Why doesn't Higgins have any hands or feet?

Well, I can finally clear the first world without dying. That boss was giving me some trouble since I kept trying to beat him with Poley, but finally realized that using Blue Taylor was a much better idea.

On the second level, in the secret door in the lava, is there a guaranteed way to get the crystal? I seem to appear in the boxed area about 25% of the time, but the other 75% of the time can't get in there.

I love the flying guy, I just wasn't able to figure him out before he killed me XD.

61,750

Died a terribly stupid death falling into a pit

I really don't want to be left out of this one. I gave it my all on emulator, finally managed to pass the first boss after several attempts, only to die on the ice stage in the next world, which was expected, I should've tested out the slipperiness more before attempting to make jumps.

Still, pretty decent score considering not having a controller. I may give it some more tries over the next few days if I can. As it is I'm not sure what the next few weeks are going to be like for me gaming or even internet wise, so gotta get in what I can now.

Dead camera batteries suck SO MUCH.

Play the ice levels with Blue Taylor (the blue dinosaur), and he can walk normally on the ice.

I didn't have the blue dino then. Don't matter, I can't even make it that far anymore, keep dying a stage or few before that. Platforming in general is tough without a d-pad, add ice into the mix and its nearly impossible, and throw in eggplants an its a reckless panic right down a hole.

That's a great tip, thanks.

Just got my best score yet by far, made it all the to the third boss. I also fought and beat the second boss for the first time. I'd been to the third world before, but that was through warping. This time, I warped over the ice and sky stages in the second world, but I didn't go to the third world, just to the end of the second. I don't remember where I triggered that.

My strategy is basically to use the red dino as much as possible. Can't stand the green one. I got the flying one once, which I noticed is used throughout the TAS, but he doesn't seem to help you score points.

I think you have to enter it while jumping.

^It worked for me almost every time when I entered it RIGHT at the cusp of the entrance. However, this didn't work the last time, but it worked about 75% of the time.

Hmm...I'll have to see if I can figure out the trigger for getting that crystal. In a 1-life competition, those crystals are a serious life-saver. I can get the one in the very first level about 10 or 15% of the time (those damn waves are so slippery), but I haven't managed to get a perfect score on any of the other bonuses yet.

I've never passed the wave or springboard bonus areas, but for getting a crystal I always get the one in one of the cave levels (2nd stage), using the red dino to walk into the lava and break a wall.

Okay, never mind, beat the surfing bonus 3 times now, the springboard bonus once, but for those all I get is fruits and meat, and maybe for the springboard one a dino or two.

Well, using Red Taylor is the only way to get into those caves, but I only seem to end up in the crystal box 10 or 15% of the time.

From what I can tell, getting a perfect score (all the pickups) in any of the actual bonus stages (the ones with a "goal" sign at the end) will award a crystal.

Not sure what it is, but it seems that everytime I entered that cave without pressing a direction on the d-pad after press up to enter, I appeared at the bottom and unable to enter that box for the crystal, but everytime I held right as I entered the secret cave I appeared inside of the box. Maybe its just coincidence.

I suspect that's not a coincidence at all.

Yeah, I tried it both ways again, holding right as you enter that cave entrance puts you into the box, so far everytime that I've done it that was the result.

Cool! I'll see if I can confirm it this evening.

^Yep, it worked for me that way, but I've also gotten in without holding right. I can go very close to the left, but not ALL the way to the left, that way almost guarantees it too. You just have to find the right positioning.

On another note, I get 100% on the surfing bonus every time, and if not I reset. It's really easy once you get it. I found out a bunch of other keys as well, like one in the ice level that asks if you want to skip the boss. I would NOT recommend it. It warps you way ahead and to harder levels.

Yeah, I'm pretty good at blasting away throughout the levels to find the secret eggs.  It's just that, aside from the surfing level, you're kind of committed by the time you make that one little slip that loses the bonus stage.

Yeah, and although the only time I got my best score was when i got perfects on the first 2 bonus stages, I just don't have the patience to break that commitment and start over for an extra crystal. You just have to get lucky/good at the challenges. The problem with challenge 2 is that whenever I'm coming down from getting one of the creatures, the game sort of glitches for a second and I can't get onto the next spring, or I overshoot it.

Big question...I haven't tested it, but do the crystals return to your inventory if you don't get hit while they're equipped?

^They just stay until you do get hit. I don't think that they ever go away after having them for a certain amount of levels, however there was one time where I played through 5 levels or so and realized I didn't have it anymore. I didn't think I got hit, but maybe I did. The only other explanation is that they are limited, but I don't think it's the case.

If you equip it, and don't get hit during a level, you still have it for subsequent levels?

So for the purposes of a 1-life contest, you should ALWAYS keep it equipped once you have it?

Yes, but I don't think you should always have it equipped. My reason being that take the underwater level. You have it equipped and you're on the purple guy who is really pretty useless outside of water and ice. You get hit and still have him until the next level, but used the crystal. It wouldve been better to not use the crystal, get hit (and lose him), and then when you get to the next level equip the crystal and the red or blue creature, better utilizing that crystal.