That Evil Punching Mini-Game!

[Abby]

Okay, I've had it with this mini-game! I've at least tried for 2 hours so far and I'm stuck on 40 points in 60 seconds. I know 50 points in 75 seconds is next too. I'm at rank 100 and this is all I need for 101. I will become part of that 1.X% that are psychomasters! The mini-game is in my way though. Sometimes with game slow down that help, sometimes with game slowdown that hinders, both last mere moments. I already know the tricks of staying in center and going one row up for the distant targets in the first 5 points. I know Raz has some punching reach. I'm even using a proper USB controller (Logitech for those who are wondering.) Finding all the figments was easy compared to this! (I only needed a guide for the one in the basket ball hoop in the sewers in Edgar's level, and 5 hours of searching for 3 figments I missed in the air in Waterloo.) Everything else I did without a guide, even all the kid's brains. (Minus the Maloof and Vernen achievements, and I still need to get Vernen's... and Christmas Shopping, but that doesn't count!) So I'm wondering... Who else is going for 101 and stuck because of the ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ mini-game? And who can help me (and the others) out? And finally, how on earth did you who already have it, get past it?

[Fisty]

Man! Same as with me!
Except what I didn't try that nasty punchy game and missed to do achievements with Mr Pokeylope. You mention searching for figments in Waterloo on chimney smoke, my god those were the days!
My four year daughter play with me in my lap and knows all names in camp!
This game is phenomenal and in her honor I craft 5 level badge!
Sorry I didn't answered but same problem wait on me and I need solution too!

[InsanityOnABun]

1. Use a controller, preferrably a wired 360 controller.
2. Stay centered the center ring as much as you can. Raz's reach lets you hit any of the targets in the center ring from there.
3. Ignore the images on the targets, just go off of color. If it isn't green, punch it.
4. Don't get discouraged. The targets seem to be at least semi-randomly selected, sometimes you just get a nearly impossible set of targets, like 6 babies in a row.
5. Practice. The most important thing is reaction time once it starts going really fast, as missing targets is just as bad as hitting babies in the earlier sections.

[Brancaille]

You say your rank is 100 but how can you reach again the punchy mini game ?
I'm still stucked at it, too. But at the beginning of the game.

[puggsoy]

You can return to the Collective Unconcious from the Meat Circus using the Smelling Salts. From there you can enter Brain Training, and hence the punchy mini-game.

It really is a difficult mini-game. I can't remember exactly where I'm up to, but I think it's the first or second level in which missing a target deducts a point. Compared to this, getting to rank 100 was a piece of cake.

[AnthonyWeiner]

Okay so basically you need to stare at the start button of the punching game (orange, like the sun, or, well, like oranges) like an eagle stalking it's prey for the entire duration of the game. Don't focus on hitting enemies, focus on returning to the center. Next, bear in mind that raz hits everything in a wide angle, so you don't need to actually turn towards an enemy. Learn to turn in maybe three different directions and return. Lastly, make sure to only hit once with your psi punch, because you will otherwise initiate a combo and will miss your timings. So basically the way to do this is:
1. Stare at the center
2. Get into a rythm of:
a) Pressing a directional key
b) Clicking the left mouse button once
c) Pressing another directional key
.....
3. Once a baby shows up, use the time to recenter, in case you are out of position.

Lastly, as motivation, the 50 points in 75 seconds one is much easier, because you have 15 seconds more to hit only 10 more targets. Once you get the hang of it that one is easier than the 40/60 one.

[pseudonym404]

I love the rest of the game, but I despise this mini game.

It just serves to highlight the deficiencies in the controls and camera (which aren't really an issue except with this and possibly the high wire bit), not to mention the poor rng, many attempts have nearly as many babies as enemies, making it impossible even if you hit all enemies perfectly (which I've done a couple of times now).

Drove me crazy first time I played until I finally got lucky, but that wasn't on Steam, so I'm now trying to do it again for the achievement. Several hours in and it's driving me crazy again.

[TheMonkofDestiny]

I managed with a keyboard + mouse but that's a bit like saying it's easier to hammer a nail with your head than it would be a hammer - as mentioned directly above, this particular section of the game highlights the camera in the most unflattering way possible (if you don't end up fighting with it then consider yourself blessed, since each segment of this mini-game took me more than one try (excluding the very first round) due to fiddling with the camera each time I had to move to a target) and, to a lesser extent (though not very much less), the combo system for the punch, which I assume is probably more easily forgiven for those using a controller to execute the punches. Too often did I find myself doing quick turns and getting stuck in the third animation of the combo and missing targets at crucial point junctures. Some way of cold canceling the combo would have been fantastic to have available.

I'm also glad I took the time to go back into the Basic Braining level through the Brain Tumbler before I initiated the Point of No Return/Meat Circus segment.

Speaking for myself though, frustrating as this mini-game was it definitely seemed like paradise compared to the acrobat maze at the end of the game (particularly the grates of fire - another portion of the game where it seemed like a great way to showcase how challenging a platformer it could be but instead highlights how truly crappy the camera can be in the game ).

[Abby]

Ironicly, I've beaten the Meat Circus before. Not on steam, but on my old Xbox copy I gave to my mom when I re-bought the game for steam. Of course back then I had used a cheat code to get all my PSY-Powers, but that didn't help for platforming. I also never bothered getting rank 100 back then, like I have now. I didn't even know you could play the Punching Mini-game again. But now this mini-game is my Psychonauts hell!

[B.Ombama]

from the beginning i figured out that this game is played best with xbox360 controller, kb&mouse did not fit well for me. and so with this punching minigame it is 101% true. it was tough beating it, but that was fun, one of the most intense gaming experiences.
practice, bloody practice.

[pseudonym404]

Sleep helps too, finally beat the damn thing in about half an hour this morning, after failing for hours last night. I still hate it though, it's just frustrating, and not fun.

[†Raziel†]

i try with KB&Mouse it is unreal!!!!!!!!!!! how you do it?

[Fisty]

I'm preparing myself for that quest and I can see that I can't expect nothing just blood, tears and sweat. Please Good, help me!

[Nettle]

Originally posted by Raziel:

how you do it?

I got through it by stabbing at the keys one at a time and using the mouse to adjust the view in lieu of trying to move diagonally using WASD.

[†Raziel†]

eh, my english so bad, hard to understand you (((

[Nettle]

Originally posted by Raziel:

hard to understand

In simple terms: move, punch, move, punch, wiggle the mouse a bit and repeat until done. Do not press two keys or buttons at the same time as that will only slow you down.