Check Out This Super Metroid Speedrunning Tutorial!
Speedrunning is and has always been a big part of Metroid games. From the very first title on NES, the series has encouraged players to go fast with special endings and other rewards. However, some like to compete and go even further beyond in an attempt to get the fastest time possible. To accomplish this, there’s more than just being good at the game; you need to be able to optimize every input and learn the fastest way to get past any obstacle.
Super Metroid is of course no exception. As an old game with a vibrant speedrunning community, many tricks have been discovered to save valuable frames, and movement through every room in the game has been optimized. These techniques have been practiced by the top runners for years, but can be daunting for those unfamiliar with them. So, then, how can you, a newcomer to speedrunning Super Metroid, hope to learn all this?
Well, fortunately, Oatsngoats, ranked #3 in the highly competitive Super Metroid Any% category, has started a tutorial series to help players start their speedrunning journey. In this first video, he goes through Ceres Station, the opening area in the game, and gives a step-by-step guide on desirable movement and tech. For example, in the first room, you can jump off the starting elevator and weave all the way through the platforms to reach the door at the bottom. You’re taught when to enter doors, and introduced to arm pumping, a technique where you quickly alternate between pressing L and R, as well as are shown when to use it. And of course, there are many more nuances, such as how to get through the Ridley fight as quickly as possible by tanking damage from his tail, which you can see in the video below. Even if you aren’t into speedrunning yourself, seeing the movement here can give you a newfound appreciation for all the work that goes into speedrunning.
What do you think? Does this video make you want to speedrun the game? Even if not, does this video make you want to see a full speedrun? Let us know in the comments below!
Source: Oatsngoats
GameWyrm (AKA GameWyrm97) is a Website Reporter for Omega Metroid. Probably binging a random YouTube series.
