Let’s be real for a second. The Celestial Resort is where most Celeste playthroughs go to die, or at least where the "death count" starts looking like a phone number. It’s claustrophobic. It’s cluttered. And those dust bunnies? They’re basically sentient nightmares. But if you’re a completionist, you aren't just trying to get through the chapter; you’re hunting for Celeste Chapter 3 strawberries, and honestly, some of them feel like Maddy Thorson and the team at Extremely OK Games were personally trolling us.
Chapter 3 is a massive spike in complexity compared to the Forsaken City or Old Site. Suddenly, the environment isn't static. You’ve got moving platforms that only trigger when you touch them, and timing is everything. If you miss a cycle by half a second, you’re dust. Literally. Collecting all 29 strawberries in this chapter requires more than just decent reflexes—it requires you to understand the "clean-up" mechanic and the weird, non-linear layout of Mr. Oshiro’s crumbling hotel.
The Chaos of the Celestial Resort
The Resort is unique because it’s broken into three distinct "clean-up" paths. You’ve got the books, the towels, and the kitchen. You can do them in any order, which is great for freedom but kind of a headache for tracking Celeste Chapter 3 strawberries. Most people stumble into the library first. It’s a mess of narrow corridors and dust triggers.
One of the trickiest berries in this section is tucked behind a series of dash-refills and moving dust clouds. It’s not just about getting to the berry; it’s about having a plan to get back. Remember, a strawberry doesn't count until your feet hit solid, safe ground. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve grabbed a berry in the library, panicked, and dashed straight into a pile of black sludge. It’s humbling.
The kitchen area feels a bit more open, but don’t let that fool you. The developers love hiding berries just off-camera. There’s one specific berry in the kitchen area—it’s tucked in a high corner that requires a precise wall jump off a moving platform. If you aren't looking for the subtle cracks in the ceiling or the suspicious lack of dust in a corner, you’ll walk right past it.
Why the "Huge Mess" Section is a Completionist’s Undo-ing
The "Huge Mess" checkpoint is the meat of the chapter. To progress, you have to clear three areas to help Mr. Oshiro tidy up. This is where the Celeste Chapter 3 strawberries are most concentrated, and also where the level design gets genuinely mean.
Take the laundry room path. There's a berry that requires you to navigate a series of falling platforms while avoiding dust bunnies that rotate in a perfect circle. It’s a rhythm game disguised as a platformer. You can’t rush it. If you try to "force" the movement, the cycles will punish you. You have to wait. Observe. Then dash.
- The Secret Room: There is a berry hidden behind a fake wall in the upper-right section of the "towels" area. Most players miss it because the visual cue is so slight.
- The Dash-less Illusion: Some berries look like they require a perfect dash, but often, just finding the right momentum on a moving block is the real key.
- The backtracking: Sometimes, you’ll find yourself having to go through a room backward to reach a strawberry that was visible from a previous screen but inaccessible.
The kitchen path is equally frustrating. It introduces more of the "water" physics—or rather, the goop physics. Swimming through the gaps in the dust bunnies feels like threading a needle while riding a roller coaster. There’s a strawberry located at the very end of a long hallway of sludge that requires a near-perfect sequence of dashes. If you miss one, you start the whole room over.
The Oshiro Chase: Stress and Strawberries
Once you finish the cleaning, you think you’re done. You aren't. The final stretch of the chapter involves Mr. Oshiro chasing you in a fit of spectral rage. This is where Celeste Chapter 3 strawberries become genuinely stressful.
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There are a few berries during the chase sequence. Trying to time a dash to grab a floating berry while a screaming ghost-man is barreling toward you is the peak Celeste experience. There’s one berry specifically that sits right above a pit of dust. You have to bait Oshiro into lunging at you, jump off his head (the "bop" mechanic), and use that extra height to reach the berry. It’s a high-risk move that feels incredible when you pull it off but leads to dozens of deaths if your timing is off by a frame.
Expert players know that Oshiro’s hitbox is actually a bit more forgiving than it looks, but the psychological pressure makes it feel impossible. The music shifts, the screen shakes, and suddenly that simple strawberry feels like a Golden Berry attempt.
Dealing with the "Secret" Strawberries
Not all berries are out in the open. Some are "hidden" in plain sight. In the elevator shaft area, before you even start the massive cleaning project, there are paths tucked behind the scenery.
I’ve seen so many people reach the end of the chapter with 28/29 berries. That last one? It’s usually the one in the vents or the one tucked behind the very first elevator. Celeste rewards curiosity. If a wall looks a bit too thick, try dashing into it. If there’s a gap in the ceiling that serves no purpose, try to climb up.
The developers, including Lena Raine who did the incredible soundtrack, designed these levels to be felt as much as played. The frustration of the Resort is intentional. It mirrors Madeline’s own anxiety and the feeling of being overwhelmed by someone else’s mess. When you finally collect that last Celeste Chapter 3 strawberry, the relief isn't just a gaming achievement; it’s a genuine release of tension.
Technical Tips for Berry Hunting
- Manage your stamina: Chapter 3 involves a lot of wall-sliding while waiting for dust cycles. Don't hold the grab button unless you have to.
- Use the "Crouch Dash": While not strictly necessary for any Chapter 3 berries, learning to demo-dash (crouch dash) can make some of the tighter gaps in the laundry area much easier to navigate.
- Watch the dust cycles: The dust bunnies move on a global timer. If you’re struggling with a room, try dying once and immediately starting your movement. This "resets" your internal clock so you can learn the exact timing for that specific attempt.
The Mental Game of the Resort
Honestly, the biggest obstacle to getting every berry in Chapter 3 isn't the mechanics. It’s the vibe. The Celestial Resort is dark, the music is frantic, and Mr. Oshiro is... a lot. It’s easy to get tilted. When you’re tilted, your dashes get sloppy.
If you’re stuck on a specific Celeste Chapter 3 strawberry, take a break. The "Huge Mess" section is designed to be exhausting. There’s no shame in leaving the chapter and coming back later with a fresh brain. The berries will still be there.
Wait. One more thing. Don't forget the berry in the "Scattered and Lost" section. It's in a room that looks like a dead end. You have to use the momentum of a falling block to fling yourself upward into a hidden screen. It’s one of the most satisfying "Aha!" moments in the game.
Actionable Next Steps for Completionists
If you're currently staring at a screen of black sludge and wondering why you're doing this to yourself, here is the move.
First, open your journal in the pause menu. Check which "sub-section" of Chapter 3 you are missing berries in. The journal breaks it down by checkpoints, so you don't have to wander aimlessly through the whole hotel.
Second, focus on the "Bop." Master the art of jumping off Mr. Oshiro’s head. It’s not just a defensive move; it’s a vertical mobility tool that is mandatory for at least two of the berries in the final ascent.
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Third, if you're struggling with the cycles, try to find a "safe spot" in each room. Almost every room in the Celestial Resort has one small patch of floor or wall where the dust bunnies can't reach you. Find that spot, catch your breath, and observe the pattern before making your move.
Once you’ve cleared Chapter 3, the rest of the game feels... well, not easy, but different. You’ve survived the hotel. You’ve dealt with Oshiro. You’ve got the berries. Now, take that momentum into the Golden Ridge and enjoy the fresh air. You’ve earned it.