27-Feb-2014, 11:48 PM
(This post was last modified: 14-Jul-2013, 10:06 PM by AdrenalinDragon.)
[img]<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2017_10/blog-0462728001373743743.thumb.png.5129a371f84e0e96e895d6ac1f8b73b8.png[/img]Now, first things first. This is strictly not a top 20 levels I'd like to see in CCLP1. These are levels I have designed and released over the last 11 years. There have been many ups and downs, from the godawful TomP1Fixed to the much superior TomPCCLP1. However, over the many years I have grown up with playing all my levels over and over again, I can't help but to try and iron out the best ones. It wasn't an easy task, I forgot how many good ones I had! Note that A Walk in the Park, Item Unlocker, and Chip Alone 2 aren't here as they are CCLP3 levels and this is for CCLP1 comparison. Here we go! Starting with number 20!
20 - Sleeping Dragon
I guess judging by my username it wouldn't surprise you one of my favourite levels of mine is based around a fire breathing Dragon right? I remember drawing a Dragon in MS paint to work out how to convert it into Chip's Challenge tiles and boy did my artwork suck Dragonballs back then! The level's title comes from the PC game Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon, which fittingly had a Dragon as the final boss of the game. The concept of the level requires you to empty the Dragon's constant fire breathing flames by blocking off the cloner button in the far bottom left with blocks. However, there's a bit of a trick to getting it down which is considered controversial. You have to partial post a teleport in a rather unusual place to get to the intended target. Some people yelled at me ONE STAR! For doing that, but it may not be such a bad thing for late CCLP1 criteria. After that, you find some fire boots and head into the Dragon itself, dodging any fireballs along your way as necessary. It was really fun, but rather fitting with the theme of a mythical creature around Fireballs. Either way, you got to admit the concept was pretty cool don't deny that!
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
2 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
19 - Locked Up
This was a superb one. I remember having a phase of CC1 inspired levels to look at upon and one of my favourites was Corridor. I know people always assumed I gave all block pushing levels one star but that is simply not true! I loved Avalanche and Cityblock believe it or not. Sure, Locked Up looks quite bland on first appearance, but it actually turns out to be quite a lot of fun! Long corridors to navigate your way around the doors and finding the keys so you can move the blocks around the "Locked Up" corridors. It's challenge is nicely fitted to be not too hard for veterans and not too hard for beginners, and allows some room for error. It seems to be hit and miss for most people though, but I love Locked Up and it's probably my favourite level of my own based around block pushing. Maybe a bit more time needed, but should fit like a glove otherwise.
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
1 star - As a secret level (145-149)
18 - A Scare in the Air
Oh man, anyone remember September 11th 2001? I can remember it clear as day. I was in Florida with my parents and brother and suddenly we wake up for breakfast at the hotel and see these two buildings on fire on that one star Sony TV. it was horrifying that day. On the positive side though, it gave me the idea for this level. The concept is to stop the terrorist, being the Paramecium from hijacking the plane and crashing it to your death. With a strict time limit of only 60 seconds to do that, it becomes a frantic rush to get outside the plane, make your way around the outside, and having to find the right equipment to give him off board and make your escape. I love the whole chaotic nature of this level, with the monsters in the starting room being deplicted as passengers panicking for their lives. Why are you so evil, Tom? I simply say I was born ****ed up.
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
4 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
17 - Boingy Balls
Who doesn't love bouncing their balls up and down as a man? Boingy Balls is simply that, a level all about Pink Balls bouncing off the walls, traps, toggle switches. You name it! One of my favourite levels from the TomP1Fixed era, the level is not just dodging the Pink Balls, it requires some timing with getting past toggle switches and making all your moves count. One of the keys needs to be timed well with the trap buttons for you to reach it without getting Pink Balled to the face. After that, it becomes a matter of being quick. One of the things I love about this level is its chaotic nature of being fast on your feet, as one room becomes a series of dodgballing literally to reach the other end with some randomness thrown in but not too much. It requires a bit of playing skill sure, but as a Pink Ball melee level, it's by far my favourite stil over these many years.
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
1 star - As a secret level (145-149)
16 - The Church
Sometimes, bland ideas work the best, and The Church is no exception. Originally made as a story level for TomP4 after Chip awakens from his gravestone and inside a Church, the grim and lonely aspect of exploring this bleak and grimy Church worked out amazingly well. It's a lengthy level, filled with backtracking and having to navigate through the Church's corridors featuring Gliders that aresupposed to be the ghosts of the Church. I guess everyone would figured that out, right? The pink ball room is probably my favourite room of the entire level, in which you run up and down thin walls and make your way through the gaps before you get trapped. It's not insanely hard, and you can see the dead ends which is great for CCLP1. Another great room is guiding a Glider to hit a toggle switch with gravel and dirt, and the very simple Fireball puzzle at the end. it all fits the mould nicely, and despite perhaps ironically being too quiet in some aspects of the level, which I know is a bit of a turnoff, The Church is well designed and packs in nicely as a large but spooky themed level.
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
3 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
15 - Funfair
Who doesn't love going to funfairs and theme parks and all that ****? Well, there was this one star funfair that comes to my town a few times a year and the rides were awful! However, after riding the Ghost Train it gave me the best idea for a level ever. A level themed around rides and Chip having to ride them all to eventually finish the level. Walking about and exploring the rides is part of the fun. My favourite one is probably the Merry Go Round aka the Carousel. It's made simply from force field arrows with monsters on it and you have to grab the key in the center. After that you head onto the Ghost Train and beware of the Teeth lurking inside! I won't spoil anymore, but the atmosphere is one of my favourite parts, relying on knowing what the rides are supposed to be from the hint helps you realise that information is important to getting through each of them one by one, and it's a very lazy back level where you don't need to rush or be a veteran to finish it. I think there could be some improvements, but it was pretty awesome and would love to make another soon!
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
3 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
14 - The Crazy Machine
My most revisited level in TomP2, and with good reason too! The Crazy Machine doesn't really have any crazy machine to speak of, just a kind of constant cloning cycle and simple linear corridors and rooms to navigate through. What I love about this level is that it gets straight to the point. Sometimes going with the flow of the machines can help you understand the layout and wanting to explore the whole mechanic. I also love how after the end you have to backtrack and make your way against the cloning machines once again. I love the atmosphere of all the buttons being hit and the monster sequences like the Pink Ball room and the ice rink with the Fireballs and Glider chase at the very end. It all flows nicely, and the level's difficulty is just right and it's just one of those I love to play again just to try and squeeze in another second. It's cr-cr-crazy (Taxi)!
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
2 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
13 - Christmas Eve
Why the **** did I call this level Christmas Eve? You know what? I have no ****ing clue! I believe I ran out of ideas and as Christmas was coming up, that's how it came to play. Although it doesn't have any Christmas decorations or anything to do about Christmas besides the hint message, Christmas Eve is a fast pased linear level from point A to B with no sweat. One of my favourite things was its linearity, just following a path and not knowing what's ahead until the very moment it happens. There's a few chase parts where you have to be quick and you'll probably die on the first go, but the level is short enough for it to matter too much. My favourite sequence is near the end with the force fields and teleports. If you mess up the multiple choice, the teleporter just loops you back to the beginning. It's maybe not beginner friendly, but late CCLP1 maybe?
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
3 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
12 - Rainbow Door Key
You know what they say! The grass is greener on the other side, but in this case, it's rainbow coloured doors! Rainbow Door Key was inspired by a level from one of my old friends called David P who originally make a similar level called Rainbow Door Park. I decided to use the concept of the middle room and make a non-linear challenge of having to tackle loads of rooms, collecting loads of different keys with extras, and just find your way around the whole level without knowing if you're doing the right thing or not. The concept is genius, and there are a few red herrings but also lots to do around the map, perhaps too much. Whether it will be too difficult for CCLP1 will have to decide to the voters, but I believe the hint for where to use the first key is given to you, iis enough to be able to complete the level within less than 5 tries and who knows? Maybe you'll find an even quicker route if you're an optimisation geek like Andrew Bennett. I really enjoyed making this level, and if they are busts, it doesn't really matter in this case.
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
5 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
11 - Blobs on a Plane
I was always scared of both Airplanes and Snakes, knowing that two of my worst fears come together after watching the movie Snakes on a Plane gave me the idea of making the same thing, but with Blobs on board instead. The concept is that Chip must escape the plane before the Blobs overcome the entire level. Although there's gravel for some breathing room, the clock is still against Chip and he must find a toggle switch to get the Blobs off the plane so he can reach the exit with luck on his side. The one thing I love about playing this level over and over is having to be brave and take the risks of getting through the Blob infested plane by collecting all the chips and boots without a care in the world. It's a fun level, and whether it will do well in any CCLP voting depends on how people feel about Blob-centric levels, but that my word, we need levels like this, and for what it achieves I think Blobs on a Plane is a great dodging/melee level and one of my best for that reason.
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
4 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
10 - !?
This level sure looks like a piece of **** from the outside, but take my word its awesome! Inspired by the Dreamcast game Chu Chu Rocket, the second to last puzzle of the game titled !? The idea was that there would be a large !? in the center of the map. The player had to work their way round every tile in the game which was scattered around the map in a maze like fashion. Most people only solved it by looking at a map, but I decided to test a theory whether a beginner could finish it. One of my test experiments was to see if they could solve the level without resorting to online solutions or maps. The results were surprising. The first person to solve it without a map or any solution/tips took 46 minutes to reach the exit from start to finish, and the second person who resorted to looking at the map took almost twice as long. It was from this I realised that !? may have a shot at CCLP1 after all. It is a pure guesswork level sure, but I love !? and wouldn't change it for the world.
CCLP1 candidate rating
1 star - As a regular level (1-144)
4 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
9 - Chip Alone
Inspired by the Home Alone movies, Chip Alone was the very last level I made in my original set TomP1Fixed.dat. The idea was to guide two fireballs using the booby trapped out house to work their way around to their intended targets, which were trap buttons to the exit. As you can figure out, Chip was supposed to be Kevin and Marv and Harry, the two burgulars were meant to be the fireballs. I consider this level a great CCLP1 candidate for all positions of the set as the puzzles can be worked out without any shenanigans and most of them are simple, but fun. Did you catch the little easter egg with the neighbour's house in the top left corner of the map, guys? Also, it spawned a sequel in TomP3 called Chip Alone 2: Lost in Chip City which earned a spot in Chip's Challenge Level Pack 3. Will we see the same for Chip Alone?
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
4 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
8 - Green Clear
I remember making this level thinking I needed more CC1 like mazes. Back in those days, I remember making levels really complicated and confusing in TomP3, but Green Clear was a good exception. The level was pretty much a simple "collect the Chips maze and head to the socket afterwards" affair, but with the added twist of green toggle switches. If you stepped on one toggle switch, you cooked the level and were trapped forever. Looking at all the toggle switches could make your eyes go trippy, but the paths were pretty clear and windy for the most part. At the end, you hit the socket, release the trap button and can optimise the fastest way of reaching the exit square. Sometimes I wish I could make simple levels again, but it's not so easy for veteran players of the series, but Green Clear is a good glimmer of hope for me.
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
2 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
7 - Solve the Pyramid
Back in the good old days as a teenager back at school, a friend and I were discussing what could make an awesome level. The discussion of Super Mario 64's Shifting Sand Land and The Mummy series of movies gave us an idea of drawing on paper a large level set inside a pyramid full of shenanigans and red herrings. This was also the very first level where I had the idea of using regular blocks as walls, which would later become a staple in my later levels for traps to blend in the levels perfectly. Solve the Pyramid was an excrutiating level to make, as I had to keep testing for busts, traps that stopped working all of a sudden, and whether or not the tank puzzle room was actually possible to beat. Despite its fair share of guesswork and unfair traps, I'm really proud of this level and it's fun to screw with the traps and explore the insides of a pyramid.
CCLP1 candidate rating
2 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
4 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
6 - The Snipers
Dodging is fun, and there's nothing better than being able to dodge and avoid sniping shots in First Person Shooters. The Snipers was inspired by many PC modern shooters Ihad played over the years, such as Quake 3 Arena, Call Of Duty, and Counter-Strike. The concept behind The Snipers was simple. Two large open rooms guarded by snipers in which Chip was in danger when he was in the open. To avoid the snipers fireballs, all Chip had to do was find a hole cover at the sides of each room to avoid the fireballs. Once Chip mastered the first room, he head into the second room, guarded by the second sniper in which he has to make his way all the way up to him and kill the sniper by opening a trail of dirt. What I love about this level is having to go round the fire mazes while dodging the snipers, and it's always fun to move faster and work your way around. Most people thought it was lucky timing and rated it low though, so adding a hint in will fix that. Other than that, an excellent candidate for CCLP1 and a top favourite.
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
3 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
5 - Runaway Train
Man, I had alot of fun making this level. Inspired by the Train level in the Nintendo 64 game Goldeneye 007, the idea was Chip has to make his way from the back of the train to the front to make his escape before the bomb goes off with him still on board. It used to be alot harder in its original release. I remember that dreaded three blob carriage right near the front of the train, it was a nightmare to get past four times haha! Thankfully, the CCLP1 adjusted version is alot easier and allows more room for error and time to navigate for everyone set out to play it. I also love the illusion effect I made of making the level seem like one long horizontal level with teleport trickery, as well as using fireballs to simulate the train moving at breaknecking speeds on force fields. A fun level now to play and easy enough for everyone to get through the train in no time. I originally had the idea of making an easter egg in which Chip was able to get off the train and spoil the illusion effect with suction boots, but I took it out of CCLP1 voting for now.
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
5 stars - As a secret level (145-149 as a time challenge)
4 - Cineworld
Who loves eating some popcorn and watching movies on a weekend? I sure do, and it comes to no surprise this level is based on a real local cinema I go to on a frequent basis in a town called Stevenage, branded Cineworld Cinemas. The original idea was the Chip tiles were used as regular people queueing up to get their movie tickets at the vendors, and Chip having to navigate through every movie screening using a toggle switch that turns on and off to collect all the Chips. One thing I loved doing on this was using different tiles to represent various movies screening in each room, so that it looked like people were actually watching a movie. There's also a snack bar and the public toilets in which nobody guessed the exit being the toilet! Boy, I sure regret making that decision now. A big personal favourite of mine and a good level to enjoy for any CCLP I think. I'll probably add a hint in referencing a movie or something just to make it a little more fun like Indiana Chip, Star Chip Into Darkness or Chip To The Future haha!
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
5 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
3 - All Bit Busters Go to Heaven
Just one week shy of the CCLP1 level submissions deadline during my holiday trip at Polruan in 2012, I came up with the best idea ever. To make the perfect CCLP1 finale level, and the idea for All Bit Busters Go to Heaven was born after watching the five star animated classic All Dogs Go to Heaven on a television channel. The concept was that Chip had to guide the remaining Bit Busters to Heaven, including himself but unknowingly realising there's a bit of a cliffhanger twist at the end where Chip goes to Hell instead. I remember being really careful and picky while designing it, like trying to avoid deaths where you can't see them and ensuring someone could do it without a map, and most importantly, not revealing the twist ending until the Teeth Demons ice slide chase sequence (which is amazing when playing in Lynx by the way). I think I succeeded on most accounts, although the final section in the voting release I messed up due to forgetting about a crucial MS/Lynx difference which might cost me, but I don't care, as I really enjoyed designing this level, and it's easily one of my favourite Chip's Challenge levels I've made. It's a little on the hard side sure, but I believe it could fit as a finale level for CCLP1 and it's fun to play despite being an untimed and lengthy one.
CCLP1 candidate rating
1 star - As a regular level (1-143)
5 stars - As a finale level (144 or 149)
2 - Courtyard
Well, this one comes to no surprise I guess. One of the only few decent levels in my original set TomP1Fixed.dat, Courtyard is one of those Chip's Challenge levels that is just a nice easy but breezy level to play through on a regular basis. The rooms are very straightforward, and there's a little bit of everything: Dodging, puzzles, block pushing, switches, boot collecting, and Walkers. It's pretty much impossible to find anything to not like about Courtyard, as the level doesn't overstay its welcome and its very much a pickup and play type of level. Although there's only one Courtyard in the whole level, it also lies a hidden easter egg in the CCLP1 voting edition. Will it stand a good shot in CCLP1? I'd say it fits the bill pretty much spot on, so I'll always love this level until the day I die, which is pretty grim and speaking of dying what's next?
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
5 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
1 - Final Destination
Now this is the big one! I remember this being the swan song level of mine after declaring there would be no more levelsets from me back in 2007. The inspiring concept of Chip having to cheat Death comes from the movie series Final Destination, in which the original had a teenager cheated a plane explosion after a premonition and Death catching up to kill him and the remaining surivors one by one. Chip finds himself on his final challenge, in which he travels though a campaign sized level collecting all the chips and eventually heading into the socket at the top, but wait... Chip got killed by the Pink Ball of Death! Turns out, the real exit you need to do a bit more by backtracking and finding the remaining keys to unlock all the doors, unlocking an earlier Glider to remove a bomb so you can find the hidden exit! Making this level was a mind-boggling task! It had loads of busts, lots of "Is it possible?" rooms, and was exhausting playing it every attempt (6-8 minutes), and then having to Lynx convert it by changing pretty much the whole original design from blue walls to block walls (Inspired by my own Solve the Pyramid) for CCLP1 voting. I don't know if I'll ever make an epic level like this again, but Final Destination will always be my favourite level.
CCLP1 candidate rating
1 star - As a regular level (1-144)
3 stars - As the finale level (149)
Well, that's it for now! I could probably go on all talking about my levels. Maybe this will become a top 30? For now, those are my top 20 levels of my own as of CCLP1 voting.
20 - Sleeping Dragon
I guess judging by my username it wouldn't surprise you one of my favourite levels of mine is based around a fire breathing Dragon right? I remember drawing a Dragon in MS paint to work out how to convert it into Chip's Challenge tiles and boy did my artwork suck Dragonballs back then! The level's title comes from the PC game Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon, which fittingly had a Dragon as the final boss of the game. The concept of the level requires you to empty the Dragon's constant fire breathing flames by blocking off the cloner button in the far bottom left with blocks. However, there's a bit of a trick to getting it down which is considered controversial. You have to partial post a teleport in a rather unusual place to get to the intended target. Some people yelled at me ONE STAR! For doing that, but it may not be such a bad thing for late CCLP1 criteria. After that, you find some fire boots and head into the Dragon itself, dodging any fireballs along your way as necessary. It was really fun, but rather fitting with the theme of a mythical creature around Fireballs. Either way, you got to admit the concept was pretty cool don't deny that!
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
2 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
19 - Locked Up
This was a superb one. I remember having a phase of CC1 inspired levels to look at upon and one of my favourites was Corridor. I know people always assumed I gave all block pushing levels one star but that is simply not true! I loved Avalanche and Cityblock believe it or not. Sure, Locked Up looks quite bland on first appearance, but it actually turns out to be quite a lot of fun! Long corridors to navigate your way around the doors and finding the keys so you can move the blocks around the "Locked Up" corridors. It's challenge is nicely fitted to be not too hard for veterans and not too hard for beginners, and allows some room for error. It seems to be hit and miss for most people though, but I love Locked Up and it's probably my favourite level of my own based around block pushing. Maybe a bit more time needed, but should fit like a glove otherwise.
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
1 star - As a secret level (145-149)
18 - A Scare in the Air
Oh man, anyone remember September 11th 2001? I can remember it clear as day. I was in Florida with my parents and brother and suddenly we wake up for breakfast at the hotel and see these two buildings on fire on that one star Sony TV. it was horrifying that day. On the positive side though, it gave me the idea for this level. The concept is to stop the terrorist, being the Paramecium from hijacking the plane and crashing it to your death. With a strict time limit of only 60 seconds to do that, it becomes a frantic rush to get outside the plane, make your way around the outside, and having to find the right equipment to give him off board and make your escape. I love the whole chaotic nature of this level, with the monsters in the starting room being deplicted as passengers panicking for their lives. Why are you so evil, Tom? I simply say I was born ****ed up.
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
4 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
17 - Boingy Balls
Who doesn't love bouncing their balls up and down as a man? Boingy Balls is simply that, a level all about Pink Balls bouncing off the walls, traps, toggle switches. You name it! One of my favourite levels from the TomP1Fixed era, the level is not just dodging the Pink Balls, it requires some timing with getting past toggle switches and making all your moves count. One of the keys needs to be timed well with the trap buttons for you to reach it without getting Pink Balled to the face. After that, it becomes a matter of being quick. One of the things I love about this level is its chaotic nature of being fast on your feet, as one room becomes a series of dodgballing literally to reach the other end with some randomness thrown in but not too much. It requires a bit of playing skill sure, but as a Pink Ball melee level, it's by far my favourite stil over these many years.
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
1 star - As a secret level (145-149)
16 - The Church
Sometimes, bland ideas work the best, and The Church is no exception. Originally made as a story level for TomP4 after Chip awakens from his gravestone and inside a Church, the grim and lonely aspect of exploring this bleak and grimy Church worked out amazingly well. It's a lengthy level, filled with backtracking and having to navigate through the Church's corridors featuring Gliders that aresupposed to be the ghosts of the Church. I guess everyone would figured that out, right? The pink ball room is probably my favourite room of the entire level, in which you run up and down thin walls and make your way through the gaps before you get trapped. It's not insanely hard, and you can see the dead ends which is great for CCLP1. Another great room is guiding a Glider to hit a toggle switch with gravel and dirt, and the very simple Fireball puzzle at the end. it all fits the mould nicely, and despite perhaps ironically being too quiet in some aspects of the level, which I know is a bit of a turnoff, The Church is well designed and packs in nicely as a large but spooky themed level.
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
3 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
15 - Funfair
Who doesn't love going to funfairs and theme parks and all that ****? Well, there was this one star funfair that comes to my town a few times a year and the rides were awful! However, after riding the Ghost Train it gave me the best idea for a level ever. A level themed around rides and Chip having to ride them all to eventually finish the level. Walking about and exploring the rides is part of the fun. My favourite one is probably the Merry Go Round aka the Carousel. It's made simply from force field arrows with monsters on it and you have to grab the key in the center. After that you head onto the Ghost Train and beware of the Teeth lurking inside! I won't spoil anymore, but the atmosphere is one of my favourite parts, relying on knowing what the rides are supposed to be from the hint helps you realise that information is important to getting through each of them one by one, and it's a very lazy back level where you don't need to rush or be a veteran to finish it. I think there could be some improvements, but it was pretty awesome and would love to make another soon!
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
3 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
14 - The Crazy Machine
My most revisited level in TomP2, and with good reason too! The Crazy Machine doesn't really have any crazy machine to speak of, just a kind of constant cloning cycle and simple linear corridors and rooms to navigate through. What I love about this level is that it gets straight to the point. Sometimes going with the flow of the machines can help you understand the layout and wanting to explore the whole mechanic. I also love how after the end you have to backtrack and make your way against the cloning machines once again. I love the atmosphere of all the buttons being hit and the monster sequences like the Pink Ball room and the ice rink with the Fireballs and Glider chase at the very end. It all flows nicely, and the level's difficulty is just right and it's just one of those I love to play again just to try and squeeze in another second. It's cr-cr-crazy (Taxi)!
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
2 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
13 - Christmas Eve
Why the **** did I call this level Christmas Eve? You know what? I have no ****ing clue! I believe I ran out of ideas and as Christmas was coming up, that's how it came to play. Although it doesn't have any Christmas decorations or anything to do about Christmas besides the hint message, Christmas Eve is a fast pased linear level from point A to B with no sweat. One of my favourite things was its linearity, just following a path and not knowing what's ahead until the very moment it happens. There's a few chase parts where you have to be quick and you'll probably die on the first go, but the level is short enough for it to matter too much. My favourite sequence is near the end with the force fields and teleports. If you mess up the multiple choice, the teleporter just loops you back to the beginning. It's maybe not beginner friendly, but late CCLP1 maybe?
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
3 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
12 - Rainbow Door Key
You know what they say! The grass is greener on the other side, but in this case, it's rainbow coloured doors! Rainbow Door Key was inspired by a level from one of my old friends called David P who originally make a similar level called Rainbow Door Park. I decided to use the concept of the middle room and make a non-linear challenge of having to tackle loads of rooms, collecting loads of different keys with extras, and just find your way around the whole level without knowing if you're doing the right thing or not. The concept is genius, and there are a few red herrings but also lots to do around the map, perhaps too much. Whether it will be too difficult for CCLP1 will have to decide to the voters, but I believe the hint for where to use the first key is given to you, iis enough to be able to complete the level within less than 5 tries and who knows? Maybe you'll find an even quicker route if you're an optimisation geek like Andrew Bennett. I really enjoyed making this level, and if they are busts, it doesn't really matter in this case.
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
5 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
11 - Blobs on a Plane
I was always scared of both Airplanes and Snakes, knowing that two of my worst fears come together after watching the movie Snakes on a Plane gave me the idea of making the same thing, but with Blobs on board instead. The concept is that Chip must escape the plane before the Blobs overcome the entire level. Although there's gravel for some breathing room, the clock is still against Chip and he must find a toggle switch to get the Blobs off the plane so he can reach the exit with luck on his side. The one thing I love about playing this level over and over is having to be brave and take the risks of getting through the Blob infested plane by collecting all the chips and boots without a care in the world. It's a fun level, and whether it will do well in any CCLP voting depends on how people feel about Blob-centric levels, but that my word, we need levels like this, and for what it achieves I think Blobs on a Plane is a great dodging/melee level and one of my best for that reason.
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
4 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
10 - !?
This level sure looks like a piece of **** from the outside, but take my word its awesome! Inspired by the Dreamcast game Chu Chu Rocket, the second to last puzzle of the game titled !? The idea was that there would be a large !? in the center of the map. The player had to work their way round every tile in the game which was scattered around the map in a maze like fashion. Most people only solved it by looking at a map, but I decided to test a theory whether a beginner could finish it. One of my test experiments was to see if they could solve the level without resorting to online solutions or maps. The results were surprising. The first person to solve it without a map or any solution/tips took 46 minutes to reach the exit from start to finish, and the second person who resorted to looking at the map took almost twice as long. It was from this I realised that !? may have a shot at CCLP1 after all. It is a pure guesswork level sure, but I love !? and wouldn't change it for the world.
CCLP1 candidate rating
1 star - As a regular level (1-144)
4 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
9 - Chip Alone
Inspired by the Home Alone movies, Chip Alone was the very last level I made in my original set TomP1Fixed.dat. The idea was to guide two fireballs using the booby trapped out house to work their way around to their intended targets, which were trap buttons to the exit. As you can figure out, Chip was supposed to be Kevin and Marv and Harry, the two burgulars were meant to be the fireballs. I consider this level a great CCLP1 candidate for all positions of the set as the puzzles can be worked out without any shenanigans and most of them are simple, but fun. Did you catch the little easter egg with the neighbour's house in the top left corner of the map, guys? Also, it spawned a sequel in TomP3 called Chip Alone 2: Lost in Chip City which earned a spot in Chip's Challenge Level Pack 3. Will we see the same for Chip Alone?
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
4 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
8 - Green Clear
I remember making this level thinking I needed more CC1 like mazes. Back in those days, I remember making levels really complicated and confusing in TomP3, but Green Clear was a good exception. The level was pretty much a simple "collect the Chips maze and head to the socket afterwards" affair, but with the added twist of green toggle switches. If you stepped on one toggle switch, you cooked the level and were trapped forever. Looking at all the toggle switches could make your eyes go trippy, but the paths were pretty clear and windy for the most part. At the end, you hit the socket, release the trap button and can optimise the fastest way of reaching the exit square. Sometimes I wish I could make simple levels again, but it's not so easy for veteran players of the series, but Green Clear is a good glimmer of hope for me.
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
2 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
7 - Solve the Pyramid
Back in the good old days as a teenager back at school, a friend and I were discussing what could make an awesome level. The discussion of Super Mario 64's Shifting Sand Land and The Mummy series of movies gave us an idea of drawing on paper a large level set inside a pyramid full of shenanigans and red herrings. This was also the very first level where I had the idea of using regular blocks as walls, which would later become a staple in my later levels for traps to blend in the levels perfectly. Solve the Pyramid was an excrutiating level to make, as I had to keep testing for busts, traps that stopped working all of a sudden, and whether or not the tank puzzle room was actually possible to beat. Despite its fair share of guesswork and unfair traps, I'm really proud of this level and it's fun to screw with the traps and explore the insides of a pyramid.
CCLP1 candidate rating
2 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
4 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
6 - The Snipers
Dodging is fun, and there's nothing better than being able to dodge and avoid sniping shots in First Person Shooters. The Snipers was inspired by many PC modern shooters Ihad played over the years, such as Quake 3 Arena, Call Of Duty, and Counter-Strike. The concept behind The Snipers was simple. Two large open rooms guarded by snipers in which Chip was in danger when he was in the open. To avoid the snipers fireballs, all Chip had to do was find a hole cover at the sides of each room to avoid the fireballs. Once Chip mastered the first room, he head into the second room, guarded by the second sniper in which he has to make his way all the way up to him and kill the sniper by opening a trail of dirt. What I love about this level is having to go round the fire mazes while dodging the snipers, and it's always fun to move faster and work your way around. Most people thought it was lucky timing and rated it low though, so adding a hint in will fix that. Other than that, an excellent candidate for CCLP1 and a top favourite.
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
3 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
5 - Runaway Train
Man, I had alot of fun making this level. Inspired by the Train level in the Nintendo 64 game Goldeneye 007, the idea was Chip has to make his way from the back of the train to the front to make his escape before the bomb goes off with him still on board. It used to be alot harder in its original release. I remember that dreaded three blob carriage right near the front of the train, it was a nightmare to get past four times haha! Thankfully, the CCLP1 adjusted version is alot easier and allows more room for error and time to navigate for everyone set out to play it. I also love the illusion effect I made of making the level seem like one long horizontal level with teleport trickery, as well as using fireballs to simulate the train moving at breaknecking speeds on force fields. A fun level now to play and easy enough for everyone to get through the train in no time. I originally had the idea of making an easter egg in which Chip was able to get off the train and spoil the illusion effect with suction boots, but I took it out of CCLP1 voting for now.
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
5 stars - As a secret level (145-149 as a time challenge)
4 - Cineworld
Who loves eating some popcorn and watching movies on a weekend? I sure do, and it comes to no surprise this level is based on a real local cinema I go to on a frequent basis in a town called Stevenage, branded Cineworld Cinemas. The original idea was the Chip tiles were used as regular people queueing up to get their movie tickets at the vendors, and Chip having to navigate through every movie screening using a toggle switch that turns on and off to collect all the Chips. One thing I loved doing on this was using different tiles to represent various movies screening in each room, so that it looked like people were actually watching a movie. There's also a snack bar and the public toilets in which nobody guessed the exit being the toilet! Boy, I sure regret making that decision now. A big personal favourite of mine and a good level to enjoy for any CCLP I think. I'll probably add a hint in referencing a movie or something just to make it a little more fun like Indiana Chip, Star Chip Into Darkness or Chip To The Future haha!
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
5 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
3 - All Bit Busters Go to Heaven
Just one week shy of the CCLP1 level submissions deadline during my holiday trip at Polruan in 2012, I came up with the best idea ever. To make the perfect CCLP1 finale level, and the idea for All Bit Busters Go to Heaven was born after watching the five star animated classic All Dogs Go to Heaven on a television channel. The concept was that Chip had to guide the remaining Bit Busters to Heaven, including himself but unknowingly realising there's a bit of a cliffhanger twist at the end where Chip goes to Hell instead. I remember being really careful and picky while designing it, like trying to avoid deaths where you can't see them and ensuring someone could do it without a map, and most importantly, not revealing the twist ending until the Teeth Demons ice slide chase sequence (which is amazing when playing in Lynx by the way). I think I succeeded on most accounts, although the final section in the voting release I messed up due to forgetting about a crucial MS/Lynx difference which might cost me, but I don't care, as I really enjoyed designing this level, and it's easily one of my favourite Chip's Challenge levels I've made. It's a little on the hard side sure, but I believe it could fit as a finale level for CCLP1 and it's fun to play despite being an untimed and lengthy one.
CCLP1 candidate rating
1 star - As a regular level (1-143)
5 stars - As a finale level (144 or 149)
2 - Courtyard
Well, this one comes to no surprise I guess. One of the only few decent levels in my original set TomP1Fixed.dat, Courtyard is one of those Chip's Challenge levels that is just a nice easy but breezy level to play through on a regular basis. The rooms are very straightforward, and there's a little bit of everything: Dodging, puzzles, block pushing, switches, boot collecting, and Walkers. It's pretty much impossible to find anything to not like about Courtyard, as the level doesn't overstay its welcome and its very much a pickup and play type of level. Although there's only one Courtyard in the whole level, it also lies a hidden easter egg in the CCLP1 voting edition. Will it stand a good shot in CCLP1? I'd say it fits the bill pretty much spot on, so I'll always love this level until the day I die, which is pretty grim and speaking of dying what's next?
CCLP1 candidate rating
5 stars - As a regular level (1-144)
5 stars - As a secret level (145-149)
1 - Final Destination
Now this is the big one! I remember this being the swan song level of mine after declaring there would be no more levelsets from me back in 2007. The inspiring concept of Chip having to cheat Death comes from the movie series Final Destination, in which the original had a teenager cheated a plane explosion after a premonition and Death catching up to kill him and the remaining surivors one by one. Chip finds himself on his final challenge, in which he travels though a campaign sized level collecting all the chips and eventually heading into the socket at the top, but wait... Chip got killed by the Pink Ball of Death! Turns out, the real exit you need to do a bit more by backtracking and finding the remaining keys to unlock all the doors, unlocking an earlier Glider to remove a bomb so you can find the hidden exit! Making this level was a mind-boggling task! It had loads of busts, lots of "Is it possible?" rooms, and was exhausting playing it every attempt (6-8 minutes), and then having to Lynx convert it by changing pretty much the whole original design from blue walls to block walls (Inspired by my own Solve the Pyramid) for CCLP1 voting. I don't know if I'll ever make an epic level like this again, but Final Destination will always be my favourite level.
CCLP1 candidate rating
1 star - As a regular level (1-144)
3 stars - As the finale level (149)
Well, that's it for now! I could probably go on all talking about my levels. Maybe this will become a top 30? For now, those are my top 20 levels of my own as of CCLP1 voting.
![[Image: tsjoJuC.png]](https://i.imgur.com/tsjoJuC.png)