TAS Barbie - the Princess and the Pauper
Game Info:
- The plot follows that of the movie: players must thwart Preminger’s attempt to take over the kingdom by marrying Anneliese. Take control of Barbie, Anneliese, Wolfie, & Serafina over a variety of 17 different levels. In this run, Technickle completes the entire game in record time.
Movie Goals:
- Uses Bizhawk 2.6.2
- Uses Easy Mode
- Aims for Fastest Completion
- Aims for Improvement over Other Movie File
- Uses 2 Characters In a 1 Player Game (literally no other option)
- Uses Glitches
- Goes for "100%" (all collectibles) (literally impossible otherwise)
- Starts from a Fresh File (No Passwords used)
Characters:
- Barbie = Uses a shield and can float
- Anneliese = Uses singing to get rid of enemies
- Wolfie = Can dig holes, can’t climb
- Serafina = Can’t dig holes, & can climb
Difficulty Choice:
- While choosing Normal would be ‘acceptable’ as it constitutes being the 'hard mode’, it makes it not worthwhile, since going fast is the main objective. Normal mode, requires more collecting, more hits, and takes longer overall. This is the reason why Easy Mode is chosen here.
Using 1 Character More:
- Controlling 1 character instead of 2 makes it take less time. If I were to use 2 characters that can practically be done using only 1 character, I will almost always make that the priority. The only major exception would be if I need 2 characters for a locked gate portion of the run.
Intro to Zip Digging:
- As mentioned previously, Wolfie has the ability to dig downward and across to get to the required destination. In most instances I will be using something I like to call: “Zip Dig” which basically takes the already simple concept of digging with Wolfie, but, allows for an earlier dig on a different tileset. This means that, if I am in proximity to the spot where the initial dig needs to be, I’ll dig a little farther back, and I’ll be zipped to the correct dig location quicker. This saves from having to walk up slowly and then dig downward. This dig animation requires separation input of blank input for 1 frame and the 2nd frame requires the down press.
Intro to Fast Climb:
- Serafina the Cat can climb trees if the player is close enough to the up press on a climbable object. Some objects such as trees, poles, and grates, can be climbed on. Typically, climbing upwards on a climbable surface takes a really long time. However, if I grab and re-grab the climbable object, I can jump up to it. It takes the animation of Serafina’s paws to be in the downward-facing angle to re-grab the surface. Serafina can jump at a max height of 17 frames.
Levels:
- Level 1 Help find the 8 golden apples. The concept is rather simple as the game is really intended for smaller aged group audiences. Each apple has its different set locations. Some apples are in trees, while others can be behind locked gates which require 2 players to get. The intended goal is to finish the entire level from start to end as it was intended that way. However, since there are only 8 golden apples, you can finish the level once the 8th one is collected, no more and no less. At the start of the level, I will immediately switch to Anneliese, this makes it easier, to get the first apple from the beginning tree. After the first apple is collected, the next portion automatically requires the player to switch to Barbie, since trying to skip the first waterfall stuff is impossible. I can, however, pre-move the shield that Barbie has and this makes it so, Barbie says: "I can use it as an umbrella". Under normal circumstances, the game shows the intended method of letting Anneliese go under the waterfall stuff since it knows Barbie is blocking it with the shield. The next section is teaching the player footswitches. Footswitches require 2 players to interact with. I use Barbie on the first footswitch so that Anneliese can be in control for the rest of the level where it's applicable.
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- The next portion has 2 apples basically right next to each other here. The first apple is closer to Anneliese while I'll need to get into the tree to collect the 3rd apple a little higher up. Some squirrels try to block your path as the intended part would be to sing to scare them away, however, I can just jump over the first squirrel and onto the next branch and sing the apple down. I go left to go right since this is to avoid the acorn being dropped down by the squirrel on the right of the tree. At this point the game has taught me to use Barbie's shield to get through the waterfall stuff, but, luckily, I can just walk through it. I'll take damage regardless because of this, but, it's faster to walk through it than it is to use Barbie. Another footswitch is coming up, and Barbie is needed, but, Barbie doesn't get the attention she deserves because she'll be left in the dust for a little bit. I let Barbie stand on the second footswitch to lower the gate, this will let me take control of Anneliese and go past Barbie.
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- Another waterfall is coming up, but, once again it's skipped in an unintended way with Anneliese. The next apple is on the tree, but, I'll need to jump up some platforms jutting out from the side, to do so. I avoid the squirrel's acorn that's being tossed down with a jump input, as walking would inflict damage. Another waterfall stuff coming up and a footswitch right after. At this point, I'll need Barbie to traverse to Anneliese to clear the gate section. Luckily it isn't too far out of the way to get there. Once there, I have Barbie stand on the first footswitch, and immediately change to Anneliese. I clear the 2nd footswitch *just because* and let Anneliese go through another waterfall portion. The 5th apple is in the tree in the middle section. While collecting apples I start Anneliese's walking animation right as the apple is close enough to collect, it just makes it so that I don't wait until it shows I've collected it. The 6th apple is in a tree up above just like the previous apple, however this time it's on the left side instead of the right side. Still, a simple concept as I'll just maneuver around the squirrels and collect the apple.
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- Finally Barbie gets to play right? Well, it would make sense, but, in reality, all Barbie is doing is substituting in for Anneliese until Barbie steps on the first footswitch. I'll guide Barbie over to Annelise, but, Annelise is the heavy lifter. The 7th apple is right after the gate section up above upon the first tree. The 8th apple is in a tree, and luckily there are branches to jump up to and collect.
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- Level 1-5 ends here | frame 13658
- Level 2-5 begins by controlling Wolfie (dog) and Serafina (cat) to go and plant some apple seeds to create more apples. Yet another basic and simple concept, where 2 players need to help plant apple seeds. However, as it turns out, Serafina gets to have a little vacation, as Wolfie does 90% of the work. When using Wolfie here, I can get apple seeds to where they need to go, in the most unintended ways possible. Such as swatting apple seeds mid-air to lower down and closer to the goal.
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- Level 2-5 ends here | Frame 20666
- Level 3-5 the player must turn on the valves to open the waterway. Here, the player must traverse across large bodies of water. Each water portion has a log that the player can wait and stand on to get to the other side. The game checks to see if the player has fallen into the water if they miss the log, and will be sent back to the start point of that platform where they must jump again to reach the log. However, the game doesn’t check to see if the player is opposite of the platform to respawn too. Meaning that if the player manages to press Left right before a respawn check is made, the game assumes that the correct spawn direction that you were facing when you made the failed attempt, is on the other end of the next platform. With this, I can manipulate the game’s respawn checkpoint system to send me flying to the other side as a result. This is most useful when the direction and speed of the log are coming back to the player and or are far enough away without being able to reach it normally. I use this respawn trick frequently and it saves 27 frames each time over the course of the level.
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- Level 3-5 ends here | Frame 29601
- Level 4-5 I'll take control of Anneliese and Wolfie. This level has me going around and switch on 'switches' (quite literally). In the beginning, I go over with Annelise to the first house, and on the way, I'll scare some squirrels away, with singing. I micromanage the switch hitbox with Annelise to get it just on the side of it so I can leave earlier than intended. Normally I'd have to walk all the way up to it, and straight under the switch lever to activate it, but, I'll just be barely close enough to activate it. Most switch levers are in houses and some are underground. Wolfie digs for the underground levers while I'll leave the house levers for Annelise. With Wolfie & Annelise if a lever is on the ground and touchable, I'll frame perfectly turn around the second I can activate it. This just makes it so I can get to where I need to go a lot quicker, instead of walking right into it, as the game intends.
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- Level 4-5 ends here | Frame 41075
- Level 5-5 is the first boss: "Preminger's Goons" | The concept is to sing with Annelise, and the poison fruit they hold will burst, I'll know where they will each time, and I'll be able to send out an early sing to burst the poison fruit as early as possible. I do this 8 times to defeat them. The goons drop the next section of the game's map to progress the plot further.
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- Level 5-5 ends here | Frame 44042
- Level 6-1 Begins in the forest. Where in the forest? Not sure.