Make a Good Mega Man Level Contest 3 Blind Playthrough Part 105 - The Stormscraper
Today we have another stage that lost a quarter of its score due to a late submission so you know how it goes, this is a stage deserving FAR higher placement than what it got since the scores are the highest I've seen and will not be getting beaten for a while.
Starting with the aesthetics, oh man are they so gorgeous and pretty, even smaller attention to detail like windows that we can see out of while inside with animated clouds outside, that adds plenty of unspoken charm and flair.
This is a sky themed stage hence having extremely upbeat and energetic music which fits this place so much, its honestly such a jam and helps the pacing of this place so much.
The tokens are spectacular, all three of them are so clever, fun and satisfying to pull off utilizing the Tomahawk Man platforms to their fullest, these tokens are tricky challenges but fair and feel fantastic when done right, the first and third tokens are easily my favorite of this stage. Really great implementation on the tokens here.
The second gimmick in addition to the Tomahawk Man platforms are the sandstorms and its this gimmick that makes this makes this stage warrant the praise it got, the implementation of the sandstorms is FAR superior than what the official Capcom game did.
Where the official title, used it purely as obstruction to slow down the player in Commando Man's stage, this submission pushes the gimmick to its limit by enforcing both slow downs as well as a boost in mobility while the player is inside them, and its these platforming challenges which feel extremely satisfying.
The large chasm of a room right after the third token is certainly the hardest aspect of this stage since it implements both gimmicks into some devious and mean set-ups which resulted in plenty of death, the trickiest aspect is balancing yourself on the horizontal moving platforms as the sandstorm passes which can get a bit disorienting. The challenges here are super engaging and fun to play even though I died plenty.
The final room before the boss is the reason there is a skip teleporter here, that final room is wacky as anything as the sandstorm is constantly on screen with gaps so you can briefly see the stage layout, it looks really jittery but I honestly don't know how to make this easier on the eyes without completely changing it.
This final room is certainly a spectacle to behold and although far easier than the room prior, this is the most memorable screen of the stage since it went all out with its gimmick implementation pushing it to the utmost extreme.
Overall, this stage is an absolute blast to play, filled with beautiful aesthetics, an upbeat and fitting song, and extremely engaging gameplay, these kind of stages are my favorite, fast paced and engaging requiring precision platforming and good reaction time, so this stage is certainly a winner for me. I totally can get behind the high praise for this one as its honestly deserved.