Well, we all know how some weapons may function inappropriately for many occasions, especially when it comes to speedy plays, Ground Dash is an example. Useless though it may, especially when it freezes the game for a whole second, it will have The MOMENT where it shines.

This run aims to obtain all collectibles in the game in the form of rescuing all reploids, all heart and subtanks, as well as getting all armour upgrades for both Blade and Shadow Armours. In comparison to current published run, this one saves 6065 frames, disregarding emulation differences, different menuing decisions, dialogues, and READY screen durations, thanks to a new route, more optimisation, and new broken glitches.

Stages’ Comments

1- Intro Stage (Eurasia Ruins)

The debut of the run, and as it begins, it strikes, saving 10 frames comparing to Rolan’s X Only 100%, 39 frames to the 100% and All Stages runs, thanks to using the Saber to instantly leave ladders, and gain all the height from a jump.

2- Inami Temple (Getting Zero)

It’s where hefty work appears, and with movement significantly improved, it tops with 261 frames saved Rolan’s 100%.

3- Laser Institute

It’s a light puzzle with an advantage of speed, and thanks to the improved mirrors section, and the generally paced movement, it saves 48 to Rolan’s 100% and All Stages. However, it has at least 15 more frames of room for improvement.

4- Weapon Facility

Where Nightmares stack and join, enjoined is Zero to cleave and slash the core of Illumina twice, collect at least a century of souls, and kill the boss as due. Thus, save 115 upon Rolan’s 100%, and 70 upon Rolan’s All Stages. The boss fight requires improvement; it is 13 frames slower than Rolan’s 100%, and 7 frames slower than Rolan’s All Stages.

5- Amazon Area

The debut of actual speed, at which 116 frames are saved, and the boss fight constitutes 15 of which. It varies from Rolan’s 100% with better movement, and the use of Z-Saber Plus chip.

6- Inami Temple

This stage is about tight in movement; any slight change and you’ll lose everything quite entirely. It tops Rolan’s 100% with 63 frames altogether, and of them 9 frames in the boss fight.

7- North Pole

The stage’s time save, which is 87 frames, comes mainly from better movement and having one of the Ice puzzles in better pattern. The boss fight is, however, tied.

8- Recycle Lab

Now, Zero has Ensuizan. That enables him to gain invincibility, go through many enemies, and rescue reploids without extra takings which would slow the pace down. It tops Rolan’s 100% in the first area with 421 frames, and 521 frames in the main second area, thanks to the Nightmare Ice Hazard. The stage altogether is 942 frames faster than Rolanmen1 100% .

9- Central Museum

This stage is overall 86 frames, of which 8 frames are saved in the boss fight, faster than Rolan’s 100%, mainly because of the 4th room having a better movement route that directly aims to the Totem Exit.

10- Magma Area

This stage is loads of optimisations, the most significant of which being Sentsuizan Skip, for which the Japanese version is used. The Nightmare Snake takes damage according to timing, position, and sometimes RNG. The stage is 622 frames faster than Rolanmen1 100%.

Revisits

11- North Pole (Iceland)

We’re back to the North, though this time is to Iceland, where Fire and Ice emerge together in one place. Thanks to using Hyoroga on slopes, using Z-Saber to climb ladders faster, and overall better movement, this stage is 73 frames faster, of which Dynamo fight was saved 4 frames.

12-Laser Institute

X is used for his capability of tackling the mirrors with almost free mobility. This stage is 33 frames faster overall, with Dynamo fight being 10 frames faster.

13- Weapon Facility

8 frames faster in the main area, though the inputs are pretty similar. The alternate area is tied.

14- Central Museum

So, the stage is full of hefty movement improvements on each room, the biggest of which being the 4th room before the portal (72 frames). The alternate, Dynamo room is 26 frames faster. The stage overall saves 168 frames.

15- Recycle Lab

The biggest improvement in the run. 2087 frames, saved upon Rolan’s 100%, of Blade Armour’s Ice Block Glitch, Mach Dash usage, and, indeed, Ground Dash Glitch, as it alone saves over 1600 frames upon Zero’s Sentsuizan camera advance, and over 4000 frames comparing to X Only 100% strategy.

16- Magma Area

My favourite of all. The main point of it is using Ice Block to gain invincibility and take no damage, except when the last Nightmare Snake hits X with a green shot right after defeating it which saves over 40 frames (Menu is no longer needed). Movement is improved in the alternate area and is, in comparison with Rolan’s X Only 100%, 9 frames faster. Dynamo fight is 10 frames faster than Rolanmen1’s 100% fight. The stage is altogether 262 frames faster than Rolan’s 100%.

Gate/Sigma stages

17- Gate 1

Movement improved to both runs. Ground Dash saves about 78 frames upon X Only 100% for making the lava decline scene elapse faster. Nightmare Mother fight is 47 frames faster than Rolan’s X Only 100% for not using the menu. The stage is all in all 125 frames faster than Rolan’s X Only 100%, and 425 than Rolan’s 100%.

18- Gate 2.1

A random stack of hefty enemies which hinders smooth movement. Funnily however, High Max makes up for the time loss in movement. The stage is ONE frame faster than Rolan’s X Only 100%, and 233 frames faster than Rolan’s 100%

19- Gate 2.2

It is, to Rolanmen1 100%, 262 frames faster, with the better of movement, and the faster Gate kill (Saves 198 frames alone). As to Rolanmen1 X Only 100%, it saves 143 frames in the stage altogether, and 110 in the Gate fight-alone.

20- Sigma (Finale)

In it, many improvements on the refights and general movement are implemented. As to these refights, their improvements are as shown.

The first area is altogether 81 frames faster than Rolanmen1 100%, and 64 frames faster than Rolanmen1 All Stages. The second area is 63 frames faster than Rolanmen1 100% (saved 52 frames at Sigma’s 2nd), and 19 frames faster than Rolanmen1 All Stages (Saved 5 frames at Sigma’s 2nd).

Credits:

McBobX: Despite not adding or editing inputs, he first taught me how many procedures in TAS’ing are tackled. Also, he greatly contributed with resources for comparisons and testing, as well as his encouragement having had most significant impact on me to go on. He also helped with advice and some editing write the comments, and obviously encoded the run for it.

Rolanmen1: Man is school, ask him a question and a scientific discovery will appear! Familiar with the game though I am, his runs that dominate all categories taught me a lot about the game’s mechanics.

MMX6 Speedrun Community (Fujiyama): Their new discoveries and glitches very shone in this TAS, be it the use of Sentsuizan in Magma Area, or the PEAK use of Ground Dash for such a gigantic skip!

It was such a fun project to have worked on, and it turned out with quite surprising result. However, it still has plenty of room for work and testing.

NOTES FOR COMPARISON

-Emulation differences include fadeouts, door entrances, 2nd Illumina Cables explosion, Light Capsules turning on, after-death fadeouts, the scenes of receiving armour parts, WARNINGs, and boss HP filling, which are excluded from calculations.

-Dialogues are completely excluded, unless a delay was done for RNG manipulation (Shark, Mijinion, 2nd Dynamo fight, Gate, and Sigma 2nd), or timing for some shots to land more hits (High Max). This delay is the only thing that can be added to the calculations, as it is avoidable with better RNG manipulation or better timing.