Pacifist analysis
Definition
Least number of killed enemies:
In order to obtain an as canonical and objective definition that fits to the game and its structure, the following analysis will refer to a definition of when an enemy is killed(*) and as how many kills an enemy kill counts by means of actions by Samus or the player that extends from the logic that the grey in-game enemy kill-count shells use via memory watching each of the in total 32 healthpoints tracking slots for enemies. The objective is to beat the game while minimizing the number of healthpoint slots (which will be corresponding to enemies and their parts) that are reduced by any means from a value above 0 to 0 during the playthrough.
The following analysis is meant to cover NTSC aswell as PAL, for the general surrounding ruleset given by
- No Out of Bounds
- No Spazer+Plasma
- No GT Code
- No Savestation G-Mode Memory Corruption
(*) Note that just hurting enemies will be ignored in this analysis as long as it doesn't lead to reducing the number of healthpoints of an enemy slot to 0.
As sidenote, freezing an enemy by a shot means that this shot did not reduce the amount of healthpoints that the enemy had before being frozen.
Information and clarification based on RAM Watch tests on the number of enemy slots that corresponds to enemies when they are killed:
(...)
Pacifist-Max%(92%)
List of all items that cannot be obtained:
- Missile in Wrecked Ship next to Attic
- Pink Brinstar E-Tank
- upper Red Brinstar powerbomb
- Kraid E-Tank
- Highjump
- Missile near Highjump
- E-Tank near Highjump
- Plasma
All other items can be obtained for a playthrough, so the maximum is 92%.
Sidenotes for specifics on the collection of some items: The items past Crocomire can be collected since Crocomire going by definition doesn't count towards killed enemies. And Golden Torizo's Super Missile can be collected after Spacejump using R-Mode and a Crystal Flash (or refilling health from GT's eggs) and clipping back up to the left door with a forced standing pose when Reserves trigger in R-Mode. The E-Tank in the fireflea room in Lower Norfair can be obtained by bombjumping and rolling over the Fune. For X-Ray one can get the Beetom in Red Tower attached to Samus and get rid of it further down to not have to kill it with a powerbomb for the yellow shell in the room, and on the way back one can X-Ray-Climb in Red Tower to avoid killing the Beetom. For Waterway E-Tank, one can get rid of the speed blocks in multiple steps with echoes and release the enemies or freeze them to avoid killing them. Gravity can be obtained by getting stuck deep in the Wrecked Ship entrance door in the ocean room and then X-Ray-Climb up to skip the Attic room.
Pacifist-Low%
List of generally required items:
Ball, 1.Missile, Bombs, Varia, Ice,...
Low% route & item-combination for TAS: (...)
