Retro Reflections: Diddy Kong Racing Randomizer

When a Childhood Favourite Became Unpredictable

Revisiting the Games That Shaped a Lifetime of Gaming

Wizpig had been defeated.

Not once, but twice.

The first time by a Kremling driving a car. The second by that same Kremling piloting a plane.

It sounds ridiculous when you put it like that, but then this was never an ordinary playthrough of Diddy Kong Racing.

To understand why this challenge meant so much, it’s probably best to start back in 1997.

A Childhood Favourite

Diddy Kong Racing was one of the first games I owned for the Nintendo 64, and from the moment I first played it, I was hooked.

Contrary to what many people might expect, my character of choice wasn’t Krunch. It was Tiptup.

That little turtle carried me through everything the game had to offer. Adventure 1, Adventure 2, unlocking Drumstick, unlocking T.T., and eventually reaching 100% completion.

Looking back, I think Rare captured something special with Diddy Kong Racing. Timber’s Island wasn’t just a menu. It was a world to explore. New doors opened, bridges appeared, balloons unlocked fresh routes, and every boss victory felt like genuine progress.

The world felt enormous, every new area felt like an adventure, and simply exploring the island was almost as enjoyable as the races themselves.

It had a magic about it that only Rare seemed capable of creating.

Rediscovering the Adventure

Years later, I discovered that fans had created a randomizer for the game.

Instead of following the familiar progression, races, bosses, Silver Coin Challenges, keys, and other objectives could appear in completely unexpected places. Every seed offered a different journey.

The idea immediately interested me, but not enough to actually start playing.

Around the same time, I also discovered something else.

Krunch was widely considered the worst character in the game.

That surprised me.

I remembered using him occasionally as a child, but I’d never really thought much about how much more difficult he could make the game. T.T. being regarded as the best character made perfect sense considering what it took to unlock him, but Krunch being at the opposite end of the scale wasn’t something I had ever considered.

Krunch’s handling was always his biggest weakness. He had speed, but turning him could feel like steering a shopping trolley with one stubborn wheel. On tighter tracks, that could make the difference between winning and watching the rest of the field disappear into the distance.

Why Krunch?

Everything changed in 2026.

I came across someone attempting to complete both Adventure 1 and Adventure 2 as Krunch. Watching them struggle against Wizpig 1, a race responsible for frustrating countless players over the years, planted an idea in my mind.

Why not combine the two?

Rather than simply replaying Diddy Kong Racing, why not tackle a randomizer seed using the character many people considered the game’s weakest?

Most randomizer videos I had seen were completed by players using T.T. and speedrunning through carefully planned routes.

That wasn’t what I wanted.

I wanted to experience Diddy Kong Racing all over again.

Playing the challenge on Steam Deck also made it feel strangely fitting. Decades after first exploring Timber’s Island on the Nintendo 64, I was now revisiting one of my favourite childhood games on a handheld PC, chasing the same sense of adventure I remembered from years ago.

After experimenting with several seeds, I finally found one that felt right.

Almost immediately, something unexpected happened.

The sense of wonder I remembered from childhood returned.

The island no longer felt physically huge like it once had, but thanks to the randomizer, it became unpredictable again.

For the first time in decades, I didn’t know what was waiting behind the next door.

A Childhood Nightmare Returns

The first major obstacle came sooner than expected.

The randomizer had placed Wizpig 1 behind a door, allowing me to challenge him far earlier than normal.

For many players, Wizpig 1 was one of the defining challenges of childhood.

Speedrunners make the race look straightforward, but without extensive practice, Wizpig has a habit of reminding you exactly who’s in charge.

This time I wasn’t racing as Tiptup.

I was racing as Krunch.

My first victory took well over an hour of repeated attempts.

When I finally crossed the finish line ahead of Wizpig, something unexpected happened.

I started crying.

It genuinely felt as though I had healed a small piece of my childhood.

Oddly enough, once that race was over, it almost felt like the seed itself had reached its natural conclusion.

I had completed an unspoken challenge I hadn’t even realised I had set for myself.

When the Randomizer Fought Back

That wasn’t enough.

I wanted to complete an entire randomizer.

I generated another seed, this time making sure Wizpig 1 appeared at the end of a more traditional progression.

Every victory had to be earned.

Some of the biggest roadblocks weren’t where I expected them to be.

Tricky 2 became one of the toughest challenges in the entire run.

Despite already defeating him once in a previous seed, he repeatedly humbled me. I learned A-Tapping, watched experienced players, studied alternative strategies, and even experimented with climbing the mountain differently as Krunch.

This wasn’t just a case of throwing attempts at the same problem until the game gave in. I had to learn. I had to improve. I had to understand why I was failing instead of simply hoping the next attempt would work.

Eventually, something clicked.

I still don’t know exactly what changed, but I reached the summit and finally defeated him.

Then came Greenwood Village’s Silver Coin Challenge.

Five laps sounded generous.

The relocated coins told a very different story.

One awkwardly placed coin repeatedly ruined otherwise perfect attempts until, once again, persistence eventually won.

The randomizer also seemed determined to prove that planes solved almost everything. At times it felt as though every major objective involved taking to the skies. It became a running joke throughout the challenge that the randomizer may have forgotten cars existed.

By the time I reached Wizpig 1 for the second time, I genuinely felt I had earned another chance.

This victory took around half the time of the first.

The tears returned.

But there was still one final challenge waiting.

One Last Race

Wizpig 2.

The randomizer wasn’t finished making life difficult either.

Instead of the normal three laps, the final race became four.

Attempt after attempt ended with mistakes, restarts, or Wizpig reminding me that the finish line was still a long way away.

Then one run felt different.

Throughout the challenge I’d developed a strange habit of trusting my instincts. Sometimes I knew within moments that an attempt wasn’t going to be the one.

This time, that feeling never arrived.

Everything flowed.

Every corner connected.

Every boost landed.

Krunch, supposedly the worst racer in the game, felt unstoppable.

When I crossed the finish line, I simply stared at my Steam Deck.

The challenge was over.

I had completed a randomizer of one of my favourite childhood games using the character many people consider the weakest.

The emotion didn’t arrive immediately.

It wasn’t until the following morning that it finally sank in.

Only then did the tears come.

The Journey

This journey through Diddy Kong Racing Randomizer was recorded as a complete no-commentary playthrough using Krunch. If you’d like to experience the challenge from beginning to end, you can watch the full playlist on YouTube.

New adventures begin on the Survivor Incognito Facebook page, where videos are released first before joining the weekly YouTube archive.

▶ Watch the complete KRUNCH% – DKR Randomizer 2.0 playthrough on YouTube

📘 Follow Survivor Incognito on Facebook

Still Magical After All These Years

Unfortunately, Diddy Kong Racing never truly received the sequel it deserved.

The Nintendo DS version introduced new features, but for me it never quite captured the same feeling as the original Nintendo 64 release.

Maybe one day I’ll return once again and complete the original game as Krunch without a randomizer.

For now though, I’m happy knowing this challenge accomplished something I hadn’t expected.

It didn’t just prove that Krunch could beat a randomizer.

It proved that, nearly thirty years after first playing Diddy Kong Racing, the game could still surprise me.

The older I get, the rarer it becomes to experience a game with that same sense of wonder I had as a child.

Somehow, a randomizer and one stubborn Kremling gave me that feeling one more time.

29th Jul 2026 0

KRUNCH% Entry 7 | The Wizpig Wall Finally Falls

Seed: 232968 • Platform: Steam Deck • Character: Krunch • Format: No Commentary

The Race I Kept Avoiding

There is something I have been putting off for a while now.

Something waiting patiently for me in Dragon Forest.

Wizpig 1.

For those unfamiliar with Diddy Kong Racing, Wizpig 1 is one of the biggest walls in the entire game. The race itself sounds simple enough on paper:

Three laps
No balloons
Only zippers

In reality, it is one of the toughest skill checks in the game.

And Wizpig does not care how well the randomizer has treated you beforehand.

I have watched speedrunners destroy this race with T.T., the character many consider the best racer in the game.

The last time I personally beat Wizpig 1 was years ago on Adventure 2 using Tiptup.

This time?

I am doing it with Krunch.

Arguably the worst racer in the game.

At this point, I genuinely just want to prove to myself that it can actually be done.

Attempt After Attempt

Thankfully, the randomizer decides not to become completely evil here and gives me the standard Wizpig race.

Three laps.

Wizpig himself, however, shows absolutely no mercy.

Before starting, I establish a small rule for myself:

Five attempts maximum.

If I fail all five attempts, I reload the save state and reset mentally before trying again.

Simple.

Reasonable.

Probably necessary.

What follows is over an hour of learning how Krunch actually works under pressure.

Every failed attempt teaches me something new:

Be gentle with the control stick
Do not panic steer after zippers
Let the kart settle naturally
Know when to release the A button and when to accelerate again

More than anything else, the race becomes about consistency.

You do not need a perfect run where every zipper is flawless.

But you need to get dangerously close to one.

One bad correction.

One bad angle.

One missed zipper.

And Krunch immediately reminds you why most people do not pick him.

Attempt 7

Then Attempt 7 happens.

I get the blue boost at the start.

Good.

I need that if I want any chance of staying near Wizpig.

I hit the zippers cleanly and move into lap two right behind him.

Then, on the first zipper of lap two, I take the lead.

By lap three, I am somehow still ahead.

Not comfortably.

Not safely.

Just enough to keep believing this might actually happen.

Then the final zipper arrives.

Wizpig slips back ahead after I spend most of lap three in first place.

I hit the purple zipper.

The kart surges forward.

The finish line appears.

1st place.

Honestly, I still do not fully know whether Wizpig pushed me across the line or not.

It was that close.

A complete photo finish.

And honestly?

I do not care.

I had just beaten Wizpig 1 with Krunch.

Tears At The Finish Line

Wizpig 1 is already considered one of the toughest races in Diddy Kong Racing.

Beating him with Krunch feels like a genuine flex in anybody’s book.

I let the cutscene and credits roll while sitting there crying tears of joy.

Years ago, when I first booted up Diddy Kong Racing on the Nintendo 64, I never imagined I would one day come back and beat one of childhood gaming’s biggest walls using the character most people would never willingly choose for it.

Back then, Tiptup was enough.

Now?

Krunch survived.

The End Of Seed 232968

And honestly, this feels like the right place to end this particular randomizer.

Seed 232968 has taken me through Smokey 2, Darkmoon Caverns, Star City, Silver Coin Challenges, and more than a few moments where I questioned whether the randomizer was actively trying to ruin my day.

Most importantly, it taught me things about Diddy Kong Racing that I had never really needed to learn before.

A-tapping.

Better drifting.

Split timings.

How much speed can be gained or lost through tiny mistakes.

Then came Frosty Village.

A one-lap Silver Coin Challenge that became the wall of the entire run.

Could it be beaten?

Probably.

Given enough time, enough attempts, and enough stubbornness, I suspect Krunch could eventually force his way through.

But Survivor Incognito has always been built around one simple idea:

Surviving, Not Suffering.

The challenge stopped being an adventure and started becoming a grind.

So rather than spend weeks throwing Krunch at the same obstacle, I decided to call this run where it felt complete.

At Wizpig 1.

The wall that had been waiting for me since the beginning.

The race I kept avoiding.

The race that finally fell.

Seed 232968 may not be fully complete, but it achieved exactly what I wanted it to achieve.

Krunch survived.

And somewhere beyond the finish line, a brand new randomizer seed is already waiting.

Episode Video

Progress Log

Current Seed: 232968
Balloons: 18
Wizpig Amulet Pieces: 2
T.T. Amulet Pieces: 2
Bosses Defeated: Bubbler 2, Smokey 2, Bluey 1, Wizpig 1
Current Threat Level: Chapter complete

Continue the Journey

Entry 6 | Somehow, Star City Went Well ←

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Next: KRUNCH% – DKR Randomizer 2.0 begins soon.

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26th Jul 2026 0

Retro Reflections: Donkey Kong ’94

When Four Levels Became a Ninety-Seven Level Adventure

Revisiting the Games That Shaped a Lifetime of Gaming

When people think about Donkey Kong, they no doubt picture the arcade classic released back in 1981. It introduced both Donkey Kong and Mario to the world, laying the foundations for two of Nintendo’s most recognisable characters.

Since then, both have gone on to star in countless adventures, but one game often gets overlooked: Donkey Kong for the Game Boy, better known today as Donkey Kong ’94.

At first glance, it looks like a faithful handheld version of the arcade original.

That’s exactly what Nintendo wanted you to think.

More Than Just an Arcade Port

The game begins with the original four arcade stages. If you’ve played the arcade game before, you’ll probably expect the credits to roll once they’re complete.

Instead, Donkey Kong gets back up, grabs Pauline, and runs away.

Only then does the real adventure begin.

What follows is another ninety-seven stages spread across a variety of worlds, turning what looked like a simple arcade conversion into one of the Game Boy’s biggest and most inventive adventures.

Even today, I still think it’s one of Nintendo’s cleverest surprises.

A Puzzle Platformer in Disguise

I remember sinking countless hours into Donkey Kong ’94 when I first owned it on the Game Boy.

Most stages shared a simple objective: collect the key and unlock the exit.

On paper, it couldn’t sound simpler.

In reality, every level introduced a different puzzle.

Switches, moving platforms, enemies, springs, ropes, and Mario’s ever-growing collection of acrobatic moves constantly changed how each stage played.

As the adventure progressed, Mario learned techniques that felt far beyond what the original arcade game offered. Handstands, backflips, high jumps, rope swings, and other athletic moves gave him a surprising amount of mobility, allowing Nintendo to create increasingly inventive puzzles.

Looking back, it’s easy to see how many of these ideas would later influence the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series. Mario wasn’t just running and jumping anymore; he was becoming a much more agile and versatile character.

If you wanted every present hidden throughout the game, you had another layer of challenge waiting for you.

For a Game Boy title released in 1994, it felt enormous.

Thirty Years Later

Returning to the game over thirty years later reminded me why it has remained one of my favourite Game Boy games.

Yes, it shows its age in places, but great game design rarely becomes outdated.

The puzzles remain satisfying, Mario controls beautifully, and the constant introduction of new mechanics keeps the adventure feeling fresh from beginning to end.

It deserves to be remembered as far more than simply “the Game Boy version of Donkey Kong.”

One Puzzle Left Unfinished

I’m going to be completely honest.

When I first owned the game as a child, I never truly completed it on my own.

There was one puzzle late in the game that completely defeated me. I eventually needed help to solve it, and although I finished every other stage myself, that one level always stayed with me.

Returning all these years later gave me the opportunity to put that right.

When that puzzle finally fell under my own determination, it felt like I had closed a chapter that had remained unfinished since childhood.

The Final Climb

Reaching the final battle felt surprisingly emotional.

Even though I had faced the final boss many times over the years, it usually took several attempts before everything came together.

This time, it happened on the very first attempt.

When the final hit landed and the credits began to roll, another familiar feeling returned.

Tears of joy.

This wasn’t simply about beating a Game Boy game.

It was about finally completing one of the games that helped shape the gamer I would become.

The Journey

This return to Donkey Kong ’94 was recorded as a complete no-commentary playthrough. If you’d like to experience the adventure from beginning to end, you can watch the full playlist on YouTube.

New adventures begin on the Survivor Incognito Facebook page, where videos are released first before joining the weekly YouTube archive.

▶ Watch the complete Donkey Kong ’94 playthrough on YouTube

📘 Follow Survivor Incognito on Facebook

Still Worth Playing Today?

Absolutely.

Although I didn’t set out to collect every present hidden throughout every stage, I achieved exactly what I wanted from this journey.

I finally completed Donkey Kong ’94 entirely on my own, something I had never managed as a child.

Looking back, I think Donkey Kong ’94 remains one of Nintendo’s most overlooked classics.

People often remember it for the first four arcade stages.

What they sometimes forget is that those four levels are simply the beginning of one of the finest puzzle platformers ever released on the Game Boy.

It may not receive the same recognition as the original arcade game or the Donkey Kong Country series, but it deserves to be remembered in its own right.

Three decades later, it still surprised me, still challenged me, and still reminded me why I fell in love with gaming in the first place.

21st Jul 2026 0

KRUNCH% Entry 6 | Somehow, Star City Went Well

Seed: 232968 • Platform: Steam Deck • Character: Krunch • Format: No Commentary

The Star City Gamble

I finally make my decision regarding Star City’s Silver Coin Challenge.

I am going to attempt it.

Admittedly, this already feels like a terrible idea, so I establish a rule beforehand:

Three attempts maximum.

If I fail all three attempts, I leave and investigate Sherbet Island’s original door instead.

Simple.

Reasonable.

Almost responsible, even.

Then I load into the challenge and immediately regret everything.

The randomizer gives me two laps on the Adventure 2 version of Star City, which honestly might have been worse if I had attempted it immediately after the standard race. At least now my muscle memory is confused in an entirely different direction.

What follows is somehow one of the strangest races of the campaign so far.

I am leading.

I only have three coins left entering the final lap.

Krunch is behaving himself.

And before I fully process what is happening, I somehow collect every coin and finish the race in first place.

On the first attempt.

Honestly, I am still not entirely convinced that actually happened.

Treasure Caves Appears

With sixteen balloons collected, I decide it is finally time to investigate whether the missing Snowflake Mountain course is hiding behind Dragon Forest’s door.

Turns out it is.

Treasure Caves.

The randomizer gives me four laps here, which after Star City honestly feels almost relaxing.

More importantly, I can feel myself slowly getting more comfortable controlling Krunch in the car.

Not perfect.

But noticeably better.

And considering Wizpig 1 is somewhere nearby waiting patiently for my eventual suffering, I will absolutely need that improvement.

One Lap Of Panic

After Treasure Caves, I decide to grab the Snowflake Mountain key and finally unlock the corresponding door.

This means heading to Snowball Valley.

Which is apparently where the randomizer decides to become funny again.

Because after giving me multiple extended races recently, it now decides Snowball Valley should only last a single lap.

Immediately, I abandon any thoughts of grabbing the key during the race itself.

Winning comes first.

The first two attempts are complete disasters.

The third attempt, however, finally works.

Balloon number eighteen is secured.

Only then do I head back in to grab the key properly.

Bluey 1 Returns

With the key collected, I finally make my way to the Snowflake Mountain door.

Behind it waits:

Bluey 1.

I immediately break into a smile.

Back when I originally played Diddy Kong Racing years ago, I used to replay Bluey 2 purely for fun. So seeing Bluey appear here already feels oddly nostalgic.

The fact this fight takes place in the hovercraft while using Krunch somehow makes things even better.

At this point, the hovercraft genuinely feels like Krunch’s natural habitat.

I even grab a blue balloon during the race purely because I can.

The race itself ends comfortably.

And with Bluey defeated, the Snowflake Mountain Silver Coin Challenges are now unlocked.

The Island Keeps Pulling Me Forward

Wizpig 1 remains tempting.

Very tempting.

But I still have other routes available before I commit to that problem.

Most notably:

The original Sherbet Island door.

And honestly, the more the island keeps hiding things behind unexpected routes, the more I want to know what is waiting there.

Episode Video

Progress Log

Current Seed: 232968
Balloons: 18
Wizpig Amulet Pieces: 2
T.T. Amulet Pieces: 2
Bosses Defeated: Bubbler 2, Smokey 2, Bluey 1
Current Threat Level: Controlled instability

Continue the Journey

Entry 5 | The Island Starts Showing Its Hand ←

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Entry 7 | →

19th Jul 2026 1

KRUNCH% Entry 5 | The Island Starts Showing Its Hand

Seed: 232968 • Platform: Steam Deck • Character: Krunch • Format: No Commentary

Options Are Running Thin

At this point, the island is starting to corner me a little.

I still have not investigated what hides behind the original Sherbet Island and Snowflake Mountain doors, but then I remember something important: I still have the key for the Dragon Forest door.

Which means it is time to head there instead.

Once inside, I decide to investigate exactly what is waiting for me throughout the area.

Snowball Valley
Frosty Village
Greenwood Village
Wizpig 1

At least now I finally know where Wizpig is hiding.

I have absolutely no intention of dealing with that problem anytime soon.

For now, I am here for the newly unlocked door:

Everfrost Peak.

Krunch Finally Gets To Fly

At this stage, I am becoming increasingly convinced that most of Snowflake Mountain has somehow migrated directly into Dragon Forest.

There is still one missing course from the world, but honestly, at this rate I would not be surprised if it eventually turns out to be hiding behind Sherbet Island’s door.

Everfrost Peak gives me five laps in the plane.

Which means this is finally one of those rare moments where Krunch feels genuinely dominant.

Once he gets moving in the plane, the sheer speed becomes ridiculous.

So ridiculous, in fact, that I end up lapping every other racer before the race is over.

For once, the randomizer actually feels generous.

Star City Appears

After finishing Everfrost Peak, I decide to finally investigate the Snowflake Mountain door.

Behind it waits Star City.

Which means I have now located two of Future Fun Land’s tracks.

The race itself gives me four laps to survive.

Thankfully, while Star City still contains several tight corners, I am slowly becoming more comfortable controlling Krunch in the car. Not perfectly comfortable, obviously. That would suggest stability, and KRUNCH% appears fundamentally opposed to that concept.

Still, the race itself goes surprisingly smoothly.

And then the island presents me with a problem.

The Silver Coin Dilemma

With fifteen balloons collected, my options are starting to branch in dangerous directions.

Really, I only have two major paths available to me right now:

Investigate what lies behind Sherbet Island’s original door.
Attempt Star City’s Silver Coin Challenge.

And honestly, after what Darkmoon Caverns Coins did to my hands a few entries ago, I am not entirely convinced I want to immediately throw myself into another high-pressure coin challenge.

Especially not on Star City.

Not yet.

So instead, I decide to stop there for the day and think about the next move carefully.

Because the island is no longer simply shuffling tracks around.

It is starting to ask difficult questions.

Episode Video

Progress Log

Current Seed: 232968
Balloons: 15
Wizpig Amulet Pieces: 2
T.T. Amulet Pieces: 2
Wizpig 1 Location: Confirmed
Current Threat Level: Increasing strategic instability

Continue the Journey

Entry 4 | Krunch Versus Basic Driving ←

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Entry 6 | →

12th Jul 2026 1

Retro Reflections: Sonic the Hedgehog (Master System 2)

One of My Earliest Gaming Memories: Sonic the Hedgehog on the Master System 2

Surviving, Not Suffering.

Most people who grew up during the NES, Mega Drive/Genesis, and SNES era probably have a story about the game that introduced them to gaming.

For some it was Mario. For others it was Zelda, Donkey Kong, or one of the countless arcade games that seemed larger than life when viewed through the eyes of a child.

For me, one of my earliest gaming memories, other than playing Super Mario Bros. on an arcade machine, was Sonic the Hedgehog on the Master System 2.

The game came preloaded on the console, meaning there was no cartridge to insert and no collection to build. You simply switched the console on and Sonic was there waiting for you.

Looking back now, it was probably my first real experience of home console gaming.

A Much Bigger Adventure Than I Remembered

Like many childhood memories, the game felt enormous at the time.

Every zone seemed huge. Every level felt like an expedition. Progress felt hard-earned.

When I recently returned to the game after all these years, I completed it in around an hour. Adult me knows the levels, understands platformers better, and generally has far more gaming experience than the child who first picked up that controller.

Yet despite the shorter playtime, the game still felt like an adventure.

Many childhood games lose some of their magic when revisited years later. Sonic the Hedgehog on the Master System never really did.

Searching For Chaos Emeralds

One thing that always stood out to me was how different the Master System version felt from its Mega Drive counterpart.

Most people are familiar with the special stages from the Mega Drive version, where collecting enough rings would give you a chance to earn a Chaos Emerald.

The Master System version took a different approach.

Instead of entering special stages, the Chaos Emeralds were hidden within the levels themselves. You had to explore. You had to search. Sometimes you had to take routes that didn’t look important at first glance.

For younger me, that made the world feel bigger and more mysterious.

Finding a Chaos Emerald wasn’t just about completing a challenge. It felt like uncovering a secret.

Even today, I think it remains one of my favourite approaches to collecting the Emeralds in any Sonic game.

A Journey Across South Island

The zones themselves have stayed with me for decades.

Green Hill Zone remains an iconic starting point. Bridge Zone introduced long stretches over water and collapsing obstacles. Jungle Zone challenged my patience more than once. Labyrinth Zone felt dangerous and intimidating. Scrap Brain Zone signalled that the adventure was nearing its conclusion.

Then came Sky Base Zone.

I always liked how the game made it clear that you were getting closer to Robotnik with every stage you completed. The journey felt like it was building towards something.

Each zone pushed you further forward until eventually there was nowhere left to go except the final confrontation.

For a younger player, that sense of progression was powerful.

Still Worth Playing Today?

Absolutely.

Now, I should probably admit that I am not entirely unbiased here.

This is one of the earliest gaming memories I have.

Nostalgia is undoubtedly part of the experience.

Even so, I genuinely believe the game still holds up. The controls remain responsive, the level design remains enjoyable, and the adventure still feels rewarding from beginning to end.

It may not be as famous as the Mega Drive version, but it deserves to be remembered in its own right.

The Journey

This return to Sonic the Hedgehog on the Master System was recorded as a complete no-commentary playthrough. If you’d like to experience the adventure from beginning to end, you can watch the full playlist on YouTube.

New adventures begin on the Survivor Incognito Facebook page, where videos are released first before joining the weekly YouTube archive.

▶ Watch the complete Sonic the Hedgehog playthrough on YouTube

📘 Follow Survivor Incognito on Facebook

The Blue Hedgehog That Started It All

It’s impossible for me to separate Sonic the Hedgehog on the Master System from my own gaming history.

When I think about where this hobby began, my mind often comes back to that console and that game.

Back then, I had no idea that decades later I would be running a gaming blog, documenting challenge runs, writing survival diaries, and spending far too much time discussing virtual disasters on the internet.

I was simply playing a game about a blue hedgehog trying to stop a mad scientist.

But without that blue hedgehog, I might never have become a gamer at all.

And for that reason alone, Sonic the Hedgehog on the Master System 2 will always hold a special place in my gaming history.

9th Jul 2026 0

The Hostile Castle Protocol – Entry 4: Mapping The Castle

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

Video: Bob-Omb Battlefield is located, two switch courses are cleared, and Bowser in the Dark World refuses to stay where it belongs.

A Quick Investigation

With Rainbow Ride finally behind me, I decided it was time to start figuring out what the castle was actually hiding.

My first stop was the area that would normally contain the Secret Aquarium.

Instead, the randomizer had placed Bob-Omb Battlefield there.

I had a quick look around, but it didn’t take long to realise there wasn’t much point staying.

A lot of the stars appeared to require the Wing Cap, and since I don’t actually have access to it yet, I decided there was little point forcing the issue.

I’d rather finish a course in one visit than collect a couple of stars and immediately leave again.

With that in mind, I backed out and continued exploring.

The Vanish Cap Switch

Next, I paid a visit to the painting that would normally lead to Jolly Roger Bay.

Inside was the Vanish Cap Switch course.

That was good news.

The switch courses are useful because once they’re done, they’re done.

No wondering whether I missed a star.

No revisiting them later.

Just one objective and a clear result.

The randomizer was fairly kind here. I spawned at the top of the slide, which allowed me to collect red coins as I made my way down. The switch itself was also much closer than usual.

Getting the star turned out to be the difficult part.

The star had spawned close to my starting position, meaning I effectively had to complete part of the course backwards.

That sounds simple enough until muscle memory starts fighting back.

I’m used to travelling through this course in one direction. Suddenly doing the opposite felt surprisingly awkward.

Eventually I reached the star and collected it, putting the first switch course firmly in the completed column.

The Metal Cap Switch

The next stop was the Cool, Cool Mountain painting.

Inside was the Metal Cap Switch course.

At that point I realised I was about to clear two of the three cap courses in a single entry.

Naturally, this made me hopeful that the Wing Cap Switch might be waiting nearby somewhere.

Unfortunately, I remembered my original randomizer run.

The Wing Cap hadn’t appeared until Hazy Maze Cave during that seed, so there was no guarantee it would show up any time soon.

The Metal Cap course itself was fairly straightforward.

I’ve done the red coin route enough times over the years that most of it feels automatic now.

I still needed to make proper use of the Metal Cap in a few places, but nothing caused any major problems.

Before long, the star was collected and a second switch course had been crossed off the list.

The Garden Surprise

My plan for this randomizer has always been to work my way down through the castle before heading upwards.

Technically I could have visited the trapdoor that normally leads to Bowser in the Dark World.

Instead, I wanted to investigate the courtyard first.

The Boos had been waiting there for several entries now, and I wanted to know what they were hiding.

The answer turned out to be Bowser in the Dark World.

Of course it was.

Apparently Bowser’s first stage has decided it would rather spend this seed pretending to be Big Boo’s Haunt.

At least that answers one question.

Unfortunately, it also creates another.

It looks like I’m not getting out of going there after all.

End Of Entry Status

Two switch courses have been completed.

Bob-Omb Battlefield has been located.

Bowser in the Dark World has revealed its new hiding place.

The Wing Cap remains missing.

And the castle continues to make its own decisions regarding sensible level placement.

Stars Collected: 16 / 119
Lives Remaining: 11
Courses Cleared: 2
Switch Courses Cleared: 2 / 3

Continue The Journey

← Entry 3
Entry 5 →
The Hostile Castle Protocol Hub
Super Mario 64 Randomizer – Survivor Edition

8th Jul 2026 0

KRUNCH% Entry 4 | Krunch Versus Basic Driving

Seed: 232968 • Platform: Steam Deck • Character: Krunch • Format: No Commentary

Back To Sherbet Island

Now that I have the key for the Sherbet Island door, I decide it is finally time to pay the place a visit. Naturally, reaching it still requires travelling through Snowflake Mountain and then Dino Domain first, because the island no longer believes in straightforward progression.

I still cannot help wondering what is hiding behind the original Sherbet Island and Snowflake Mountain doors, but for now I am trying to stick to a rough path through the campaign — mostly by prioritising whichever doors I currently have enough balloons to enter.

Once inside, I begin investigating the available routes.

Future Fun Land.

Darkwater Beach.

Boulder Canyon.

Hot Top Volcano.

Honestly, not a bad selection.

Before dealing with any of those properly, however, I notice another unlocked door waiting for me:

Smokey Castle.

Smokey Castle And The Banana Incident

The objective here is simple enough: collect ten bananas before the other racers.

Unfortunately, the race also involves driving a car.

Which means it is time for Krunch to once again demonstrate that he has no interest whatsoever in cooperating with basic steering.

The hovercraft feels manageable.

The plane feels surprisingly comfortable.

The car, however, feels like Krunch is actively improvising his own route through every corner.

To be fair, there are moments where everything suddenly clicks and the speed becomes incredible. Unfortunately, those moments are usually followed by Krunch deciding that the wall looks approachable.

Still, despite the chaos, I eventually secure all ten bananas and earn my first piece of the T.T. amulet.

The second one will not be far behind.

Hot Top Volcano Redemption

Next comes Hot Top Volcano.

Four laps of it.

After spending the last two entries wrestling with Darkmoon Caverns, this course feels genuinely relaxing by comparison.

For once, Krunch and I appear to be in agreement regarding where the plane should actually go.

The race goes so well that I end up lapping at least three of the other racers on my way to securing balloon number twelve.

Honestly, after Darkmoon Caverns, I needed that confidence boost.

Boulder Canyon Fights Back

After Hot Top Volcano, I move on to Boulder Canyon — one of my favourite courses in Diddy Kong Racing.

There is another key available here, so naturally I decide to grab it.

For once, however, Krunch is not the problem.

The course itself is.

To reach the key, I need to ring the bell that raises the drawbridge leading toward it. What follows is an embarrassingly long struggle to actually make that happen consistently.

The other racers eventually lap me while I continue fighting the course itself.

Once the key is finally secured, I reset the race properly and complete yet another four-lap event to secure balloon number thirteen.

At this point, the randomizer appears deeply committed to making every race last as long as possible.

Darkwater Beach

The final stop of the session is Darkwater Beach.

Thankfully, this one is a battle challenge rather than a standard race. The objective is simple: be the last racer standing.

I immediately prioritise red balloons for the homing missiles and spend most of the challenge aggressively firing rockets at anything unfortunate enough to appear nearby.

The strategy works.

I secure victory and earn the second piece of the T.T. amulet.

The Island Continues To Collapse

With more balloons collected, my available routes are beginning to narrow.

Thankfully, I now have the key for the Dragon Forest door, which at least gives me another direction to explore.

Still, I am quickly reaching the point where I will need to investigate the original Sherbet Island and Snowflake Mountain doors properly.

At some stage, the randomizer is going to force me to confront whatever horrors are hiding behind them.

That feels like a problem for future me.

Episode Video

Progress Log

Current Seed: 232968
Balloons: 13
Bosses Defeated: Bubbler 2, Smokey 2
T.T. Amulet Pieces: 2
Current Threat Level: Krunch versus automotive engineering

Continue the Journey

Entry 3 | Darkmoon Caverns Fights Back ←

Krunch% Archive

— All entries in this run.

Super Mario ROM Hacks Archive

— All Mario ROM hack content.

Entry 5 | →

5th Jul 2026 1

The Hostile Castle Protocol – Entry 3: Finishing Rainbow Ride

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

Video: The final three stars of Rainbow Ride, an overdue visit to the big house, and the first completed late-game course of the run.

Back To The Big House

When the recording begins, I’m still standing on the crow’s nest of the floating ship. Unfortunately, staying there forever is not a viable strategy, so I climb down the pole and start trying to work out how I’m supposed to reach the big house without donating half my health bar in the process.

While looking around, I notice the falling logs below me and begin wondering whether they could be used as a shortcut.

I have absolutely no idea if the plan will work.

That has never stopped me before.

I stand on one of the logs and wait for it to descend. To my surprise, it lowers me directly onto the carpet route leading towards the house.

Good to know.

The castle had finally provided me with a safer route.

More Coins, More Questions

Working my way up past the maze, I spot a few extra coins and a pair of boxes sitting nearby.

The coins are what interest me most, so I grab them and realise my red coin total has reached seven.

That leaves only one missing.

At this point I’m assuming the final red coin is either inside the house or somewhere along the carpet route leading towards it.

The boxes are also worth investigating, but after hitting the first one I get blown clean off the platform.

Normally that would be a problem.

This time it actually helps because I needed a way back down anyway.

On the way back up, I pause for a quick look at the course menu just to make sure I haven’t missed anything obvious.

Three stars remain.

No more. No less.

The House In The Sky

It takes a few more trips along the carpets before I finally reach the big house.

Part of that delay comes from wanting to check the second box I’d spotted earlier.

Eventually, though, there is nothing left to do except step inside.

The moment I enter, it feels like I’ve interrupted some sort of gathering.

Almost every enemy in Rainbow Ride appears to be packed into the building together.

Apparently this is where they’ve all been hiding.

More importantly, I spot star number five.

I hop off the carpet to collect it and immediately notice something even more useful.

The final red coin.

One quick collection later and the red coin star appears back at the triangles.

While exploring the house, I also collect the last few coins needed for the 100 Coin Star.

Just like that, only one objective remains.

The red coin star.

After that, Rainbow Ride is finished.

The Final Star

Reaching the final star still requires one more risky move.

I attempt a long jump towards the maze and spend the entire jump wondering whether this is actually a sensible idea.

I’m fairly certain I did something similar during my previous randomizer run, but certainty feels like a luxury in this seed.

Thankfully Mario grabs the ledge.

From there, the rest is simply a matter of staying focused and not making a careless mistake.

I take my time crossing towards the star.

There is no point rushing now.

Not after all the effort it took to reach this point.

A few moments later, the final star is collected.

Rainbow Ride is complete.

Looking Ahead

Before leaving, I check the course menu one final time.

All seven stars have been collected.

The course can officially be crossed off the list.

Back in the lobby, I realise this has opened most of the doors currently available to me.

The light still isn’t shining down from the ceiling, so I clearly haven’t reached the requirement for that area yet.

What lies ahead remains a mystery.

One thing has become obvious, though.

If I’m going to keep track of where I’ve been, what courses I’ve found, and what the randomizer keeps throwing at me, I need to start taking notes.

The castle is only getting stranger.

Stars Collected: 14 / 119
Lives Remaining: 8
Courses Cleared: 2
Rainbow Ride Stars Collected: 7 / 7

Continue The Journey

← Entry 2
Entry 4 →
The Hostile Castle Protocol Hub
Super Mario 64 Randomizer – Survivor Edition

1st Jul 2026 1

KRUNCH% Entry 3 | Darkmoon Caverns Fights Back

Seed: 232968 • Platform: Steam Deck • Character: Krunch • Format: No Commentary

Darkmoon Caverns Round Two

With Darkmoon Caverns still fresh in my mind, I decide it is time to tackle my first silver coin challenge of the randomizer.

For those unfamiliar with Diddy Kong Racing’s silver coin races, the objective is simple in theory: collect all eight silver coins and still finish the race in first place.

Unfortunately, this is KRUNCH%, where nothing is ever allowed to remain simple.

With the randomizer settings active, I have no idea how many laps the game is about to demand. Thankfully, Darkmoon Caverns gives me five laps to work with. Considering the alternative could have been one lap, I am choosing to view this as mercy.

Attempt One Goes Poorly

The first attempt actually goes reasonably well from a coin collection perspective. I manage to locate and collect every silver coin without too much trouble.

The racing itself is the problem.

By lap four, it becomes painfully obvious that the run is collapsing. Krunch is fighting every corner, momentum is inconsistent, and the race no longer feels recoverable.

I decide to restart.

Which, honestly, feels like the correct survival decision.

The Coin That Nearly Ended Me

The second attempt goes significantly better.

I collect seven coins cleanly and know exactly where the final one is waiting. More importantly, I spend a large portion of the race holding first place, which immediately makes the pressure worse.

By the final lap, things begin to unravel slightly.

I drop into second place while still missing the final coin. Thankfully, the racer ahead of me clips one of the craters, allowing me to retake the lead. Suddenly, the race is still alive.

All I need to do is grab the final coin positioned before the second loop.

I drive directly into it.

At that point, I know the race is mine.

I head into the loop already doing victory laps in my head while Krunch somehow continues holding the lead together long enough to survive the final section of the race.

One final corner remains.

I cross the finish line in first place.

I immediately start fist pumping the air in celebration.

The hardest challenge of the randomizer so far is finally complete.

Although somewhere out there, Wizpig 1 is still waiting for me, and I strongly suspect that particular problem is going to be considerably worse.

Crescent Island Appears

With nine balloons collected, I briefly get lost trying to remember where I actually intended to go next.

Eventually, I remember that the nine-balloon door inside Snowflake Mountain still needs investigating.

Behind it waits Crescent Island.

And naturally, the randomizer decides this should be another five-lap race.

At this point, I am beginning to suspect the island simply enjoys watching my hands suffer.

The Sherbet Island key is available here, so I prioritise grabbing that before restarting properly for the race win.

Tiptup proves to be an immediate problem.

Not only are they faster than me, they also appear significantly more capable of driving in a straight line. Meanwhile, Krunch continues narrowly missing boost pads like he has developed a personal grudge against them.

Eventually, I manage to overtake Tiptup and maintain the lead for the remainder of the race.

Thankfully, Crescent Island is nowhere near as physically painful as Darkmoon Caverns. There are still some tight turns, but nothing too severe.

Although I suspect the silver coin challenge here will eventually attempt to change that.

The Hovercraft Challenge

With ten balloons collected, it is finally time for the hovercraft challenge.

Compared to everything else happening in this randomizer, the challenge itself is surprisingly straightforward. Three laps pass without any major disasters.

The real struggle begins when attempting to actually collect the balloon afterwards.

It genuinely feels like the balloon is attempting to actively avoid me.

Eventually, I manage to grab it and secure balloon number eleven.

Which means the door to where Sherbet Island should normally be is now open.

Unfortunately, I still have not investigated the door leading to where Snowflake Mountain itself has ended up.

But that feels like a problem for another day.