Submission #4739: Kien's GBA Golden Sun in 3:12:47.59

• Emulator used: Visual Boy Advance v23.6 svn480
• Used Japanese version, as it was what i had

Some Information

• Psynergy: or just Magic. Can be used in battle to fight enemy/help ally, and some can used in map to solve puzzle. Most Psynergy have a constant damaging power, and so will not effect by low level casters.
• Summon: Powerful moves that deals damage depends on target's maximum HP, but requires Djinni's to cast.
• Djinni: Collectible object in Golden Sun, which can "Set" to characters to improve their status, or "Stanby" to cast Summon. Also when it is Set on a character, it can be used to cast some unique effect in battle.
• RNG: Golden Sun have two kind of RNG, first one is used to decide enemy moves, damage variation, and first attack/be first attacked. This RNG changed when someone's action is executed, and is only manipulable by change the action of player. In this description I call it "Battle RNG". Second RNG is used more widely, decide how the encounter is process, result of escape, target of enemy move, and even those particle effects. This RNG can be manipulated in several ways, such as casting Psynergy in map, or select a move and cancel it in battle. Summons that cause particles emitting can also use to manipulate this RNG ans Summon's animation can be skipped. This RNG is called Normal RNG.
• Ellement: There have 4 elements in game, Venus(Ground),Mars(Fire),Jupiter(Wind) and Mercury(Water). All enemies have atleast one weakness, let moves have the element of that type deals extra damage.

Glitches Used

• Retreat Glitch: Triggered by casting "Retreat" through shortcut while Isaac have less than 6 EP (or PP in english version). This will make the map id stored in memory change into the map id that Isaac will teleported when Retreat is cast successfully. This can have two ways to use, and both are used in movie:
  • Save&Load: Save the game while the glitch will cause Isaac warp into the wrong position. It is because when saving, wrong map id will saved with the current x,y position, so when load the game, Isaac will warp into the x,y position at the map id where he should at.
  • Warp by entrance: go through doors when retreat glitch is triggered will cause the destination of entrance glitched, let him warp into some unexpected positions. This probably caused by door id map is depends on the map id, so when map id is glitched, door id is also glitched.
• Climb Glitch: When Isaac is attempting to climb a ladder (or anything he can climb), there have 1F that allow player to open a menu before he start climb. This will cause player able to save the game while he is climb on a ladder, which will cause Isaac's z-position glitched, let him able to interact with some object that is at higher position than him. In this run, this glitch is only used at Altin Peak, to avoid lengthy animation from played.

Tricks Used

• Return to sanctum: Hold L and Start while load a game will let Isaac warp into the sanctum in last city he visit. This can let him leave the dungeons quickly. Used a lot in the run to save time.
• Short Saving: In this game, the saving process cost about 52-54 frames (depends on where Isaac are). But the saving can be abort by reseting at around 20 frames after the dialogue is appear, to save around 30F per save. At this point, data about flags, status, Djinni and other information about system is saved, but the data relate to Isaac's position will lost. So Loading these data will force you to do "Return to sanctum" trick.
• Force first attack: When game is hard resetted, Battle RNG will reset to 0. This will cause the first battle after the reset always become a firs attack, let player escape the battle at 100% success rate. This is used a lot at late of movie, as at that point the probability of escape is near to 0.

Djinni Strategy

• There have total 28 Djinni in this game, 7 in each element. In this run, Djinni is very important as it is essential to use Summon. Each element have 4 Summons, cost 1-4 Djinnis to cast respectively. As the LV4 Summons are very strong (cost 4 Djinni), I obtained first 4 Djinnis to let it is castable early.
  • Then, there have a Venus Djinni name Ground that can disable an enemy for one move, which is also essential in this run, so we will have 5 Venus Djinni.
  • For Mars Djinni, there have Flash, which can cast to reduce all damage taken to all party members by 90%, which is also essential in this run, so we will have 5 Mars Djinni.
  • For Jupiter, there have no other essentials, so we only have 4.
  • For Mercury Djinni, this is the weakness element of Final Boss, so we obtain all Mercury Djinni that is objtainable, which will be 5.
• So in concule we will have a Djinni arrange ment of 5/5/4/5

Battle Strategy

• Stanby Djinn's before fight, cast Summons, wait their recovery, use them to stanby them, cast Summons, repeat until we win : )
• All normal encounter is escaped. We don't need any extra exp to beat final boss.

Items

• Only obtain follow items. This list excepts those items that are essential to finish the game:
  • Bandit's Sword: Obtained as 100% loot from Bandit and Thieves in Vault. It is didn't used in this run (not worth to equit as it only +4 from initial Short Sword), but as I obtained, so I list it at here.
  • Elven Rapier: Obtained in Bilibin Cave, used to boost Isaac's damage to Saturos in Mercury Lighthouse.
  • Elven Shirt: Obtained in Mogall Forest. Have a effect to boost agility to 150%. Equip to Iwan and he can move first in most Boss fight, provide chance to manipulate enemy moves.
  • Ninja Hood: Obtained in Tolbi Spring. Have a effect to boost agility by 20. Also Equip to Iwan to let him move first.
  • Kimono: Obtained in Tolbi Spring. Have a effect to boost agility by 10. Equiped to Mia for higher Defense and Agility. This is gave to Isaac after Obtaining next Item for same purpose.
  • Magical Cassock: Bought at Lalivero. Equip to Mia for higher Defense.
  • Jeweled Crown: Bought at Lalivero. Equip to Garet for higher Defense.

Walkthrough

• Prologue
  • Escape all fight, Kill by Mystery Man and Mystery Women quick.
• Vale~Sol Sunctum
  • In Sol Sunctum, use Retrea Glitch Save&Load to skip to the very last part of dungeon.
• Vault
  • Nothing speciall. In boss fight, focus two Thieves to prevent Herb be used.
• Goma Cave
  • Use Retreat Glitch Save&Load to skip to later part of dungeon. Head back to obtain Mars Djinni Forge.
• Bilibin
  • Only come to obtain Jupiter Djinni, Gust. Use Return to Sanctum to quick exit the town.
• Bilibin Cave
  • Obtain Elven Rapier.
• Imil
  • Obtain Lucky Medal on the way to Mars Djinn, Fever. The snowman is considered dropped when a Move is touched it, even when player cancel it immediately.
  • Empty Bottle obtained after the cutscene about Mia
• Mercury Lighthouse
  • After defeat Lizard Man, goto the postion shown in Movie, Use Retreat Glitch Save&Load. This will warp Isaac into very last part of the lighthouse. Head back and obtain Mercury Djinn, Sleet. Then use Retreat normally, head to where Mia join the party. Then use Retreat Glitch and enter the stair Isaac come. This will warp Isaac to top of the lighthouse, skip whole dungeon.
  • Saturos Strategy: The main damage source is LV2 Mercury Summon Nereid, and Tundra Psynergy cast by Mia. Before the fight, move Sleet to Isaac and Fizz to Ivan. When these two Djinn is complete its recovery, cast them, and let Garet Summon the Nereid can let Nereid be summoned once per 2 turns, maximize the damage. First Nereid is casted by Mia to increase her Mercury Elemental Power, increase her Tundra's damage. Sleet is gave to Isaac as he is equipping Elven Sword, can deal high damage through it.
  • After defeat Saturos, walk back to bottom of lighthouse and obtain Mermes' Water.
  • While heading to Kolima, give Isaac two Mercury Djinn, let him use Avoid to prevent encounter. This Psynergy only have effect at this point, as it only prevent encounter when player's level is enough.
• Kolima and Kolima Forest
  • Go to Kolima Forest first to trigger the event. This event will triggered once when player enters Kolima Forest or Kolima. When triggered at Kolima, it will have some extra contents (Ivan use Mine Read to those trees), so trigger it at Kolima Forest first will save some time).
  • Then head to Kolima to let game memorize last town visit is Kolima, obtain Venus Djinn, Granite.
  • No special movement in Kolima Forest
• Tret Tree
  • Use Retreat Glitch Save&Load to skip some part of dungeon, obtain Jupiter Djinn, Breeze. After the fight, Use Retreat Gltch Save&Load again, warp into outside of room, fight boss at there.
  • Use Retreat to leave Tret Tree, give the Tree Hermes' Water.
• Fuchin Temple and Mind Road
  • Only come to Obtain Jupiter Djinn, Zephyr. Use Retreat Glitch Save&Load to skip the path.
• Mogall Forest
  • Use Retreat Glitch to skip first puzzle of dungeon. Obtain Venus Djinn, Quartz.
• Xian
  • Obtain Lucky Medal while waiting the women go to correct point.
  • Obtain Mercury Djinn, Mist.
  • After Leave Xian, head to north and obtain Mars Djinn, Corona.
• Altin
  • Use Climb Glitch to skip some animation of the Mini Boss.
  • Use Retreat Glitch Save&Load at Second Altin Peak. Walk through the memorhy and reach Alpine Crossing, result a heavy skip of Altin Peak, include two Mini Boss and one Boss, but make one Mercury Djinn become unobtainable.
• Lama Temple
  • Nothing Special.
• Lamakan Desert
  • Obtain Jupiter Djinn, Somg, which will be last Jupiter Djinn be obtained.
  • Use Retreat Glitch Save&Load after obtain the Djinn, warp into outside of the map. The Boss Manticore is placed at 0,0, so we can fight the boss earlier than normal.
  • After beat the boss we will be warp into where we should fight him, let Isaac skip a lot of the dungeon.
  • After leave the Lamakan Desert, Obtain Venus Djinn, Vine.
• Kalay
  • Nothing Special.
  • Obtain Mars Djinn, Scorch
• Tolbi-bound Ship
  • Kill Enemies in one hit by one LV4 Summon. Use Mars Summon firsst to ensure Djinn's recovery will finish before Kraken
  • Kraken Strategy: Kraken is the only boss that will inflict by debuff, such as stun and sleep. Use Scorch and Mist to let him not able to move, and cast two Mars LV4 Summon + one Jupiter LV4 Summon will enough to kill him.
• Tolbi and Altmiller Cave
  • Obtain Kimono and Ninja Hood in Tolbi Spring.
  • Obtain Mercury Djinn, Hail on the way to Altmiller Cave
  • Head to Kalay Docks and obtain last Venus Djinn, Ground.
    • Note that the order of Djinn and the dungeon may varies depends on how the encounter has changed by obtaining the Djinn. In my last run it was 150F faster to head Altmiller Cave first.
  • No special moves in Altmiller Cave
• Colosso
  • No help from party members, as we need to wait opponent to goal.
  • give them better equipment to lower our defense, it is not nessesary, but also no cost on time (I can lower my item before opponent while I take it after them)
  • Obtaining items, open menu will not effect opponent's movement. (they will move while the menu is open.)
  • Use Mist and/or Scorch to disable opponent, cast Mars LV4 Summon while they are disabled.
  • At last fight, killed by enemy as quick as possible.
• Suhalla Desert
  • Nothing special. Boss can be avoided easily even in non-TAS play.
  • Obtain last Mars Djinn, Flash. Most powerfull Djinn that can reduce all incoming damage by 90%
• Suhalla Gate
  • Obtain last Mercury Djinn, Dew. Use Retreat Glitch and enter the cave can skip last map, save a small amount of time.
• Venus Lighthouse 1
  • Exit from right first and re-enter, to reduce time after finish here.
  • In english version, there have a glitch that encounter will not move when Reveal is casted.
  • Choose right route, as it is shorter.
• Lalivero
  • Buy Magical Cassock and Jeweled Crown.
• Babi Lighthouse
  • move normally to Tunnel Ruins.
• Tunnel Ruins
  • Nothing Special
• Venus Lighthouse 2
  • Use Retreat Glitch at place shown, and move through the stair can lead to the room where first floor finish.
  • After first floor, head to top normally.
  • All encounter is escape by Save and Reseting the game.
• Saturos & Menardi
  • Strategy: Give Mia 4 Mars Djinn to enable Wish, a psynergy that can heal all party member in once. Give Flash and Ground to Ivan, Zephyr to Isaac and balance the Djinn arrangement, let every one have atleast one Djinn in all element except Mia.
    • In the fight, use Flash, Ground, Granite and RNG Manipulation to prevent all member to dead. Main damage source are LV4 Summons. Use Zephyr and Vine to ensure that Ivan can move in first to provide room for manipulation.
    • Focus the target to Menardi as she have higher damages and lower health.
• Fusion Dragon
  • Strategy: Same as Saturos & Menardi, but is much easier as his move generally have lower damage.
• Finish
  • Movie end at last dialogue before "TO BE CONTINUE..."

Special Thanks

• su_core: He teached me how to use free-camera when character is off-screen, and tell me the memory address of RNG's. My big thanks to him!
• tl_plexa: Current RTA World Record holder. This TAS's route mostly is come from his route. Another big thanks!