness, and touching one meaning instant failure in the guise of a success really compounds the problem. I get the whole point, I just feel that it was either poorly planned out or just a really unfair jump in difficulty.
Graphics: 4.5/5
Goddamn does the reactor look amazing, though. Plant foliage doesn't exactly make sense, and the whole presence of the reactor without distinguishing between it and the level space meant I thought it had some gameplay function, but otherwise, it's sweet. Huge props for making the water look good, and I like the slingstar around the pipe. (Sweet intro text.)
Miscellaneous: 3.5/5
+0.5: good fitting music yes
OVERALL: 15/20

Karyete – The Lost Coal Pit
Gameplay: 7.5/10
Simplistic, perhaps easy, yes, but loose enough that the player can navigate and still feel some sense of accomplishment. I commend you. It just could've been that bit more, though – the area you take up with blocks feels like there's something that was meant to be there, so you absolutely had space as a premium.
Graphics: 2.5/5
Plain. A little ugly in terms of how the unused area is portrayed in overwhelming size. Okay otherwise.
Miscellaneous: 3/5
OVERALL: 13/20

FrozenFire – P U L S E
Gameplay: 8.5/10
A puzzle level! One thought out, carefully planned. I commend you. Issues I could find were that the timed invisibility stars in front of the gate are unnecessary, and throw the player off by either confusing them or making them think they're there to wear the powerup off (which they technically are, but the timed element is unnecessary nonetheless). I should also note that the pipe gate thing threw me off, because it appears as though with an invisibility star you can ground-pound it, which I spent quite a while trying. These two flaws aside, the level is tightly designed, and deserves praise.
Graphics: 3.5/5
They're a little bare, yes, and the chambers aren't quite articulated enough to really make clear where things are at first glance since the foreground/background palettes are quite close, but you've done a good job making it look appealing nonetheless. (Some gates blended into the walls all too well, and it took me one pass to find the dropdown into the chamber leading to the Bills.)
Miscellaneous: 3.25/5
+0.25: Beautiful, decently fitting music.
OVERALL: 15.25/20

Supershroom – Boolord's Mini-Quest
Gameplay: 8.5/10
It's a well-designed speedrun challenge, with an interesting dualism mechanic, and the only letdown I felt this level had were the fact that the sudden shift from solid to non-solid really required the player to discern what was now the new course. The intro text was necessary to have the level make sense, so I count it as a part of gameplay, and I feel like it could've been more clearly written than paragraphs to communicate what was going on in the level, and it still suffered a disconnect from the level itself by virtue of being outside the level itself. It's just a minor flaw I found interesting to cover, though, and otherwise this level is sweet.
Graphics: 3.5/5
The décor looks solid for the Normal shine, but for the Challenge shine, there's confusion between foreground/background present whenever you use mansion tiles, and the Challenge making many elements non-solid which otherwise are apparently solid makes the player second-guess themselves, which in a time-sensitive environment leads to frustration. It's a sadly unavoidable issue, but it's fine otherwise.
Miscellaneous: 3.5/5
+0.5: Very fitting music, indeed.
OVERALL: 15.5/20


NanTheDark – The Koopa Boy and the Shy Girl
Gameplay: 5.9/10
It was fairly plain, decently designed with some thought, and is a serviceable level (even though the main drawback of 25x25 is that linear levels do not last very long). My main issue is with the story, which honestly just feels like something placed on the side, with no real intrigue or drive to integrate itself into the level. Typical Romeo/Juliet fare, played completely straight despite the inherent non-serious nature of the characters (which is to say, they are Mario enemies), leaving it quite unsubstantial and with no real reason to be there.
Graphics: 4.25/5
Beautifully decorated; I just feel like it's a little repetitive and the giant stone-block arches don't seem to meld too well in some places.
Miscellaneous: 2.9/5
-0.1: The music is very well composed. The music is also horrendously made, and it's played like someone's attacking a musical instrument with a blunt instrument.
OVERALL: 13.05/20

SuperMIC – Great Leaf Galaxy
Gameplay: 5/10
I have made efforts to try and enjoy the level; perhaps persevere enough to complete the level, but beneath the varieties of platforming on offer, I feel like a cardinal sin was committed: this level predicates itself on trial and error to figure out in which order to activate the lodestones, yet the level designer themselves would be the LEAST suitable for testing such a mechanic, since it is physically impossible as they already know how to clear it, and likely do it in the exact order it should be done in – whereas for a player who picks up the level, and is told to clear four miniature gauntlets of admittedly quite demanding platforming, in a time-sensitive context, without knowing whether what they're doing is worth doing, they are not going to have a fun time.
Graphics: 4.75/5
Let it not go unsaid that this level is beautiful, however, and that the points I do deduct are because the level itself is very busy and can give a player moments of ambiguity.
Miscellaneous: 3.5/5
+0.5: Gusty Garden is a good choice
OVERALL: 13.25/20

Kimonio – Galifrey Reimagined
Gameplay: 6.8/10
Pretty decent all-rounder, although the relative ease of the open platforming clashes with the small space given, some of the level can be made redundant with well-timed jumps, and the superfast Bills are an annoyance and have no discernible purpose (apart from aiding that one jump near the bottom, I think?). Nothing particularly bad, but nothing to really write home about.
Graphics: 3/5
Plain, but serviceable. Some cutoff present. Some stars placed too near the edge of the level for comfort.
Miscellaneous: 3/5
+0: The Doctor still isn't Matt Smith any more, no matter how much you hope.
OVERALL: 12.8/20

Yurimaster – Uncharted Grounds
Gameplay: 6/10
The cyclical design was interesting, and the Star collection well designed – I just feel like the method of getting the Red Coin all-too-much relied upon stumbling across the mechanism that allows you to find it. And the lag. Lag is still not welcome.
Graphics: 1/5
It's a mess – a crowded, laggy, noisy, undecipherable mess. I see only the faintest aesthetic appeal in what you did, and throughout my playing this level, I was constantly remarking on how utterly nonsensical it all was.
Miscellaneous: 3/5
OVERALL: 10/20

MessengerOfDreams – Form
Gameplay: 7.8/10
In terms of gameplay, it confuses at first glance, but it doesn't require too much effort to figure out, except for reaching the Shine at all (jumping through the top of invisibility meshes still doesn't quite play nice). The flamethrowers are quite a pervasive threat that can be easily skipped through if one is willing to take damage, and it took me a few tries before I had any semblance of an idea how the collision on this level worked, but otherwise, it's solid in design.
Graphics: 4.25/5
A masterful workaround of the size limit in a 25x25 level, and the points I do deduct are simply because the central tower is a mishmash of “is this solid? Is this not solid? Where do I go?” that downright confuses the player. (Flamethrowers are an odd choice in a grass-themed level.)
Miscellaneous: 3/5
OVERALL: 15.05/20

Jumbo101 – Galactic Jewl Rush [sic.]
Gameplay: 4.5/10
The level design is otherwise fine, but I have two main flaws to pick out – first, that the level has 100 coins for the sake of it, foregoing any actual challenge since all are easily accessible, and secondly, the horrendous noise of cumulative red coin collection. Did you not test this level? Did you not realise that this level actively makes the player scared of collecting coins? What would otherwise be a fleeting but somewhat enjoyable experience becomes “please don't touch them all please don't touch them all please don't touch them all please don't touch them all please don't touch them all”
Graphics: 4.5/5
Props where it's due; at least the coin arrangements look decent, and despite some cluttering up above and some relative plainness below, you've pulled off an aesthetically pleasing look.
Miscellaneous: 3/5
OVERALL: 12/20

KABOOM – Star Factory
Gameplay: 6.5/10
Honestly? Bit of a mess. SM63 is not a precision engine, and while I am perfectly aware that everyone else's judgings place your level near the top, I'm not feeling it myself. Your ideas are nice and I like the whole “industrialism is a monster” theme that World of Goo itself evoked, but risk of being squashed repeatedly, or killed by a flamethrower you can't even see because being burnt freezes the camera, or by one you were shoved into, or by one you just got hit with because you can't see any reason to the timing? I couldn't even find a path to the bottom-left Star until I looked in the LD, because the switch is not obvious and neither is the Metal Cap.
Graphics: 3.75/5
Bleak, grey, wonderful at conveying exactly its setting, and that is the downfall – some parts are confusing to look at and discern meaning from because it's all going too fast (i.e. Metal Cap ascent, path towards bird-skull room), and some parts are not obviously openings instead of walls because they blend too easily with everything else. Still an accomplishment.
Miscellaneous: 3.75/5
+0.75: because Kyle Gabler's music is a monster at atmosphere and you have a wonderful idea applying his work to this level
OVERALL: 14/20

Megar – Sky Deck
Gameplay: 4/10
You are as aware as I am that this level is somewhat plain and doesn't offer much. This is fine. We can now agree this score is justified for a middling level.
Graphics: 2/5
You are as aware as I am that this level is somewhat plain and doesn't offer much. This is fine. We can now agree this score is justified for a middling level.
Miscellaneous: 3/5
+0: You are as aware as I am that this level is somewhat plain and doesn't offer much. This is fine. We can now agree this score is justified for a middling level. (The music is okay, but doesn't fit that well.)
OVERALL: 9/20

Venexis – Starlight Lament
Gameplay: 9/10
You ♥♥♥♥.
You've executed everything so that it works, and it's effective, bright, requires conscious thought, and actually becomes touching. The one point off comes from the potentially immersion-breaking elements, such as lava, clipping the edge of the ceiling on the moving platform, and getting squashed just by walking against something. The Silver Star at the bottom I assumed to be something you had to get with a cap, not by just walking off and hoping there's a platform. However, the entire experience far outweighs these by virtue of being so enveloping.
Graphics: 4.9/5
I can't properly fault it at all. Everything non-gameplay works to a T, the decoration and scene-building works to a T, and I read the goddamn gravestone. I'm deducting that single tenth because the disabled Silver Stars threw me off, but once again – things can outweigh other things.
Miscellaneous: 4/5
+1: I swear to ♥♥♥♥ god Family
OVERALL: 17.9/20

Doram – Powerup Complete
Gameplay: 4.5/10
It's decent, and the concept is played straight well enough, but there's not much substance to it – there's no real difficulty; the level just asks of you to perform a few simple tasks. The hover FLUDD isn't even really necessary.
Graphics: 2/5
There's nothing, really. Points given are for avoidance of cutoff and effort into terrain being like a cave, but as it stands you've just essentially given terrain and then a bare bit more.
Miscellaneous: 3/5
OVERALL: 9.5/20

[MessengerOfDreams]

also known as watch mod also be a ♥♥♥♥

also <3 my concept being respected cause that's what I cared about most <3

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wha ... sp=sharing jidgings

DoramEDIT: Have we learned nothing with past LDCs having broken links? If we want it to last, put it in the post:

Copy of "jidjings": show

MP3 Amplifier

Fun: 6.75/10

Good in theory. You had a lot of smart ideas. However… in a 25quared level it’s just begging for madcap confusion and tight jumps that make this level a pain in the prick. If things weren’t hard to see they were hard to access or harder to understand. A for effort, C- for execution.

Graphics: 4.5/5

In some areas too messy (the blocks, the cramped areas/abrupt change in styles), sometimes a little monotone, but structurally superb and pleasant to see.

Other: 2.75/5
+.75 for really great construction on mini blosses, straws, fire towers, etc etc.
-.25 because the blosses can squish you into the invisible room and you got jack ♥♥♥♥ of a clue what to do.
-.25 because your power meter can block things on the top if you’ve been at all damaged.
-.5 for multiple areas where I don’t even think it’s possible to hop into.

Overall: 14/20

I get what you were going for, but it didn’t work at all.

---

Emelia Kaylee

Fun: 8.25/10

While your flow wasn’t as great as your (criminally robbed) 3rd 25quared LDC entrant, I did enjoy this level because it brought forth some simple yet effective gameplay. Everything rolled pretty clean. It didn’t have many standout ideas as many 25quared LDC levels are open to showcase, and the gameplay wasn’t perfectly smooth- the direction was pretty unclear and made it feel disorganized- but it was a fun play nonetheless, with snazzy platforming.

Graphics: 4.5/5

Pretty graphics for the most part, simple tiling and decoration working well with a pretty decent mixture of themes. All I’d really say is that the desert tile just cannot work in the way you wanted it to. The water looks cutoff enough as it is and the desert tile doesn’t have underbelly tiles like most other sets. It was just gonna look awkward no matter how you tried it, so I’d have just tried to switch the desert with a set that could have worked better, whether the desert goes somewhere else or takes a hike.

Other: 3/5

-.25: The rotating platforms at the bullet station made it hard to get down or up there, in a way that didn’t feel like an intentional challenge.

+.25: The bullet/penguin section was actually pretty clever.

Total: 15.75/20

We’re off to a great start. Not revolutionary, but a fun play.

---

SuperMIC

Fun: 8.5/10

A pretty clever little jaunt held back by airtight awkward platforming in some areas, but one that utilized cool ideas.

Graphics: 4.5/5

Felt a little mishmashy in the tile scheme in a cluttered way, but structurally sound and creative looking.

Other: 3/5
-.5 those ♥♥♥♥ ♥♥♥♥♥ ♥♥♥♥ skull ♥♥♥♥ ♥♥♥♥ blocks in the lefthand grass side are literally impossible to use. I’ve tried. For five ♥♥♥♥ minutes. Send me video of you completing it. Lordy lord lawd.
+.5 for good music.

Overall: 16/20

Needs some platforming work because you fell into the 25quared trap of cramming too much into too little, but I still enjoyed it.

---

Doram

Fun: 8.75/10

Very well done. I liked the way each powerup connected to each other perfectly in both a puzzle and platformer way, although some of the backtracking did feel weird and odd. Short levels don’t necessarily require a lot of backtracking to be fun; it just feels like artificial difficulty.

Graphics: 4/5

Felt a little bland to me. The cave tile is useful for making maneuverable places in tight spaces, but if you don’t decorate it well enough it feels joyless and bland. Ultimately, the tiles are quite well-constructed, so it still earns a 4.

Other: 3.5/5
+.5 for pretty masterful powerup construction overall.
+.25 for clever backup plan with both a red coin and silver star. Since the game can be glitchy, very smart to have.
-.25 However…I fail to see the purpose of the Hover FLUDD.

Overall: 16.25/20

Clever level that didn’t feel gimmicky and is mostly held back by some graphical disappointments.

---

Jumbo101

Fun: 8/10

The 100 coins gimmick could have been done better- it’s essentially hunting for coins only there’s 100 of them. I get the galaxy reference, but weren’t 100 coin missions timed? That’s what made it a challenge. If you could have used a switch block to make that happen, it’d have been unique, but instead it was a relatively fun red coin level. Great platforming, though.

Graphics: 4.5/5

It verged into overkill with all the plants coming from the ceiling, but great blend of green/brown colors that worked very well for it.

Other: 3.25/5
+.5 for good Galaxy music. Gusty Garden usually works well.
-.25 for so much ear splittage with the red coins, only taken away because this level would have been the same for eight or eight hundred red coins.

Total: 15.75/20

Had more potential than came from it, but not a bad level.

---

Venexis

Fun: 9/10

♥♥♥♥ you for a number of reasons.

For making me tear up, that’s my job ♥♥♥♥, and you know that.
For doing what I tried doing for the 2nd 25quared LDC with Yours Truly only not sucking at it.
For ♥♥♥♥ ruling.

It’s not much for platforming but it doesn’t need to be. You did what you wanted to do well. It got confusing after a bit playwise but other than that, aces.

Graphics: 5/5

Pretty ♥♥♥♥ flawless and amazing at capturing the Galaxy mood.

Other: 3.5/5

+.5, yeah the music is as easy a bet as you get for this but it really does fit.
+.5 for writing really, really well.
-.25 for confusing the ♥♥♥♥ out of me with the silver stars. Sure, some shined brighter than others which eventually was how I figured it out but still, that tipped me off none.
-.25 for squishing me in her grave, where I also died. Was that the point? Some meta-joke?

Overall: 17.5/20

A fantastic little morsel.

---

Nwolf

Fun: 6/10

It felt really… generic. Like, some platforms, some stars, some minor tricks, but all of them very middle of the road. The platforming was decent but I wouldn’t play this again. It felt like something you’d put on the portal, mostly because it’s just basic items used in basic ways, basically. Nothing standout about it.

Graphics: 3.5/5

No platforms means you can’t do much for decorations but I do like the background structure to it, but it also felt lacking. Structurally sound, pretty interesting, but ultimately, again, generic.

Other: 3.25/5

+.5 for good music.
-.25 for ♥♥♥♥ up right flame tower making the bottom only half-deadly.

Overall: 12.75/20

Since when did I become the mean judge? Like… maybe I need to check my meds. But this was very generic. It’s a decent portal level but a pretty mediocre contest entrant. I think it boils down to the concept- there’s not much you can do with it, and it automatically means you’re restricted to only certain decor and items. I’d honestly have tried something else.

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Star king

Fun: 7.5/10

The idea’s better than the execution, but the execution isn’t unforgivable by any means. I like the idea of doing the same thing three times to get to the end, and it was pretty cleverly structured albeit short even by 25quared standards. The platforming is overall pretty basic and isn’t super lifted by the cool concept- you could have done more with it. Plus, the shine sprite section is just bollocks hard, like not fun hard but like trying to play Twister in a twister precise jumping.

Graphics: 4.5/5

It’s really hard to make plants out of the nowhere look good, but overall fantastic structure and some impressive background elements with the pipes/sling stars/flame towers/etc etc. However, that’s kinda undercut by shine sprites being littered worse than a first day designer making a level blindfolded. That’s soooo not professional, when you’re like the best designer ever.

Other: 3.75/5
+.25 Decent if not remarkable alternate music. It was cool but didn’t match the speed of things.
+.5 for pretty great structural elements with the platforms/seals/etc.

Overall: 15.75/20

Not perfect but still a neat concept.

---

Karyete

Fun: 8.25/10

Nothing super extraordinary, but very solid overall with the platforming and what have you. No major flaws even if nothing blew my mind. It was a quick, solid play. I liked what you did with the flame towers and the silver star hunts. I’m impressed that despite limited space usage you still made it feel like a fun challenge.

Graphics: 5/5

Major props to you for making 25x25 not feel at all cramped. That’s hard to do. You managed to be sparing with the space used for gameplay to make it feel open. The decorations manage to take one color and NOT be monotonous because of the usage of decorations that’s in a perfectly balanced way. The pipes are especially well done. ♥♥♥♥ it, 5 for you.

Other: 3.25/5
+.25 is it just me or is it ♥♥♥♥’ RARE to see flame towers so beautifully synched?

Overall: 16.5/20

Gameplay isn’t mindblowing, but you made the space work for a solid level.

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FrozenFire

Fun: 9.25/10

Were some jumps pretty obnoxious? Yeah, you could have made it a little less cramped and tested some jumps better especially around the bullets. However, this is a smart puzzle level. Omniquet lite. It doesn’t drive me nuts, but you have to work to find the path, be ballsy at some points and cautious in others, and play things right to get the silver star and the shine sprite. Well done.

Graphics: 5/5

♥♥♥♥’ ace. I love how effortlessly you blended the tiles into moving blocks shaped like tiles. Great color scheme, perfect, precise structure. Beautiful.

Other: 3/5
+.5 for music
-.5 because every time I jumped I hit a ♥♥♥♥’ enemy I swear to God
-.25 because you can squish to death when trying to go over to the pipe unknowingly. If that’s supposed to kill you that’s still obnoxious to have an insta-kill out of nowhere.
-.25 because a reverse-pipe out of the shine area is dickish not to provide.
+.5 for making the coins/1ups require extra effort in puzzle solving, not just harder platforming.

Overall: 17.25/20

My favorite so far, awesome work!

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Supershroom

Fun: 8.5/10

♥♥♥♥ ace idea, and overall pretty good execution. I still think that the level feels like you again overestimated people’s ability to platform as the time allotted and the jumping you had to do combined was pretty absurd, but it didn’t kill my enjoyment of the level. Good progress.

Graphics: 4.5/5

It’s hard to make all those disabled stones look good, but you did your best. Still kind of a mess. The building itself is both well constructed and fits your style, which is always good for a seasoned designer to have.

Other: 3.5/5
+1 for the sheer amount of effort put into everything. The recreation and two path abilities are actually done really well.
-.25: The fact that the checkpoint is at the top, where I can barely reach without the switch, doesn’t really help me in the slightest.
-.25 for that green platform in room two that’s spaced far out and hard to score a triple jump on for platform related bugginess.

Overall: 16.5/20

Impressive concept, still not perfect, but it shows progress. The platforming is still occasionally weak, so others might notice it more than me.

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NanTheDark

Fun: 7.75/10

I like the way you incorporated the story and the gameplay together in such a tiny level, but I think the story you tackled was either waaay too large for a 25quared LDC, or feels too much like a pretty cool prologue to stand on its own. Compare to Venexis, who told one small story really thoroughly, instead of you telling one large story barebones. Regardless, I liked a lot what you were going for, and the gameplay was decent if not standout, so this is where you end up.

Graphics: 4.75/5

You did some top tier stage construction here: that is, you made the story’s setting work really well, and it was easily the strongest element. Great decor, great structure, nice little windaround path that worked for it. The backing blocks did feel a little messy, though, but I still liked it.

Other: 3.5/5
+.5 for great music.

Overall: 16/20

A little too lofty for what you allotted it, but add a series to go with it, I’m on board.

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Kimonio

Fun: 7/10
I feel like the entirety of the level hinged on one concept, and since the concept worked and didn’t work intermittenly, it had to be held up by some decent but unremarkable platforming. Still, great effort.

Graphics: 4.25/5

The trees in the clouds felt cluttered, there was some mild cutoff in the snow, and things were pretty plain, but I liked the general design scheme.

Other: 3.5/5
+.5 essentially for using the rotating transition thing in a way no one’s used it when it really could be used for amazing things. It did come out spotty- you can go into the transition some places and end up not where you need to be- but I still admire you for using it.

Overall: 14.75/20

It didn’t work as well as it could have but hopefully this kickstarts more usage of this.

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Yurimaster

Fun: 8/10

It also fell victim to ♥♥♥♥ gameplay, but the puzzle element was pretty smart and creative. Things could have been clearer in some areas, however. Things were either hard to see, near impossible to figure out, or just not set up well at all. I can’t tell where I ♥♥♥♥ up and where you did. Otherwise, I enjoyed it.

Graphics: 4.5/5

It’s amazing… but I almost feel it’s a little TOO much decoration. It doesn’t feel as authentic with that much. Too mishmashy. Otherwise, it’d be 5.25/5 as usual with like half the decoration. It just doesn’t work that overdone.

Other: 2.75/5
-.5 I am certain there’s a point where you cannot jump high enough to hit the log on the second corridor using the metal and invisible star. I had to actually insert a platform there and redo the level.
+.5 for smart red coin plot.
+.5 for some good music.
-.5 Yuri how the ♥♥♥♥ does this level have lag and loading time
-.25 I had to be told by SuperMIC that there was a switch in this level, uhm what

Overall: 15.25/20

A little overstuffed, but overall fun.

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KABOOM goes the dynamite.

Fun: 9.5/10

While the layout did confuse me in some areas as far as which way to go, this level is overall pretty ingenious. Great, varied challenges that kept to a theme but never felt too cramped or repetitive, and overall top notch. It’s hard to make a 25quared level that doesn’t waste space or feel crowded, even harder to make one that feels like a normal level, but here you go.

Graphics: 4.5/5

Most of the time the monotonous color actually worked but it did get a little boring. Worse even, the graphics being similar colors made it hard to tell where to go at some points. Otherwise, solid construction.

Other: 3.5/5
+.5 for excellent music.
+.5 because for the most part you’ve constructed things very well. Decorative fire, usage of platforms, that stuff is all done precisely to make it difficult but not unfair. Although
-.5 because the stars were either too short because of the fire making you wait, or the firespouts were too fast to do any reasonable platforming with.

Overall: 17.5/20

We might have a winner.

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MegaR

Fun: 5.5/10

Yeah, it’s a shame you didn’t go all in because when you do, you make a pretty considerable effort. This just wasn’t. It’s basic platforming with few obstacles that are out of the norm. Largely operates okay, but ultimately lacking.

Graphics: 3.25/5

The minimalism almost works, but it just feels shoddy at the end.

Other: 3/5

Overall: 11.75/20

Just not up to snuff, basically.

[Supershroom]

I knew I wouldn't place but ♥♥♥♥ that was close

let's bring it on next time

also no offense but Kary is at 13.95 points if I didn't type ♥♥♥♥ into my calculator

and also I kinda expected MP3 and Yuri to be higher

and cheeeeeeers to MoD

will do statistics tomorrow because it's late here

[lordpat]

Venny, I have something for you:

Wow...: show

[MessengerOfDreams]

♥♥♥♥ my bad

forgot to extend his average length all the way

[*Emelia K. Fletcher]

miscalc fixed