2502 frames (41.7s) faster than previous submission. A few improvements came from some nice new time savers, but the majority were actually from better optimisation carried out on all levels.

Level 1: Toxic Caves

Shortest level of the run, but still a few neat changes regardless. Better execution of the main glitch allowed access to the boss chamber with 3 bounces instead of 4, which also caused a shift of boss tactics. At this earlier time, the boss tail is now pointing left, and is trying to prevent Sonic from gaining access by dropping a bit of acid. Most fortunate however, since it means you can bounce off of it and end up being delivered inside of the boss, without having to land on the above platforms first. Once the tail itself is destroyed, the body is deliberately not destroyed at optimum speed. It can be done at least as 48 frames faster by bouncing to the side, but doing that ends up wasting twice as many frames in the long run. At the end of every level, the camera has to slowly pan onto Sonic before it begin initiating the official end sequence. This means the best option is to manipulate the camera before hand, by having Sonic force it upwards, which ends up saving a further 34 frames from the previous submission.

Level 2: Lava Powerhouse

There's a new glitch after emerald 3, since that's not a tube that Sonic goes through, he's actually clipping through the wall. That saves around 300 frames getting to the boss chamber, which was certainly one hell of an annoying boss to do. Far more manipulation was done here, saving a total of 86 frames on what was already a very optimised fight. The time savers here came not from killing the bosses faster, but rather from triggering them to spawn earlier. This is first done by floating upwards when you enter the chamber, and then simply exiting the boss chamber more efficiently ends up saving the rest. A total of 489 frames saved on this level.

Level 3: The Machine

A much faster opening strategy gets Sonic to Emerald 1 without even needing a boost from the floor pistons. But if you thought that was weird, check out what happens when I return here a second time shortly after. Bouncing all over the place allows me to reintroduce early Emerald 3 glitch into the run. Improved timing so far means that the pesky moving platform at the top of the right shaft is now out of my way, getting to Emerald 4 much faster. For the caged emerald, lag is an annoying factor here. Don't even thinking about freeing any of the other cages, or even witnessing the emerald fall to its collection point; since both of those cause slowdown beyond control. Best plan is to bounce out of sight as fast as possible, which ends up saving 57 frames in this room.

Boss time, it seems an annoying cluck stops me from getting to the right tube first, so lets start with the left instead. After a boring destruction of the left side, the right tube then gets destroyed nearly 300 frames faster by attacking it from above. The actual boss though? A perfect bouncing path still doesn't exist in here, as such no significant improvement sadly. Level 3 finishes with the largest total of 1252 frames saved.

Level 4: Showdown

Destroying the cluck at the start is faster, and reduces lag getting to the Emerald 1. New strategy for Emeralds 3 & 4. No more shall we use the flipper like a total sucker, a quick jump gives us enough rebound height to collect them anyway, saving 42 frames a piece. After collecting all 5 emeralds, we can finally enter Robotnik's ship, and this time without having to compensate for the hook release being miles away from the entrance, saving another 280 frames. The final boss has an earlier end to input, which in my opinion gives it a very neat way of delivering a final blow.

Intermediate Levels

Each mini table is as boring as the others, and saves a few measly frames, nothing note worthy here.

ledauphinbenoit: adding YT encode

Mukki: Judging...

Mukki: Very impressive improvement. It's great to see that you persisted with this game and found so much new stuff. Accepting as an improvement to the currently published run.

turska: processing