Hey everyone! Here comes my new and improved Mario Adventure run!
The movie was created with blip's FCEU and it
- takes damage to save time
- abuses glitches
- aims for the fastest time
The movie uses the Super Mario Bros. 3 (U) (PRG1) rom, to which the IPS patch must be applied. You can find the patch at http://www.okimpala.com/download/mario_adventure_download.php
About the hack:
Mario Adventure is a hack for Super Mario Bros. 3, and it's a pretty big one at that. There are 8 worlds like in the original, but in this hack there are no warp whistles, so you must complete all of the worlds to complete the game. Not only do you have to complete them, but you have to find the seven keys hidden in the levels (one in each World except for the last one). You can access the first 7 worlds whenever you want, but you can't enter world 8 until you have completed all the worlds and collected all the keys.
The hack also has a powerup switch box (meaning you can carry two powerups at a time), much like in Super Mario World. The difference is that you can switch between the powerups immediately without having to wait the powerup to float from the top of the screen. This makes for some interesting acrobatics as you can start flying in the middle of a jump and so on.
Mario Adventure also has some interesting powerups. The one you'll be seeing used he most in the movie is the magic wand. The magic wand turns Mario into Magic Mario, who can step on quite many enemies without getting hurt. Magic Mario's weapon is also very powerful and Magic Mario can take 3 hits before losing his powers. The fireflower has also been changed since SMB3, and in Mario Adventure Fiery Mario can jump higher than any other form of Mario. The star powerup has also been changed so that it enables Mario to get running speed immediately after getting the star.
Glitches: I use a glitch once or twice that enables me to take a hit without actually losing my powers. It involves switching powerups at the exact same time as I get hit. Somehow the game won't realize you got hit and willassume you still have your powerups. A more familiar glitch is the one used to go through walls. Check the SMB3 tricks page for more information about it.
EDIT#2: Another glitch I forgot to mention is the glitch that allows you to start a level from an unusual position. In some levels, if you hold left as the level is starting, Mario will appear in an abnormal starting location. I use this glitch in a level in world 2, and you can see me starting right in the middle of a pipe. I then continue to be exited from the wall and can start the level by entering the pipe straight away. Another place where I use this glitch is in the world 7 fortress, where I appear in a very advantageous position and I can cut about half of the stage right away.
About the movie:
I will now comment all of the worlds in detail:
World 1: I collect 300 coins in the first few levels which enables me to visit the toad house and buy a magic wand, which will be used throughout the game. In case someone is wondering: I don't exit the room with the key as soon as possible because I have to wait for the key to completely stop blinking if I want it to appear in my inventory.
World 2: Some nice glitches used here. I also used a music box to skip a level and some Hammer Bros.
World 3: A pretty boring world, but bear with me! I promise you it'll get more interesting. I used a star in one of the levels, which enabled me to get a good flying start on the level.
World 4: Yay! A whole world filled with Kuribo's Shoes! I had to get a fireflower from the toad house because I absolutely need the feather for the coin collecting level (it would be extremely slow without it) and a fireflower for the last level. I don't use music boxes here because it's faster to just beat the Hammer Bros.
World 5: A pretty straightforward world. The Hammer Bros. levels are nice and short so I don't have to use music boxes.
World 6: Colossal Classics is a great world. There's lots of versatility and you can see some familiar stages giagntified here.
World 7: World 7 is a whole other ordeal. It consists of many short levels, some of which can only be completed by collecting all the coins in the level or just simply waiting it out. The wait-it-out levels are extremely boring, and I recommend that anyone who watches this movie skips them. The key is gotten by using a whistle to go into a bonus level. I think I found the best route for the levels, but I didn't test every single combination.
World 8: Bowser's world consists of levels that have the themes of the first seven worlds. The last level is quite long but extremely fun to play. For anyone who is wondering: you CAN kill the Bowsers with a star but you can't complete the level if you do so. Bowser won't thump to the ground and the winning music won't play. You'll simply be trapped. In the final boss fight you first lose all your powerups and are then forced to take at least one fireflower. The final Bowser is first in the room above you, so you have to lure him to break the bricks so he'll drop down to you and then kill him with fireballs.
I really enjoyed making this run. I think the game is very good, and for a hack it is excellent. I have been given permission by Bisqwit to submit my run, so please don't tell me that the site does not accept hacks. I hope you judge the movie in its entirety, taking into account both the entertainment value of the hack itself and my playing. Please tell me what you think.
EDIT: Now I remember what I forgot: the credits! I would like to thanks Spoony Bard for introducing the hack to me and for a very important technique involving breaking bricks with my tail while ducking under a wall. I would also like to thank Spoony Bard along with JXQ and daniayaw for being interested in the run and giving very constructive critique. Thanks guys, I really hope you enjoy the final product!