14% SuperChargeless

From A complete guide to Super Metroid speedrunning
Jump to: navigation, search
Something
 
Super Metroid Category
14% superchargeless
14% superchargeless
WORLD RECORD
3:44:56
1:45 IGT
Full Category
World Record Holder
World Record Holder:
Kingofthehill476
WORLD RECORD RECORDING

Category Details

Timing
Start Timer:
On Start Game
Stop Timer:
Entering Ship Animation
Location
Begin At:
Ceres Station
End At:
End of Zebes Escape
Collection
Percentage:
14%
Bosses
Major Bosses:
All
Mini-Bosses:
Boss Order:
KPDR
Glitches
No
No


14% SuperChargeless is one of the in-bounds 14% categories that have a known RTA completion. A total of 14 items are picked up during the entire run and focuses on using Super Missiles and Power Bombs for level progression.

This category utilizes L+R Walljumping to breach the water pre-colosseum due to the lack of Gravity Suit, Hi-Jump Boots, Ice Beam, and Grapple. It also utilizes Draygon underflow, due to the lack of Charge Beam.

This 14% category is, perhaps, notable as the option that finishes with the smallest number of major items. The only additional major collected is Varia Suit. Since underflow is done, it is possible to underflow all three types of ammo and use 32768 of them. This would allow for nigh infinite crystal flashes to get through Lower Norfair. Thus, using this category as a base shows that it is possible to beat the game with 16% with only two major items (getting rid of Varia Suit and adding in three more Energy or Reserve tanks).

Prerequisites

To finish this run, you need to know how to:

Collected Items

Morphball.png Bombs.png Varia.png Etank.png Etank.png Reserver.png Missiles.png Missiles.png Supermissiles.png Supermissiles.png Supermissiles.png Powerbomb.png Powerbomb.png Powerbomb.png

Route

This category is similar to 14% Pb-Pb, except Draygon Underflow is required. In other words, Forgotten Highway is required to then do Fish Tank Climb and spark up Mt. Everest. After getting past Botwoon with a CF clip, L+R Walljumping is used to get up Halfie Climb Room. Then Underflow is performed on Draygon, and Maridia is escaped.

The Energy Tank after Botwoon being unavoidable. To make Draygon more palatable (since she must be sniped from the ledge and then a shinespark must be performed to escape from the room), it is suggested to get two Reserve Tanks. This basically forces a KPDR route: Kraid to get Varia and then get Norfair Reserve, Phantoon to open up Forgotten Highway, Draygon to Underflow for ammo to kill Ridley, and then finally Ridley.

The major difference from 14% Pb-Pb is Botwoon. In 14% Pb-Pb, Charge Beam is used to kill Botwoon. Here, we must kill Botwoon after performing a Crystal Flash clip. But after doing this, we will have 0/5 ammo which is not enough to kill Botwoon.

However, Botwoon Hallway has six enemies which are all capable of dropping Supers. Therefore, it is theoretically possible to lead all of the enemies away from the power bomb explosion from the crystal flash clip (as they won't drop supers when it happens since you are full on supers), perform the crystal flash clip to break the crumble blocks, and then go kill the enemies to get either 5 Super drops, 4 Super drops and 2 Missile drops, or 3 Super drops and 3 Missile drops. This adds to a probability of 2.729% (making the usual assumptions on the pRNG actually being perfect).

To lead the Puyos away from the power bomb explosion, you should avoid having them jump into walls. Thus, you should shoot out the walls before they jump into them (and shoot out the walls on the bottom so they are free to move after getting down there).

To save the one threatened Mochtroid (just don't release the other ones), you should only destroy the two block tall regions on the way in (except the last one). Then you can get the Mochtroid hung up on one of these, so it doesn't follow you.

A successful method for this enemy herding can, of course, be found in the world record video. It is probably suggested to play with it yourself. The Puyos are fairly simple, but the Mochtroid can be a bit of a pain.

This means that, on average, one must do 37 suitless Crystal Flash clips (with saving the Puyos and the Mochtroid every time) before one would be successful.

Actual Probability

The above 2.729% assumed the pRNG was perfect.

If we instead assume you are full on Energy (as a CF was just performed) and are in the main RNG loop (which will be true with normal gameplay, the probability is actually 2.95%.

If, instead, we are in the small RNG loop, the probability increases to 3.68%.

Small RNG loop: Some basics

Since the probability is increased by 0.73% in the small loop, it's possible that runners may want to take advantage of this.

The following setup, due to EternisedDragon, works on both NTSC and PAL:

  • Having 69 energy (no Reserves), and 0x00 (default) sub-unit HP (by not having had heat or acid or lava damage beforehand), and then aligning to the blue door to the right leading into the 1st heated Norfair room with sidehoppers, opening it (with pea shot), and walking into the room to die to only heat (and then continue anywhere else at some previous savestation or ship).

Note that entering a room with Beetoms, Sidehoppers, or lava/acid (even if the lava or acid is not visible: this is most of Norfair) will allow the RNG to escape. Also, if you reset, the RNG will escape. Thus, you should always die instead.

Since Red Tower has a Beetom, and this category goes via Forgotten Highway, it would be suggested to save in Aqueduct and then go to Norfair from there. Then when you die due to the setup, you can start at your save in Aqueduct. Thus, if you are trying across multiple days, you would just have to do this before the first attempt of the day (and then remember to end all attempts by dying, not by reseting).

The setup requires have 0x00 sub-unit HP. If you accidentally take heat/acid/lava damage, this can be corrected in the following way:

1. Have Reserves set to Manual with some energy in them, have Varia, and go to a heated room;

2. Unequip Varia;

3. Pause just before you die, so your health becomes 0 during the fadeout (this also sets your sub-unit to 0x00, as desired);

4. Equip Varia and add some energy from Reserves.

As a final remark, the small loop is more likely to be successful due to increased odds for Supers. The odds for Missiles is actually very slightly lower.