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Super Metroid (100%) TAS by JXQ

Essentials:
This run satisfies the following criteria:
  • 100% item collection
  • Aims for fastest time
  • Takes damage to save time
  • Abuses programming errors
  • Manipulates luck
  • Emulator Used: SNES9x 1.43 +v9
    • Use WIP1 Timing - on
    • Allow Left+Right/Up+Down - off
    • Volume Envelope Height Reading - off
    • Fake Mute desync Workaround - off
    • Sync samples with sound CPU - off
Overview:
Super Metroid is probably my favorite game of all time. Back in its prime, I would play it on the SNES, trying to design a route to the fastest 100% completion. (Back then, "fast" was something like 1 hour 45 minutes game time...shame) TASing this game was the big rock I never knew I could climb, but I did it, and I'm very happy with how it turned out!
This run was attempted almost a year ago by Michael Flatley, and it was the first in-progress run I followed on the forums here at Nesvideos. About a third of the way into the run, Michael unfortunately abandoned the project. However, were it not for his efforts, several of the ideas and tricks here would not have been realized at this time.
Tool-assisted or not, this game has a huge variety of sequence breaks and glitches to exploit in the interest of getting the fastest time. I have put together some information on the Super Metroid tricks page that explains how many of the frame-precise techniques work for this game, and a few of the other glitches that may not be obvious at first glance.
Details:
First of all, this game has an in-game timer that runs only during actual playing sequences (and a few other unusual spots). This is handy for console speedrunners of this game, but I don't believe it's necessary in a TAS, so I instead optimized to overall movie length. Because of the rules of the in-game timer, there are certain situations that could be done differently in order to lower the in-game time at the expense of a longer movie length.
I spent a long time planning a route and testing things before really starting the run. I studied several of the console and tool-assisted speedruns for route ideas and strategies, and ended up with my own unique route that takes advantage of things like being able to manipulate the items dropped by enemies. I have a good amount of confidence in this route; I'd be surprised if it could be improved more than a little bit.
The rules of Samus's movement had to be re-learned each time I got an item that changed something about her movement. The Morph Ball, Speed Booster, Space Jump, and Spring Ball all affected what strategy was optimal in a given environment. This makes for a varying style of play as the run goes on, which helps keeps things entertaining throughout.
Although I did optimize this run pretty tightly (I gained over fifteen seconds on Michael Flatley's progress by the time I caught up to him), it's definitely improvable. This game is very difficult to fully optimize, and I'm sure I didn't find everything there is to find, not by a longshot. I would estimate this run could be improved by 15-30 seconds.
This run's in-game timer ends with 39 minutes, 55 seconds and 22 frames. (The in-game timer can be viewed in memory more accurately than the displayed final time.) Since the seconds are so close to the next minute, I would also estimate that time shown at the end cannot be improved to 00:38.
Suggested Description & Screenshot:
In accordance with standard procedure, Samus discarded all of the items she collected on previous adventures before embarking on this one. This run aims for 100% item collection in the fastest time.
Super Metroid has a wide variety of time-saving glitches to exploit, many of which are explained on the Super Metroid Tricks page.
Suggested Screenshot - Frame 187172
Thanks to…
  • Michael Flatley, for his important discoveries and partial progress.
  • Graveworm, for helping me learn the basics of the game and giving me seemingly impossible goals to aim for.
  • Nitsuja, for the invaluable improvements in SNES9x 1.43+ v9.
  • OmnipotentEntity, Saturn, and Truncated for watching my progress closely and giving helpful feedback and encouragement.
  • Angerfist, Fabian, Highness, Kaz, Nach, Bablo, Kyrsimys, OgreSlayeR, Baxter, Guybrush, moozooh, Gorling, Zurreco, xou, Fredrik, yarbles, Torgen, Atma, Oddity, and MANY others for giving me all sorts of extra encouragement. I feel like I had an army backing me on this run!
Enjoy the run!
Spittin' so much fire, I wear a Varia Suit - JXQ
Edit: To those of you who like to see the animals get saved, I've done an alternate run that simply re-does the last few rooms of the escape. You can find it here.
Bisqwit: Amazing … mobility. Accepted without doubt.

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Posted: 4/20/2006 1:27 PM
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Bablo
Player (224)
Joined: 10/17/2005
Posts: 399
I'd buy your awesomeness for a dollar. Oh boy, such a beautiful run. 100% collection runs of a wonderful game...what would be better than that? Nice new tricks. Yes vote, of course! I'm also suggesting to give any% run's star for this just like SMW100% has a star and short route doesn't. This has so much more techniques and cool things to show. Looking forward for your future runs! :)
<adelikat> I've been quoted with worse
Posted: 4/20/2006 2:51 PM
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Nach
Emulator Coder
Joined: 3/9/2004
Posts: 4588
Location: In his lab studying psychology to find new ways to torture TASers and forumers
Bablo wrote:
I'd buy your awesomeness for a dollar.
You can't buy it for a dollar. You have a lot of work to do, and a name change you'd need to go through.
Warning: Opinions expressed by Nach or others in this post do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or position of Nach himself on the matter(s) being discussed therein.
Posted: 4/20/2006 3:25 PM
Post subject: Movie published
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TASVideoAgent
They/Them
Moderator
Joined: 8/3/2004
Posts: 15619
Location: 127.0.0.1
This movie has been published. The posts before this message apply to the submission, and posts after this message apply to the published movie. ---- [528] SNES Super Metroid "100%" by JXQ in 1:13:10.22
Posted: 4/20/2006 5:00 PM
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hopper
Joined: 11/15/2004
Posts: 804
Location: Canada
I think you mean "embarking", not "emarking" in the description.
TASing or playing back a DOS game? Make sure your files match the archive at RGB Classic Games.
Posted: 4/20/2006 5:01 PM
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Bob_A
Joined: 2/12/2006
Posts: 432
This should have a star.
Posted: 4/20/2006 5:18 PM
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krunkalastic
Joined: 2/28/2006
Posts: 21
Just a thought... Why bother to watch a run on a game you already know you dislike? And then...why bother to vote if you hated the game in the first place?
Posted: 4/20/2006 5:19 PM
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LagDotCom
Joined: 3/7/2006
Posts: 720
Location: UK
Because the poll asks everyone. If I only watched movies for games I've played and liked, I would have watched hardly any movies here. I've never been a huge console player.
Voted NO for NO reason
Posted: 4/20/2006 5:23 PM
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krunkalastic
Joined: 2/28/2006
Posts: 21
I understand that...it just seemed like voting for the wrong reasons, is all. Understandable if you don't like the game, but there's no arguing that it's phenomenally-played.
Posted: 4/20/2006 5:32 PM
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JXQ
Experienced player (761)
Joined: 5/6/2005
Posts: 3132
NES TAS of 2008 Speedy TAS of 2008 SNES TASer of 2007 TAS of 2007 SNES TAS of 2007 Funny TAS of 2007
I understand that this could be not entertaining for some people. Another reason could be that the screen transitions somewhat break up the flow of a possible break-neck paced run (toward the end, anyway). And if one isn't familiar with the game, then this could be boring or maybe even overwhelming to watch. Anyway, I appreciate all feedback, good and bad, so no worries!
Tompa wrote:
What will be the next insane TAS?
I've got some future project ideas listed on my personal page here, although I don't know if any qualify as insane ;) The link to that page: http://tasvideos.org/JXQ.html
<Swordless> Go hug a tree, you vegetarian (I bet you really are one)
Posted: 4/20/2006 5:49 PM
(Edited: 4/20/2006 6:00 PM)
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Bag_of_Magic_Food
He/Him
Player (206)
Joined: 5/29/2004
Posts: 5712
Fabian wrote:
It's a fair point. If you're not into a game, after having seen five different runs of it, you won't be very entertained. That's why the voting question should ask for an objective assessement of the quality of the run (examples: "was this movie better than the existing published run?"; "does this movie deserve to be published?"), and not a subjective (example: "did you enjoy watching this movie?"). Of course, most of the time it won't matter except for getting perfect looking stats (only yes votes), but I mean nice stats is what life is all about, right? Right?
No, that's why it SHOULD be subjective. The people who come looking for entertaining .avis will be picking them subjectively, too.
put yourself in my rocketpack if that poochie is one outrageous dude
Posted: 4/20/2006 5:54 PM
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JXQ
Experienced player (761)
Joined: 5/6/2005
Posts: 3132
NES TAS of 2008 Speedy TAS of 2008 SNES TASer of 2007 TAS of 2007 SNES TAS of 2007 Funny TAS of 2007
Also, you can still vote after the movie is published. So it may seem odd to ask if a movie should be published if it already is. But if it asks for something like entertainment, people will be inclined to vote their opinion regardless of whether or not it's published, which I think is a good thing.
<Swordless> Go hug a tree, you vegetarian (I bet you really are one)
Posted: 4/20/2006 6:18 PM
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Oddity
Joined: 8/1/2004
Posts: 178
At 1 hour and 6 seconds about, would it be faster/possible to try to gain a shinespark from the above walkway so that you can go flying through that really long dark room at a really fast speed, therefore saving time? The room at 1 hour 4 minutes and 45 seconds, would it be faster to gain a shinespark outside, still be able to enter the room at really fast speed by screw attacking like you did, and then use the shinespark to zoom to the left? I don't know if opening the door at the same time would be faster even more. Someone should Google Video this.
<^>v AB X LR s
Posted: 4/20/2006 6:57 PM
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varmkorv
Joined: 4/8/2006
Posts: 5
Another active lurker here. One of my favorite games of all times, made perfect. 100% runs is always more funny to watch Thank you for making this movie, good job!
Posted: 4/21/2006 2:46 AM
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Fabian
Former player
Joined: 6/15/2005
Posts: 1711
Bag of Magic Food wrote:
Fabian wrote:
It's a fair point. If you're not into a game, after having seen five different runs of it, you won't be very entertained. That's why the voting question should ask for an objective assessement of the quality of the run (examples: "was this movie better than the existing published run?"; "does this movie deserve to be published?"), and not a subjective (example: "did you enjoy watching this movie?"). Of course, most of the time it won't matter except for getting perfect looking stats (only yes votes), but I mean nice stats is what life is all about, right? Right?
No, that's why it SHOULD be subjective. The people who come looking for entertaining .avis will be picking them subjectively, too.
New people will watch the movies that interest them. As long as the judgment process is fair (objective), the movies that might interest them will be published, as opposed to being rejected. Although again, this won't ever make a difference so this arguing is pretty much pointless.
Zoey Ridin' High <Fabian_> I prett much never drunk
Posted: 4/21/2006 11:34 AM
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Warp
Banned User
Joined: 3/10/2004
Posts: 7698
Location: Finland
In the Quake speedrunning community 100% runs, ie. runs which get all kills and secrets, are rather popular. I was thinking if there were any console games where such run would be feasible (supermetroid is not feasible because the monsters respawn, but this seemed like a natural place to post the question...)
Posted: 4/21/2006 11:55 AM
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Xkeeper
Banned User
Joined: 12/23/2004
Posts: 1850
Warp wrote:
In the Quake speedrunning community 100% runs, ie. runs which get all kills and secrets, are rather popular. I was thinking if there were any console games where such run would be feasible (supermetroid is not feasible because the monsters respawn, but this seemed like a natural place to post the question...)
Due to the way games store monster info, especially in earlier games, it's very unlikely you'll find one. Normally monster data isn't saved between levels, though technically a 100% kills run would be possible in any game in which it is not possible to backtrack (SMB1, for example).
Perma-banned
Posted: 4/21/2006 11:55 AM
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LagDotCom
Joined: 3/7/2006
Posts: 720
Location: UK
You might run into problems with SMB though because of multiple routes. I know that was just an example. :)
Voted NO for NO reason
Posted: 4/21/2006 12:20 PM
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Xkeeper
Banned User
Joined: 12/23/2004
Posts: 1850
LagDotCom wrote:
You might run into problems with SMB though because of multiple routes. I know that was just an example. :)
Most routes, though, simply have a bonus room. I can't think of any alternate route that leads to a section with enemies...
Perma-banned
Posted: 4/21/2006 1:01 PM
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feitclub
Former player
Joined: 3/13/2004
Posts: 1118
Location: Kansai, JAPAN
I had to watch this so spent some time setting up an emulator on the school's computer just to see the movie - great job! Obviously these techniques can now be used to improve the any% run!
Do Not Talk About Feitclub http://www.feitclub.com
Posted: 4/21/2006 2:18 PM
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Kyrsimys
Former player
Joined: 4/16/2004
Posts: 1286
Location: Finland
Xkeeper wrote:
I can't think of any alternate route that leads to a section with enemies...
I can't remeber the levels, but IIRC there are pipes leading to water areas with enemies somewhere in worlds 6-7. Or was it 5?
Posted: 4/21/2006 3:01 PM
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KDR_11k
Joined: 1/23/2006
Posts: 352
Location: Germany
Well, wasn't there an N64 port of Quake?
Posted: 4/21/2006 4:14 PM
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JXQ
Experienced player (761)
Joined: 5/6/2005
Posts: 3132
NES TAS of 2008 Speedy TAS of 2008 SNES TASer of 2007 TAS of 2007 SNES TAS of 2007 Funny TAS of 2007
Warp wrote:
I was thinking if there were any console games where such run would be feasible (supermetroid is not feasible because the monsters respawn, but this seemed like a natural place to post the question...)
How about Goldeneye? Although if I remember correctly, there are places that continually spawn enemies if the ones beginning in that room aren't killed - Bunker second time (level 9) on 00 Agent, for example.
<Swordless> Go hug a tree, you vegetarian (I bet you really are one)
Posted: 4/21/2006 6:27 PM
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Oddity
Joined: 8/1/2004
Posts: 178
I just watched a very tiny bit of the any% run here as shown on google video http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6367620428187535284&q=super+metroid&pl=true and noticed when he enters the room to the left of Kraig after he beats Kraig and gets the suit, he gets hit by the spikes, and then he gets hit by an enemy that pops out. JXQ's run only gets hit by the spikes, though the ball bounce thing might cancel things out, plus the fact that Samus gets on the rightmost edge of that floor in the western part of that room to gain speed for the next room. And, at 50:18, would it be faster to stop on the ground there, buildup a shinespark, then use it in the next room (with the energy refill in it) after opening its door? I know you said you would type up things of improvement, and hopefully some of the things I've mentioned are in it =) It's not possible to get a shinespark on Ridley's room's platform is it? 15:12, does the short-distance-gained shinespark carry over from room to room? If so, at this time, would it be possible to gain a shinespark so you can use it after getting rid of the pink door in the next room? Notice how most my questions are shinespark related. All of them probably don't have enough distance, health, or too much distance to cross after attaining the SS.
<^>v AB X LR s
Posted: 4/21/2006 7:19 PM
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JXQ
Experienced player (761)
Joined: 5/6/2005
Posts: 3132
NES TAS of 2008 Speedy TAS of 2008 SNES TASer of 2007 TAS of 2007 SNES TAS of 2007 Funny TAS of 2007
Oddity's ?s: There isn't enough room to build a shinespark before the X-ray beam. You generally need about one screen length of room. Same goes for the room near the Wave Beam you asked about, and for Ridley's room. Your other improvements are all possible, but may or may not be faster (I swear I tested most of them, but I can't be sure)...
<Swordless> Go hug a tree, you vegetarian (I bet you really are one)
Posted: 4/21/2006 7:27 PM
(Edited: 4/24/2006 2:02 PM)
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JXQ
Experienced player (761)
Joined: 5/6/2005
Posts: 3132
NES TAS of 2008 Speedy TAS of 2008 SNES TASer of 2007 TAS of 2007 SNES TAS of 2007 Funny TAS of 2007
Improvement list for Super Metroid 100% General improvements:
  • More use of the lower-corner hitbox glitch (I didn't understand how it worked near the beginning, so I didn't use it in places I thought it wouldn't improve, when it actually would have).
  • Now that I know the specific route, including all weapons use and collection, it could be optimized even more (I was playing a bit conservatively in this regard).
  • Figure out what determines if the Space Jump can be used after 5 frames or 23 frames of not holding the jump button (it was always one or the other, and seemed to depend on the room).
  • There are many places that more frames could be squeezed out as a result of more extensive testing than I did.
Route improvements:
  • Missiles (88) to be gotten at (52) - these are the Missiles in the green tube. This way, on the way to old Brinstar at the end, the entire room can be traveled with the Speed Mock Spring Ball.
  • High Jump (24-26) to be gotten at (12-14) - Saturn pointed out that it saves in-game time overall with Crocomire first. Even if you don't switch the Hi-Jump boots off, it probably still saves some time. However, a way to get energy back before shinesparking to the Wrecked Ship needs to be incorporated or this won't work.
Room improvements:
  • 2:23 - Ceres can be improved by ~10 frames altogether (with 49.04 being the current best escape time).
  • 6:08 - Can jump one platform farther at the beginning of the room
  • 6:50 - Chozo can be manipulated into jumping immediately instead of swinging his arms at first
  • 7:31 - Different bomb technique, may save a few frames
  • 12:02 - Could reduce lag by firing beam later (and still hitting Kraid just as early)
  • 12:33 - Try getting hit by enemy and spikes?
  • 15:17 - Use 5 Missiles on this door instead of the next one
  • 20:19 - May be faster to unroll and re-roll near the ground (to avoid bouncing)
  • 21:20 - Can be optimized a bit to have more speed when jumping to the left
  • 25:10 - Use grapple beam delay cancel to open door earlier and get more mockball speed
  • 35:39 - Get Missiles here (also would probably change the scenario to make enemy damage more smooth-looking)
  • 35:50 - May be possible to run not as fast (still with speed echoes) and mockball into the door, breaking the floor in the next room
  • 37:36 - Use Power Bomb earlier and regular bomb to jump up
  • 38:50 - May be faster to run across all three platforms instead of jumping over the second
  • 38:56 - Do not waste a power bomb here (This was the bonehead move of the run)
  • 39:16 - Aim down instead of spin-jumping
  • 39:26 - I redid this room a lot, but I have a feeling it can still be improved
  • 40:47 - Experiment more with shine-sparking into fast-moving Draygon - perhaps he can be hit many times with the same shinespark, saving ammunition and time
  • 41:54 - Can be improved, see example at 46:42 of the same run
  • 42:23 - Use right-facing diagonal shinespark instead of straight up
  • 48:42 - Try using a power bomb when first morphballing
  • 49:20 - Kill enemies differently and try using knockback (Teri's any% run does this, not sure if it's faster in this case though)
  • 49:46 - Aim down when falling
  • 49:50 - Use Missiles if possible, to avoid lag
  • 50:18 - I thought I tried this, but I can't be sure...instead of mockballing, short charge a shinespark and then use it to sail through the next two rooms
  • 50:36 - Try to reduce lag by killing enemies sooner
  • 51:03 - Try not using speed echoes and instead getting more speed, dodging fire, and spring-balling farther in the next room
  • 52:48 - It may be faster to not shinespark, and instead just space-jump through here quickly with the screw attack
  • 57:30 - This block broken by a power bomb can be broken by the screw attack
  • 58:35 - I slow down to collect some reserve energy, but this could easily be collected by metroids in Tourian
  • 59:49 - It may be faster to just run, space jump, mockball, and spring through these two rooms instead of shinesparking
  • 1:00:20 - I couldn't get it to work, but perhaps mockballing here would allow jumping into the top chamber and continually bouncing at mockball-speed; however, the first gate would still need to be shot at some point - maybe they could both be power bombed with the same bomb
  • 1:01:09 - I'll already have this Missile, so keep on speeding and bouncing left
  • 1:04:45 - Test building up a shinespark and then shinesparking to the left after collecting the Power Bomb
  • 1:08:10 - You can actually reach the door before the Metroid catches you, but since enemies remain active during the fadeout period, I doubt it's possible to completely avoid...and if you leave the room with the metroid attached to you, your running speed remains at a very slow crawl for the rest of the game
  • 1:12:10 - Although I spent a good amount of time on the Zebes escape, I'm sure it's improvable
<Swordless> Go hug a tree, you vegetarian (I bet you really are one)
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