This run improves the published run by 116 frames (1.93 seconds).

Improvement summary:

  • Optimizing tiger transformations to the limit (new factors were found)
  • Further lag reduction
  • Crossing water surfaces with the least slowdown possible
  • Several context-specific tricks (e.g. walking on tiger back and forth to avoid bumping certain walls; better underwater movement)
  • Subpixel optimization everywhere
  • Better teamwork of both players (one obvious example - level 3-2)
  • Reaching finish line of last level with ninja running on tiger
  • Several frames somehow were gained in boss battles

About the game:

In this game you can transform into different animals depending on what weapon you're carrying. In this run, we only use two weapons, thus can only transform to two different animals: When you're carrying the sword, you can transform into a dragon, which is pretty fast, and can fly straight through everything. When carrying the Shurikens, you can transform into a tiger, which is a really fast and useful animal transformation.
The only downside to transforming into an animal is that it takes some time to perform the transformation, but it pays off.

AnS' comments:

Never thought I'd be working on Ninja Crusaders TAS, even though I played it in childhood. But when Randil submitted his TAS, I spotted several possible improvements and tested them in FCEU, thus beginning to learn the game's mechanics. The game looks simple, but it's much more complex when it comes to TASing. Also it was my first experience with controlling 2 players. Previous submission was already well-polished, but Randil somehow missed one of my PMs with one small improvement, so after publication we decided to redo this run together from the very beginning. Now, final result isn't so significant, but I'm pretty sure the TAS is within 1 frame from perfectness. Hope you'll be entertained by our new boss battles.

Randil's comments:

After watching Xipo's run in the workbench back in November, I made a run myself of this game. However, AnS told me of several time saving tricks, and for some reason I missed one of his PM's about one trick, so the run had to be redone, which was good, because we managed to find a lot more to improve! As the Improvement summary says, a lot has been improved. 116 frames was a lot more than I thought possible. This run is now tightly optimized, and I think we did a good job performing antics during boss fights.
Oh, and this game is not as easy to TAS as it might look. ;)
I would like to take the opportunity to thank my partner AnS, whose TASing skills still amaze me. :)
Enjoy the run!

adelikat: Nice improvement, accepting and claiming for encoding.


TASVideoAgent
They/Them
Moderator
Joined: 8/3/2004
Posts: 15661
Location: 127.0.0.1
This topic is for the purpose of discussing #1868: AnS & Randil's NES Ninja Crusaders in 04:08.45
Joined: 9/17/2007
Posts: 20
Liked the run; the game seems a bit repetitive even tough its good to "search for optimization" and being unable to find it; due to a demi-perfect run; Congrats, liked it, Also, what about the flying thing? a bit of explaining would make this publication perfect. After all, the movie is entretaining enough even tough; i`d love to read japanese.[/quote]
I am not a Taser, i just needed to vote...i do visit the site =P
AnS
Emulator Coder, Experienced player (728)
Joined: 2/23/2006
Posts: 682
BenniCR wrote:
Also, what about the flying thing? a bit of explaining would make this publication perfect.
Do you mean that flying enemy from level 3-1 which accompamies players for most of the level? Well, I managed to prevent it from causing any lag, so why not. :)
Skilled player (1829)
Joined: 4/20/2005
Posts: 2161
Location: Norrköping, Sweden
I'm not 100% either what flying thing you're talking about, but if you are referring to when we transform to a dragon, I added an explanation in the author's comments. Basically it's used because it saves a lot of time on this level, otherwise we would have to move through the water on some places, which takes time.
Joined: 9/17/2007
Posts: 20
Precisely, tha dragon; once you play the game xD you get it all....Thanks for tha run, it plays wonderfully in my mp4 and leaves mouths open on my co-workers ^^
I am not a Taser, i just needed to vote...i do visit the site =P
Senior Moderator
Joined: 8/4/2005
Posts: 5777
Location: Away
Awesome work on tha optimization, guys! I like how ridiculous tha game looks now. Giving you tha yes vote.
Warp wrote:
Edit: I think I understand now: It's my avatar, isn't it? It makes me look angry.
upthorn
He/Him
Emulator Coder, Active player (392)
Joined: 3/24/2006
Posts: 1802
Oh man, that tiger surfing has gotten pretty extreme! Almost too extreme! So extreme! that I am surfing a tiger at this very moment as I vote extreme! yes.
How fleeting are all human passions compared with the massive continuity of ducks.
Skilled player (1246)
Joined: 12/30/2007
Posts: 486
Location: Hubei,China
Oh,2s Great improvement!And it is also enjoyable.Yes vote.
Do the work.
Post subject: Movie published
TASVideoAgent
They/Them
Moderator
Joined: 8/3/2004
Posts: 15661
Location: 127.0.0.1
This movie has been published. The posts before this message apply to the submission, and posts after this message apply to the published movie. ---- [1071] NES Ninja Crusaders "2 players" by AnS & Randil in 04:08.45
Joined: 4/30/2006
Posts: 480
Location: the secret cow level
Are the bosses really as easy as this movie makes them look?
Skilled player (1829)
Joined: 4/20/2005
Posts: 2161
Location: Norrköping, Sweden
Titus Kwok wrote:
Are the bosses really as easy as this movie makes them look?
Not quite. You can only take one hit in this game, so it can be hard to stay out of the boss' way. However, when you have the sword, bosses don't take many hits to kill, so it's not that hard. Without the sword it's much harder.
Editor, Publisher, Player (47)
Joined: 10/15/2021
Posts: 377
4K 60 FPS YouTube encode: Link to video