I’m about 10 exits into Hyperion and I’m starting to see the map open up in a fun way. After cleaning the cactus boss and the dolphin-infested switch palace, I took the desert secret to the snowy mountain level and unlocked the star road. I have to admit, it’s neat to have three different directions open to me at the same time. Unfortunately, I wound up regretting the one I chose to explore today - it took me to the airship level filled with saws and p-balloons. It took me an hour to finish that level, 3/4 of which I spent the in the miserable second half. The p-balloon hit box is weird as hell and while I suppose I had to learn about it eventually, I can’t say I enjoyed the process. After that was Not the Red Keep, which I liked a lot, and I left off at the switch palace with the pink yoshi. That level seems...weird? Not bad so far, but pretty strange.