Dark Slide

Dark Slide is a memory level that was created by OliXor. It was requested to get rated on 27th of April 2021 and got a rating of medium demon.

   Dark Slide has a very dark theme using the song Inside the Dungeon from Earthbound. Using simple memory with block mazes and fake structures to make for a confusing memory level.

The level clocks in at around 30 seconds and has many different parts crammed into that short amount of time for diversity.

### Level Details

Dark Slide begins with fake orbs and spikes at the top and bottom, with two spike wheels that spin and move up and down.

Moments after, comes arguably the most infamous part of dark slide, the "staircase" part, which features tiny blocks that follow a pattern of going down once every block, which could fit into the "slide" theme.

Right after that you get a few purple orbs that drop you upwards into a portal which acts as a transition into the next part, where you get sped up and have to jump over a spike which transitions you into the next part, where you enter a Ship portal.

In the Ship, two black and white walls come from both sides that obscures your vision and slowly moves upwards. The part features a lot of sliding on roofs and hitting orbs, which ends with a 4x speed straight fly into the next part, which happens after you fall upwards into a Ball portal.

In the next part, on both sides there are gray pillars that point downwards and upwards, with the part featuring a 4x speed ball part where you go through fake structures and fall into portals and blue pads, and right after there is a Spider part which is synced to the music.

The last part consists of a 1x speed Cube and many blue orbs that can either kill you or lead you the right path. After that, the staircase structuring appears again but with portals that you have to fall through to get past the part. There are many speed changes afterwards where you have to time your jump at the 3x speed portal to get through it.

The level ends with a couple of yellow orbs that sync with the music, and that's where the level ends.

### How to beat Dark Slide

Dark Slide can be very tricky with its awkward platforming and confusing gameplay, but with enough practice it can be beaten very easily.

To pass the first part, you must avoid the blue orb and hold so you can avoid the red orb on the ramp too, then you need to slide down to the green orb and hit it and the dash orb after, don't worry about the two speed changes as only the bottom one needs to be hit.

Hit the two green orbs and now you've come to what could be the hardest part to learn, the staircase part.

In order to beat the staircase part, you must first drop down once and click immediately after, it is important to hit the purple orb very late as if you don't you will hit the side of the platform. If you successfully hit the purple orb, hold right after so you jump off the platform. Following that, you must fall down once and buffer the next click, as there is a blue orb you need to hit. Keep holding after that until you see the next blue orb and click that one as well.

It is possible to just hold after this but there is a slight chance you might jump too early and die. Keep holding until you see the 2x speed portal and stop holding when you enter it.

Hit all the orbs you need to hit and wait for the 3x speed portal, when you hit the 3x speed portal immediately jump right after as you will die if you don't. Wait moment before clicking again and then jump over the spikes that were hidden right after.

The next part can be very tricky due to all the maneuvering you have to do in order to pass the part, but it is more straightforward than the first part, with less orbs to click and no invisible blocks. Hit the red orb as soon as you enter the ship and the green orb after that as well, hold upwards then release and hit all the orbs in order, which can be very hard because you have to hold and then release and immediately hold right after.

When you hit the last orb, keep holding until you hit the blue orb, then double click so you hit both the blue and red orb, this is pretty hard to do but with practice it can be mastered.

Keep holding after the red orb until you pass the spike pillar, then release right after and hold moments after, so you avoid the spike above, but don't hit the ramp below.

The next part follows a sequence of releasing and holding which can look daunting at first, but there is a consistent pattern to follow. Keep holding after the last part, into the yellow portal, then release right after the blue portal. The next blue portal tried to trick you into thinking it will change your gravity but in reality, you are already right side up.

After that there is a straight fly, which is self-explanatory and doesn't need explaining. Hit the blue orb afterwards.

The part after is very tricky and may require practice. When you enter, do not immediately click at the blue orb in the portal, as you might click it too early and fall upwards. Instead, fall into the yellow portal and click the blue orb right after. Moments after you will go through a fake structure, but do not panic and wait until you see the spike at the other side and click after the spike. Make sure you don't hit the spikes above the fake structure you're going through as they will kill you if you click too early.

Hit the blue orb and fall onto the top of the fake structure which has some platforms that are solid. Click twice so you fall upwards then downwards into the green orbs. The green orbs can be done in 2 different ways, the first one is to click the second green orb really late and avoid everything else, the second method is to hit all the green orbs and click the red orb *very* late, so you don't hit the spikes and you hit the platform instead.

Click so you land on the blue pads and bounce back so you avoid the spikes, then click immediately after and buffer the red orb so you can hit the next green orb early and land on the invisible platforms. Remember to not click the other green orb as it will make you hit the wall.

The next part is all about syncing the clicks with the music, which should make you pass the spider part with ease.

The next part has a lot of blue orbs and can look intimidating at first. To pass it you must click the first two orbs in front of you, then click the blue orb below the purple orb, then miss the purple orb and fall up to the platforms above.

This next part can be done in 2 ways, the first being to fall down and hit the blue orb and buffer it until you land on the two platform that descend downwards, then slide down and hit only the lowest blue orb. The second way is to hold right after the blue orb below the purple orb and fall onto the platform, then jump and immediately do a double click, the act of doing two inputs at the same time, on the second green orb. If you do the second way, do not hit any blue orbs and just fall into the next part.

The next part requires you to fall down two blocks and when you fall down two blocks you must hold right after, so you fall upwards into the blue portal. Then jump right after so you fall towards the two green orbs. Hit the green orbs and then jump on the 3x speed change. The next part might look confusing but if you let yourself fall down and hit the yellow portal, then the yellow orb right after, then time the two purple orbs and you're done.

### Trivia

The level was going to have a sequel called "Dark Slide 2" which got cancelled during playtesting of the layout.

The level "Light Slide" is inspired by Dark slide, using a similar name and having a very similar outro, it also has memory gameplay, which is influenced by Dark Slide being a memory level as well.

Dark Slide was finished the same day that the creator has their birthday on.

Dark Slide is one of the oldest memory levels in the GDPS.

Dark Slide got 2 nominees in the 2021 Supreme Awards.

### Sources

https://discord.com/channels/759897421462503515/762675723533549578/836375897107726397