Obviously, the best strategy is to get the fastest possible time in the first 2 games, then get 999,999 in Tetris (or close). I suppose TASes would be obsoleted by virtue of scoring more overall.
Joined: 5/2/2006
Posts: 1020
Location: Boulder, CO
If getting 999,999 in tetris is possable, then a tas would want to spend more time playing mario or rad racer.
I think this would pose an interisting sort of path challange, where to use time most effectivly.
Joined: 5/2/2006
Posts: 1020
Location: Boulder, CO
Ok, tried it out. the NWC 1990 cart is not suitable for a tas, because the times is officially, bugged. even loading and saving save states is enough to upset the timer.
Unless this is fixed, there is no way a tas can be made.
I could not find a topic for this, possibly it exists. I'm making this because I am curious about the highest possible score obtainable in this game. I thought this could be an interesting project for several reasons. I'm tempted to try a run, but I imagine it will just involved getting to Tetris as fast as possible and getting the highest score I can there.
What I'm interested in more is finding out if there were any odd glitches in this game. I cannot recall what happens if you beat Super Mario Bros before the timer runs out. I think you can indefinitely suspend your time if you start the 2nd quest. I can't quite remember.
I was curious what happened if I got a game over, as it was clear they programmed smb so this couldn't happen. Turns out if you game over, the game thinks you obtained the 50 coins and sends you to Rad Racer.
I'm also curious as to what happens if you lose in Tetris, and whether it just sends you back to smb or tetris title screen or restarts tetris?
Anyway, I'm just a bit curious about this game and felt like others may have some interest in investigating it.
Super Mario Bros. console speedrunner
- Andrew Gardikis
I would be interested in a TAS of this also. The scoring is done
(Super Mario Bros. score) + (Rad Racer score x 10) + (Tetris score x 25) = final score
So yes, getting to tetris ASAP would be the ultimate goal, but also seeing mini-TASes of Mario and Rad Racer would be neat. Collecting the 50 coins really fast would be entertaining. The DIP switches on the physical cartridge can't be emulated can they? Those switches I think add additional time to what they competitors are allowed.
AS i recall in this version of tetris, the sequence cannot be manipulated, except by completing SMB with a different score.
To play tetris fast the field must be kept as high as possible, until the end wher eit must be a s low as possible to reap tetrises. The mid level luck manipulation shenanigans will not work, so you must play honestly.
So there's three challenges
1) get the ideal piece sequence
2) reach tetris as fast as possible
3) play as efficiently as possible, by stacking very high at the start, clearing all tetrises exceept for maybe your final line clear if you can't get a tetris in time and lowering the stack at the end.
Joined: 8/26/2006
Posts: 1139
Location: United Kingdom
As I recall, this game is not emulated properly in fceux. The timer is done by hardware (dipswitches) so it is not properly emulated. Any TAS of this game would have to be done using a hack (it is my understanding that the retrousb.com reproduction has decorative dipswitches, but the software is hacked to the proper time limit). I'm not sure if this site would prefer the TASer to hack the ROM manually, or if it would be best for all TASers to request the fixed ROM from bunnyboy to ensure consistency.
As mentioned above the Tetris game is not random, it is deterministic, so you should make sure you get the best outcome in this particular game.
I think a TAS of this game would be awesome. Good luck to whoever tries it.
Wondering why this game has not been TASed for a high score...
For those unaware, NWC1990 is a custom 6m21s competition game for the NES. You play Super Mario Bros until 50 coins are collected (faster time = more points) then race a portion of Rad Racer (faster completion = more points) and then you play Tetris with your remaining time and rack up the majority of the score.
Here's thehighest known human score I believe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8120m-9RMzA
Get 50 coins, then you wreck at the end of Rad Racer so that you stop right at the finish line (prevents waiting for vehicle to slow down after finish line), then beast Tetris.
Additional info: Must press start on controller 2 to get passed title screen (was so the hosts could start the game instead of the competitors).
To learn more about the historical significance of NWC1990 go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_World_Championships
Srry will do next time.
After reading that thread: I've played the game on emulator, there's no issue with emulation at all from what I can tell. It gave me 6m21s when I attempted scores a while back.
After reading that thread: I've played the game on emulator, there's no issue with emulation at all from what I can tell. It gave me 6m21s when I attempted scores a while back.
Try TASing it - you'll find a bug with the timer DURING the making of the TAS. ;)
FCEUX only gives you 5:25 m:s to go for the high score. BizHawk on the other hand gives you 6:21 m:s by default.
You can control the time limit by going to NES > Advanced Settings
Dipswitch setting default in binary is 00000010
Dipswitch 1 is time +2:30 m:s
Dipswitch 2 is time +1:15 m:s
Dipswitch 3 is time +:38 :s
Dipswitch 4 is time +:19 :s
Binary to Boolean; 1 = True, 0 = False
B+Select skips to Rad Racer, but it gives you 6 less seconds of game time.
A+Select show's the game time.
The default time in the game itself is 6:15 m:s
The in-game timer starts when Super Mario Bros. starts.
Link to video
Skipping to Rad Racer in a TAS test gave me barely enough time to get 397,523 points to get 9,999,995. Now the challenge is to do it with SMB.
Kicking the shell can give you 15,900 extra points.
Braking in the sand slows you down quicker. End at exactly 6,192 points.
That method you should get exactly 396,487 points before time runs out.
Get a Single then a Tetris then another single then 26 Tetrises and rely on the drops and extra lines until you reach your target score.
I request that this topic shall be merged with this, this and this, so we won't have so much clutter.
Nintendo Campus Challenge 1991 is similar
Super Mario Bros. 3: Get 25 coins - score x 10
Pin Bot: Score 100,000 points - score x 1
Dr. Mario: Go for high score - score x 100
It is possible to get 25 coins without the Raccoon Leaf. Make chains to clear multiple viruses at once.
Which means we have over 5:30 m:s left with 125,900 which means we need 98,741 points on Dr. Mario to reach 10,000,000.
Super Nintendo Campus Challenge 1992
Super Mario World: Get 50 coins - score x 1
F-Zero: Complete 2 laps - score x 100
Pilotwings: Go for high score - score x 10000
32,800 in Super Mario World, 3400 in F-Zero, gives us 4:15 m:s for Pilotwings.
It's possible to get 650 on Pilotwings, which means we can get at least 6,872,800 in 6:21
In order to reach 10,000,000 in 9:47 m:s, 60,000 must be scored in Super Mario World.
Nintendo Powerfest '94
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels: Complete the level - score x 1
Super Mario Kart: Complete 5 laps - coin score x 1000 + finish score
Ken Griffey, Jr. Presents Major League Baseball: Home Run Derby! - distance score x 100 + 10000 per home run (1000000 in the finals)
Do the Flagpole Glitch to save time.
You can get 64 coins and finish first for 154,000 points, but we can get 50 coins and do the Mushroom Boost Glitch for a big time saver.
As of now, our main focus is Nintendo World Championships 1990 for a score of over 10,000,000.
It's possible to get over 10,000,000 points by doing the 1-up trick. Don't worry about getting game over as lives are capped at 99. The score rolls over after 10,000,000.
In NCC 1991, we can get the score over 100,000,000 by doing an exploit with Raccoon Mario. Get 24 coins beforehand, do the exploit, carry the Koopa to the goal card. In Pin Bot, get exactly 100,000. You don't have much time to do so.
In SNCC 1992 can we do ACE to skip to F-Zero? That way we can get to Pilotwings quicker.
World Records:
NWC1990: 4,521,710
NCC1991: 18,748,000
SNCC1992: 6,173,250
NPF94: 25,163,900
Goals:
NWC1990: Fastest 50 coins, fastest race time, most Tetrises for over 5,000,000 points.
NCC1991: Fastest 25 coins, fastest 100,000 points, clear level 05 with 200,000+ points for over 20,000,000.
SNCC1992: Fastest 50 coins, fastest 2 laps, go for highest target scores! 6,500,000+ points possible!
NPF94: Fastest 1-1, fastest 5 laps and lots of coins, home run derby! 30,000,000+ points possible!
NWC1990:
Super Mario Bros.: Get 22 coins, die, 16 more coins, die, 12 more coins, for 50 coins.
Rad Racer: Braking in sand slows down quicker.
Tetris: Top line clear glitch works. Always go for Tetrises.
NCC1991:
Super Mario Bros 3: Get raccoon leaf ASAP and get 25 coins.
Alternate strategy: Raccoon tail Koopa stomp exploit.
Pin Bot: Vortex Power - 100,000 points.
Dr. Mario: Clear all viruses in chains.
SNCC1992:
Super Mario World: Berry eating glitch involving Yoshi to get 50 coins quicker.
F-Zero: Tapping the brake during a speed boost at certain points of speed is slightly faster.
Pilotwings: Aim at moving target, dive into the highest scoring area of the pool.
NPF94:
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels: Flagpole glitch saves a frame rule.
Super Mario Kart: Mushroom boosting glitch saves time, but hard to manipulate items due to lack of pausing.
Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball: Prior time saves means more home runs!
