Minimal simultaneous buttons analysis

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Minimal "maximal number of simultaneously pressed buttons" analysis (for PAL and NTSC, inbounds, without SpaceTime-beam): (last update: 04.10.2017; R-/G-Mode applications allow for more items that can be collected)

Theoretically, the game can be beaten by TAS, if for each frame at most 1 button (which is optimal, since 0 buttons is impossible) is allowed to be used/pressed (which is unlikely to be humanly doable, because of the Noob-Bridge room), since test results showed that getting across the "Noob"-Bridge and Reserve-Mode Force-Stand method for pre-Botwoon-room is feasible for TAS with such constraints.

TODO: Demonstration videos for the relevant obstacles, or a videos for an entire max% playthrough in this manner.


General main ideas/issues are:

(i) If one presses Down during a stationary jump, then Samus will keep that pose after releasing Down, hence one can that way shoot downwards.

(ii) Before bombs are collected, stationary jumps and/or step-spinjumps have to be used to climb onto ledges and platforms where one only can start moving sideways after starting to fall. But as soon as one has bombs, TAS can use IBJ and HIBJ aswell.

(iii) If one stands or is in crouch on the ground and presses Shot 1 frame strictly after Up was held, then one can still shoot (beams/SuperMissiles/Missiles) upwards (which is needed in some cases like exiting pre-1.Missile room after getting that Missile pack).


Max% for the corresponding (non-major-glitched) category is 98% for PAL and NTSC (left Charge-room E-Tank and WS-R-Tank cannot be collected with tool-assisted superplay since CF. and starting to run for echoes require more than 1 button simultaneously being pressed).


Max% for the corresponding (non-major-glitched) category is 95% on PAL if R-/G-Mode is also banned (left Charge-room E-Tank, Ice, left Norfair Missile, WS-R-Tank and Mainstreet-Missile cannot be collected with tool-assisted superplay since mockball, CF., starting to run for echoes require more than 1 button simultaneously being pressed, but in here, one can roll across the whole crumble-block-bridge in early-SM room in contrast to NTSC).

Max% for the corresponding (non-major-glitched) category is 91% on NTSC if R-/G-Mode is also banned (same items as for PAL aswell as early SM., Brinstar-R-Tank, 1.Brinstar-R-Tank-M. and 2.Brinstar-R-Tank-M. cannot be collected in this case).


In both cases, Springball can indeed be collected via grappling upwards in a tricky way without hurting the constraints to destroy the Grapple-block near the item (for which a visualisation might be provided aswell at some time).

TODO: Details about the set of Low% options.