Forward motion thru a rivet should never drop you thru regardless if you stop or not, as long as you continue in the same direction you can make it every time. Did it a million times.
Here's what appeared to happened and Ethan kind of saw it. Because of my joystick problems. I let go of the joystick on the first hit and the spring back has been giving me problem lately, turning me around, actually if it's just a millisecond, it'll back Mario up a pixel without even turning him around, that's what happened. You'll see Mario back up one pixel after going over the rivet. so that made me fall thru.
This spring back has been driving me nut lately. Like tonight. I let going of the joystick with the conveyor carrying me into to fireballs with the hammer, but as soon as i let go, the spring back turned me around and my back went into the fireball.
I'll have to bend my leaf springs back a little on my joystick, but if I go too far, doing standing back jumps becomes an issue.
Man, I wish my control were working like they did 6 months ago.