Metroid Zero Mission any% improvement by Dragonfangs. Aims for realtime, uses "Ridley First" route.
  • Emulator used: Visual Boy Advance re-recording v20 (confirmed to sync with v19.3)
  • Aims for fastest time
  • Takes no damage
  • Abuses programming errors in the game
  • Manipulates luck
This movie is an attempt to be faster in realtime than the currently published run, and accomplishes it by being 34 seconds (2,046 frames) faster. The main reason being an entirely different route, the same one used in BoltR's old submission back in the day, and the one being used most by unassisted runners: Killing Ridley before Kraid. This causes a cutscene of Ridley looking menacing and turning his ship towards Zebes to not play out. Or at least that's what I think he does, he could be pulling mad drifts out in space for all we know. I'm not even sure he's in control of anything, he's a giant-ass Dragon sitting on a brain pedestal or something. Now, I know this is the "future" and all, but still, brain pedestals? really? Anyway, the route is still plenty different from the norm though, so I believe you'll still be entertained. ("Plenty" is most probably an exaggeration). The run also manages to be about 12 seconds faster than the previous run on the ingame timer, ending at 21:27, due to both a higher level of precision and several new room strategies. ("Several" could be an exaggeration).
There are no real new "tricks" on the micro level in this compared to the 100% run. So anyone new to this can check that submission for explanations for the more common (and uncommon for that matter) things used. And if you liked this I urge you to check it out anyway if you haven't already (Shameless plug oh yeah).
Most of the new room strategies are self-explanatory, but that one room at the end of Kraid goes by quite fast, and could be confusing. I'm abusing Power Grip there, shooting away blocks to create ledges for grabbing. Average speed during that part is slightly faster than speed boosting by the way.
There are a few possible route improvements that I'm not really sure about:
  1. Not grabbing the 3rd super pack on my way to Tourian from Kraid and instead get 2 additional Missile packs earlier. Grabbing it does speed Tourian up quite a bit, and lowers my total acquired item count by 2. But it involves four (4) room transitions.
  2. Not grabbing Hi-jump. It does save time pretty much everywhere after acquiring, especially in the space jump heavy part after getting the Full Suit, and it is acquired quite early with this route. But it involves four (4) room transitions AND a lengthy text explaining the item. Skipping these means possible route improvement #1 is mandatory as Hi-jump (or rather, Jumpball) is required for that item.
I'm gonna throw out a thank you to PJBoy for having a very helpful Dump page among other things.

NesVideoAgent: Hi! I am a robot. I took a few screenshots of this movie and placed them here. Oh! I also corrected the ROM name.
  • You indicated Metroid Zero Mission (U).gba
  • I updated it to Metroid - Zero Mission (U) [!].gba

adelikat: Accepting for publication as an improvement to the published movie.
DeHackEd: AVI in progress

TASVideoAgent
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This topic is for the purpose of discussing #1946: Dragonfangs's GBA Metroid: Zero Mission in 32:33.43
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I'm not an expert, but isn't it Metroid?
Joined: 5/13/2006
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A yes vote for the excellent improvement that's plagued by a huge typo.
<Zurreco> if so called professional players cant adapt to every playing field, theyre obviously not that great
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You didn't see anything. >_> <_<
Even the best player is limited by the speed of his fingers, or his mind's ability to control them. But what happens when speed is not a factor, when theory becomes reality?
Joined: 2/1/2007
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Cool, was just watching an LP of this and was annoyed to find that the Ridley fight was missing, so yay. Can't wait to see a 100% item run though. Watched it, enjoyed it.
P.JBoy
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13, another one of NVA's great screenshots
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It knows what the people want.
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Well this was pretty incredible. I love how you obsoleted both the shinespark after MB and the long one right at the end, I always thought the one after MB looked a little slow and I was happily surprised to see it removed. Also the climbing instead of a shinespark after Kraid was really awesome. Easy yes vote and probably a 9/9 when it gets published.
Agare Bagare Kopparslagare
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Hooray for new and improved runs and congratulations for once again producing a fine run. Clear yes vote.
Nitrogenesis wrote:
Guys I come from the DidyKnogRacist communite, and you are all wrong, tihs is the run of the mileniun and everyone who says otherwise dosnt know any bater! I found this run vary ease to masturbate too!!!! Don't fuck with me, I know this game so that mean I'm always right!StupedfackincommunityTASVideoz!!!!!!
Arc wrote:
I enjoyed this movie in which hands firmly gripping a shaft lead to balls deep in multiple holes.
natt wrote:
I don't want to get involved in this discussion, but as a point of fact C# is literally the first goddamn thing on that fucking page you linked did you even fucking read it
Cooljay wrote:
Mayor Haggar and Cody are such nice people for the community. Metro City's hospitals reached an all time new record of incoming patients due to their great efforts :P
Sir_VG
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While I see how and when the Hi-Jump (and Ball Jump) are used, I still feel it's possible to obsolete them as well. Hopefully you'll find a way in a future run. But since I don't have a way, only thing I can do is vote YES for now.
Taking over the world, one game at a time. Currently TASing: Nothing
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Loved it. Definite yes. As for a screenshot, I rather like the 5th snapshot the bot took. https://files.tasvideos.org/autosnaps/1946_5.png
P.JBoy
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Don't obsolete hi-jump, it makes too many things slower
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I vote for NVA's screenshot 13, I think it sums up the run pretty decently :)
Agare Bagare Kopparslagare
P.JBoy
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Oh, and the Kraid Spark isn't possible without hi-jump, the shinespark is 40 frames too short (41 in that vbm). You could get into the room below however. So I guess you can knock two transitions and a whole load of frames off of that hi-jump sacrifice
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"Which screenshot was number thirt- ... oh." I approve of this new run.
Kirby said so, so it must be true. ( >'.')>
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Edit: I think I understand now: It's my avatar, isn't it? It makes me look angry.
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http://girlyyy.com/ The El Viento TAS is the only decent thing I submitted here.
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What a lucky day to check the forum after a long time! Liked the ballspark for the super missile. Good job. Yes vote.
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Cool, many improvements there. How much have you saved upon the 100% run in comparable areas?
Warp wrote:
Edit: I think I understand now: It's my avatar, isn't it? It makes me look angry.
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I got it to About 2 seconds faster in-game, about 5 seconds faster realtime. Fairly rough calculations. "Comparable areas" turned out to be a lot fewer than I thought. With Hi-jump and power grip being picked up at very separate points in the two routes, pretty much entire Kraid and Ridley, as well as most of Brinstar aren't comparable :(.
Even the best player is limited by the speed of his fingers, or his mind's ability to control them. But what happens when speed is not a factor, when theory becomes reality?
Joined: 8/13/2007
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<Deedee> Nah, stelthy got to the chozo ruins and gained megasuit(tm) <Deedee> Then she blasted the whole space pirate army to death. <Deedee> Twice over. <Deedee> With plasma. Yeah, I was going to vote yes anyway, but the bonus content was amazing enough to move it from meh-yes to Yes^10
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. ---- [1108] GBA Metroid: Zero Mission by Dragonfangs in 32:33.43
Joined: 2/25/2006
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excellent work, kept me entertained even though i very rarely play metroid games and seemed very tight.
Ryzen 3700X, ASUS Crosshair VIII Hero (WiFi) Motherboard, 32GB 3600MHz RAM, MSI Geforce 1070Ti 8GB, Windows 10 Pro x64 http://tasvideos.org/Nach/FranpaAlert.html
Qlex
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Insane work Dragonfangs. Best part was after Kraid's instant death, when you race with your own missile and many other things, that until Mother Brain. I say that mainly because I don't really like Chozodia (BGM and overall), but everything was just way cool. You rock. Late yes vote.