Super Mario 64 Randomizer – Log 16: Lava Tricks and Pyramid Confusion

Mario 64 Randomizer – Log 16: Lava Tricks and Pyramid Confusion

Game: Super Mario 64 Randomizer
Platform: Steam Deck
Format: No Commentary

Video: Lethal Lava Land 100-coin strategy, finishing the course, and a return to Shifting Sand Land where the pyramid behaves nothing like expected (no commentary)

Finishing What I Started

It didn’t feel right leaving Lethal Lava Land unfinished. I knew there had to be a way to collect 100 coins there; I just hadn’t figured it out yet. The problem with the level is that the volcano is always tempting as the backup plan. If I went inside it, I could grab more coins, but there was a catch. The only way to spawn back into the main Lethal Lava Land area from inside the volcano was by collecting a star while I was in there. That meant committing to a route that I wasn’t sure I actually needed.

So instead I stayed outside and started thinking about every possible coin source I might have overlooked. That’s when something came back to me: the eye enemies. If you defeat them, they drop a blue coin worth five regular coins. The trouble was their positioning. They sit in places where making them chase you normally isn’t easy, and you need them to follow you in circles long enough to make them dizzy before they collapse.

Digging Into Old Tricks

I had to dig pretty deep into the memory bank for this one. Eventually something clicked. If Mario takes damage, he gets invincibility frames for a short time. Those frames normally just let you escape danger, but here they could be used as a tool. As long as the damage didn’t come from lava, I could briefly move through enemies without being knocked back again.

That meant I could deliberately take a hit, use the invincibility frames to move straight through the centre of the eye enemy, and effectively force it to follow me while I circled it. It was a messy idea, but it was still an idea. I tried it once, and the eye collapsed into a blue coin. Then I did it again with the second one. Two enemies down, ten coins earned, and suddenly the path to one hundred didn’t feel impossible anymore.

I was already preparing myself for another trip into the volcano to collect the last few coins I needed. But as I moved around the course gathering what remained, the total quietly ticked over to one hundred without me ever having to step inside it. Lethal Lava Land was finally complete, and it felt earned in a way the earlier stars hadn’t quite managed.

Back to the Desert

With that course finished, I felt ready to return to Shifting Sand Land and try to wrap that one up as well. The first target was obvious: the four pillars surrounding the pyramid. I grabbed a Wing Cap, launched into the air, and knocked the tops off each one in quick succession until the pyramid opened.

This is where my brain briefly forgot that I was playing a randomizer. I dropped in through the top entrance of the pyramid expecting the usual descent toward the boss platform. Instead, I landed somewhere completely different and spent a moment wondering if I had misremembered the layout entirely. Eventually I realised what had happened. The randomizer had rearranged things again.

After exploring the interior, I managed to find and grab another star. The pyramid still had more to give, though. I’m fairly sure the 100-coin star is possible in there too, but I’d rather deal with the red coin star first before committing to that kind of scavenger hunt.

Understanding the Pyramid

My next attempt was through the front entrance. This time the familiar descending platform didn’t appear at all. That was the moment the pattern became clear. The platform only descends if I enter from the top opening, something I confirmed on my third trip inside.

That still left the boss room to find. I spent a little time navigating the interior and eventually spotted the route that would take me there. When I finally stepped into the arena and defeated the boss, another thought hit me immediately: in a randomizer, the star that appears afterwards can end up anywhere.

Thankfully this one stayed close enough to reach from the platform I was standing on. I wasn’t particularly eager to fight my way back through the pyramid again just to retrieve it.

Closing the Gap

Three more stars secured in the process. The total now sits at eighty-five, leaving thirty-five still out there somewhere in the castle. The run is steadily narrowing toward its endgame, even if the randomizer keeps trying to make every familiar location feel slightly unfamiliar again.

Continue the Journey

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28th Mar 2026 0

Super Mario 74: A Survivor’s Journey Log 1 – Back to Dice-Fortress

Super Mario 74 – Log 1: Back to Dice-Fortress

Platform: Steam Deck
Mode: Original Edition
Rules: No savestates (except between entries)
Format: No Commentary

Video: Dice-Fortress stars, wall jumping, red coins, and the first return to Super Mario 74 (no commentary)

Well, it has been some time since I last played this hack, and it will be interesting to see how much I remember — and how much my skills have improved since the last time I attempted it.
This run is also bigger than the original game, with an extra 31 stars to find, meaning a total of 151 stars to collect.

After talking to the Toads, it was time to enter my first course: Dice-Fortress.
Not entirely sure why it is called that, as there isn’t a dice in sight, but I’m not here to question it, I’m here to survive it.

I head straight to a sign, which is meant to be the Pink Bob-Omb, but apparently Kamek has turned them into a sign.
They inform me I can’t complete this course until I have a way to fly, so the Wing Cap is going to be needed before this level is fully cleared.

My first star is Wall Jumping Lesson.
The name makes it obvious what I’m expected to do, and while I’m reasonably comfortable with wall jumping, I also know this hack has a habit of humbling me when I least expect it.

With that star collected, I moved onto the next one.

There is a purple switch which activates timed blocks to make reaching higher platforms easier,
but I prefer taking my time with jumps when I can, so instead I practiced my wall jumps and made my way up manually before long-jumping across the pillars for Conquer the Pillars.

The next star I went for was The Box’s Treasure.
There is a box placed just awkwardly enough that it needs a bit of thinking to hit.
I remember past-me kicking the box, but this time I used a ground pound to get enough height to break it open,
followed by a quick wall jump back up to collect the star.

Next up was the familiar task of Collect the 8 Red Coins, which also meant working toward the 100-coin star at the same time.
Thankfully the coins are all in reasonable locations, so this ended up being more of a warm-up than a challenge.

At this point I can’t collect any more stars here without the Wing Cap,
so I’m mentally half-ticking Dice-Fortress off the list for now.

Next stop will be Course Two.
I do have a rough plan in my head based on what I remember from years ago…
but there is also a lot I don’t remember, which probably means this run is going to surprise me more than once.

Continue the Journey

Next Entry:

Super Mario 74 – Log 2

Super Mario 74 Hub:

Super Mario 74 – A Survivor’s Journey

26th Mar 2026 0

Super Mario 64 Randomizer – Log 15: Lava Coins and a Missing Course

Mario 64 Randomizer – Log 15: Lava Coins and a Missing Course

Game: Super Mario 64 Randomizer
Platform: Steam Deck
Format: No Commentary

Video: Upstairs exploration, Tick Tock Clock entry leads to Lethal Lava Land, wing cap red coin attempts, 100-coin failures, and a late-session realisation (no commentary)

Dodging the Cave, Taking the Stairs

I wasn’t in the mood to deal with Hazy Maze Cave. Not today. Not when I know exactly how many ways that place can waste my time, and not when the Wing Cap stage is sitting there like a chore list pretending it’s optional. So I go upstairs instead, because upstairs at least feels like a choice.

There are three different entrances up here that can lead to something useful, plus the one door that wants 119 stars like it’s doing me a favour. I’m not there yet, so I focus on what I can touch. As I climb the stairs, I decide to see what awaits me inside the clock.

I jump in and get Lethal Lava Land.

It could have been worse, I tell myself. I’ve already tackled what felt like the two hardest courses in this randomizer seed. How bad can this be.

Lethal Lava Land, Rewritten

The answer is somewhere in the middle. Not a total disaster, but not the easy breather I was hoping for either. It has the same energy as Bowser in the Fire Sea, where you can feel the randomizer making decisions specifically to be annoying.

Pretty much all the red coins are over the lava. Of course they are. And the red coin star itself is over the lava as well, which means the last thing you want to do in a lava level is the exact thing you have to do. I hate it immediately, which is impressive, because in the original game I actually like this course.

It doesn’t help that I don’t pay enough attention to where the camera pans when stars are hinted at. I catch enough of it to have a vague idea, but most of the time I’m running on instinct and memory and whatever the course decides to show me on the way. Luckily, Lethal Lava Land isn’t huge compared to some of the other worlds, so even “mostly luck” has a higher success rate here than it probably deserves.

Wing Cap: Emergency Measures

This might be the first time I’ve ever used the Wing Cap in this stage. Ever. That’s not a brag. That’s just the randomizer forcing a new habit into me like it’s a life lesson.

I try to be clever first and use the Koopa shell to sweep up red coins quickly. It makes sense in theory. It’s fast, it keeps you moving, and it lets you pretend you’re in control. Then I lose it before the red coin star appears, and suddenly the plan is gone and I’m standing on hot rock trying to negotiate with gravity.

I briefly consider just jumping for the star and hoping the game decides to be kind. It’s not a strategy so much as it is a surrender. Then I spot the Wing Cap block and realise I’d completely forgotten it even existed here. It’s one of those moments where you don’t feel smart for remembering, you just feel annoyed that you didn’t remember sooner.

The 100 Coin Star, Postponed

I also make a few attempts at the 100 coin star, because I always tell myself I might as well “while I’m here.” Every attempt ends the same way: me in the lava, but somehow in increasingly creative ways. It’s like I’m trying to find new angles for humiliation.

I do manage to grab the six main stars in the level, which keeps the session from turning into a complete loss. But the 100 coin star will have to wait. I’m not wasting the entire recording on a coin chase that keeps ending with me sizzling.

The Click at the End

As I wrap up the recording, something clicks. I start counting what areas are left, making a mental note of where each course could potentially be, and trying to map the castle in my head the way you do when you’ve been burned enough times to stop trusting anything at face value.

And then I realise one thing.

If my calculations are correct, I’m missing a course. Not “I haven’t reached it yet.” Not “I don’t have the stars.” Missing. I have no idea where in this castle it could be, which is a problem, because the castle isn’t that big when you’re not pretending it’s a mystery.

It’s the kind of realisation that sits in the back of your skull and doesn’t let you relax. The run isn’t just about collecting stars anymore. It’s about figuring out what I’ve somehow walked past without seeing, and accepting that the randomizer probably hid it somewhere obvious just to make it feel personal.

Continue the Journey

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21st Mar 2026 1

Super Mario 64 Randomizer – Log 14: Wrong Turn, Right Reward

Progress: Wing Cap Unlocked
Platform: Steam Deck
Settings: Vanilla Mario & Music

“This was not the route I planned. It was, however, the route I needed.”

With access to the Tiny-Huge Island paintings finally unlocked, I head in expecting something useful.

Instead, I arrive in Hazy Maze Cave.

This is a course I actively dislike. I would genuinely take any other level over this one.

That said, there is one reason not to immediately leave: this is where the Metal Cap switch normally lives.

If the randomizer has put anything important here, this is where it would be.

Hazy Maze Cave: Reluctant Progress

Before committing to the cap route, I pick up a couple of stars tied to the swimming beast in the cavern.

While doing that, I start mentally tracking Red Coin placements.

Future me is going to regret this level.

Eventually, I reach the metal-cap transition.

It isn’t the Metal Cap.

It’s the Wing Cap switch.

The Wing Cap: Problem Solved

I wasn’t prepared for this.

Still, there’s no chance I’m leaving without activating it.

I hit the switch, unlock the Wing Cap, and leave immediately.

No exploring. No celebration. Just exit.

Just to Be Sure

Out of curiosity, I check the other painting in the area.

It also leads to Hazy Maze Cave.

Noted.

What This Changes

Finding the Wing Cap clears several long-standing blocks:

Shifting Sand Land can now be completed
Bob-Omb Battlefield is no longer locked behind flight
The Basement Wing Cap stage is now accessible

That’s a large chunk of the castle back on the table.

Before finishing up, I do some light scouting and manage to grab one more star.

Log 14 Status

Wing Cap: Found
Major Blocks: Removed
Hazy Maze Cave: Still unpleasant

I’m not sure where the next log will focus, but this finally feels like proper progress again.

YouTube – Log 14 Video

After all this time, Mario can finally leave the ground.

Continue the Journey

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Game: Super Mario 64

27th Feb 2026 1

Super Mario 64 Randomizer – Log 13: Red Coins and Sunken Progress

Progress: 70+ Stars Reached
Platform: Steam Deck
Settings: Vanilla Mario & Music

“Today’s plan was simple. The execution, less so.”

I went in with one goal: finish Jolly Roger Bay and Dire, Dire Docks. Two courses I’d already poked at, now ready to be properly cleared.

Jolly Roger Bay: Chests, Coins, and Precision Jumping

First up was the treasure chest star. Finding the first chest took less time than expected, which immediately made me suspicious.

Chests two and four were conveniently paired together. Chest three, naturally, required a cannon.

With the chests dealt with, only the Red Coin Star and the 100-Coin Star remained.

The 100-coin star was painless. No drama. No surprises.

The red coins were another matter.

One coin sat in a position that rejected every sensible solution I tried. Triple jumps failed. Cannon angles failed. Repeated attempts achieved nothing except frustration.

In the end, the answer was a backflip. One precise position. One clean jump.

It worked immediately.

Jolly Roger Bay: cleared.

Dire, Dire Docks: Clean Water, Better Decisions

Next stop was Dire, Dire Docks.

This time, I changed approach. I focused on collecting all the red coins first, or at least most of them, before worrying about the 100-coin star.

The level behaved itself. No forced exits. No sudden ejections back to the castle.

I didn’t get sucked out of the course this time, which confirms that last log was just bad luck rather than punishment.

With the red coins secured, the 100-coin star followed naturally.

Dire, Dire Docks: finished without incident.

Log 13 Status

Total Stars: Past 70
Courses Cleared This Log: Jolly Roger Bay, Dire Dire Docks
Remaining Stars: 50
Wing Cap: Still missing

Two more courses off the board. The castle is opening up fast now.

Fifty stars left.

YouTube – Log 13 Video

Steady progress. Fewer exits. Still no Wing Cap.

Continue the Journey

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Game: Super Mario 64

20th Feb 2026 1

Super Mario 64 Randomizer – Log 12: Every Door Is a Trick

Progress: 60 Stars Reached
Platform: Steam Deck
Settings: Vanilla Mario & Music

“The castle is technically helping. It’s just doing it in the worst possible way.”

I set off with a clear goal: the Snowman’s Land door.

On the way, I try the Tiny-Huge Island painting. Still locked. Still mocking me.

Back to Snowman’s Land. I open the door, jump in, and immediately realise something’s wrong.

Behind the painting is Dire Dire Docks.

At this point, I’ve stopped being surprised.

Dire Dire Docks: Progress, Eventually

I start with the chests. I get distracted by coins almost instantly, then remember why I’m here.

Most of the chests are grouped together, which makes this far easier than expected. One is awkward, but manageable.

Next up: the Manta Ray.

I miss rings in ways that feel intentional. Bad angles. Poor timing. Repeated failure.

Eventually, I abandon the attempt and swim into the other area of the docks.

Bowser’s submarine isn’t there. He’s clearly moved on.

That at least makes grabbing stars painless.

Stars, Water, and Poor Decisions

With the sub gone, I clean up:

A floating water star
The Jet Stream star

I give the Manta Ray another go. This time it works immediately, because of course it does.

That pushes me to 60 stars. Halfway through the run.

Only two stars remain here:

Red Coin Star
100-Coin Star

I decide to clear them while I’m here.

The water has other ideas and ejects me straight out of the level and into the castle pond.

I take the hint.

The Basement: Nothing Is Where It Should Be

I head downstairs.

First job: MIPS. No trouble at all.

Next up is the entrance that should be familiar by now.

Instead of what I expect, I get Jolly Roger Bay.

The randomizer is clearly enjoying itself.

One chest is placed somewhere deeply inconvenient. I find two in the cave, not four.

The missing one stays hidden, but there’s a star nearby, so it’s not a total loss.

I move on to Plunder in the Sunken Ship.

I almost die twice trying to coax the eel out without getting electrocuted. Eventually, it behaves.

Log 12 Status

Total Stars: 60
Dire Dire Docks: 5 / 7 stars complete
Jolly Roger Bay: 3 stars collected
Wing Cap: Still missing

The castle keeps opening up. Progress is real. Directions are optional.

YouTube – Log 12 Video

Sixty stars in. Still grounded.

Continue the Journey

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Game: Super Mario 64

13th Feb 2026 1

Super Mario 64 Randomizer – Log 11: Red Coins, Bad Maths, and Tactical Death

Progress: Snowman’s Land Cleared
Platform: Steam Deck
Settings: Vanilla Mario & Music

“Sometimes the problem isn’t finding the star. It’s reaching it once you do.”

With two stars left in Snowman’s Land, my first question is simple: where are the red coins?

I’d like to confidently say none of them are inside the igloo. I cannot say that with confidence.

At the same time, I decide to roll the Red Coin Star and the 100-Coin Star into one attempt. This is an old habit from vanilla Super Mario 64. It usually saves time.

Coin Counting in a Frozen Economy

Finding the red coins isn’t the hard part. The real issue becomes obvious very quickly: where do 100 coins come from in this course?

The answer is the igloo.

I head inside and clear out every coin I can find. Outside, I mop up enemies wherever possible. Eventually, the numbers add up and the 100-Coin Star appears.

That’s when problem number three shows up.

The red coin star is there. I can see it. I just can’t reach it.

Everything Except Shouting at the Screen

I try:

Standard jumps
Awkward camera angles
The cannon

Nothing works.

Eventually, it clicks. This star wants a Koopa Shell.

There’s just one issue: I already used the shell earlier in the run.

Rather than exit the course, I take a deliberate death. It’s faster, and at this point, efficiency matters more than pride.

The Shell Gamble

One more trip into Snowman’s Land.

I head straight for the box I hope contains the Koopa Shell. There’s no guarantee. The seed could absolutely ruin me here.

Thankfully, the shell is exactly where it should be.

I slow everything down. No risks. No clever movement. Just controlled progress.

The shell does its job. The red coin star is collected.

Snowman’s Land is finished.

Next Move: Chasing Familiar Ground

With the course cleared, I make a mental note for the next castle visit.

I want to head toward where Snowman’s Land normally sits in vanilla Mario 64. At this point, I’m nearly halfway through the star count, and momentum matters.

This seed hasn’t been kind, but it has been fair. I want to keep that balance on my side.

YouTube – Log 11 Video

One shell, one reset, and one course fully crossed off the list.

Log 11 Summary

Course	Snowman’s Land
Stars Cleared	7 / 7
100-Coin Star	Collected
Red Coin Star	Collected (with shell)
Tactical Deaths	1 (on purpose)
Next Objective	Follow vanilla paths, keep momentum

Sometimes progress means knowing when to reset instead of forcing a bad situation.

Continue the Journey

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Game: Super Mario 64

6th Feb 2026 1

Super Mario 64 Randomizer – Log 10: Wrong Caps, Right Direction

Progress: 50 Stars Reached
Platform: Steam Deck
Settings: Vanilla Mario & Music

“When the obvious paths are blocked, you stop pushing forward and start climbing stairs.”

At this point, progress feels artificially narrow. Bob-Omb Battlefield and Shifting Sand Land both clearly want the Wing Cap, and I still don’t know where that switch is hiding.

Forcing either course without it feels wasteful, so I change tactics and head upstairs.

Upstairs Rewards: Toad Economics

A couple of Toads are waiting upstairs and do what they always do: hand out stars for existing.

Two free stars later, I’m sitting at 50 total. Not answers, but options.

Two paintings are available. I jump into Wet-Dry World.

Wet-Dry World (Briefly): Vanish Cap Finally Appears

Instead of the full course, I land in the Vanish Cap stage.

Only the opening section is accessible, but everything important is packed into the first third of the level.

Coins collected
Star grabbed
Switch pressed

Jump kicks do most of the work here. It’s not elegant, but it works.

The Vanish Cap is now unlocked. Still no Wing Cap, but this finally feels like progress.

Snowman’s Land: Momentum Takes Over

Next painting: Snowman’s Land.

I move through this stage like I’ve memorised it. I haven’t. This seed is new. The flow just clicks.

I secure 5 out of the 7 stars before slowing down.

What’s left:

Red Coin Star
100-Coin Star

While hunting red coins, it hits me: I have no idea where the last one is.

I’m not burning 10–15 minutes combing the map. That’s a next-log problem.

YouTube – Log 10 Video

Wrong caps, right decisions, and continued Wing Cap avoidance.

Log 10 Summary

Stars Total	50
Cap Unlocked	Vanish Cap
Snowman’s Land	5 / 7 Stars
Wing Cap Status	Still missing
Next Objective	Finish Snowman’s Land, find the Wing Cap

Progress came from detours, not brute force. The castle keeps opening. The Wing Cap keeps hiding.

Continue the Journey

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Game: Super Mario 64

30th Jan 2026 1

Super Mario 64 Randomizer – Log 9: Penguins, Battlefield, and Missing Wings

Progress: Stars Increasing | Lives Intact (Somehow)
Platform: Steam Deck
Settings: Vanilla Mario & Music

“Sometimes progress is skill. Sometimes it’s guessing the right penguin and hoping for the best.”

With only four stars left in Cool, Cool Mountain, I decided to finish the job before the seed could get any funny ideas.

Cool, Cool Mountain: Cleanup Duty

First target: the Red Coin Star. I knew where six coins were. The last two? Found them easily enough. Getting them was another matter.

That’s when I remembered an old trick. The first attempt failed — badly — but that was fine. Sometimes a failed run resets the rhythm. The second attempt clicked. Clean movement. No panic. Star secured.

Next problem: the baby penguin.

A straight 50/50 guess. I picked one. It was the right one. No skill involved. I’ll take it.

Big Penguin Race and Snowman’s Lost His Head followed without drama. Just solid execution. One course fully cleared and crossed off the list.

YouTube – Log 9 Video

Red coins, penguin roulette, and a continued refusal by the Wing Cap to reveal itself.

Secret Slide Surprise: Not What I Expected

With CCM done, I checked what was hiding behind the Secret Slide entrance.

The answer: Bob-Omb Battlefield.

Still no Wing Cap switch. That’s becoming a theme.

I handled King Bob-omb first and grabbed his star. While scouting the rest of the level, it became clear that full completion here absolutely requires the Wing Cap.

Rather than force it, I settled for Koopa the Quick, grabbed the star, and called it. No point bleeding lives for stubborn pride.

Log 9 Summary

Course Cleared	Cool, Cool Mountain
Risk Taken	Red Coins via old-school trick
Luck Factor	Correct baby penguin (first try)
Wing Cap Status	Still missing
Bob-Omb Battlefield	Partially cleared

One full course done. One classic stage half-finished. The Wing Cap continues to dodge me.

Continue the Journey

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3rd Jan 2026 1

Super Mario 64 Randomizer – Log 8: Lava Coins & Cold Comfort

Run Type: Mario 64 Randomizer

Controller: Not an N64 controller, and it shows

Log 8 – Video

Bowser in the Fire Sea – Red Coins First, Regret Second

Two attempts to collect the red coins
Zero elegant jumps
One unavoidable lava tax

The star itself was worse than the coins. No safe angle.
A lost life was mandatory. I paid it and moved on.

Upstairs Confusion & Painting Roulette

Bob-Omb Battlefield → Bowser in the Dark World
Cool, Cool Mountain (allegedly)
Secret Slide (already done)
Whomp’s Fortress → actually Cool, Cool Mountain

Cool, Cool Mountain – Making It Work

Red coins were half-found and poorly remembered, so I pivoted to the
100 Coin Star. That meant slides, exits, re-entries,
and the game gently mocking me.

After exiting again, the first star appeared right in front of the big penguin,
as if it felt sorry for me.

Session Results

Bowser in the Fire Sea – Red Coin Star cleared
Cool, Cool Mountain – 3 / 7 stars
Lives lost: accepted

Continue the Randomizer

Randomizer Hub |
Log 7: Bowser in the Fire Sea Was Not the Plan |
Log 8 |
Log 9: Coming Soon

27th Dec 2025 1