Posts : 23495 Points : 22337 Join date : 2013-01-16 Age : 31 Location : Admintown
Subject: It's Too Bloody Hot (Lava Levels) Wed 1 Jul 2015 - 18:42
Sod this weather. Absolutely bloody repulsive. I don't know how the Australians deal with it reaching 40ºC-odd in their summers - it's at 35ºC and I want to stick my head in a freezer and stay there.
Er, right, so the lava level is much maligned in video games, but what have been your favourite lava levels and musics and enemies and so on?
I'll start with one of each:
If I'm stuck for good level design, more often than not, I can snatch one from Twilight Princess... except the Goron Mines were slow and dull. So here's Skyward Sword's Earth Temple instead. Rolling a giant ball around the lava was fun.
Apparently when I said "your favourite", I meant, "your least favourite"? But this twerp needs a mention. Called a Splorch, it and its siblings caused me far too much damage. Far too much.
And finally, Melty Molten Galaxy. Best lava music. Just the best.
JayMoyles Farore
Posts : 14956 Points : 14157 Join date : 2013-01-21 Age : 27 Location : Courtroom No. 3 at 10am.
Subject: Re: It's Too Bloody Hot (Lava Levels) Wed 1 Jul 2015 - 18:54
NOT THIS PLACE, THAT'S FOR SURE.
I'm actually struggling to think of lava levels I enjoyed - usually a low point in games, for me.
gjones Disciple of Maddrell
Posts : 1293 Points : 1326 Join date : 2015-01-12 Age : 34 Location : London
Subject: Re: It's Too Bloody Hot (Lava Levels) Wed 1 Jul 2015 - 19:44
This, just for the sheer insanity of the interior designer's decision to install a lava room with fire-breathing dragon structures. Inside a castle. Probably the same guy who did Bowser's.
The Cappuccino Kid Major Circuit Champion
Posts : 5468 Points : 5603 Join date : 2013-02-25 Age : 102 Location : East of Mombasa
Subject: Re: It's Too Bloody Hot (Lava Levels) Wed 1 Jul 2015 - 21:14
Lava Reef Zone in Sonic & Knuckles is beast, and not just because of the tune. Earthworm Jim's 'What The Heck?' level is really good too. Can't not mention Lethal Lava Land in Super Mario 64, and the volcano course in Pokémon Snap is perhaps the best in the whole game.
Lava levels are good, unlike shitey Desert levels.
Balladeer The Next Aonuma
Posts : 23495 Points : 22337 Join date : 2013-01-16 Age : 31 Location : Admintown
Subject: Re: It's Too Bloody Hot (Lava Levels) Wed 1 Jul 2015 - 22:16
I thought about Lethal Lava Land. While it gets points for the volcano, the rest of the level lacked the care of many of SM64's others. It felt a bit, "Here's a bunch of level furniture, let's use a random number generator to place it on a field of fire."
Good shout on Snap's volcano, mind. And a bad (i.e. correct) shout on Magmoor Caverns - load of tripe.
fronkhead Disciple of Scullion
Posts : 1616 Points : 1694 Join date : 2013-01-18
Subject: Re: It's Too Bloody Hot (Lava Levels) Thu 2 Jul 2015 - 0:35
The only thing I want to see in this weather is ice levels!!! *shakes fist*
I quite liked Magmoor Caverns, mainly because of the variety it offers (lots of small segmented spaces interspersed with bigger rooms in both directions) but those flying jetpack space pirates irritated me to no end.
The_Jaster Baby Brush God
Posts : 10983 Points : 11073 Join date : 2013-01-15 Age : 36 Location : Underground Corpse Pile.
Subject: Re: It's Too Bloody Hot (Lava Levels) Thu 2 Jul 2015 - 7:38
Hmm I thought we had a thread similar to this before but after a search it appears we don't so....
It might be obvious from what game I've returned to recently but it's the Mole Knight stage in Shovel Knight, it just put's a great twist on it with the bouncy slime mechanic also the music like it is in the rest of the game is quality!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2-1OWLCGMQ
Muss Koopaling
Posts : 2170 Points : 2184 Join date : 2015-04-03 Location : The 5th Dimension
Subject: Re: It's Too Bloody Hot (Lava Levels) Thu 2 Jul 2015 - 12:52
Not exactly a level, but I enjoyed the 'Hell' chapter of Super Meat Boy plenty.
Then again, the only world I wasn't a massive fan of in that game was Rapture
Buskalilly Brush God
Posts : 12844 Points : 13000 Join date : 2013-02-25 Age : 30 Location : Nagano
Subject: Re: It's Too Bloody Hot (Lava Levels) Thu 2 Jul 2015 - 16:27
So technically the blast furnace in metal gear solid is molten steel but that's basically lava. I liked the terminator 2-esque aesthetic and the idea of backtracking to hear the Pal key was pretty clever.
I'm sure I'll think of a better one later.
flora-chan Wii U Port
Posts : 182 Points : 188 Join date : 2015-03-12 Location : England
Subject: Re: It's Too Bloody Hot (Lava Levels) Thu 2 Jul 2015 - 16:28
Even got a scottish voice
euan707 Philips CD-i Title
Posts : 42 Points : 46 Join date : 2015-06-21
Subject: Re: It's Too Bloody Hot (Lava Levels) Thu 2 Jul 2015 - 20:47
How could we not mention,
JayMoyles Farore
Posts : 14956 Points : 14157 Join date : 2013-01-21 Age : 27 Location : Courtroom No. 3 at 10am.
Subject: Re: It's Too Bloody Hot (Lava Levels) Thu 2 Jul 2015 - 20:52
Posts : 10983 Points : 11073 Join date : 2013-01-15 Age : 36 Location : Underground Corpse Pile.
Subject: Re: It's Too Bloody Hot (Lava Levels) Fri 3 Jul 2015 - 12:23
The hate/dislike for Grumble volcano continues to baffle me.
euan707 Philips CD-i Title
Posts : 42 Points : 46 Join date : 2015-06-21
Subject: Re: It's Too Bloody Hot (Lava Levels) Fri 3 Jul 2015 - 14:05
How can anyone dislike a track that is so broken it can be finished in under 30 seconds?
Balladeer The Next Aonuma
Posts : 23495 Points : 22337 Join date : 2013-01-16 Age : 31 Location : Admintown
Subject: Re: It's Too Bloody Hot (Lava Levels) Fri 3 Jul 2015 - 14:31
Grey/brown, brown/grey, unremarkable racing line, unremarkable music, utter waste of a remake slot in MK8, and did I mention that it's the ugliest Mario Kart track since they scrapped the planned "Thatcher's Stadium"?
Actually, the best lava racing course I can think of doesn't come from a Mario Kart:
Although seeing Euan's current ranking reminds me that actually, the worst lava level will be this planet in the year 3000.
The_Jaster Baby Brush God
Posts : 10983 Points : 11073 Join date : 2013-01-15 Age : 36 Location : Underground Corpse Pile.
Subject: Re: It's Too Bloody Hot (Lava Levels) Fri 3 Jul 2015 - 16:18
I don't think some one who said this can be trusted.
Balla in the MK8 topic wrote:
I like what they did with the Mario Circuits, although they're not Toad's Turnpike levels of brilliant. But then, few things are.
Balladeer The Next Aonuma
Posts : 23495 Points : 22337 Join date : 2013-01-16 Age : 31 Location : Admintown
Subject: Re: It's Too Bloody Hot (Lava Levels) Fri 3 Jul 2015 - 16:34
Alright, alright, I got a bit too excited about zero-g walls and cars with surfboards. A man's allowed his overenthusiasm!
I'm still wrong here, mind. After posting a picture of good ol' Hot Top, I remembered this:
Also, here's some nice volcanic music (slight cheat because the lava's only found later on, but there's plenty of ash). I can't remember while at work whether the RSE or ORAS remix is better.
ZeroJones I'M SO LONELY
Posts : 10465 Points : 9425 Join date : 2013-01-15 Age : 40 Location : North Midlands, England
Subject: Re: It's Too Bloody Hot (Lava Levels) Fri 3 Jul 2015 - 17:34
Predictably, Nintendo zealot Zero goes for Mario. I don't know...
1) The Hand Trap levels in Super Mario Bros. 3's World 8. Y'know, these:
Three little possibly optional, possibly forced lava levels to provide a lull between Bowser's tanks, ships and airships. Such an odd-but-welcome-at-the-time design choice.
2) Freezeflame Galaxy from Super Mario Galaxy. The debate of whether this is a true lava level can rage - I just love the mash-up of two of platforming's biggest clichés.
Jimbob Snack Review
Posts : 3956 Points : 3978 Join date : 2013-01-15 Age : 38 Location : Milton Keynes
Subject: Re: It's Too Bloody Hot (Lava Levels) Sat 4 Jul 2015 - 16:06
1) The Hand Trap levels in Super Mario Bros. 3's World 8. Y'know, these:
Ah neat! Good thinking - this is the least worst lava level. Srs, I struggled to think of something to contribute to this as I think I hate lava levels as much as water levels.