Curiously enough, the runs that blew my mind back in the day (read: 2005–2006) were all WIPs of some 100% runs. I didn't actually enjoy TASes as much back then as I did later, but these hit the spot in many more ways than one.
The first to mention is, of course, Michael Flatley's Super Metroid 100% WIP, i.e. the run that sparked the generation of Super Metroid runs/WIPs that introduced numerous TAS-only tricks that distinctly separate well-made realtime speedruns from poor TASes. A little beside the point, but whenever I want my TASVideos nostalgia fix I reread that WIP thread. The first 20-something pages of it are overflowing with anticipation and joy of new discoveries in what was already considered to be one of the best-researched games at the time. I think that was also the thread where Microstorage was introduced.
The other two 100% WIPs are spezzafer's Yoshi's Island and pirate_sephiroth's Aria of Sorrow all-souls. The latter, completed by Kriole, has stood to be one of the most mind-blowing runs I've ever seen to date. The former is yet to be done.
Warp wrote:
Edit: I think I understand now: It's my avatar, isn't it? It makes me look angry.
Warning: When making decisions, I try to collect as much data as possible before actually deciding. I try to abstract away and see the principles behind real world events and people's opinions. I try to generalize them and turn into something clear and reusable. I hate depending on unpredictable and having to make lottery guesses. Any problem can be solved by systems thinking and acting.
Genisto's Bionic Commando run was this for me. It was the first game that really showed me what a TAS could do to a game. Took a game that I loved and thought I was good at and played it in a way that blew my mind.
Morimoto's run was awesome, but I saw someone come VERY close to doing a 15 min SMB3 run in real time at one of those nintendo exhibition things in the early 90's, so it wasn't quite as amazing to me. The games all reset every 15 minutes, and he said he could finish it before the console reset. Game reset as he was approaching Bowser.
Same for me. Well, there were a few "levels" of discovery for me actually.
[6] NES Mega Man 2 by Morimoto in 28:24.65
I found and watched it on Morimoto's website (I assume) after seeing the initial SMB3 that many people were introduced to TASing by, and was a lot more impressed by this one because I didn't expect MM2 to be able to be blown through in the same way as SMB3. Especially when Air Man was the first selected stage! And Mega Man just jumps on and off the big floating heads without a care in the world. Watching that for the first time was hilarious to me.
[268] NES Bionic Commando (Japan) by Genisto in 14:05.53
The first movie I watched after finding this site that blew me away. It legitimized the concept of "this can potentially be great for any game".
[351] SNES Super Mario World "warps" by flagitious & VIPer7 in 10:35.98
Once of the first runs I watched this it progressed, and it was exciting to see all the new techniques and ideas being tried and discussed. The Big Boo fight was far ahead of its time with its playaround - juggling two of the blocks while flying back and forth.
<Swordless> Go hug a tree, you vegetarian (I bet you really are one)
Run that blew my mind: Bisqwit's Rockman TAS (18:xx.xx)
I had no idea Magnet Beam was that abusable.
Similarly, the Rockman 5 TASes with Super Arrow abuse out the wazoo.
Once TASing was raised to the level it is now, I'm rarely shocked by a run as a whole[..]
Exactly, we're all getting jaded. Back then these runs blew my mind. I was wondering how such precise play was even possible, it looked unlike anything I'd ever seen.
Today I'm looking at them, thinking "oh hey, that's sloppy, he's losing frames there".
While the question was about runs that blew our minds, a newcomer list should contain runs that blow their minds, and our nostalgia is no factor in that.
For the list, I still can't think of a run better than SM64 0%.
While the question was about runs that blew our minds, a newcomer list should contain runs that blow their minds, and our nostalgia is no factor in that.
For the list, I still can't think of a run better than SM64 0%.
This thread provided quite some useful stats, that was the best option to figure out which runs must be shown in the first place.
Warning: When making decisions, I try to collect as much data as possible before actually deciding. I try to abstract away and see the principles behind real world events and people's opinions. I try to generalize them and turn into something clear and reusable. I hate depending on unpredictable and having to make lottery guesses. Any problem can be solved by systems thinking and acting.
Master Jun's Super Mario World glitched.
Megaman 1 with that insane overflow(underflow?) level completion glitch
Link's Awakening playaround
SNES Mega Man X & Mega Man X2 & Mega Man X3
Pokemon Yellow total control hack
Yoshi's Island glitched (another Master Jun one)
Family Feud
Brain Age
Metroid -Reverse boss order
Relatively new to Tas videos, but these are my favorites so far.
