I almost think it would be easier to let it do what this video shows, and build a giant metal net to just prevent it from sinking. Or is that harder than landing on a small platform?
If they get a the 1st stage down on the drone ship, with all four legs touching, the main engine shut off, and it stays upright for even a few seconds, there will be much celebration. They would, of course, want to then actually examine the rocket afterwards, but that is a bonus.
Yup; the point is, SpaceX is not trying to just recover the first stage, they're trying to solve the vertical-landing of rockets for rapid reusability - which is vital not only for cost reduction, but for their plans to go to Mars. Because if they solve landing here, they can use the very same technique to land on Moon, Mars and other planets.