136% GT Code
 World Record Holder:
bobbob
WORLD RECORD RECORDING
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Category Details
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Contents
Introduction
Traditionally, the maximum percentage allowed by using the GT Code (without using major glitches) is 135%.
It was determined, though, that Power Bombs could be skipped before using the GT Code. This requires (minor) glitches, and precise execution. It was first thought TAS-only, and then PAL-only; [an NTSC setup for RTA purposes was not found until March of 2023.
The goal of 136% GT Code is to finish with 136% shown on the credits screen, subject to the rules: GT Code is allowed, no out of bounds, no glitched beams. Note 136% is the current maximum, and will most likely always be the maximum (since skipping either Missiles or Super Missiles, the only known way to increase this percentage further under these restrictions, does not seem very likely without major glitches).
136% GT Code does not require the player to manually collect all of the items in the game. In fact, during the early part of the run it is crucial that the player must not collect certain items. The player should perform the GT code while having the minimum number of e-tanks, reserve tanks, and ammo packs. This will leave the maximum number of these items to be collected after the GT code.
Why 136%?
After GT Code, the player will have 53% items. Then go collect 45 missiles, 9 supers, 10 PBs, 14 e-tanks, 4 reserves, and 1 screw attack. This adds up to 53+45+9+10+14+4+1 = 136%.
There are two important things to note:
1.) GT Code doesn't add 100/20/20 ammo capacity to your inventory - it replaces whatever you already had. If you have 5/5/0 ammo when you do the GT Code, then now you have 100/20/20. If you have 30/15/15 ammo when you do the GT Code, then you'll still wind up with 100/20/20. The same is also true for e-tanks and reserves (this is important). This means that to get the most out of GT Code, you want to enter it with 5/5/0 ammo and NO e-tanks/reserves. This leaves the maximum number of these items still remaining on Zebes for you to go pick up after GT Code.
2.) E-tanks, reserves, and ammo packs count the number that you have when item percentage is determined. On the other hand, major items like Gravity Suit and Plasma Beam are either yes or no; you either have it or you don't. Getting a major item like this before or after GT Code will have no effect on your final item percentage, because either way you will have exactly 1 of that item at the end of the game. This means you never need to pick up items that are out of the way like Spring Ball, X-ray, etc.
Route considerations
The same route considerations as in 135% apply. Since this is a more well-known category, only the differences will be noted here. Note the major difference is that 136% does not have Power Bombs until after GT Code is applied: Thus, some very precise techniques are required to get past power bomb obstructions.
KPRD Route
The goal of this route is to collect Gravity Suit to make the lava dive easier. Thus, Varia Suit and many Norfair majors are collected.
The issue with this is that since Power Bombs may not be collected, it is not possible to get to Phantoon in a traditional manner. In order to get to Phantoon, one must enter Maridia without Power Bombs.
NTSC Method
On NTSC, there are two methods. NTSC needs Ice, Wave, and Hi-Jump Boots at least. Charge is required by one method.
This is done by gate glitching the green gate in East Tunnel. The issue is this gate faces the wrong way. Thus, a bug needs to be frozen pixel perfectly, and then Samus needs to run at the gate with a minimum speed, jump, and shoot a super missile frame perfectly.
The minimum speed needed is 1.53248. The maximum speed available is 1.61440. This means there is at most a leeway of 0.08192. In particular, the jump and super missile shot will always be frame perfect.
It is also necessary to break spin, to be able to shoot the super missile angled upward. Breaking spin causes samus to move 0.08192 slower. Thus, if you can reach a speed of 1.61440, it is possible to have a two-frame window for breaking spin. Otherwise, breaking spin is a third frame perfect input. It is also necessarily true that the horizontal position is at least precise to within 0.08192, i.e., 1/8 of a pixel.
The first RTA method is as follows:This method is triple frame perfect, since it jumps with a run speed of 1.57344: It sacrifices the potential two-frame window for breaking spin to instead have much faster and easier normalized movement to the starting position, which also has an easier time freezing the bug at the appropriate spot.
The second RTA method is as follows:This replaces both the frame perfect spin break and the frame perfect jump with a frame perfect pause, and thus becomes "double frame perfect". To make the pause easier to time, it aligns at the back position with a run speed of 1.61440. This makes the bug harder to freeze, seemingly makes Charge required, and makes the setup take longer. However, it makes it so the pause timing is: "Press Forwards+Pause on the same frame."
Thus, this setup is considerably easier, although more time-consuming.
As a final remark, Hi-Jump Boots are required so that Samus gets high enough for the Super Missile to hit the switch. If the setup is done without Hi-Jump Boots, then the Super Missile will pass through the gate, but miss the button. Note Speed Booster does not change the setup, since these run speeds are below the run speed cap (and Samus' different height will not cause the Super Missile to miss the button).
PAL Method
The PAL method is considerably easier. See it here:Since PAL run speed is higher, it is possible to get deep enough in the gate that it simply opens. Note the setup shown is performing a specific number of arm pumps.
This means that PAL does not need Wave, Charge, or Hi-Jump Boots to perform this setup (although Ice is still needed).
PRKD Route
This was a valid route in 135%, to skip having to go down to get Varia Suit.
In 136% though, this is a lot less valid: At least Ice Beam is needed, and hellrunning to Ice Beam on zero tanks is not particularly easy. On NTSC, Wave is also required, which is an even longer hellrun. It is definitely not faster to to skip Varia Suit. Thus, this route shouldn't be considered at all.
KRDP Route
This would skip Gravity Suit by performing the zero tank lava dive. The difficulty is that the zero tank lava dive must be setup in-room (which consumes more energy on an already very tight trick), and also must be done after a very difficult trick (see the next section).
Skipping Power Bombs: Getting to Golden Torizo
The difficulty of this category (and why 135% was thought to be the maximum for a very long time) is getting to Golden Torizo's Room without Power Bombs. There are two notable issues: (1) the Power Bomb door in Kronic Boost Room, (2) the Power Bomb tiles in Fast Pillars Setup Room.
Kronic Boost Room Door Shell Skip
This is the main trick of this category. Using Ice to moonfall between two Violas, and then using Grapple to gain even more speed by moondancing, it is possible to fall from above the Power Bomb door and then trigger the transition tiles behind it.
NTSC Setup
The full setup on NTSC can be seen here:Remarks on this setup:
- The setup uses two Violas that can be knocked off by the same Super Missile. This makes the setup take longer each time, but conserves a Super Missile.
- The upward moving Viola is used as the top Viola in the setup. This is so it can survive, and be used for the ice moondances that follow.
- The position of the bottom Viola is pixel perfect. The upward Viola has a small range that works. It is psychologically easiest to freeze the bottom Viola initially at the correct pixel, and then get a frame-perfect re-freeze; it is possible to freeze it a couple pixels above the position, and then to re-freeze it at the correct pixel (requiring shooting a little bit later). If it is frozen too low, you may as well reset the room and try again.
- To have enough time while ice moonfalling, it appears to be necessary to shoot one of the Violas after moonfalling. The easiest RTA method for doing this seems to be re-freezing the bottom Viola, as shown.
- The shot killing the bottom Viola is necessary, since Samus does not build-up enough speed to fall through it before they unfreeze. This is due to enemies in Norfair unfreezing in less time. This shot is frame perfect, since there is barely enough time to gain enough speed to clip into the ground by two tiles: This is necessary to maintain speed.
- After successfully clipping downward two tiles, a Super Missile should be fired immediately to knock the upward-moving Viola down. If you are fast enough, you can freeze it mid-fall while it is still far enough to the left to do the first round of ice moondancing.
- After clipping downward two tiles, 80 more moonfalls need to be performed before Samus begins clipping two tiles on her own. This needs to be done with a Viola frozen in a small range. The Viola must be high enough to allow standing up, but low enough that Samus does not kill it with Grapple while moondancing (and that it still conserves speed, but killing it with Grapple appears to happen first). Learning the lowest and highest workable positions is important.
- It is possible to perform between 8 and 10 moonfalls fairly consistently, requiring between 10 and 8 Viola freezes. With 4 Super Missiles left, and being able to freeze it on the way down and on the way up, there are 8 attempts. This lines up perfectly. Since there is a small range of workable positions, it is also possible to get multiple freezes in each attempt (although this is easier as it crawls on the way up). Basically, go for the "frame-perfect re-freeze", but try to do it "late" so you don't accidentally kill the Viola.
- While ice moondancing, after doing one less than what you intend to remember to unequip Grapple and do one more. This clips Samus two tiles down, protecting her from getting hit by the Viola (which would cause the stored speed to be lost). Do not accidentally stand after this last moonfall. If you do accidentally stand, and the Viola is low down, try to time a frame-perfect turn-around to Kago the damage from the Viola and keep the stored speed. If the Viola is high enough, then it won't hit you but you'll need to time a re-freeze so you can do another round of ice moondancing to fix your problematic position.
- After the 80th moonfall, the Viola may be killed.
- Now moondancing must be done "as normal", except that Grapple must be fired between every single one to set Samus' position to on top of the blocks. Be careful not to go too far right, but otherwise just be slow and methodical.
- Make sure to perform the last moonfall while facing right and moonwalking against the wall. Also, unequip Grapple so you don't accidentally set Samus' position back on top. Note you must count accurately: The 147th moonfall, you must stay clipped down two tiles so you can stand and moonfall again, clipping down an additional three tiles.
PAL Method
There is no separate clip for the method on PAL, but see the current world record run for a method on PAL.
Notable differences from the NTSC method:
- Speed is gained faster. Thus, a "standard" ice moonfall setup can be done, with no frame perfect killing of the bottom Viola.
- Since more speed is gained, a different position for the bottom Viola is needed.
- Since more speed is gained initially and per every single moonfall, only 36 moonfalls need to be done after the initial setup. Since enemies stay frozen relatively longer, between 9 and 12 moonfalls can be done consistently. Thus, only 3 or 4 re-freezes of the Viola are needed.
- If the methods in the NTSC setup are used to get multiple re-freezes per Super Missile, this would allow conserving many Supers, greatly shortening the Super farming that must be done afterwards (or eliminating it entirely).
Lava Dive
After performing the above trick, the Lava Dive must be performed with no save. Good luck.
This is why it is suggested to collect Gravity Suit, despite how difficult it is to do.
Farming Supers
Since this method requires using Super Missiles and a gate glitch must be performed, it is either necessary or at least quite helpful to farm Supers. There are, unfortunately, no good enemies to farm from: All available enemies only have a 2% chance.
The best method is to try farming all the enemies in the bottom of Mickey Mouse Room. This can be done reasonably consistently with Speed Booster. Luckily, this is done after the Save, so even if a death from a Dessgeega happens the above trick does not have to be performed again.
Getting to Golden Torizo
To get to Golden Torizo, you cannot go left since there are Power Bomb blocks blocking the Acid Chozo. (Note if there weren't, it is possible to get to Space Jump so this would give another option.)
In Fast Pillars Setup Room, there are Power Bomb blocks.
Fortunately, there are two options.
Mickey Mouse Path
It is possible to ice clip up Mickey Mouse Room.
Only one Multiviola travels all the way to the top of the room. After it gets up there, it is just a standard ice clip. It may be more helpful to review how it is done in current runs, but for a visualization of just this clip see:After this is done, Pillars Room must be traversed, in reverse, with no Energy Tanks or Reserve Tanks.
This is possible, even without Gravity Suit. It is very tight. Since this must be performed after the above annoying ice clip, it is suggested to practice this a lot.
Finally, you then have to gate glitch. In at most five tries, assuming you farmed up to five Supers. Where failing means you have to repeat all of the above.
Ice Moonfall Path
It is possible to setup an ice moonfall in Fast Pillars Setup Room, to fall past the Power Bomb blocks. An RTA setup for this has not yet been found, but this might mostly be due to lack of interest.
Note the gate glitch would still have to be performed after this: The main benefit is not having to do Pillars Room, and because this would be a lot faster.
