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Akumajou Special - Boku Dracula-kun is the sequel to the Famicom game of the same title. While there is a story, it's really lame, involving Kid Dracula and aliens (WTF?!). With their appearance, you must traverse through 8 levels to eventually beat up Garamoth for thinking UFOs are cool. Or something like that.
The Japanese version was used as you can start the game faster. While the in-game language is different, it has no affect on time.
Unlike the Famicom game, you start out with fireball and bat abilities, then receive new powers every level. Some of the bosses return, but may have new tactics.

Stage 1

(Author Note: The Konami code has no effect on this game. I entered it for fun.)
In the lair of the man of the night, I wander around like a lost vampire hunter. Studdering little (and only to save time), I come face to face with Frankenstein. But fly as I might, he says he wants to dance with me. "No, later", I say. Then I run into some Nazi Ghosts. CREEPY! Seems that they are wimps. Too bad.

Stage 2

Ah. I take a deep breath of the lovely fresh air once I reach the forest. I tried to ask Mr. Owl how many licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie pop, but he would have none of that. For shame. I also found some cool sunshaded flowers. They looked sick, so I helped them enjoy the sunshine. They didn't seem happy about that. :( After that, I decided to go over the river to grandmother's house. I cooked up some fish along the way for her to eat, but much to my surprise, the BIG BAD WOLF was there! He tried to eat me for breakfast. SCARRRRRY WOLF!

Stage 3

I ran into an amusement park! The place was trippin'. I felt so high, it was unreal! But then a bird doodoo'd on my face. I was not happy about that and fried the sucker. Tastes like chicken.

Stage 4

I found out later that the amusement park was run by dead pirates! They captured me and took me to their ship and threatened to make me walk the plank! Too bad I was stuck to the board and walked underneath it. Confused those pirates like you wouldn't believe! But then a robot appeared. Wait, what?!

Stage 5

I got sucked into a tube and wound up in a Space Invaders game. How bizarre.

Stage 6

Well, then somehow I wound up at a volcano. It was sooo hot, I nearly scorched my batwings! Apparently, since I didn't sacrifice myself, Fiji got upset and started spewing rocks at me. Luckily, I have Travelers Insurance.

Stage 7

A large crater opened up and I wound up in a dark cave! It was spoooooky. And nobody does upkeep on it anymore. Stuff falling everywhere! What a pity. Oh wait, there IS somebody upkeeping it? Well, he's fired! I may not be the owner, but I AM the man!
(Author Note: Stupid emulation glitch. Luckily, there was nothing to kill me when it did glitch.)

Stage 8

I wound up in a strange palace. It was bigger then mine. I envy the owner. Bored, I decided to fly and bounce around. Found out later that the place was still under construction. Noisy drills everywhere! I don't like loud noises. I also don't like crab, except in my tummy. Yummy tummy filled with crab legs. :) Then I met some of Ridley Scott's friends. They tried to spit all over me. Luckily, I'm still insured!
Then, a BIG booming voice came out of nowhere! I thought it was God...or my angry dad. I wasn't sure which. But then it turned out to be Garamoth! He always plays rough - I don't like that. So I make him fall down and go boom.
This was my journey. Turned out it was all a dream. No more anchovy and pineapple pizza for me before bedtime anymore.
  • Takes damage to save time
  • Aims for fastest time
  • Manipulates luck
  • Genre: Action
Recorded on VBA Recording-19. (V20 will desync.)

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Posted: 10/11/2007 6:52 PM
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TASVideoAgent
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This topic is for the purpose of discussing #1731: Sir VG's GB Akumajou Special - Boku Dracula-kun in 20:24.75
Posted: 10/11/2007 9:08 PM
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Mechuyael
Joined: 2/1/2007
Posts: 245
Location: Israel
Disregarding my opinion that choosing a version based on how fast you can get through the title screen isn't a very good one, I noticed that with the final boss you would wait until the mouth was open to start shooting. Would shooting some moments before so that the first shot hit as soon as the mouth opened up make that part of the fight go any faster?
Posted: 10/11/2007 9:18 PM
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Dromiceius
Joined: 10/3/2005
Posts: 1332
"Oh, look. It's a cute little chibified Dracula. And the music- it's a cute little ragtime-y remix of the Castlevania theme. And look! There's a... cute little... klansman. Oh my." There were some nice variations in the action, so the game is interesting enough to be publishable, IMO. I was concerned about the use of frame advance and various small optimizations. The battle around frame 40,000 in particular was odd. Wouldn't picking up the coins and using a different weapon reduce lag? It was pretty good, anyhow. I'm leaning toward Yes.
Posted: 10/12/2007 12:14 AM
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Kitsune
Joined: 4/29/2005
Posts: 1212
I voted yes. I absolutely love this game, and the TAS was good.
Posted: 10/12/2007 3:38 AM
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Sir_VG
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Joined: 10/9/2004
Posts: 1911
Location: Floating Tower
Mechuyael wrote:
Disregarding my opinion that choosing a version based on how fast you can get through the title screen isn't a very good one, I noticed that with the final boss you would wait until the mouth was open to start shooting. Would shooting some moments before so that the first shot hit as soon as the mouth opened up make that part of the fight go any faster?
The final boss is invulnerable until the mouth is open, and the attack must hit the mouth, not the arms (or you do no damage).
Taking over the world, one game at a time. Currently TASing: Nothing
Posted: 10/12/2007 10:04 AM
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zggzdydp
Skilled player (1149)
Joined: 9/15/2006
Posts: 165
Location: China
NES TASer of 2017
The game doesn't look like an Akumajou game. :/ The run is good, I think that did well in stage 4. Yes.
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Posted: 10/12/2007 10:18 AM
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LagDotCom
Joined: 3/7/2006
Posts: 720
Location: UK
ARGH! It's 'effect', not 'affect'. You affect an object, which causes an effect. I know this might seem like a minor thing. Let's hope your TASes are more optimal than your speedruns, VG :)
Voted NO for NO reason
Posted: 10/12/2007 10:34 AM
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Mechuyael
Joined: 2/1/2007
Posts: 245
Location: Israel
I understood that the boss is invulnerable until the mouth is open, but is it also invulnerable for a short time after the mouth opens up?
Posted: 10/13/2007 6:56 AM
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The_Great_Morphologous
Joined: 4/12/2007
Posts: 78
Location: Atlanta, GA
I don't see why all of those poor coins went to waste... During the volcano parts, can't you shoot the rocks over your head while jumping instead of ducking to save time? During the long vertical lifts part, when you have to cross five lanes, why did you needed to hold down to get past?
Posted: 10/13/2007 11:00 PM
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Sir_VG
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Joined: 10/9/2004
Posts: 1911
Location: Floating Tower
I don't see why all of those poor coins went to waste...
Because they have no effect on the game at all, since I don't use the bonus games. Collecting them at the end of boss fights doesn't save frames at all.
During the volcano parts, can't you shoot the rocks over your head while jumping instead of ducking to save time?
Because the rocks are invulnerable to normal attacks (including like the power fireball and such). I can only use the umbrella to block them.
During the long vertical lifts part, when you have to cross five lanes, why did you needed to hold down to get past?
Because if I don't, I hit the spikes up top and die. The 2nd row I'll hit the ceiling (barely) and the 3rd row I'll hit the spike and meet my demise. And before anybody asks, the movement backwards in Stage 8 after the 1st alien creature (the one I destroy) is necessary. If I'm too far forward, one of the later aliens will hit me, sending me backwards, to which I will die.
I understood that the boss is invulnerable until the mouth is open, but is it also invulnerable for a short time after the mouth opens up?
In the first part of the battle, I can only hit him twice every time he opens his mouth. I'll double check the 5th hit though. The 2nd part I can't hit him from the sides, only from underneath. And since he has a huge zone he can damage me with and a small zone I can damage him, I have to wait until he's over me to shoot him. Why don't I just take damage? Because it kills my power charge. I'll investigate the 5th shot in the 1st boss fight again, just to make sure though.
I was concerned about the use of frame advance and various small optimizations. The battle around frame 40,000 in particular was odd. Wouldn't picking up the coins and using a different weapon reduce lag?
Poor Kid Dracula can't shoot as fast as he can here with normal shots compared to the NES version. I did catch the lag, now that you pointed it out. The weapon is definitely necessary, but I'll investigate how many frames are lost due to lag though, if any. --- Yep, the lag in Stage 5's Space Invaders section is atrocious. I would save about 200 frames playing at normal speed even. I don't wanna have to go into a dodge fest to save time (since that would be more boring then the route I took) but if I have to, I have to...I guess. I'll go back and improve this and check out the final boss fight, as those two sections are the spots that I can't counter with proof of why at this point, then look over everything again just to make sure.
Taking over the world, one game at a time. Currently TASing: Nothing