VVVVVV- Time Trial Mode

VVVVVV is a game I've found myself sinking hours and hours into, in no small part due to how simple it is-you control Captain Viridian, who can only move and flip gravity.  And he can only flip gravity while standing on solid ground.  The level editor included is also a big part of what's kept me coming back, and now there's another facet of the game that has me grinding out runs until I get what I want.

Well, 2 facets.

The first is simple-the game has a timer.  I want to beat it as quickly as possible, simply because it's fun.  Getting 100% in under an hour isn't that great, but I still had a blast doing it (and got some really nice first try rooms-like Not As I Do within Intermission 1).

The second plays off the first, but completely differently.  The Time Trial mode pits you against one of the games' 6 areas-Space Station 1, The Laboratory, The Tower, Space Station 2, Warp Zone and The Final Level.  You are ranked on your performance when you finish, starting at a B rank and earning one additional rank for not dying, for finishing within a par time and for collecting all the shiny trinkets (the games' collectibles, almost always out of the way past a more difficult challenge).  Completing one of those goals nets you an A rank, 2 nets you an S rank and all 3 awards the coveted V rank.


And V ranks are what I've been after lately.  I started by focusing on Space Station 1, which is your fairly straightforward tutorial area.  Only one room, Trench Warfare, posed any real threat.  After learning the strategy used in speedruns (the faster I got out of there, the less time I had to spend in a dangerous room) it took about a half dozen repetitions to get in, grab the trinket and get out without dying.  I played the last part of the level very carefully to avoid dying, and nearly missed the par time!

After that I went for The Tower.  The Tower autoscrolls, meaning it was just a matter of not dying.  Well...I sat down and 3 tries later got both trinkets and completed the area without dying.  Like SS1, it was a matter of not dying while collecting the 2nd trinket.

Just now I finished up the Warp Zone, which has mindbending screenwraps on every screen.  This time around there were 2 rooms that were threatening, Edge Games and That's Why I Have to Kill You.  Well, I got the Edge Games trinket twice, and the first choked on the way out, so this one wasn't too bad either.  Are the remaining 3 V ranks going to be as easy as these three?  Well, maybe, since there was some practice in playing through the game many times.  But even still, The Lab has a few nasty things over a minute in (like the Warp Zone), and the final level is just plain challenging but at least there's no trinkets to worry about.  Space Station 2, however, is absolute hell as you must do all of the following correctly first try:
-Clarion Call
-Veni Vidi Vici/Doing things the hard way
-Gordian Knot
-everything else that on its own isn't too hard but after you're nervous about keeping the run due to FINALLY getting first try Veni Vidi Vici
and it's also the longest level, coming in at over 3 minutes even when done properly.  3 minutes of not being able to screw up!  I fully intend to complete this at some point, and then I guess No Death mode exists...


edit-

First try after those V ranks.  I feel accomplished for having sub-30 100%.