My Nemesis, the Gold Clover on Level 9

[TheBigStinkyBee]

I can't seem to find any discussion about this anywhere else on the web, so I figured this seemed like the best place.

Has anyone figured out the best way to get that confounded gold clover in that one room on Level 9 without cheating or kiddie mode? You know, the one to the left just before the exit log. Because when you turn on the water valve, the firewalls are extinguished, but the nuts are submerged and inaccessible. This has been on my mind for nearly two decades as I was never able to figure it out as a kid.

There is a small opening in the firewall way up in the corner but any attempt to go through it seem to cause Rollie to slide right into the fire, killing him.

I have somehow managed to open submerged nuts by boosting into them from the walls, but their contents cannot be reached as their hitboxes are too far below the waterline.

Am I supposed to get airborne while in ball mode to jump over the firewall? If so then what is the optimum angle? Any attempts I have made have resulted in me rolling right into the second firewall immediately after it.

This is one of those situations where I don't know if Brian Greenstone put it there just to torment us or if he intended for there to be a way and just never tested it. Or maybe I am just very dumb and the solution is right in front of me.

Has anyone else figured it out?

[jorio]

Get close to the firewall and a Fire Ant. When taking damage from a Fire Ant's fire particles, Rollie's damage animation won't be triggered and you'll be invincible for 1.2 seconds, giving you an opportunity to cross the firewall without dying.

This longplay shows how to do it: https://youtu.be/-leTy9bmmY0?t=7045

I'm not aware of a less "exploity" way to get this clover.

[TheBigStinkyBee]

No freaking way. No wonder that guy is hanging around there. I'm going to have to give it a shot later on.

Thanks!