I guess it won't be recorgnized as an "official" award category, but I would like to mention some first-generation TASes or big improvements that have been in the works for several years (restarting and changing their authors in the progress) and finally made it here in 2009. I should have come up with this topic at least a year ago, but since so many of my long-awaited favorites were submitted and/or published this year I just couldn't resist giving them credit.
My criteria:
— at least a vocal interest in a first-generation run or a huge hype for an improvement that has been in works for at least a year;
— entertainment rating of at least 7.0 to denote good viewer response.
Stuff I'm not touching:
— frame wars and likewise (like SMB1/2j). Even though they do involve completely new discoveries or other such breakthroughs, they are not the in the focus of this digest;
— new platform TASes, as the "awaitedness" in their case was a result of our former inability to TAS them in the first place, not a long time spent actually making them.
Thus, the TASes I would like to mention are:
First-generation movies
[1252] SNES Lemmings in 1:03:04 by Lord Tom (started in 2006);
[1277] N64 "100%" Banjo-Kazooie in 2:24:32 by Sami Outinen (started in 2006);
[1296] SNES Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts in 17:03 by Ferret Warlord (started in 2005?);
[1350] Genesis Alien Soldier in 18:32 by Dammit & Truncated (started in 2005);
[1357] SNES Hagane in 14:11 by Tiger- & Heisanevilgenius (started in 2006);
[1393] GBA Gunstar Super Heroes in 18:32 by Comicalflop (started in 2006);
[1428] GBA "100% souls" Castlevania - Aria of Sorrow in 28:01 by Kriole (started in 2006).
Improvements
[1242] NES Mega Man 2 in 24:33 by Shinryuu, TaoTao, pirohiko, FinalFighter (started in 2007);
[1264] SNES "102%" Donkey Kong Country 2 in 1:23:10 by NxCy & Comicalflop (started in 2007?);
[1269] SNES Legend of Zelda - A Link to the Past in 1:16:11 by Tompa (started in 2005);
[1285] SNES "glitched any%" Chrono Trigger in 21:23 by inichi (started in 2007 as an improvement to the any%);
[1297] SNES Earthbound in 1:10:00 by pirohiko (started in 2006?);
[1320] NES "100%" Metroid in 33:25 by Lord Tom (started in 2006);
[1368] SNES "any%" Super Metroid in 38:41 by Taco & Kriole (started in 2008);
[1400] Genesis Sonic 3 & Knuckles in 32:19 by Nitsuja & Upthorn & marzojr (started in 2008?).
Honorable mentions:
#2449 NameSpoofer's SNES "Speed Booster 14%" Super Metroid in 44:18.
(Damn, this post sure took time to be written, and it's not even that large.)
