Hey, guys! I have decided to TAS a game called Donkey Kong Country 3 for the GBA! My TAS is an any% TAS for now! And if I may ask, please do not move this post to a Donkey Kong Country 3 SNES thread, because I am here to specifically discuss THIS version.
So, this game is basically a remake of the SNES game Donkey Kong Country 3 on the console GBA remade in 1996. Here is a list of differences between the two games:
GBA:
-In this game, you cannot while in midair jumping put each other on top of your head.
-There is an entire extra WORLD called Pacifica, and this is a world you have to beat in order to beat the game.
-Has much better graphics.
-In the GBA version the maps are more close-up.
-The level "Springin' Spiders" comes before "Barrel Shield Bust-Up" in sequence.
-You are not automatically controlled on the first part of the menu AND you are not required to go to Wrinkly's.
-When you first go into one of the crystal caves, Cranky comes in and explains some shit to you.
-Menu screen is COMPLETELY different.
-When you defeat a coin guy with a shield and a pot on his head, it collects the coin automatically after defeated.
-Both games have completely different music.
-When you attack with Dixie, it is not faster than regular running.
SNES:
-The level "Barrel Shield Bust-Up" comes before "Springin' Spiders" in sequence.
-Has much worse graphics.
-Maps of the levels you select are much wider. Also, not to mention, the GBA game has COMPLETELY different music from the SNES version.
-You are forced to go to Wrinkly's house at the beginning of the game due to an automatic controlling.
-The menu screen is COMPLETELY different.
-When you defeat a coin guy with a shield and a pot on his head, you have to actually go up to the coin and touch it before you collect it.
-Both games have completely different music.
-When you attack with Dixie, it IS faster than regular running.
Now, as for TASing the game, unlike the SNES version, the characters are not as able to manipulate speed, as you see in the SNES version BOTH the characters go absolutely nuts with their speed all the time. It seems more slidey than in the GBA version, where moves are simple and very technical, a roll is a roll, a jump is a jump, running is running, there is no crazy mumbo jumbo mixing shit happening in between. The only real thing I can think of like that is when you hit an enemy with certain timing, such as a rat or a crocodile, you go slightly faster, and if you hit multiple ones after this timing, it goes even faster. Now, it is faster to use Kiddy Kong throughout most of the game, but in certain parts, such as I suspect in "Fire-Ball Frenzy," it is more efficient to use Dixie Kong near the end, due to the shortcut with Kiddy's suicide (same as in the SNES version), and due to the fact that Dixie can go much faster across ropes. Although, this is one of the ONLY speed tricks I see that is anywhere near useful or entertaining in this game. The other one I see is that when she hits multiple enemies and goes very fast, she can continue going that fast for a much longer time than Kiddy can, but the question is, will this trick ever be used anyway in this TAS? Kiddy Kong is much more efficient due to the fact that he can use rolling constantly which is MUCH faster than much that Dixie can do. Plus, Kiddy can do the Water Skip trick, which Dixie also cannot do, AND he can make Dixie go on top of his head and throw her on top of a place, and he will follow, thus making more tricks possible, not to mention most of the Warp Barrels in the game require using this trick.
As for glitches of the game, I have not found too many. I have found the following glitches yet (and I will post more if I find more):
-Going through doors in the attic levels (Possibly Useful, I wonder if there is a level where I can use this...)
-Going through trap doors from below them in the attic levels (Possibly Useful, but I highly doubt it, especially for any%)
-Skipping the ski in both the ski levels inside tubes (definitely not useful, in fact this only makes things slower)
-Now I don't remember the details, but I remember at some point in one of the mountain levels of the game (I BELIEVE it was Krevice Kreepers, but I could be wrong, since I found this 2 years ago) there is a location where you can do the trick with Kiddy Kong where Dixie jumps on his head, throw her upward toward that particular spot, push to the left where the wall was, and she won't move and will stay in her series of rolling frames until you move to the right again. (HOW THE FUCK WOULD THIS BE USEFUL?!?)
Also, I have to mention that if anyone is going to TAS this game as well, I would NOT recommend the European version. Here is why.
In the US version:
-You can still do the door glitch mentioned above, thank God, unlike in the European version.
-When you hit a flag pole, when you press the Pause key, you can exit the level as if you had already completed the level due to the way the game is programmed (I said this because I don't know if you could necessarily call this a glitch), and doing this as fast as it will be, you can COMPLETELY skip the flag pole cutscene for EVERY level in the game. But guess what you can't do in the God forsaken European version?
-Plus the European version has that "ñ" symbol in the section where you type in your name, which really DOESN'T matter in the TAS one bit, BUT it just looks like an oddball to me, which makes me a bit nervous, and I don't like that...
Here is my video explaining/demonstrating ALL the differences in the European/American version I have found:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeDBy-veikE
As for the last thing I would like to say, I REALLY hope that when this run is submitted that it is not declined for being "a similar game to DKC3 for the SNES," because that would REALLY suck, I really really REALLY want to make this, and due to what I have said above, it's not so similar after all is it? If you're going to put it in a bad position, at LEAST put it in the vault category, I mean come on.
Anyway, finally, to conclude this post which I spent almost 2 hours writing, I will definitely enjoy making this TAS, and will definitely upload Work In Processes on our YouTube channel, ColdStardust, and I hope you enjoy those, and when the final TAS comes out, I hope you guys enjoy that! :)
Progress so far: I am going to Tidal Trouble.
SNES:
The Graphics on the SNES are FAR superior than the GBA Version. O.o But okay. Just some offtopic. I think it's nice to see a TAS because of the few differences they have AND because of the pacific World.
