edit: I came up with this route before I realised winning Same Game in S3 was essentially RNG. I'll update this next week, but our idea now is to start with C1>B1>C3 then BLJ past the 20 star barrier and do S3.
-------------------------------My route------------------------------
C1>B1>C3>C2>S1>C4>B2>S3>C1>C5>S2>C6>C8>OW3star>C7>B3 Savequit after C3, S3, and C7.
-------------------------------Notes---------------------------------
Savequitting on 70th star skips 70 star text.
Shops: You need Key 1 for the vase in Shop 1 and Key 2 for the vase in Shop 2. You will need 9 tokens, all of which can be collected without making significant detours. You need to step on the Wing Cap and Vanish Cap switch, but not the Metal Cap switch. The caps given on stage entrace last indefinitely, but are lost on star grab. Caps from boxes time out as normal.
OW1: Shop 1: WC. 1 free token. Need key 1 for vase. Vase warps to OW2. You need to exit course on WC stage. See below for bobsled slide skip. C1: 4 requires WC. Entry selection required for 5. 1 unlocks warp for other stars. 80c with 1. 2 free tokens. C2: Requires 1 star (door). 2 free tokens. B1: Requires 5 stars. Go straight from C1. You can probably skip the star requirement but there's not much point. B3: Requires 35 stars.
OW2: Each course is behind a star door. There are no useful BLJ spots apart from maybe the sewer pipe walls. Shop 2: MC. Need Key 2 for vase. Vase warps to OW3. You do not need to step on the metal cap switch. You need to exit course on MC stage. C3: Requires 5 stars. 80c with reds. 2 free tokens. C4: Requires 12 stars. Entry selection required for 5. 80c with 5. 1 free token. C5: Requires 15 stars. 2 requires WC. Entry selection required for 5. 1 unlocks warp and canons for other stars. 80c with 1. 1 Free token. B2: Requires 20 stars but can be clipped into by bljing in the corner.
OW3: Shell reveal game star is here. Pipe to OW1, but no way back to OW2 afaik. Anti-clockwise movement is faster than clockwise movement (see comparison below). Shop 3: VC. Boo's VC star warps you back to the shop, VC reds require course exit, and I'm pretty sure it's faster to reenter than run between them. Finishing on reds and resetting is slightly faster than savequitting (unless pj64 lags). No vase game. C6: 3 Requires VC. Entry selection required for 4 and 5. C7: Do 5 last to avoid it triggering its star cutscene when you reenter. C8: Requires 32 stars. 1 unlocks warp for other stars and is required for 6. Entry selection required for 5.
Bowser: If you die after spawning the pipe you will not lose progress on Bowser throws despite returning to B3, and you will return to the fight with him waiting to be thrown.
This video is intended to give a general idea of the difference, not time the exact difference in optimal movement. IMO my movement is worse on the Anti-Clockwise route but it still ended up faster.
