Finding Nemo is a common platformer game based on the movie of same name, released in 2003(wow, that's already 10 years ago). The movie features a clownfish named Marlin, who lost his wife and thus being too over-protective on his only son, Nemo. Feeling awkward by his dad's excessive nagging, Nemo decides to deviate from his dad, but captured by a diver merely after 30 seconds. Marlin, along with Dory who has short-term memory, embarks on a adventure to search for his son.
The game was release for several platform. GBA port of Finding Nemo, however, skips lots of plot in the movie, so it doean't really provide pleasure as the movie does. Developers should have put more efforts on this...
Game objectives
- Emulator used: vba-v24m-svn-r422
- Aims for fastest time
- Takes damage to save time
- Luck manipulation
Used Tricks
Instant Rock Breaking
In Marlin part, it's possible to damage two hits each by being close to it and boost. This works partially in Nemo part, too.
Going through Current
There are many places where the current either help or block the player to move. In slow current, just moving forward is actually faster than boosting.
Pearl Zipping
Found and only used in level 1. If you approachs the upper of flat terrain, grab a pearl and release it, pearl zips down to fall. This doesn't work on solid terrain.
Pearl Bouncing
There's a obscure rule(I presume) when falling a pearl touchs floor, on which the direction and speed of pearl after colliding depends. I failed to find its RAM address, but I found out that this rule is very arbitrary; even a small, unrelated behavior(like player's current speed, direction, etc) somehow affects pearl's movement. After lots of trial, I gave up figuring out how it works, and I just abuse savestates again and again to manipulate luck.
Pearl Juggling
Generally the speed while carring pearl is slower than normal. But if you release and grab pearl alternatively, you can slightly get more speed than usual. This tricks doesn't work on Marlin part, because Marlin's speed grabbing is fast enough and his speed decrease instantly when doing this trick.
Pearl Damage Boost
When taking damage while grabbing pearl, it force the player to release the pearl, sending it much faster than just holding it. This is very useful to make a shortcut and skip some sequence.
Stage by stage comments
This game has 12 levels, which consists of more sub-levels. Boosting is usually the fastest way to move, and it's crucial to check x/y speed RAM addresses to do this. However, these addresses differ each sub-level. Although searching these is quite easy, it's still annoying to do. You can use my RAM addresses list, though(download it from here).
Card folding minigame appears at the end of the each level. I skipped it by spawning menu and selectin exit, but I intentionally failed it on last stage to get credits screen.
1. First Day
Short, ordinary level with tutorial. Pearl zipping was used here.
2. Drop Off
In first sub-level, the game requires player to accompany all 3 friends with you. I had to exploit a number of juggling and damage boosts. That was quite tough work.
After that, all you have to do is bringing Nemo to the boat.
3. Meeting Dory
A level consisting of single minigame. This level ends when you travels specific distance. I take rings and uses boost to keep the speed fast.
4. Minefield
Now it's time to control Marlin. Marlin's boost is slower then Nemo. Quite long level, but not that difficult.
5. Aquarium
Again Nemo, he has to find 6 friends living in aquarium. You have to do something to get them out. Boosting right after finishing text events was actually the hardest part of this level.
6. Abyss
In first sub-level exist lots of enemies to avoid, pearls to move, rocks to break. Everything related to pearls is hard, and needs lots of luck manipulation.
In second sub-level, you have to dodge that 'thing'(I don't know its name) until Dory recognize the diver's address. This is time-fixed sequence, so I made some show-offs. Moving here and there actually induces several lag, but it's too boring to stay still just for saving 10 frames.
7. Training
Now Deb plans to make filter out of order, and thinks Nemo is the one who can. He wants you to bring 15 shells for proof of passing tests. There are three kinds of tests(bouncing ball to goal, popping bubbles, kicking pearls), again consisting of three trials. First trial gives you 3 shells, second gives you 2, and third gives you 1. Because third one is the hardest and only gives you one shell, it's fastest to achieve every first, second trial of each test.
......Does this have something to do with breaking filter?
8. Jellyfish Forest
Nothing special. All about boosting and taking damages.
9. Filter Block
This is the most rage-inducing level in total game. I had to do luck manipulation on every pearl bouncing.
At the last of level, you can see me making odd movement. I did it for manipulating pearl's movement.
10. Turtle Drive
Identical to level 3, but this one has less rings.
11. Treatment Plant
Nemo going through pipes with switches. Current generally helps Nemo to move, so it's easy to plan movement.
12. Finding Father
First sub-level is minor variation of level 11, but pearl carrying part was hard one.
Second sub-level is just another normal stage. Input ends when I pick second card at card folding game.
Thanks to
- Warepire : the one who've showed interests on my work. I wouldn't have finished this without his encourages.
- TASeditor(not the person) : a marvelous machine which helped me a lot.
Screenshot suggestion
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feos: Replaced the submission file by author request.
feos: Accepting for Vault.