Any idea who the moderators are for this board? I submitted some runs a few weeks ago but didn't get a response.

Different versions should definitely be different categories, that's typically the case for games of this era since ports tend to be incomparable in timing. What versions would you like me to add categories for?

Score information by SirNiko: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/588581-populous/80371014

Terrain information by FatRatKnight: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/588581-populous/80005285

Level parameters by @animenewscookie: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1TO6x8d7GEywdesUUp-5KAp8ieDkA4HeIRMWZ1BHnlEQ/edit#gid=580264258

Level select code by either Skayade or Colin (idk original contributor): While playing Conquest Mode, select the Pause Icon and move the cursor over the map. Now hold down L and press A. After this, hold down R and press these buttons in the following order: Y, B, X, A and Select. Now select the Armageddon icon. If it stays gray, the code worked. Go into the setup screen and press A next to Conquest, then select your level using the X and B buttons.

The perfect speedrun plays itself

I think maybe the closest thing I've seen to this in speedrunning is the idea of a low% run. Where you have to pick up the fewest items possible to beat the game. But the way it usually works with that is that everybody already knows the lowest possible number you can achieve, so the leaderboard just keeps track of how fast people are able to beat the game with the requirement that everyone is using that same minimal number of items. It would be harder to do that in a case where you don't know yet how many grapples are needed, and different runs will have different numbers of grapples depending on how good the player is. Not sure if speedrun.com has support for some kind of bi-lateral leaderboard that ranks people by both time and number of grapples. For that kind of thing there'd probably need to be an in-game leaderboard that does it.

Big 20 Race #4 happens February 27th at 1pm EST (7pm CET). Watch it live on http://twitch.tv/bestofnes where we'll be restreaming some of the players and doing commentary.

Follow our Twitter for updates and announcements: http://twitter.com/bestofnes

The rules and the ROMs are posted on our web site: http://thebestofnes.com/big20

You can use this thread to talk about the race, ask questions, give feedback, and share advice with the players.

http://thebestofnes.com/big20/participants/

We're maintaining a list of all runners who are participating in the race, along with links to their twitch streams and twitter accounts.

To sign up for the list, use the form at the top of the page.

Big 20 Race #3 happens September 5th at 1pm EDT (7pm CEST). Watch it live on http://twitch.tv/bestofnes where we'll be restreaming some of the players and doing commentary.

Follow our Twitter for updates and announcements: http://twitter.com/bestofnes

The rules and the ROMs are posted on our web site: http://thebestofnes.com/big20

1. Donkey Kong 3 (round 5)
2. Spelunker (1 loop)
3. A Boy And His Blob
4. Rocky And Bullwinkle
5. Qix (level 3)
6. Ninja Crusaders
7. Rad Racer (stage 2)
8. Golf (18 holes)
9. Solstice (code allowed)
10. Double Dragon 2 (stage 5)
11. Shadowgate (beat cyclops)
12. Metroid (beat Ridley)
13. Super C (J version. code allowed)
14. Toki
15. Little Nemo (stage 5)
16. Darkwing Duck
17. Jackal (stage 4)
18. Kid Icarus (stage 2-4)
19. Ninja Gaiden 2 (stage 5)
20. Batman

You can use this thread to talk about the race, ask questions, give feedback, and share advice with the players.

Big 20 Race #3 happens Saturday September 5th at 1pm EDT (7pm CEST).

The game list will be announced on Wednesday August 5th (time TBA) -- the announcement will be streamed live on the BestOfNES channel: http://twitch.tv/bestofnes

http://twitter.com/bestofnes http://thebestofnes.com/big20

In Tennis if you lose the first set, you can keep playing until you win a set. You can also reset at any time.

The goal has been reworded to "Win 1 set" instead of "Win the first set"

Big 20 Race #2 happens May 2nd at 1pm EDT (7pm CEST). Watch it live on http://twitch.tv/bestofnes where we'll be restreaming some of the players and doing commentary.

Follow our Twitter for updates and announcements: http://twitter.com/bestofnes

The rules and the ROMs are posted on our web site: http://thebestofnes.com/big20

1. Donkey Kong Jr
2. Balloon Fight (beat stage 12)
3. Tennis (win 1 set, comp level 3)
4. Arkanoid (beat round 2)
5. Jaws
6. Circus Charlie
7. Bram Stoker's Dracula (easy)
8. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (level 2)
9. Renegade (easy)
10. Fire n Ice (worlds 1 to 3)
11. Strider
12. Trojan
13. DuckTales 2 (easy)
14. Mickey Mousecapade
15. Gun.Smoke (stages 1 to 4)
16. Karnov
17. Joe & Mac
18. Bucky O'Hare (beat the 4 planets)
19. Castlevania
20. The Legend Of Zelda (get magical sword)

You can use this thread to talk about the race, ask questions, give feedback, and share advice with the players.