Exploration analysis

(Incomplete) maps for the exploration analysis (distinguishing PAL and NTSC):

[The maps are relatively small, so it is recommended to enlarge them to see the differences between some of the many colours.]

NTSC:

http://i.imgur.com/RiYCtLT.png

Procedure:

For every map-square, find all minimal item-combinations that allow the player in theory (means: regarding tool-assisted gameplay) to get there [with a certain, given ruleset, which is "no OoB, no Spazer+Plasma, no GT-Code and no Bomb-Grapple-Hang-Teleportations" in this case].

"Minimal" is defined by set-inclusion [for example: If one can get to a position A with a = (Ball,1 Missile pack) and with b = (Ball,1 Missile pack, Bombs), then a obsoletes/replaces b since it is a strict subset of b] where item-types and amounts are compared.

For all map-squares, for which the set of all such minimal options is the same, the same colour is used [note that this set is a subset of the power-set of the set of all items, and in general it is not just one item-combination].

Also, the identity of items for which there exist other items of the same kind is neglected in here (means: I do not distinguish which Missile, SuperMissile, Powerbomb, E-Tank or R-Tank was collected, and only look at the amount of those items).

Meaning of the colours:

bright-blue (Ceres, Ship-area, parts of Blue-Brinstar): {( )} [empty set, unique minimal item-combination to explore the corresponding map-squares in this case]

blue (in Blue-Brinstar): {(Ball)}

violet (Blue-Brinstar, Ship-area): {(Ball,1*M)}

red (Ship-area, left part of Brinstar): {(Ball,1*M,Bomb)}

orange (right part of Brinstar, upper Norfair, Ship-area): {(Ball,1*M,Bomb,1*SM)=:E1}

[E for "equipment". I use those abbreviations to make things shorter, since these items are needed quite often, obviously]

yellow (Brinstar, Wrecked Ship, Ship-area, outer Maridia, entrance to Lower Norfair): {(Ball,1*M,Bomb,1*SM,1*PB)=(E1,1*PB)=:E2}

dark-green (near Charge-room in Brinstar): {(E2),(E1,Ice,Wave),(E1,Ice,Spazer)}

pink (Tourian): {min.-item-combinations to be able to at least enter Tourian, no explicit form available...}

brown-golden (near old Craterian shaft): {min.-item-combinations to be able to collect the Craterian SuperMissile}*

[* means that the explicit form of the set can be found in the Item-Tree Analysis]

brown-red (near Dachora´s room): {min.-item-combinations to be able to collect the left Charge-room E-Tank}*

dark-blue (Tourian): {min.-item-combinations to be able to kill Mother Brain (completely), no explicit form available...}

"normal"-grey (Mother Brain´s screen): {min.-item-combinations to get into Mother Brain´s screen, no explicit form available...}

green-grey-yellow (below Ice): {(E2),(E1,Speed)}

dark-violet (near Crocomire): {min.-item-combinations to get into the last screen of the bottom path from Ice to Crocomire, no explicit form available...}

turquoise (Lower Norfair): {min.-item-combinations to be able to at least survive riding the elevator leading to Lower Norfair, no explicit form available...}

bright-orange (near Plasma): {min.-item-combinations to be able to collect Plasma}*

blue,dotted (Maridian beach): {min.-item-combinations to be able to collect the hindmost Maridian beach items}*

red,dotted (near Draygon): {min.-item-combinations to be able to collect Draygon´s Missile}*

violet,dotted (near Springball): {min.-item-combinations to be able to at least get past the powerbomb-block-wall in Shaktool´s room, no explicit form available}

orange,dotted (near Snail-room): {min.-item-combinations to be able to collect the first Maridian beach Missile}*

bright-blue,dotted (screen of Maridian Powerbomb): {min.-item-combinations to be able to collect the Maridian Powerbomb}*

dark-green,dotted (near Golden Torizo): {min.-item-combinations to be able to collect GT´s Missile, no explicit form available}

pink,dotted (screen of Ridley´s E-Tank): {min.-item-combinations to be able to collect Ridley´s E-Tank, no explicit form available}

bright-green,dotted (near Ridley): {min.-item-combinations to be able to at least get into Ridley´s room, no explicit form available}

black,dotted (near Ridley-Powerbomb): {min.-item-combinations to be able to collect Ridley´s Powerbomb, no explicit form available}

brown-red,dotted (near Botwoon): {min.-item-combinations to be able to at least get into Botwoon´s screen}

green-grey-yellow,dotted (near Red Brinstar´s green gate): {(E2,Ice),(E2,Gravity),(E2,Grapple),(E2,Speed,X-Ray,Springball)}

[Speed = Speedbooster]

There are some remaining areas/screens for which I do neither know already which of them share the same min.-item-combinations nor what those are (grey screens): both Cacatac-rooms in Maridia; screens on the right side of Botwoon; Springball entrance area.

PAL:

http://i.imgur.com/k3H2Fzi.png

Procedure: In principle the same as for the NTSC part.

Meaning of the colours:

Everything is the same as in the NTSC part, except:

bright-green (Maridia): {(E2),(E1,Ice)}

black (Wrecked Ship, Maridia): {(E2),(E1,Ice,HighJump)}

yellow,dotted (near Snail-room): {min.-item-combinations to be able to collect the Maridian R-Tank}*

green-grey-yellow,dotted (near Red Brinstar´s green gate): {(E1,Ice),(E2,Gravity),(E2,Grapple),(E3,Speed,HighJump)}

[E3 := (Ball,2*M,Bomb,2*SM,2*PB), for Crystal Flashes]

dark-violet,dotted (Maridian mountain room): {(E2,HighJump)}