- Emulator used : BizHawk v2.2.2
- Objective : Fastest completion time
- No death/damage abuse
About
Zoboomafoo: Playtime in Zobooland was developed by Vicarious Visions and was released in October 2001 for the Game Boy Color. There are 3 difficulties in the game, with each adding one new level and rearranging the goals. In the easiest difficulty, there are 6 levels. The goal of the game is to collect Zoboomafoo's lost friend cards by completing each stage. The game ends after all friend cards have been unlocked. The objective of each level is to either reach one specific goal or to collect a certain number of items.
Tricks
Jump Heights :
Zoboomafoo has 11 different jump heights which correspond to the number of frames which the jump button has been held down.
- Holding jump for 1 frame = 0 pixels high
- 2 frames = 3 pixels
- 3 frames = 6 pixels
- 4 frames = 13 pixels
- 5 frames = 18 pixels
- 6 frames = 27 pixels
- 7 frames = 34 pixels
- 8 frames = 47 pixels
- 9 frames = 57 pixels
- 10 frames = 71 pixels
- 11 frames = 83 pixels
- 11 is the max, any additional frames will result in 83 pixels
Quickjumping
Zoboomafoo moves fastest horizontally while in the air...
This is because while he is in the air, his speed value is constantly at 2, as opposed to while he is on the ground, where it alternates between 1 and 2. We can use this mechanic to our advantage by doing max jumps whenever possible. However, the timing of the jump is important as well. Because Zoboomafoo's speed value alternates between 1 and 2 while walking along the ground, the best time to input a jump is as soon as the speed value reaches 2. The value alternates very rapidly, so there is only one frame to input the jump. Because it's so rapid, it's quite common to do this by mistake. When a jump is input on the ground while the speed value is 2, Zoboomafoo will keep his speed value at 2 for the initial animation of the jump, causing him to slide along the ground a bit before jumping and get alot more horizontal movement.
This is because while he is in the air, his speed value is constantly at 2, as opposed to while he is on the ground, where it alternates between 1 and 2. We can use this mechanic to our advantage by doing max jumps whenever possible. However, the timing of the jump is important as well. Because Zoboomafoo's speed value alternates between 1 and 2 while walking along the ground, the best time to input a jump is as soon as the speed value reaches 2. The value alternates very rapidly, so there is only one frame to input the jump. Because it's so rapid, it's quite common to do this by mistake. When a jump is input on the ground while the speed value is 2, Zoboomafoo will keep his speed value at 2 for the initial animation of the jump, causing him to slide along the ground a bit before jumping and get alot more horizontal movement.
- Recap:
- Speed value alternates between 1 and 2 on ground
- Input max jump when speed value = 2
- Horizontal boost forward
Bubble skips
Stages 5 and 6 are the collectible stages, wherein you must collect a certain number of items in order to complete the level. Each time you collect an item a thought bubble will appear, indicating you have collected the item. This bubble stops all movement for 30 frames (0.5 seconds). If you collect the item in midair, upon landing there are 2 frames where Zoboomafoo's speed value is 1. If a jump is input on one of these 2 frames, the jump will come out before the bubble has a chance to load. You can continue to jump during this two frame window for the remainder of the level and skip all of the bubbles from appearing. The tricky part of this is that you must continue to jump for the rest of the stage while collecting all the rest of the items. If you miss the 2 frame window, only one bubble will appear regardless of how many items you've collected. There are 4 collectibles in each stage, but only the first 3 cause a bubble to appear. The final collectible will always end the stage. The total number of bubble skips possible is 6, which saves 3 seconds alone.
- Recap:
- Stage 5 & 6 collectibles make bubbles appear (loses 30 frames)
- Collect in mid-air, 2 frames to input jump during landing
- Skips bubble (6 bubble skips total = 3 seconds saved)
Stage Details
Stage One - Snow Lemur
There are 2 pits of water at the start to jump over. Touching any of these friendly animals at the start results in a bubble appearing, which stops all movement for 30 frames. Just continue to max jump out of quickjumps wherever possible. Avoid coming into contact with the thin trees while in mid-air, or Zoboomafoo will grab them.
Stage Two - Noggendrill
The Noggendrill is standing right at the start of the level, so a jump must be input at speed value 1 instead of 2. Avoid running into the ceiling or cave walls, which will change speed to 0. There is a cave in the lower section of the level which you will enter if you input a jump too close to it. Narchi is the goal of this level, when he is on screen he walks to the left.
Stage Three - Fibby
The underwater level! Zoboomafoo's speed value will always become 0 while passing through the surface of the water. The goal of this level is a pineapple under the sea.
Stage Four - Zoboomafooasaurus
Nothing too out of the ordinary here. There is a hedgehog that will talk to you right before the tree grab, but he can be skipped by inputting an early jump within a 2 frame window (same concept as the bubble skips). The tree grab seems to be unavoidable.
Stage Five - Gooble
The first collectible stage. There are four items to collect here. Use quickjumps up until the first collectible, then bubble skips for the remainder of the level.
Stage Six - Wiggy Waxwing
The final stage, with four collectibles to grab. Quickjumps up until the first one, then bubble skips for the rest. Interesting note: I let go of the right input when I jump into the tree. This is to ensure I grab the collectible up there
Other Comments
- If you were to time this TAS using the speedrun.com leaderboard rules, it would be 2:41.6
- Speaking of the speedrun.com leaderboard, check it out here!
- Thanks for reading, and thanks for watching my first TAS!
slamo: Judging!
slamo: The movie had 34 frames of blank input at the end, replaced it with a fixed version.