- Uses FCEU 0.98.15
- Aims for fastest time
- Abuses programming errors to save time
- Takes damage to save time
This is a 703 frame (11.7 seconds) improvement on Josh the FunkDOC's run. Contrary to what I anticipated when I started work on this, faster boss battles account for 58% of the time saved. With the exception of a few shortcuts in 3-2 most of the levels won't look significantly changed, partly because this game requires much more precise timing than its predecessor to kill stuff without slowing down.
Like I already said, more than half of the time saved was in boss fights and the majority of that in the final trifecta. This was done by using less power in the first two fights so I could throw fire in the third (special attacks really tear through the head since they don't get absorbed and I actually get off two fire wheels into the body of thefinal boss before it's possible to damage it with the sword) and super-fast attack animation cancelling in the first fight (which I abuse in every boss fight with ledges, most effectively in Act VI).
Summary of where time was saved
Title Screen: 6 frames
Act I: 17 frames;
Boss: 18 frames
Act II: 13 frames;
Boss: 0 frames
Act III: 110 frames;
Boss: 7 frames
Act IV: 50 frames;
Boss: 11 frames
Act V: 37 frames;
Boss: 4 frames
Act VI: 23 frames;
Boss: 36 frames
Act VII: 43 frames;
Boss 1: 20 frames;
Boss 2: 2 frames slower;
Boss 3: 314 frames