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