Turning handles Sometimes Duke gives 1, 2 or 3 turns in handles/valves. Being 3 or 1 turns more common and 2 turns seem the rarest. When it's just one turn it saves time. But I think It's all random. However I notticed that when I approach the handles walking left or right with L2 or R2 it's more common (I think increases the chance) of getting 1 turn. Still it doesnt seem manipulative at will. And if you just walk towards the handle it will get 1 turn sometimes anyway.

Running I notticed Duke runs slightly faster when he is not holding any weapon. I haven't done any precise test, but it looks quite obvious to me.

• His movement animation itself is faster
• I feel that I cover more ground if I'm running with no weapons at hand.
• When I run and jump, Duke jumps further, if I don't have a gun equipped.
• When I jump over a small platform or a pit, I have less chance to fail the jump when Duke is not holding any weapon.

So I think it saves seconds in the long run, even if you have to equip and unequip weapons all the time.

It is just me?

It would be really nice to be able manipulate the valve for Pig Factory at least

I haven't noticed anything on the running, I just unequip weapons out of habit. I'll look into it though. The last thing with the jumping I noticed too - the game stops Duke from jumping early when he's running at full speed and there's a pit in front of him.

Carrying power ups through stages

I don't know if it works with other power ups, but at least with Steroids, when you finish a stage and still has the effect of steroids, the effect continues on the next stage.

As an example on this run, at 39:10, at the end of hog heaven

Nottice how I carry 41 % of the steroids effect for the next stage and it makes Duke continues to run a lot faster.

The Effect of steroids will end earlier though if you take shots before finishing the stage, as each damage drains % of the effect quickly.

So at the end, it might even compensate turning around, killing enemies fast and progressing with the more Steroids effect possible.

Good find! I think stopping to kill enemies will just get you hit in Hog Heaven though. Even without stopping you only have 41% and you don't even get hit in that run at all. It's just luck plus hiding behind the door after the stage ends.

Right now I'm trying to figure out good ways to do the Challenge Stages and I might have it down to consistent routes. Stage 4 with the RPG is really hard, because of how the RPG constantly switches which side the rocket flies from. I can try recording the challenges separately just so we have a kind of "route".

Yeah, I got 41% of steroids without getting shot and it was all luck. If I've turned I could've been shot and I would lose time anyway. plus I wouldnt have 41% anymore. Although I always found valid to try the risk of getting the steroids on water, even if you have to swin a little bit away to get it, the seconds wasted are recovered swimming back faster, So it's always worth at least the try

About the routes on challenge stages, that's amazing! Please if you have the time don't skip sharing the videos of the challenge stages here!

Here's the vid with my ideas for the challenges, I tried getting the routes to minimize having to hunt for the enemies

Stage 1(1:45 exit) - Kill the 2 cops on the side, turn around and kill the one in the corner behind the starting point After this, turn around again and go over that bridge - that way you can get the rest of the cops on the upper level Then drop down, kill the remaining 4 cops and then go into the sewers to kill the 8 lizards The lizards are pretty much RNG but I think it's better not to move around too much since they like to run away if you're too close to them

Stage 2(1:58 exit) - You can just run all the way without stopping and there's enough time to shoot all the lizards in the open spaces while you're running around

Stage 3(2:33 exit) - Take out the 5 floaties in the middle, then run around the - this way you'll run across all enemies in the red side - you have to turn around for the last one Then, strafe over to the blue side, there are two enemies on both sides, kill one, turn around and go that way Clear out the middle area and the two floaties hiding near the Atomic Health, then run to the exit, using the other corridor - the last enemy will be there

Stage 4(1:58 exit) kind of works but it's super easy to kill yourself because the pigs like to run up to you After the stage begins, shoot immediately - this stops the first two enemies so they're easier to hit and also tells you which side of the RPG shoots next so you don't hit the wall by accident Run into the side corridor, before you get to the center area, there's a lizard hiding to the right - sometimes the first rocket doesn't hit him In the center area - shoot left for a cop and a lizard, then go to the right towards the portal Now you want to turn to the left and shoot the two cops there Then go towards the portal, there are two lizards in the side corridor Killing everything leaves you with 6 enemies that are on the lower floor - one of them sometimes wanders off - RNG I guess

Stage 5(2:41 exit) is just knowing how many chickens are left after you exit each room

Stage 6(1:30 exit) is simply running to the sides and then to the exit

@Trebr0n

Nice! I will study this routes When I get to run Surprise% again. Right now I'm improving My any% and getting close to a 43:00

Knowing this game since 1998 I've never seen any strategy guide/FAQs for the challenge stages. This is really precious content you brought

=)

For Surprise% - The HiTemp Flame Thrower we get for Challenge Stage 5 absolutely destroys Moloch at the end. Even with dying on my PB it was only 26 seconds IGT. The best I got while practicing is 20 seconds IGT.

I'll put the others bosses down, too The Reaper - 16 seconds IGT if he moves so you can hit him with enough TNT Wing'ed Death - 30 seconds IGT if he doesn't move towards you Moloch the Gatekeeper - 20 seconds IGT - use the 11 RPG shots you have, then switch to the HiTemp Flame Thrower

Another thing I've noticed Normally, with the Desert/Super Eagle it's 19 shots and then Duke reloads the gun but putting it into the holster resets the counter so you can avoid reloading.

That is a nice find about the flamethrower!

I usually have trouble in bosses rngs, the reaper and wing'ed death can move randomly. But the reaper seems most ok, it's just seconds longer to kill if he doesnt moves close to barrels, The major problem is in wing'ed death that seems to fly towards me all the time =(

And about the weapon reloads I also had notticed. There are 2 reasons I always equip and unequip weapons. One is I think duke runs slightly faster with no weapon at hand, and other is that it reloads the weapons =) Nice records!

Glitch Basement door enter in Duke Hill

I don't know how to explain but the thing is; when duke is crowching his feet are a loose from ground. Which means, he will move sideways or foward a bit if you rotate him while crouching.

With that in mind it becomes very easy to glitch through door in basement in first try (at least going in, that you have to crouch, going out is a different thing.)

So, going in: Just run into the door a little bit diagonally until his feet is inside and he gives the "bumping" animation, once he bumps then imediatelly hold duck. Once duck Imediatelly, smash left on d-pad just a little bit, this will rotate him to be straight foward (kinda undoing the diagonal way you ran first) but also will slightly move him foward. This is very quick but this simple move as I said moves him foward a bit and will make you feel he's already inside, and that's it, just roll foward.

5:53

It's barely notticeable, but after you duck you're not inside yet. What will make duke get inside after the duck is rotating him just a little bit, this will "turn him" inside somehow, and be able to roll foward.