Gangster TV
If TV cancels weren't a thing in this game then I would say that Gangster TV is the hardest level in terms of nailing everything first try because this level has a ton of precise movement. You may have to watch your health on this one and have fire flies around you for an extra hit if you find yourself getting hit a lot.
You can skip some cutscenes with the start button.
You can get out of the starting area onto the rooftop this way for the N64 version but it is really precise in the PS version.
https://youtu.be/jIZ51dcKLKs?t=2h19m18s
To hit the gate locks while on the floor, I first hit the circle button then the jump button fast.
You can stop at 0:24 and aim and hit the first lock that way. To hit the lock at 1:11 while midair, press the circle button when Gex starts to go down at the height of his jump.
If you miss getting the pawprint at 2:54, you can get it later on the 100 fly coin route. When I free Cuz, I karate kick to the left to avoid being hit by the rat.
Shooting the enemies down at 4:00 is actually one of the harder parts. You can take another fly with you and swallow it after you collect the pigeon's coin at 4:04. I guess optimally, you can also get the trash can mobster early here to avoid going back to the start later on. Don't worry about missing some of them if you do because you will get another chance to shoot the ones that you missed. 6:42 in the video shows this. Remember to have enemies onscreen when you shoot at them or else it would not count.
Right after collecting the bonus coin in the red pipe, you can get on the pipe and walk slowly to the right. As soon as you see Gex sliding down, press the circle button and if done correctly, Gex should be able to walk underwater. This saves about 11 seconds.
Reading the fly coin section at the end of the very first video's description can help you with this level. Basically, don't let the camera be too far away from any coins that will spawn and avoid collecting a coin when Gex and the coin is practically almost offscreen.
There are 11 fly coins to get underwater. To avoid a fly coin not registering while underwater, every time you go in the water, max out your camera. If you go underwater with the camera being maxed out already, max it out again. Try to hit the fishes at the bottom and avoid collecting a fly coin when Gex is close to the camera.
At 6:40, I shoot at the floor this time to have more time to shoot down the pigeons.
When getting the pigeon's fly coin at 7:10, remember that it is your 50th one. That will help you know that you have gotten all of the fly coins so far.
At 8:00, press the circle when Gex is going down after being at max height to shoot the first mobster. After falling to the ground, you can go right first and shoot the money from the left last if you have enough time. If you ran out of time hitting the money, then at 9:19 you can get the fire fly off to the right and shoot the money through the fence. Being directly at the fence lets you shoot past it.
At 8:43, you should stop right at the fly coin to avoid the mobster on the ground to notice you.
You should keep in mind that collecting the last bonus coin and pawprint in this level should bring you to 45 total bonus coins and 49 total pawprints when doing a run. This is to avoid checking by pausing or wondering if you got every collectable in the run.
I stop at 9:56 for a brief moment to collect the fly coin in the crate. After shooting to the mobster at the right, I jump up in where he is burning to collect his fly coin for sure. Again, press the circle button when Gex is starting to go down from his jump to shoot the mobster on the table. Be sure to not have the mobster in his death animation when the remote TV cutscene begins to play at the end of the video. This is very important because then the camera will be too far away for him to spawn a fly coin.
You can skip some cutscenes with the start button.
You can get out of the starting area onto the rooftop this way for the N64 version but it is really precise in the PS version.
https://youtu.be/jIZ51dcKLKs?t=2h19m18s
To hit the gate locks while on the floor, I first hit the circle button then the jump button fast.
You can stop at 0:24 and aim and hit the first lock that way. To hit the lock at 1:11 while midair, press the circle button when Gex starts to go down at the height of his jump.
If you miss getting the pawprint at 2:54, you can get it later on the 100 fly coin route. When I free Cuz, I karate kick to the left to avoid being hit by the rat.
Shooting the enemies down at 4:00 is actually one of the harder parts. You can take another fly with you and swallow it after you collect the pigeon's coin at 4:04. I guess optimally, you can also get the trash can mobster early here to avoid going back to the start later on. Don't worry about missing some of them if you do because you will get another chance to shoot the ones that you missed. 6:42 in the video shows this. Remember to have enemies onscreen when you shoot at them or else it would not count.
Right after collecting the bonus coin in the red pipe, you can get on the pipe and walk slowly to the right. As soon as you see Gex sliding down, press the circle button and if done correctly, Gex should be able to walk underwater. This saves about 11 seconds.
Reading the fly coin section at the end of the very first video's description can help you with this level. Basically, don't let the camera be too far away from any coins that will spawn and avoid collecting a coin when Gex and the coin is practically almost offscreen.
There are 11 fly coins to get underwater. To avoid a fly coin not registering while underwater, every time you go in the water, max out your camera. If you go underwater with the camera being maxed out already, max it out again. Try to hit the fishes at the bottom and avoid collecting a fly coin when Gex is close to the camera.
At 6:40, I shoot at the floor this time to have more time to shoot down the pigeons.
When getting the pigeon's fly coin at 7:10, remember that it is your 50th one. That will help you know that you have gotten all of the fly coins so far.
At 8:00, press the circle when Gex is going down after being at max height to shoot the first mobster. After falling to the ground, you can go right first and shoot the money from the left last if you have enough time. If you ran out of time hitting the money, then at 9:19 you can get the fire fly off to the right and shoot the money through the fence. Being directly at the fence lets you shoot past it.
At 8:43, you should stop right at the fly coin to avoid the mobster on the ground to notice you.
You should keep in mind that collecting the last bonus coin and pawprint in this level should bring you to 45 total bonus coins and 49 total pawprints when doing a run. This is to avoid checking by pausing or wondering if you got every collectable in the run.
I stop at 9:56 for a brief moment to collect the fly coin in the crate. After shooting to the mobster at the right, I jump up in where he is burning to collect his fly coin for sure. Again, press the circle button when Gex is starting to go down from his jump to shoot the mobster on the table. Be sure to not have the mobster in his death animation when the remote TV cutscene begins to play at the end of the video. This is very important because then the camera will be too far away for him to spawn a fly coin.