This is a short platformer but with lots of optimization opportunities. Here I improve Xipo's run with slightly better routing and RNG.
This run also uses a correct ROM and is console verified.
Helpful RAM values: 0x262: item value, 0x291: enemy kill count, 0x366: boss HP
Getting the second shuriken upgrade: Unlike all the other upgrades, getting the second one upgrades the Shuriken range, not damage. The problem with this is that you can only have one projectile on screen at a time.
Possible Improvements:
It's actually a couple seconds faster to get the damage upgrade in level 2 instead of level 3, even though the route is much less direct killing the boss faster makes up for it. Unfortunately when I did this I got terrible enemy spawns to get the speed upgrade in level 4, and I couldn't fix it so I just completed the current run instead.
Probably the overall optimal route is to actually get all the damage upgrades. As mentioned before the main difficulty is dealing with the one projectile limit. I considered doing this but I thought the level of RNG manipulation the last boss would need to make it work would be too extreme so I didn't bother.
Overall I'm happy this run is now console verified and uses a correct ROM.
nymx: Claiming for judging.
nymx: It is amazing to see how many runs you have obsoleted. Great job, once again, on another hard fought submission.
No sync verification was done, so I confirm that this movie sync.
Accepting over [1163] NES Demon Sword by Xipo in 06:10.96.
inconsistent: Processing...