I think playing in the "Hidden Mansion" after you beat the game makes things like that easier. I seem to recall in one of my playthroughs, I tried getting the big pearl on that eskimo ghost countless number of times only to fail each time without even getting close, and then when I played in the Hidden Mansion, I got the big pearl from him on my first try
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avideo -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHHsvbyR7YA Big congrats to Black Turtle. Also, turtles are pretty cool