The strategy explained here works with every character, and is the same regardless of Autokick and config glitch preferences (though jump timing is slightly different, and config glitch arguably makes the strat much easier). Inputs are listed for default N64 controls (c-up = Grindslide, c-down = Jump/Ollie, c-left = Flip Trick, c-right = Grab Trick).

If you’re running 100% or the individual level you will want to get the gold medal. If done correctly, this finishes each heat in 3 seconds of in-game time, the IL record. Note for IL submissions on speedrun.com you need exactly 15 tapes going into this level. You should be aiming for >91.5 from the judges for both heats, though 91.0 can sometimes be enough. It takes roughly 14,500+ and no bails to get this. I suggest aiming for 15,000 so if you come up a bit short you should be OK, and so you don’t lose to other skaters RNG judge scores.

The general idea for the score is this combo:

360 Fastplant Wall Ride Boardslide Benihana Acid Drop

Points 5 tricks = x5 360 = +(x1) (each 180 adds +0.5x) Fastplant = 250 Wall Ride = 500 Boardslide = 100 (+20 per extra frame grinded) Benihana = 420 (+20 per extra frame held) Acid Drop = 1000

Total points = 6 x (250 + 500 + 120 + 420 + 1000) = 6 x 2290 = 13,740 Add ~1 frame of board sliding and ~10 frames holding Benihana = 20 x 11 x 6 = 1,320 15,060 = 13,740 + 1,320

Nollie works but is base 200 instead of Fastplants 250, so you lose 300 points off the total score. Any grind works and others score higher, but Boardslide is by far the easiest and most common one to get; it’s not worth attempting others when Nollie/Boardslide works as long as you hold the Benihana long enough.

When starting, there is a quarter pipe to your left behind you. Acid Drop is a gap where you fall from the platform above the quarter pipe onto said QP. There is a box directly behind your starting point that you are not be able to grind. Far to the right of that box (when facing it) is a pillar which juts out from the platform and connects to the QP below. Acid drop only works between this box and pillar.

Tap c-down to fast forward through the opening rules and buffer left+R* to turn in place. Autokick On: [don’t let go of c-down during the opening, hold until ready to jump]. Autokick Off: [wait to repress c-down til the text is gone and your character has started the kick animation].

• you can also use L but you’ll want to switch to R before the Fastplant or you might bail. And if you make it past the grind spinning left can be awkward. It’s doable but R is way easier. If you don’t hold L or R the combo will work but you will probably get 4 seconds instead of 3 as you turn slower and there aren’t many frames to spare. The 360 is also more difficult since you spin slower in the air as well. You can buffer L/R before picking the level from Level Select, but the in game menus will lock while holding L. You won’t be able to change options or pick Continue/Restart Comp/End Run/Next Heat while holding L, but you can with R.

The trickiest part of this level in my opinion is learning when to stop turning at the beginning. If you go too far, your walljump will get you above the box and you won’t be able to grind. If you don’t turn far enough, your walljump will put you close to the pillar and when jumping down you won’t get the Acid Drop gap. I let go of left roughly when I see the edge of the QP in the camera’s view. You want to hit the wall about halfway between the eS tapestry and the edge of the QP.

As soon as you stop turning, quickly spam up to at least get a Nollie. Nollie or Fastplant is fine, but neither wouldn’t be nearly enough points because of how multipliers work. If not using config glitch*, the next part can be hard to nail: you release c-down to Nollie or Fastplant at the wall and here I recommend you begin holding down+right on the dpad (you don’t have to until the grind, but buffering it here is easiest so you can focus on timing the Wallride/grind/jump inputs). Hit c-up to Wallride and tap c-down ASAP after riding it. Hold c-up immediately after this jump to grind the platform, and again c-down ASAP to jump off. As long as you are holding down+right now, you’ll land on the QP below and get the Acid Drop gap.

• if using Config Glitch, you can honestly just spam c-down here. The initial jump and holding down+right are still important, but the Wallride/grind/jumps are easy. If not using Config Glitch remember that you can buffer Wallrides and grinds. Timing the ollie inputs is the harder part. Normally I’d recommend claw, but you should be holding R here so unless you’re comfortable using middle finger R and index finger c-up, just get used to switching your thumb from c-down to c-up and back quickly.

After jumping off the grind, hold c-right to do a Benihana (you should already be holding down+right* to get this trick, and R to get the 360). Hold the Benihana to get enough points, but you have more than enough time (the timing is not restrictive here) so make sure to let go of c-right before landing or you’ll of course bail. I let go of down+right and R at the same time I let go of c-right; you can continue holding them and still land but it might screw up the score cancel at the end. Just make sure you’ve gotten the 360 and you’ll land straight on the quarter pipe.

• • up+right may work too, but Rocket Air has a lower base score than Benihana (~-50 base, 300 in combo), so there’s less leniency. I also find Benihana easier to line up the landing with).

If you just want the IL record you can pause and end run as soon as you land on the QP to finish the combo, since IL rules only care about IGT and the timer ends here. But in a full game run using RTA timing, you’ll want to avoid the score from your combo ticking down. You do this by performing another trick. As soon as you finish a new trick’s startup animation (if you have Score Display on this is when the name and score of the trick appear at the bottom of the screen), the previous trick’s score will skip the rest of it’s counting and add to your total in the top left. Pause and End Run while still in the air or this new trick will take a moment to tick up its score. Don’t bail or you won’t get enough of a judge score for first. Optimally you can Nollie or Fastplant to Score Cancel, but these animations can be hard to confirm visually (especially without Score Display), so I typically opt for Japan Air. The exaggerated pose is easy to see. Also since it’s an up input, I’ll often get Nollie or Fastplant as well, so if I pause early it usually still works. Wait to ollie til after you’re on flat ground: if you ollie while still on the quarter pipe you’ll be angled downward and may hit the ground and bail. Pause and press up to skip to the bottom of the menu for End Run. Mash A to choose it, skip thru the judge scores and standings, and choose Next Heat from the following menu. After heat 2, be careful not to mash too long and choose Next Heat again: you want to go down to End Competition. After seeing the medal, press A to move on, press down then A to say No to Save Game?, then down and A one last time for Level Select.

To recap, in a nutshell: Buffer R+left (+c-down for Autokick On users) Turn ~135 degrees (start holding c-down during turn for Autokick Off users) Release left; Don’t let go of R Mash up for Nollie/Fastplant Release c-down to Jump (hold down+right) Wallride jump grind jump (Config glitch users just spam c-down) You should already be holding down+right. Hold c-right now to Benihana. You should still be holding R to 360. Release all buttons after lining up the landing on the quarter pipe. Start holding c-down + up. Delay jumping til off the QP. Release c-down, press c-right. (Should get Nollie and/or Japan Air for Score Canceling). Pause. End Run. (Scores). Next Heat. As long as you get a high 14k score or more you should be in first. Repeat for Heat 2. Pause. End Run. (Scores). End Comp. No. Level Select. If you do everything correctly, the timer will still be 0:57 when you pause both heats, and you’ll get the Gold medal and tie the IL record for Chicago.

If you’re comfortable with this strat, you can use it in any% as well, but there is a faster route and an easier 3-second/Heat strat to get Bronze.