BattleBlock Theater

This one is a tricky achievement but far from impossible, if anyone has 100% SMB you will find this much easier and if you haven't, well... get ready! It will take considerable time and patience but perseverance will reward you in the end.

Some general pointers:

- Insane mode is open from the very beginning but wouldn't recommend playing this mode first. My personal suggestion is first of all play a chapter on normal Solo mode first and try to A++ (or at least A) all of the levels, get the timing and patterns down, then switch over to Insane and run through the chapter again while everything is still fresh. I personally completed normal mode first but had to go back to normal to get the run smooth before attempting Insane again.

- You only need to get a C ranking in order to get this achievement which is just passing the level collecting 3 gems. Don't do what I do and try to A++ all the insane levels unless you want to get top in the leaderboards or have an OCD complex to satisfy, as its a rather frustratingly painful experience.

- The finales of each chapter are broken up into 2 levels, but if you die in the 2nd you don't have to re-do the first.

- The only weapons I found to be of much use are the dart gun and acid bubble for gaining height and the grenade (used carefully) for dispatching of enemies but these aren't vital.

- Thankfully, encores are not required for this achievement, so don't bother unless you are gods gift to the gaming world or a masochist, they'll only provide you with more gems and yarn which you certainly won't need by the end of Insane.

- For anyone having problems with any of the levels or like me and my OCD-riddled mind who need to A++ all the levels on Insane as well, see below for video guides to do so. None of the videos are my own and have credited them accordingly.

- Lastly, accept that you will fail often and stay calm, the only way to improve is through practice. I found that when tempers flair I make more mistakes so if you are having trouble like I did, go back to normal and A++ a few levels (feels great when its so much easier) or visit the gift shop and buy a few heads. Selecting random heads amused me and keeps the spirits up.


First videos go from 1-1 through to 6-6 and we can all thank 'BambaklopzGameGuides' for their amazing uploads, they certainly helped a ton!

Chapter 1
1-1 to 1-3:
1-4 to 1-6:
1-7 to 1-9:
Chapter 1 Finale:


Chapter 2
2-1 to 2-3:
2-4 to 2-6:
2-7to 2-9:
Chapter 2 Finale:


Chapter 3
3-1 to 3-3:
3-4 to 3-6:
3-7 to 3-9:
Chapter 3 Finale:


Chapter 4
4-1 to 4-3:
4-4 to 4-6:
4-7 to 4-9:
Chapter 4 Finale:


Chapter 5
5-1 to 5-3:
5-4 to 5-6:
5-7 to 5-9:
Chapter 5 Finale:

Chapter 6
6-1 to 6-3: 6-4 to 6-6:

Now from Level 6-7 to the finish line all videos have been uploaded by 'KoffeeGuy Gaming'. They are all done on normal but with an A++ ranking which helps prepare for your Insane run.

6-7: 6-8:
6-9: Chapter 6 Finale:


Chapter 7
7-1: 7-2:
7-3:
7-4: 7-5:
7-6:
7-7: 7-8:
7-9: Chapter 7 finale:

Chapter 8
8-1: 8-2: 8-3
8-4:
8-5:
8-6:
8-7:
8-8:
8-9:
Chapter 8 finale:
Best of luck to all! If anyone has any constructive suggestions for this solution please comment and i'll amend accordingly.

Those of you wishing for this game to be a little more like Super Meat Boy might enjoy going for this achievement. It took me a couple of days (maybe 5 or 6 hours total), and aside from a few tricky trial-and-error levels, it isn't *that* bad. Some stages near the end will test your patience if you haven't played through the hardest bits of games like Meat Boy, N+ or Rayman Origins. You just have to pay quite a bit more attention and take threats seriously rather than barreling through and relying on checkpoints to respawn you.

A few thoughts:

* Yes, the finale levels still have checkpoints. But no, you don't return to them if you lose; they're only there for the time increases, something that won't really apply when you're running through a level on one life.

* Take time to wait for ideal patterns between laser shots, cannon shots, frog bombs, cats throwing grenades, or anything else. The last two Acts took me about as long as the rest put together to complete, in part because rather than one tricky part per level there are two or three, which makes more of a difference than you'd think. It's important to get a system together for a level, a path that you can run pretty instinctively so that you can get further each time and gain some practice in the later part of stages.

* You can pick cats off from long range with certain weapons (like the dart gun). I recommend this, particularly when they're also around missile-shooting robots, sawblades, water, lava squares, spikes, or anything else that could screw up a situation quickly. Later on, cats aren't really a factor since they mostly clear out of the levels. For the most part, if the cats aren't using a deadly weapon, or around other hazards, you can skip past them.

* Take the most direct path through the level. C's are fine - it isn't worth picking up the same gem over and over and over when you won't get to keep it if you die. If you want to grind, do it in normal mode. And don't worry about picking up yarn - if you've finished the campaign you probably have all of the weapons anyway (unless they patch in some new use for yarn, in which case grab the easy ones).

* Your double jump can help you get out of a lot of really bad situations through reflex, particularly involving sawblades and such.

* Beating all of the encores in normal mode isn't a bad way to train for insane. It probably goes without saying that you'll be playing normal first, as solutions are much easier the second time around when you mostly remember them.

* I usually like to stop playing for awhile after the first three levels in a stage (after the Gift Shop). Just a suggestion - it might be a good way to break things up and keep from getting burnt out. I find myself able to play much longer on insane for some reason, maybe because I'm paying more attention due to the heightened consequences and less bored as a result?

Just a little tip for anyone struggling with a 'flashing block' level like 8-9, like I am/was, try this video I found. (Skip to 2:18)

Stopping the flashing takes out half of the work of this level. Still a dangerous level, but much less so when you don't have to worry about the damn timing as much.