New Tricks

Delayed Running Acceleration (found by DaSmileKat)

When coming out of a pipe at the end of an underground/underwater level, there is normally barely not enough space for Luigi to accelerate to running speed on the pipe. However, delaying the run button press slightly reduces Luigi’s acceleration at the start while still being able to reach running speed on the same frame. That reduces the space Luigi needs to reach running speed just enough to allow him to reach running speed on the pipe. This is a frame perfect trick; pressing the run button 1 frame earlier or 1 frame later will cause Luigi to be unable to reach running speed. This trick can also be used at the beginning of many castle levels to stay on the top platform for 1 frame longer, allowing Luigi to skip the second stair and land on the third stair to get running speed earlier.

Water Top Clip (found by nobodycallsmetubby)

While making his all levels TAS of the FDS version of this game, nobodycallsmetubby discovered a way to clip into the top row of blocks in water levels without slowing down. It appears to simply require swimming at a precise angle into the top row. I am not entirely sure how it works, but this trick also works on the top row of non-water levels. Also, swimming too high in the SMAS version of this game results in Mario/Luigi bonking and his speed set to 0, while that is not the case in FDS.

Passing Hidden Blocks Without Losing Speed (found by EthanRTA)

This trick was accidentally discovered by EthanRTA while speedrunning this game RTA. It involves jumping at a specific time and with a specific height to enter a hidden block’s hitbox without activating it, and only activating it once Mario/Luigi is fully inside it. Because when activated, Mario/Luigi is already fully inside the hidden block, he does not lose speed and can proceed onwards, potentially clipping into a wall, which is what makes this trick useful.

Time Improvements

1-3

1 framerule was saved here from precisely optimizing the fireflower grab. By using the frame in which Luigi is considered to be standing on the ground after collecting a powerup, it is possible to get running speed out of the fireflower grab. However, this is only possible on 1 frame of the 4-frame “powerup rules”. At first, I got 3 frames away from the next framerule, so I tried to get the running speed powerup grab on the previous powerup rule, which would save 4 frames and the framerule. But it seemed like there simply wasn’t enough space to slow down. However, after some more testing and strategy changes, I was able to find a way to get the running speed powerup on the previous powerup rule and therefore save 1 framerule in 1-3. The entire thing is subpixel perfect and requires a very specific subspeed value to work.

5-2

This is the first level in which the delayed running acceleration trick saves time. It saves 1 framerule in this level.

6-1

The hidden block was passed through without losing speed, which allows for a faster clip through the pipe, saving 1 framerule. The slowdown was to land on the walljump pixel of the pipe, or else Luigi will bonk the pipe and lose speed. This can save 1 framerule over the Mario run as well.

6-2

Delayed running acceleration saves 1 framerule.

6-4

Similar to the Mario run, jumping through the second long firebar saves 2 framerules. The slowdown before Bowser was to get some early hits in, to kill Bowser faster.

7-2

Delayed running acceleration saves another 1 framerule.

8-1

1 framerule was mysteriously saved. The level is very straightforward, so I’m not sure how I saved time here.

8-3

1 framerule was saved by not holding any directional input until the jump onto the hidden block, which allows keeping the running speed jump height for that jump.

8-4

A combination of optimizing Bowser, delayed running acceleration and corner clipping in the third room saves 1 framerule. Corner clipping in the third room only saves time as Luigi because Mario can’t get the right jump angle to clip there. The wiggle on the pipe before the corner clip is surprisingly hard to optimize.

A-2

Delayed running acceleration once again saves 1 framerule.

A-3

While there is no improvement in this level, it might be possible to save 1 framerule in this level if the last paratroopa could be despawned. That would allow a backwards jump to the flagpole which would mean being able to hit the flagpole 1 frame earlier, which happens to save 1 framerule.

A-4

The previous run got a strange slowdown after touching the axe. It seems to be related to bullet bill shots, since I was able to avoid that by not stomping any bullet bills. The koopa shell kick was for bouncing on it to cross the gap with the podoboos, which is otherwise impossible to cross without slowing down. Delayed running acceleration, optimizing the koopa shell kick, and avoiding the slowdown after touching the axe was barely enough to save 2 framerules.

B-2

Water top clip combined with delayed running acceleration saves 1 framerule.

D-4

60 frames were saved using various new strategies. Jumping through the firebar in the first room saves lots of time over clipping through the wall. I don’t understand the exact mechanics, but slowing down at a particular spot seems to allow the firebar to spawn when Luigi is further right, making it possible to go through it. Delayed running acceleration was used in the second and fourth rooms. It is 1 frame faster to so a small slowdown in the middle of the wind in the second room to let the wind push Luigi 1 more pixel forwards. Passing through the gap near the end of the fourth room while keeping walking speed is considerably faster than bonking, despite having to start jumping multiple frames later. Finally, a small slowdown was done before Bowser to make him jump forwards, or else it would be impossible to get past him without slowing down.

Entertainment Improvements

Suggested Screenshot