Here I use a jumping glitch to cut the time of the Genesis game Batman down drastically.
Batman is a game that closely follows the plot of the Tim Burton movie of the same name. In it, you follow Batman from the beginning of the movie through the birth and the death of the Joker.
Technical stuff (in case it's needed):
  • Gen_9z
  • Allow L/R U/D
  • 2 players
  • 6 buttons
This run:
  • Aims for the fastest time
  • Plays on the hardest level
  • Abuses programming errors in the game
  • Takes damage to save time
  • Uses death as a shortcut.
I decided to do this run because it was in the list of ideas on the site. The run is made a lot quicker due to a couple of glitches I discovered by accident.
The first glitch, which I use throughout the entire run is what I like to call the long jump trick. If you push the jump key on the exact right frame (one frame before you land) and don't press any of the arrow keys, the velocity of the previous jump transfers to the next one. This is useful because double jumps are faster than walking. However, normally if you were to constantly double jump, Batman would hit the right side of the screen, and would be slowed down. With long jumps there isn't that problem.IF you push a direction button at any time while in the air, Batman's speed will be reset.
The other trick is the backwards jump. There are two ways to do a backwards jump. One is to take at least one step in the direction you want to move, then immediately press the opposite direction and jump on the same frame. The other is to push in the opposite direction of where you're moving during the jump animation when you're long jumping. Backwards jump is useful because it messes with collision detection, which allows you to
  • Jump through platforms which would normally stop you.
  • Land on walls
  • Go through walls
Sadly, it's not possible to backward jump off a wall, so you have to hit at least on platform between walls.
Level descriptions
Gotham City Street (level 1)
Not much happening here. This level is pretty straightforward. It is an introduction to the long jump, though.
Level 1 boss:
What actions this boss takes depends how far you are away from him when he decides to attack (which is always on the same frames). If you are very far away, he will inch forward and not attack. If you get a little closer, he will duck down and run forward to try uppercutting you. If you get even closer, he will stand in place and try to punch you. If you are right next to him, he will uppercut in place.
Axis Chemical Factory
The shortcut I use here was discovered by Aqfaq after I discovered the backwards jump. It was Aqfaq who made the connection that backwards jump could be used to go through walls.
Flugelheim Museum
I think this is my favorite level. Here we are introduced to the wall jumping trick, which really, no Batman game should be without wall jumping. Double jumping off a long jump neither changes where Batman lands nor how long a jump takes. What it does change is Batman's position on the screen. I use it to manipulate the chandeliers, which don't start falling until they appear on screen.
Gotham City Street (level 4)
This is an autoscrolling level. I tried to make it interesting, but there's not much I can do since the batmobile is big, slow, and doesn't have any cool powerups. Feel free to fast-forward through this if you like. It ends when the tank that's two batmobiles wide explodes.
Gotham City Street (second section)
A platforming stage. Enjoy.
Gotham City Cathedral
I use the wall-passing at the beginning to stay in the top level and maintain momentum. I start this level with 37 batarangs and end it with one.
Gotham City Cathedral (part 2)
Probably my second favorite section of the game. The shorcut I found at the beginning saves an immense amount of time. Can't be used in any other places, though, because there's alway a platform below to catch you.
Special thanks to Aqfaq for helping me through this.
Well, there it is. Hope you enjoy my first submission.

Truncated: People seem to enjoy it, so this goes into the publication queue.

TASVideoAgent
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This topic is for the purpose of discussing #1458: arkiandruski's Genesis Batman in 11:06.20
Player (80)
Joined: 3/11/2005
Posts: 352
Location: Oregon
After following the WIPs, I'm glad to give this the first yes vote. Nice work.
ideamagnate| .seen aqfaq <nothing happens> DK64_MASTER| .seen nesvideoagent * DK64_MASTER slaps forehead
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Posts: 3107
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I also vote yes. Rewatched it after seeing it in the Batman topic yesterday, and it's still intersting and fast, minus the autoscrollers.
jaysmad
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Nice work on wall glitches and also, that shortcut on the last level was well thought! I vote yes!
Editor, Expert player (2457)
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Location: Gone for a year, just for varietyyyyyyyyy!!
What game are you going to break next, arkiandruski?
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I have plans. I'll post a wip once I'm far enough along in my next game.
Player (61)
Joined: 9/4/2004
Posts: 107
Location: Brazil
Fantastic. I loved this TAS, because i play this game for years ago. YES vote sure!
Joined: 10/3/2005
Posts: 1332
Pretty good. The autoscrolling was handled well, and the suicide shortcut was hilarious. Voted yes.
Mitjitsu
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I remeber playing this game a long time ago, its a shame that the overly long autoscrollers ruined it for me just enough to not watch it for a second time. The nature of autoscrollers simply didn't allow the author to do anything exciting but the other levels outwith them more than made up for it, I like how batman accerates faster than the screen in one level, its almost like watching SMW. I wonder if the sequel would be worth doing. Voting Yes BTW.
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Post subject: Movie published
TASVideoAgent
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This movie has been published. The posts before this message apply to the submission, and posts after this message apply to the published movie. ---- [818] Genesis Batman by arkiandruski in 11:06.20
Banned User
Joined: 12/23/2004
Posts: 1850
Interesting, but constantly jumping gets a little old after a while... eh. Not bad. At least most of it was interesting to watch.
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So Batman is a kangaroo now, eh?
upthorn
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Bisqwit wrote:
So Batman is a kangaroo now, eh?
What else would he be?
How fleeting are all human passions compared with the massive continuity of ducks.