I don't speed run, I just play fast

Inspired by watching TheSpeedGamers' recent Metroid marathon, I just beat Super Metroid in 0:52 with 31%. I had to use a few save states because my skillz are really rusty after not having played the game seriously in a couple years, though. (Way too many wall jump fails. orz) Without them, the time probably would've been around 1:00. This was also the first time I'd done a non-100% run since finding all of the items years and years ago, so I was mostly winging it in deciding which items to collect.

I ended up with a spread of all the suit upgrades minus the Spring Ball, Grappling Beam, and X-Ray Scope, with 5 energy tanks, no reserve tanks, 35 missiles, 25 super missiles, and 5 power bombs. I considered skipping the Ice Beam, but decided the extra damage it provides plus enabling use of the Zebetite skip glitch would more than make up for the time spent collecting it. I'm not sure I would've been able to get past the first part of the Mother Brain fight without backtracking to refill my missiles otherwise. (Not to mention, killing Metroids with power bombs is a pain.) I also considered skipping the Screw Attack but wussed out since I've never gone through lower Norfair without it before and that would've also meant skipping 5 missiles and 5 supers which I wasn't sure if I'd need for Mother Brain (I didn't).

If I ever try a serious speed run, I need to work on better low%/no Grappling Beam strategies against Draygon. I wasn't in danger of dying, but that fight took way too long. Phantoon got a little dangerous, getting me down to 86 energy at the end, but I really should've been more careful from the start instead of remembering half way through the fight that I didn't have eight energy tanks like usual. Ridley hardly touched me because I'm frickin' awesome at that fight. I could've actually skipped the energy tank you get after him and I would've been fine.

A funny moment happened as I was exiting the Wrecked Ship after getting the Gravity Suit. I realized I'd forgotten to re-enable the Hi-Jump Boots after disabling them to jump across the platforms in the water outside. So, I went all the way through the Wrecked Ship without them equipped.

Update:
I played it a couple more times today. Got down to 0:47 with 26% while only using a handful of save states. I'm decently familiar with the any% route now, so it's mainly just a few tricky parts that I'd need to practice if I wanted to do a true single segment run with no saves.

Learning how to do a super short charge would help in a few parts. I probably can't be arsed to practice the timing enough, though. Draygon still takes way too long with only 13 super missiles, but I can't kill it with a shinespark unless I can pull off a super short charge in the boss room.

Lower Norfair with no Screw Attack was a huge pain at first, but now that I've figured out what to do, I can blow through it without any trouble. Ridley's also a breeze once again since I've figured out how to adjust my pattern manipulation tricks to avoid touching him at all.

Life: 05/19/11 | By: Desbreko | 3 comments | Tags: super metroid, video games

End