I'm so glad the Punis are eliminated.

Good work on the chapter, man. It's sad to see the Punis go, though! I loved the Puni Elder and her constant ranting and how she annoyed Puniper. All in all, they were a very interesting team but would probably not have been long for the game had they stayed this leg, anyway.

For now, here's how the teams stack up in my opinion:

Pierre and Rana: They are pretty cool and I like the Squeek species so I like them. Pierre's personality seems quite genuine; he seems nice for being a thief and not all "tough-guy" like I would have thought. I also like the relationship the two Squeeks have with each other: they are cooperative and collected and respect each other.

Koopinator and Shellshock: Despite the approaching twists and betrayals involving this team, I like them (possibly the most). Koopinator is so funny with his sensei attitude and Shellshock is a perfect counter to Koopinator's super-seriousness. I hope they stay in the game and I really would not mind seeing them winning.

Toce and Koopie Koo: They are a decent team, but since I wasn't a big Koopie Koo fan from the TTYD game I don't love the team here. However, all girl teams are necessary and I kinda like how they portray the more "tough girl" personality (which I feel Theata and Hannah don't). Overall they are okay, but I really would not mind seeing them go.

Grodus and Crump: Hilarious. Almost as much as Puniper and Puni Elder. I love when Grodus freaks out at Crump who does his stupid "Buh huh huh" laugh. The two have a very humorous relationship and I hope they stay in the game for a while (but something tells me Grodus' weird technological bod will hurt the team).

Bob and Larry: Didn't like 'em at first but now they are growing on me. Something about the Bob-Ombs and the way they act is very entertaining. I like how they seem to remain quiet and aren't too loud/complainy. They seem like honorable players. HOWEVER I could very easily see them go, for they are still expendable.

Kojo and Kory: Another of my favorites. I like how they have some freak-outs towards each other but in the end remain good friends and apologize. I don't think they will have as much stamina/speed/strengh/agility/anything-physical as the other all male teams, but I hope they stay.

Blooey and Jerry: So far they are pretty likable. They seem respectable and have a good relationship, and for now there is not much to say about them. I do like their personalities however so I'd like to see them for a while more.

Frankie and Ishnail: I really like Ishnail's character in the story, and how you didn't portray him as this fearless tough guy. I think he and Frankie will have some interesting disputes in the future, but I think the team as a whole took substantial steps from Rogueport enemies to TAR partners.

Theata and Hannah: I like them better than the other all female team. I can't tell if they are going to be really nice or really drama-queeny. Being actresses I feel that they might be a little put off by the physical challenges and probably complain the whole way through. I don't think they are long for this game, but I do kinda like them.

Lahla and Rocko: This is arguably the third of the remaining eleven teams that are expendable. I actually liked them a lot more in the first chapter, but now they don't do anything for me. I really don't not like them, but I just can't seem to connect to their characters like I can to the others. We'll see what happens, though...

Hooktail and Gloomtail: At first I liked them, then I didn't, then I did, but when I realized they and the Punis were fighting for 11th and 12th, I wanted the dragons to get eliminated. Overall, they are so-so players who do have a rather interesting relationship, so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. Just a little disappointed that the Punis had to go, though.

Anything, I think the story is super-entertaining and I can't wait to read more!

I'm really looking forward to reading this, because I've never read a TAR fix before. The chapters seem incredibly long but that doesn't really intimidate me, because I bet that once I get reading the story will probably fly by.

Anyway, good intro...I'm eager to see all the places the teams go and I can't wait to see what challenges you come up with.

So far, I think my favorite teams are Lahla and Rocko, Frankie and Ishnail, and Koopinator and Shell Shock. The Squeeks seem pretty cool too, and actually, looking back over the list, pretty much ALL of the teams seem pretty cool. I really don't know which ones I'm going to pick for my personal final three. I kinda need to wait and see who the villains are first.

*clap* *clap* *clap*

Very nicely done. Even though this was your first time writing a fighting scene, it was well executed, well-paced, and very exciting to read. Congrats on the completion of another great story. I am especially hopeful for season 4 and All-Star season 5. Until next time...

Recon, OUT!

Read the only thing in 2 days. It was a great read. I am happy Shellshock and Koopinator won as they were my favorites since Blooey and Jerry were eliminated early.

Lahla and Rocko were such a cute pair too I wouldn't of been sad if they had one.

Im happy you got around to finishing it. It was a great read!

Well, that was a terrific finale. I was so anxious to see who was going to take the million coins, it was a neck and neck race and it was AMAZING! I am glad that Koopinator and Shellshock won the race, they did deserve it. I would have prefered Lahla and Rocko second, and the Tails third, but I think everyone did a great job. I cannot wait for season four, who is going to be in the race? It's got to be a bit challenging since you used a lot of the main characters but I like these unique teams also. Maybe Pine and Pine Junior, Plenn and Thriff maybe, or the two blue colored spiky things in Glitzville (Don't remember their names) Well, whoever is in it, I bet it will be great.

I think that my favorite teams this season were Koopinator/Shellshock, Lahla/Rocko, Toce/Koopie Koo, and Kojo and Kory. Hopefully, they will return in a future season...maybe... I know college is a priority, so take your time (Maybe post the team chapter though, that's what I am curious about) Great job on this fic, it was AMAZING!

-Champ-

Thanks for the ride, jcag! It's been such a pleasure to read this. Once you super vamped it for Leg 12, this easily became one of the Top Ten Stories in All of FanFiction Ever. In fact, thinking about it reminds me of that day in Disney World when I just solid read that leg XD
Actually, the ending was kind of a downer. When the Tails arrived, my mood dropped right away. It was a relief to be reminded of their penalty. But when it was the Koopas who won, I was still a bit upset. I had been hoping for Lahla and Rocko to somehow pull off this one, but I guess it's not meant to be.
Well, I guess the favorite team never wins, eh? Except US TAR 20 *shot*
Thanks for everything! -Don

Thank you infinite times for making this story.

It was truly a great read and was enjoyable from the beginning to the end. You've tried different styles of writing throughout this story and it was great to see you improve, you are definitely a very good writer. The vocabulary you use, your phrasing, the players' characterization, their interaction, the narration, the plot... I think everything was perfect.

To be honest, I would say that the last two chapters were the best. I really liked the balance between dialogue and narration.

Now, you say that you did a horrible job witht he characters, but it's a fiction. I mean,it's great when you revisit some character and add your little touch to make them more enjoyable. As I previously mentioned, the characterization was spot on. You used the right words to convey the right feelings at the right time, and that's actually a very hard thing to do. I mean, when someone reads something, they either read this thing for what it is or feel involved in the story. And for this piece of writing, I felt it was the second option.

This leg was awesome and the Super Smash Bros challenge was nothing short of amazing. For someone who doesn't like writing fighting scenes, I felt it was really great. There was no repetition and the fights were not boring. I also liked the fact that the teams had to use their head to elaborate a strategy.

I'm fine with the winners, even though I must admit that I was rooting for the tails. Rocko and Lahla were cool, they just didn't have the same presence than the two other teams. I really liked this story overall.

For the teams I'd like to see come back for the All-Stars Edition...

Toce & Koopie. Yeah, I was also rooting for them, it's too bad they didn't manage to beat Theata and Anna who were kind of useless. They were robbed of their victory, I think, because if Grodus hadn't 'cheated' they probably would have survived the leg.

Hooktail and Gloomtail. They were simply awesome, I have no other words to describe them. They started a little slow but then became more and more important and I believe it would be great to have them around of the All-Stars season.

Honestly, I think these two teams deserve it the most. Pierre and Rana were also favorites of mine but they weren't exactly as great as the other two teams.

Well, good job for finishing this story !

I'll save some comments for the surveys, but it really does feel like it's the end of an era now that this has finished. This was the story that first made me interested in reality fanfiction and it's hard to believe it's been over four years since I found it, two since I actually left a review (although I did all the surveys at least :P). Nine seasons of the actual show have aired in that time. It's been a long journey to get to here, but it's been worth it all the way.

I had been predicting for a while that it would come down to Koopinator/Shellshock and Lahla/Rocko based on their interaction in the premiere, that one confessional just seemed so delibrate and meaningful that it had to pay off. Even though Lahla/Rocko ended up 3rd instead of 2nd, it really did end up working out that way when it was presented to us that one of those teams would steal the win out from under Gloomtail/Hooktail. No idea how delibrate it was, but it was a very appropiate ending for me given the story as a whole. In saying that I never ruled out the Dragons, both of the other teams had similarity to the past two winners (Koopa team Co-Worker team) and the Dragons had a strong storyline too, it really was anyone's game.

Koopinator/Shellshock were definitely not my favourites by any means and I wasn't supporting them, but they make good winners. I would've loved Lahla/Rocko to take it out since they were my favourites from the moment I started reading, they were always engaging and interesting to me, their storyline was perfect for me even without the victory. Nobody would've expected them to ever make it to the Final 3. I especially love how Lahla was portrayed, it would've been so easy to make her the "bitch" or "snob" or get misrepresented like what happens a lot with poor Flurrie, but the personality traits that could've been twisted that way didn't get used like that. Instead she was very endearing and likable, the dynamic with Rocko was perfect. They ran a great race.

I liked the tasks and while it was very neat that everyone ended up together at the end despite how complicated everything was, the suspense was necessary and has been really lacking in finales on the real show lately, so I understand why it was done that way. The Dragons losing based on the penalty is good in that it shows that while they came a long way, they still have some progress to go. Definitely gives a good reason for them to return in an Unfinished Business type season :P

I've seen the teams on the website for Season 4 and it looks like another strong group, so whenever that ends up happening I'll definitely be reading. Thanks for giving us such as epic story :)

Well worth the wait! I know it's a bit sad that the 'Tails just missed the mark thanks to that Mismatch Rod penalty (Who knows, maybe they'll appear on the All Stars edition and try again!).

I trust Season 4 will deliver, just like the last three seasons did! :3

No joke, this was the first fanfiction I ever read (it led me to the site), and it finally comes to a stunning conclusion, it was EPIC! My heart was racing faster and faster as it got closer and closer to the end. That's pretty dang hard to do with only three teams. And this was during my Psych class! :P

I thought the leg was very well written! I know it's not easy with a small amount of team to make it interesting, but you really enthralled me to not take my eyes off the screen. Not just one, two, but THREE memory tasks, loved it! Plus an epic Smash Bros task. Need I say more?

I must admit, shocked that team Glitzville won the race, but super stoked that they did (second fave of the season). I thought they had no shot with the way they got edited, but they OWNED the season, had great character development, and deserved the win hands down.

The 'tails were the ones I wanted to win, but I knew the penalty would kill them. They were awesome team (LOVE those bickerers), favorite team of the season hands down!

I'm happy Lahla and Rocky didn't win, they were too much like evil Caite and Brent. I actually thought they would win in the end, but happy they didn't.

Final Rankings

12) Kojo & Kory (need I say anything? :P)
11) Grodus & Crump (Tryhards)
10) Bob & Larry
9) Blooey & Jerry
8) Lahla & Rocko
7) Puni Elder & Puniper
6) Frankie & Ishnail
5) Theata & Hannah
4) Pierre & Rana
3) Toce & Koopie Koo (ROBBED)
2) Koopinator & Shellshock
1) Gloomtail & Hooktail

All-Stars would be... Gloomtail & Hooktail, Toce & Koopie Koo, and as much as I hate to say it... Kojo & Kory, they DO deserve it!

Cannot WAIT for season 4 (I'll wait as long as it takes!), you are an amazing writer! Everything about this season, from the tasks to the teams, were win! And yeah, don't fret about the small details, nobody can be perfect hey. They didn't really affect anything I saw...

Rock on!

Nooooooo! So close! I was rooting for them the whole leg long and they come a close second. You'd built their characters so well, developing slowly, believably, and making you love them all the more as they progressed.

This was a great final leg, though. You say you think the detour is uninspired, but consider everything else that happened in the leg. You had four major things before they even reach the detour, and even that's not the end. Think about the physicality and the mentality of the racers by that point. It's the end of the race, so they're tired already, and a long race up to that point. A navigation issue is a simple add-in that takes up time, allows the chance of a catch-up and covers distance to the next clue. If you had made it some other kind of big, complex thing then you're bordering on making the leg too draining on everyone. Admittedly, yes, it is the final leg, but there's limits I feel.

I read each leg when it comes out, so it's been a while since I've read each respective part meaning my comments will be shaded by extended memory. Be that as it may, this race as a whole progressed really well. The legs in design have all had their fair share of thrills, evil challenges, and unexpected circumstances (read: rain on the golf course) that has made it structurally true to its origins. Then factor in the characters, and your worries like crickets and professions are, in the long haul, minor details. The main thing that matters is that you pulled off alliances with traitory, accidents and manoeuvres that spark changes, and developing personalities. The race is all about the personalities. The fact that you can take something as simple as a Goombella tattle and make an entire character from it shows you have that down. There'll always be little things to worry about. That's what writing is. If that's your biggest problem, then it's not really a problem.

My only concern now is that you must be running out of characters to use for another race. I mean, come on, you've used every end of chapter boss, most of the mini-bosses, every partner (unless I've forgotten one) and a whole slew of side characters. If you can surprise me, though, go right ahead.

Man, why didn't I find the story sooner? It and it's predecessor's are AMAZING! Each chapter is very well detailed and expertly crafted for a great reading experience. All the characters' personalities and traits match up to how they are in-game, and your slightly original characters have fleshed out personalities, with the exception of the Smorgs who were just there for comedy relief. Even though I never even heard of The Amazing Race, this story gives me the basic gist of what the show is like and what everyone has to do. Congrats good sir!

If I may make a small suggestion, maybe you should add a Fuzzy (mainly the golden Fuzzy) team or maybe put Dupree (the womanizing blue doogan) in a team, the Fuzzies could act like the Smorgs from your previous installment, while Dupree could just fail at charming a woman every single step of the way until his team is eliminated. Of course, I know you probably have thought of all the teams for season 4 already so there's probably no point in me putting my suggestions in. Heh heh.

As for favorite teams throughout these chapters, I'll put my top 5 (In no particular order) from each season.

Season 1: Flavio and Bobbery, Rawk Hawk annd Yoshi, Koopley and Koops, Jolene and Mush, Vivian and arilyn.

Season 2: Smorgo and Smorga, Bandy Andy and King K., Pungry and Pungent, Pa-Patch and Cortez, Screamy and Torque (Those last two needed more screen time in my opinion)

Season 3: Koopinator and Shellshock, Grodus and Crump, Blooey and Jerry, Bob and Larry, Gloomtail and Hooktail

I seem to like the Glitz Pit teams, eh maybe it's because it was my favorite chapter in the game. Oh well.

Here's to your amazing story, the upcoming finales, and hopes to Bandy Andy and King K. making it to Season 5.

Been reading this all whilst I'm bored at college, have to say thank you first of all, it's making the hours go by so much faster.

I gotta say Toce and Koopie Koo are one of my favourite teams of anything, ever. They quickly grew on me on the first leg, and by the second leg, I was 100% rooting for them. They were just awesome, and I hope to see them back in an All Stars season. Their elimination was one of the saddest eliminations, maybe ever.

Hopefully Lahla & Rocko can pull off the win, I'd even be happy with Koop/Shell, just as long as it's not Gloomtail and Hooktail I'll be happy.

Oh my god. Usually, I would be really good at guessing who would win and who wouldn't, but just... GAAAAH THEY ALL SEEM LIKE LIKELY WINNERS

Uhhh Koopinator and Shellshock seem likely, but Gloomtail and Hooktail could still overpower them if they try... but then there's Lahla and Rocko who are really good at getting past the obstacles and stuff...

Gaaah I guess I'll just have to read the final to find out who wins!