Run summary
This run beats the first secret chapter of Wario Land 2 (i.e. fastest to credits) in 8:18.18, 1201 frames (17.02 seconds) faster than its predecessor.
VBA v19.3 was used (because apparently, v20 sucks). It should be backwards compatible, but not forwards.
General notes
This run basically gets to the credits as fast as it can. There's (off the top of my head) seven exits to the game, which for a 100% would all have to be completed. The fastest one is, of course, the one which requires you to sleep in :)
I use nine means of movement throughout the run (I've split them up somewhat arbitrarily): dash, dash-jump, dash-slide, dash-cancel, jump, high-jump, enemy-jump, ground pound, walk. Each has their merits, but some obviously more than others. The dash is fastest once it builds up speed, but starts out very slowly. The dash-jump accelerates much quicker, so I use it when I can. Dash-sliding accelerates even quicker but doesn't attain the maximum speed that the dash does, so it's good for short distances (to a door, for instance). And so on.
Also, the dash normally lasts for 60 frames (1 second), but if you jump (or slide) the frame upon landing on the ground after this 60-frame point, you can continue the dash indefinitely.
Level notes
1-1: No input. Of course, no time is saved.
2-1:
- In the third room, I changed the path: the lower path offers better opportunities for keeping speed, so I stuck with it and jumped off the penguin at the end to move up to the top. 37 frames saved.
- Total savings: 80 frames.
2-2:
- I managed to save 7 frames in a room the size of a 20 cent coin!
- Didn't have to duck under the flying star in the fifth room (and even if I did, I probably would've dash-slided to save a few frames). 25 frames saved here
- The biggest saver comes in the next room. One of the most glaring things I saw in the previous run was whether I could break through the pots at the top of the level and get burnt at the same time. It turns out I was right, saving me a trip up and down (and the scrolling associated with both)! 326 frames saved in this room alone!
- In the next room, I was trying to get Wario to be able to slide all the way through to the spot in the middle of the room so that I wouldn't be stunned when the weights slammed down. Alas, no luck, but still 46 frames saved.
- In the next room, I found it odd that Soulrivers didn't use both the enemies in this room to make 4-block jumps (where Wario's normal jump only allows three), allowing you to jump two ledges instead of just one, as well as staying on the left side of the screen. 88 frames saved here
- In the final room, instead of jumping off the last ledge, I dash-jumped. This got me far enough onto the platform above when the screen scrolled up that I could reach the falling weight before it fell, instead of having to wait for it to fall again. 118 frames saved
- Total: 633 frames for this level, 713 cumulatively
2-3:
- I seem to remember picking up the 100-coin being quicker. I suppose not. Saved 13 frames in this room earlier on with more efficient movement.
- Total frames saved: 23, 736 cumulative
2-4:
- The fifth room in this level is supposed to be taken in an S formation (starting from the bottom). I take it more like a /. 168 frames saved.
- Total: 240, 976 cumulative
2-5:
- Holding the ground pound down on the penguin gives me just enough height/length to skip landing on the platform. Also, the only notable use of walking in the game! 16 frames saved
- I finished the boss six frames earlier (as measured by Wario turning to face the screen) but by the time the screen faded out, my lead had faded back to zero! There must be some sort of frame rule here.
- Total: 45, 1021 cumulative
Special thanks must be extended to Soulrivers, the previous movie's author - just having the other movie to bounce ideas off was really useful. Despite all the stuff I found, I don't think the run would be half as good as it was without his movie as reference.
Enjoy!
mmbossman: Accepting as an improvement to the published movie.
