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Emulator: VisualBoyAdvance Emulator Version 1.7.2 re-recording 19.3
  • Aims for fastest time
  • Abuses programming errors
  • Manipulates luck
  • Takes damage to save time
  • Uses game restart
This run was done on the Japanese version of Zelda: Link's Awakening because text in the Japanese version is notably quicker than in the English version.
The gameplay was further optimised as well, through corner boosting, putting more thought into where Link should be before entering the next screen, and better manipulation and lag avoidance on the boss.

Tricks and glitches

Screenwarp

This is done by pressing select just before the screen starts changing when moving to another screen. It causes Link to warp to the other side of the screen.

Up/down + A and B

This is done by pressing up and down at the same time, then pressing the A or B button. Pressing A causes Link to become graphically distorted, and can lead to some cool side effects. As you'll see in the boss battle, I turn into Dark Link. Pressing B makes the game think Link is at another part of the screen, which was used to get the sword without actually going down to it.

Corner boosting

This only works on corners which you're moving away from, i.e., it won't work on the corner while exiting the house at the start of the game. It will, however, work on the two corners outside the house, and the one before entering the dungeon. It's done by moving Link into the corner on a certain frame, and it causes him to be pushed forwards a bit. It saves 1 frame each time it's done.

Conclusion

This run is 1448 frames faster than the previous run, which is 24.13 seconds. In the comparable sections, I saved 62 frames, which is just over 1 second.
Thanks to Soulrivers for his previous run, and advice on the boss battle, and Tompa, for checking my progress regularly and reporting back any improvable parts.

Truncated: I will reject this submission because it is in violation of the rules, specifically the section about using the correct version. Runs should preferably be made on the (U) version, and when choosing a different version from the published movie this should be negotiated in advance. (In fact this is to avoid exactly this kind of problem, where the runner's effort to produce a well-made movie is wasted, which noone wants to happen.)
An improved run on the (U) version would be very welcome.

Joined: 4/30/2007
Posts: 151
on the one hand, the trend recently of doing everything in japanese to save more time in a non-skillful method at the expense of entertainment is alarming on the other hand, there is minimal text during this 3:45 of gameplay thus, meh
Mitjitsu
He/Him
Banned User, Experienced player (532)
Joined: 4/24/2006
Posts: 2997
The text in this run isn't so important and even though I haven't played the game it can be accurately be interpretted "Link, get out of bed someone is causing trouble better equip yourself" "You got a sword" "names of places in pause screen" "Well done Link thank you for saving the kingdom"
Former player
Joined: 6/15/2005
Posts: 1711
At first I was like "rejecting this would be stupid and wrong", then I thought about it some more and read the rules and stuff, then I was like "meh I guess rejecting this actually is justifiable according to the rules", so meh. Personally I think it should be accepted because it's over a second faster and that the rules are sorta stupid, but that's neither here nor there.
Zoey Ridin' High <Fabian_> I prett much never drunk
Tompa
Any
Editor, Expert player (2141)
Joined: 8/15/2005
Posts: 1934
Location: Mullsjö, Sweden
And it is just less text, and there's always good with less text which no one cares to read anyway... People don't watch a run in order to know what they are saying in the game, they watch the actual gameplay. And the gameplay isn't any different in the J version than the U version.
Active player (490)
Joined: 1/12/2007
Posts: 682
People don't watch a run in order to know what they are saying in the game, they watch the actual gameplay. And the gameplay isn't any different in the J version than the U version. Exactly...that's why I did it on this ROM instead of the english version...it would minimise the boring parts. Who cares if you don't understand it? Chances are, if you're seriously watching a TAS of this game, you'll know it well enough anyway.
Joined: 7/10/2007
Posts: 280
I don't think as many of you would be complaining if a Japanese TASer had submitted this. There is improvement that is independent of the ROM choice. So who cares what ROM he chose? Voted yes.
Joined: 3/14/2008
Posts: 152
Location: United Kingdom
Great! A yes if it would let me vote..... And what does it matter if its in japanese, there are runs of many other japanese roms on this site... And anyway, even if it was the english one it would still have been much better
Joined: 4/30/2007
Posts: 151
AKA wrote:
The text in this run isn't so important and even though I haven't played the game it can be accurately be interpretted "Link, get out of bed someone is causing trouble better equip yourself" "You got a sword" "names of places in pause screen" "Well done Link thank you for saving the kingdom"
well he got 2 out of 4 right though this is a pretty good game, you not big into zelda?
Joined: 7/26/2006
Posts: 1215
this is me wrote:
AKA wrote:
The text in this run isn't so important and even though I haven't played the game it can be accurately be interpretted "Link, get out of bed someone is causing trouble better equip yourself" "You got a sword" "names of places in pause screen" "Well done Link thank you for saving the kingdom"
well he got 2 out of 4 right though this is a pretty good game, you not big into zelda?
the point was, it's a glitched zelda game which involves waking up, getting a minimum of items, and then getting to the credits as fast as possible. There is no story to follow except the submission text, which is not in pixelated hiragana so I don't know what the big deal is.
TASVideosGrue
They/Them
Joined: 10/1/2008
Posts: 2738
Location: The dark corners of the TASVideos server
om, nom, nom... blech, stale!
Joined: 4/14/2010
Posts: 146
Location: France
CJ
Joined: 9/16/2013
Posts: 15
Location: Las Vegas, NV
This submission was actually rejected with the only reason being that it uses the Japanese Rom. So why is it that these days, using a Japanese Rom to make text go faster is considered the norm?
Emulator Coder
Joined: 3/9/2004
Posts: 4588
Location: In his lab studying psychology to find new ways to torture TASers and forumers
CJ wrote:
So why is it that these days, using a Japanese Rom to make text go faster is considered the norm?
It isn't. Nor is doing so considered an improvement.
Warning: Opinions expressed by Nach or others in this post do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or position of Nach himself on the matter(s) being discussed therein.
Editor, Publisher, Player (46)
Joined: 10/15/2021
Posts: 370
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