Submission #1691: Flip's Genesis James Pond 3: Operation Starfish in 35:30.98

Sega Genesis
(Submitted: James Pond 3 - Operation Starfish)
baseline
(Submitted: James Pond 3 - Operation Starfish.bin USA)
GENS
127859
60
21442
Unknown
Submitted by Flip on 9/9/2007 2:50 PM
Submission Comments
James Pond 3 is a platformer, with a huge overworld map spanning over 100 levels. Certain one way systems are incorperated when travelling from level to level, and there are crucial items, characters, upgrades and special levels scattered throughout the game. This run only bothers to destroy the Cheese mines/Stiltonium machines, as that's all that's neccessary in order to get the good ending
  • Recorded using Gens9, 6 buttons. No changes made to default settings in order to record
  • No passwords or warping used
  • Damage taken to save time, but no deaths.
  • Several tricks were used in the game
    • After running down a steep slope, Pond's speed will be increased beyond his regular top speed, but unfortunately after running along flat ground for a while it'll then be reduced to his regular speed. Easy way around that, simply keep jumping off the floor and your momentum will be conserved, which works for aiding both horizontal and vertical jumping. This gets used at various points throughout the movie.
    • Jumping at a block in the air on the right frame will result in neither hitting the edge or the underside, but rather just travelling directly through it. This made it easy to collect the Minimap surrounded by rocks on Wendsleydale Wastelands, by jumping through the rocks rather than finding a way to destroy them first.
    • Dynamite sticks will defuse themselves if they leave the screen, this made it easier to transport them greater distances and use them in areas they were unintended for
    • Another neat trick is that you can pick up certain items, drop them in mid air and you'll have a window of a few frames where you will land on it, giving you the oppertunity to jump off it in mid air. Great for reaching high places without the need for ledges

The Mines/Machines need to be destroyed for a good ending, which I always do when I play the game. For the sake of this TAS however, I was originally planning to just ignore them and head straight for the final boss. Granted, it would've been the bad ending, but an ending nevertheless. Of course, I get about 80% of the way through the TAS when I decide to play on ahead and discover just how bad the bad ending really is. Oh joy, it doesn't take you to the credits, what it actually does it take you to the Game Over screen instead. Well, that means I need to scrap most of what I've done, I need a completely different overworld route, and about three times as many levels to cover >_<. You don't need to be an expert at a game to do a TAS, but it certainly helps...

Possible image on frame 125000
Last Edited by Ilari on 7/26/2012 3:53 PM
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