[Genesis/Mega Drive] Advanced Tutorial (January 1st 2022)

[Genesis/Mega Drive] Any% Run Notes

Full game segmented run: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/919551428
6-2 Start clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xSWWClBNT0
3-2 Skip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1befayOHZAE
6-2 Floor skip overview: https://youtu.be/euljx9yi0vM
6-2 Consistant Floor skip: https://clips.twitch.tv/TallAssiduousSushiPJSugar


There are two versions of the game, Pal and Brazilian version. The Pal version runs at 50Hz while the Brazilian version runs at 60Hz. This means the Brazilian version is faster Real Time than the Pal version by 20%. The two games are mostly the same with a few minor changes.
   - Pal version Lightning + Fire shots do 4 damage, Brazilian version do 3 damage -> 1st level boss is slower in brazilian version
   - Pal version 1-1 rotating platforms are spinning, Brazilian version they are stopped -> Pal version you have to do precise jumps to skip it.
   - Pal version 1-2 water kills Maui, Brazilian version only damages Maui -> Shouldn't happen very often by being in the Brazilian version you can continue the run.
   - Pal version 3-2 Safe Skip continues into an area where Small Maui can jump-shot and easily skip through the mud walls. Brazilian version has to use a mosquito to skip the wall.
   - Pal version 4 level enemies don't spawn a fire bird when hit. Brazilian version the enemies spawn a fire bird when hit.
   - Pal version 4-2 level has the life easy to grab. Brazilian version has to lose a bit of time to get it.

Throughout the level guide I'm going to use the timestamps of the full game segmented run which runs the Brazilian version.

Level 1:
- Specific bug ammo is collected throughout the level to speed up the boss, there are two different routes for it:
   --1. Reliable (0.25s-0.5s slower): Collect the lightning bug when passing through the rotating platforms (-0.25s) (at 1:29), jump from the bottom to get the fire bug in the last corridor (-0.25s) (at 2:21). It is possible to conserve ammo with fire bugs and not require the last pick.
   --2. Quicker: Collect the bomb bug when going over the water (at 1:46) (no time loss).
- Shooting at 1:14 shrinks your hitbox so that you can make it below the spider.
- There is a frame perfect trick at the second staircase in 1-2 where you can jump right as you spawn (2:03), skipping the two jumps to climb. This is possible in all staircases, but only in the second does it save time. It doesn't lose any time to try it.
- At the start of the organ, if you jump and land on the left side of the keyboard, you can grab the fire ammo and still skip one of the platforms (at 2:27).
- Boss: There is a precise frame window where you can crouch cancel your shots to shoot a bit faster. This is hard to time. The two strats can kill the boss at the same speed, the time save is on collecting the ammo, but one is hard and the other is very easy:
   --1. Reliable (full lightning+fire shots): Just focus on shooting lightning+fire bugs constantly at a safe distance and the boss will die before you run out.
   --2. Quicker: To kill the boss you have to move to the right as you fall, and then quick shot all the bomb bugs while the spider is still getting up. Afterwards move to the left a bit and fire all the lightning+lire bugs you have. If everything works right, you should have just enough ammo to kill the boss. If missing the some of the shots, you should change to the remaining fire/lightining bugs you have to inflict more damage.

Level 2:
- The 2-1 skip (at 3:08) is done by doing a long jump at the hook and then transform back to normal Maui in the air. Then by jumping again, you bypass the floor and end on the spikes. Firing gets you clipped into the wall and get sent left.
   -- You can soft lock with this trick, as it can send you a bit to the right of the platform on the left and you get stuck.
   -- Clicking left before you do the double jump sends you to the right side of the spikes (closer to the end of the level). Left clicking at the same time you do the double jump lets you consistantly appear in the middle of the spikes, instead of the left which is where you would normally appear.
- For the 2-2 skip (at 3:17) just jump at the lowest heigh from the grip, and angle yourself between the rocks, then grab. The last pull up needs to start from almost the top pixel that can be grabbed, but it's not hard to get it. If you attack to the left side as you go up, you hit the ninja and he won't attack you.
- Swings seem to be on a global timer from the moment you spawn them. They will always appear in one of two locations for the first time.
- To do the 2-3 skip (at 3:39), just dash to the left as soon as you grab the health, then do not click anything as you fall until you're midway through the platform, then start mashing grab. This skip doesn't save much time but grabs you an extra attack move which can be used in the boss fight.
- The time the boss ninjas spawn is based on frame rule. The statue opens one of its hands and it'll try to spawn the next wave of ninjas. If the previous wave still hasn't been cleared, you'll have to wait for the next hand-opening animation to start the next wave. This also applies to ending the fight.
   -- The fight is pretty consistant until the Red+Blue ninjas appear. The Black ninja is the most random.
   -- You can hit the ninjas while they are still falling after spawning.
   -- You can hit them when they are jumping backwards, they just won't react from it.

Level 3:
- After the 3-1 double jump (at 5:09),  you can try and do the fast skip or the safe skip by collecting or not collecting the ninja token twice.
- The fast 3-2 skip where you go over the top path is precise. There is only ONE CHANCE to get this skip. Missing it will set you back over a minute.
- Slow skip (picked only one ninja token (about 40 ninja points left), ends with the mosquitos killed):
   -- Reach the end of 3-1 as ninja maui.
   -- Crouch transform as soon as you can in the start of 3-2
   -- Jump up the rope twice, then pull a bit more up and jump to the mud slider.
   -- If everything was done correctly, the first bit of mud going down is just a bit to the right of the second muddrake.
   -- The second mud drip should be between the third and fourth muddrake.
   -- Stopping below the forth muddrake, you can kill both mosquitos.
   -- Jump above the next mud drip and transform to ninja.
   -- You can either wait for the next mud drip (safe strat) or dash and spend the remaining points faster.
- Fast skip (picked the ninja token twice (about 140 ninja points left), harder to do):
   -- Turn to normal maui before entering 3-2 (at 5:19).
   -- Quickly go up the rope, and start transforming as you jump to the ramp (at 5:24).
   -- Dash up the ramp until you have between 30 and 40 points remaining (at 5:25).
   -- Continue onwards jumping over the mud drops.
   -- You should reach the end of the ramp with 10 or less points remaining, able to double jump before the next drop comes (at 5:28).
   -- If your dash made it have more than 40 points, you can do a quick dash after jumping the drop to lower it a bit and do the jump at the end. If you don't do that, you will be hit by the mud drop before you can double jump.
   -- If you have less than 30 points left, you can turn to normal maui after jumping the mud drop, and do the safe strat where you kill the mosquitos, or risk transforming again and trying to double jump with them alive (don't advise it).
- Safe Skip (picked ninja tokens twice): 
   -- Go up the rope and to the platform on the left. 
   -- Transform to ninja then dash right. You will be over the platform. 
   -- Jump down and attack as ninja to grab the bomb beetle over the wall.
   -- Transform back to normal maui and get small.
   -- Use the bombs to bypass the fights.
   -- You can skip a wall using a mosquito, watch PC run for that skip.
- The boss is on frame rules as well. Most of the fight is doable with the normal gun, after the 7th you should change to lightning ammo and you can just keep shooting to kill all remaining tokens without losing all ammo. Screen Nukes are useful for the last totem (two totems if you used the safe skip)

Level 4:
- To quickly change directions on hooks, wait a very small bit after grabbing the hook (if you don't, you'll just fall down), then release while clicking the other way. After releasing, attack to hook once more.
- In the bonus room (at 6:59) you get bombs, and hp refill and health upgrade.
- When you reach the boss room (at 7:28), dash to the center to more quickly spawn the boss.
- Phase 1 boss is mostly improvisation. You can try to get hit in the air to get two hits in instead of one.
- Use the bombs to do screen nukes, to kill the second and third phase of the boss in one hit.
- If you go up the lift before the second and third phase boss starts, the rising animation doesn't happen, saving a few seconds, but it's harder to time the bombs since you can't see the boss.

Level 5:
- You're going to hate speedrunning this level. Springs just don't work well when you're damage boosting through them.
- Consistency is VERY important, or you'll be overwelmed by all the muddrakes and mosquitos.
- The extra life at the start is useful for level 7.
- Jumping and regrabbing ropes is faster than just climbing them.
- It is advisable to screen nuke the mosquitos in 5-1 (at 9:05), they are super annoying.
- You can skip part of the second bungy jump puzzle (at 9:19) by letting go on the top to damage boosting on the spikes above and then grab the platform going up and down.
- You can skip the last bungy jump puzzle by damage boosting in the spikes (at 9:39). To do that, get to the top of the ropes, then move down and then quickly jump up and to the right.
- The skip in 5-2 (at 10:00):
   -- Either be in invicibility frames by being hit, or kill the muddrake.
   -- Let go of the rope and move to the right.
   -- Tap left at the last moment before you get damaged.
- Two cycling the boss is possible but very hard (at 10:27). To do it:
   -- Fall from the top and shot to hit the toad on the way down.
   -- Grab the platform on the way up, and move to the center, then fire to hit the second time.
   -- Move to the left about to 1/4th of the distance of the platform left, then fire.
   -- Move to the total left of the platform, then fire again.
   -- Let go and head to the right side toad. Hit on the way down and grab the platform.
   -- Rest is mostly being in range to fire then moving away to not get hit by the fire from the hit.
   -- First toad is always consistant because the platforms are loaded always in the same position for the first time
   -- Second one is more random since the the platforms have been loaded and they keep moving.
	
Level 6:
- Water physics suck.
- The first skip is pretty easy (at 10:53):
   -- Grab the ammo, then fall near the edge of the platform.
   -- Move just a bit right to fall off the platform and shot upwards while in the air.
   -- If the clip was good, move to the left and you'll fall through the floor.
- You can shot to the right side where there is another one of these skips, or you can continue the level like normal. The difference in time is about 2 seconds.
- At the start of 6-2 there is another skip (not shown in video, would be at 11:11). Head to the right, start the bomb, then head to the left. In a very specific spot, and with good timing you can shot upwards and fall through the floor. If you fail, you die.
- Second skip is only done if the first one is done. You have just to jump high (jump shot does this) while pointing to the left, and you'll pass through the floor in the platform above which is on top after you go to the right after the skip. Both first and second skip save about 2-4 seconds.
- Third skip you can bypass a large chunk of the stage (at 11:48): 
   -- Set yourself at the limit of the platform, and softly click left until you fall (you need to be in the first pixel as you fall).
   -- If you start shooting just as soon as you move to the first pixel you're falling, you will do the skip safely, but not the optimal skip (you don't fully pass the wall as you fall).
   -- If you start shooting as the feet are in between the 2nd and 3rd line, you may get the better skip. You have about 5 frames to do this or you'll die.
   -- If you shot in the right time, you move to the right side of the wall.
- Forth skip you have to hit just below the wall (not shown in video, would be at 11:56). You should bypass the wall and keep right next to the bombs. If you miss it, just continue normally.
- Don't forget to grab the bombs for the boss fight.
- The boss is one of the hardest to do casually, but the skip is pretty simple. Just fire 1 or 2 bomb while the head in hidding. He should then appear and just die. Shooting 3 might fail, and 4 most of the times fail. The reason why this happens is thought to be overflow damage (damage so high it becomes negative damage).

Level 7:
- You can skip the basic gun at the start to save a few frames.
- The green goe will slow you down, so you have to do the first jump of the double jump a bit sooner than normal (at 12:57). I normally go at about 7 points remaining.
- To get the speed boost (at 13:01), jump while pointing left, fire, and then quickly turn to the right.
- Before you do the double jump over the wall (at 13:08), you can use the bomb to kill the pirate with one hit (if you have bombs). It is possible to jump over the wall without doing a double jump. If you can do it, then you can skip the ship by doing a double jump over the wall.
- If you have enough health you can damage boost through most of the level. There is a full hp refill at the end of 5-1.
- You can skip the autoscroller by being so fast up that the enemies despawn:
   -- At the start just jump and look to the left to spawn the spirit on the top left (at 13:52).
   -- Kill the 3 spirits on right then the 3 on left, and start going up (at 13:55).
   -- If you never slow down, you should hear the bottle being grabbed but you should be high enough for it to despawn before you lose.
   -- At the top, you can jump to the left of the platform to end the level (at 14:30).

Level 8:
- If you have extra health (more than 100) the fight can go rather well and quickly.
- Be careful if you try to dash from the platforms with the beetles (14:42), if you can't grab the hook, you'll die.
- The beetles respawn after you have less than 10 lightning bugs, and you took the bugs on the left side. This makes it so that you can duplicate the bugs on the right side by using the left ones before heading to the right side.
- Route:
   -- Transform to ninja and head to the left side to get the lightning bugs.
   -- Move to the left side of the boss platform, transform to normal maui.
   -- Use all lightning bugs on the boss. Transform to ninja maui and damage boost through the top, hitting the shaman 5 times with the stick (if all the shots hit).
   -- End on the right side after the last hit of phase 1.
   -- Go get the beetles on the right side, they should be duplicated.
   -- Head to the right side of the boss platform. The amount of beetles (20+20) should be enough to finish phase 2 if no shot misses.
   -- Phase 3 fight as ninja maui can be done with either 2, 3 or even 4-6 hits per cycle. 
      --- For 2 hits, attack as the shaman attack comes, then jump and attack in the air. Timing and distance are critical.
      --- For 3 hits, attack before the shaman attack comes, jump to the left and attack in the air, still land in the platform and quickly jump to the right with an attack.
      --- For 4-6 hits, dash as the shaman starts the attack, stop just right in front of him but "inside" the range of his attack. Attack as much as you can with specific rythem and then and jump to hit the last one. It is super hard to get even 4 hits, normally only get 3. I have never got 6 hits in (max was 5).
      --- Missing one of the attacks of 2 hits is more forgiving than missing an attack of 3 hits (because the shaman does a defence animation), but perfect, 3 hit strat should be a bit faster.
      --- Doing two 4-5 hits should be a bit slower than two of 3 hits, since the defence animation should be a bit longer.
      --- If able to consistantly do 4 hits with the dash way, you can combine it with the 2 hits and do a fast 2 wave strat (2 hit + 4 hit), which is faster than only doing the 2 hits, 3 hits or 4-5 hits strat.
      --- 2 + 4 hits, 2 + 2 + 2 hits, and 2 + 1 + 3 hits demonstrated on the fight with the last boss (at 15:32)

[Genesis/Mega Drive] Beginner Tutorial (January 1st 2022)

https://youtu.be/7I2BaQSSW9g

Check this video out too for an alternate 2-1 skip - https://youtu.be/jf3OxA_DOoA

[PC] Any% Run Notes

I made this pastebin that contains a bunch of notes on tech, tricks and individual level routes for the Any% run: https://pastebin.com/1vVExEXS

References a segmented run showcasing current optimal strats, which you can also find here: https://youtu.be/PhYsNOEBCeg

(Note that since these notes, a new glitch has been found that allows for two additional skips in level 2. I'll probably update this guide eventually)

Name	Author
[Genesis/Mega Drive] Advanced Tutorial (January 1st 2022)	SBDWolf 3 years ago
[Genesis/Mega Drive] Any% Run Notes	FrancisJAM 4 years ago
[Genesis/Mega Drive] Beginner Tutorial (January 1st 2022)	SBDWolf 3 years ago
[PC] Any% Run Notes	SBDWolf 4 years ago