A complete guide to Super Metroid speedrunning - User contributions [en]

Beginners Route

2025-12-04T05:07:47Z

Big Head Mode:

{{#ev:youtube|RNE3Ijr5GAU}}

== What Every Super Metroid Speedrunner Should Know ==

Running this game can be fun! It can just be a casual way to enjoy a game you already like. There are strategies to skip parts of the game (making the run shorter) and some of them are fairly easy to do with practice. Much of this wiki uses technical terms familiar to hardcore runners of Super Metroid. This page will endeavor to be light on jargon or at least link to information about the jargon. If you don't understand a word, search it on this wiki -- it might be explained!

Before you run, get a handle on:

* Saving / save states -- dying without saving is a run killer and a mood killer. Use save states (emulator / practice hack) or save rooms while you're still learning.
* [[Practice hack]] -- has many useful features, though the HUD is confusing (can be configured to a near(?) unmodded HUD). You need to decide if you're using the practice hack before you start your run. It uses a totally different ROM (game file) than the normal game.
* [[Control Schemes]] -- Set your own control scheme based on what makes sense for you. You can switch later, the choice is not permanent
* Although not acceptable in any leaderboards, you can try [https://metroidconstruction.com/hack.php?id=161 the Control Freak hack] if you want an (arguably) more intuitive control scheme. You can still practice routing with Control Freak, but you won't be able to learn some of the precise inputs of vanilla Super Metroid because the controls are different. [[User:Big_Head_Mode]] enjoys Control Freak and vanilla/Practice Hack and does casual routes in each.

== Route ==

This is very beginner-friendly [[Any%]] [[KPDR]] route. It's an easier version of [[Nintendo Power%]]. This page was originally created by [[User:UNHchabo]]. Occasionally we use North/South/East/West to correspond to the Top/Bottom/Right/Left side of the game world.

=== Full Route ===

These are the splits from UNHchabo's split file, with their times in (parenthesis). They are in order and correspond to the above video.

You probably want every "safety" described on the [[KPDR]] page. (TODO: Some safeties are definitely already in the route. Is every safety in the route? If so, delete this whole paragraph.)

Steps that deviate from the video are in '''bold'''.

# Enter Ridley's Chamber (16.08s)
# Finish Ridley (26.52s)
# Ceres Escape (18.12s)
# Blue Brinstar (41.22s)
# Morph Ball (10.75s)
# '''Can practice [[mockball|mockballs]] here in [[Morph Ball Room]].''' Probably the easiest room in the game to practice mockballs before they can be used for [[Early Supers Room]]. There may be practice setups in the [[practice hack]].
# First Missiles (10.75s)
# Blue Brinstar Missiles (10.72s)
# Back to Crateria (16.07s)
# Bombs (1m09.23s)
# Bomb Torizo (23.58s)
# Terminator E-Tank (29.78s)
# Green Brinstar (15.25s)
# Charge Missiles (39.78s)
# Charge Beam (04.82s)
# '''Can mockball to skip Spore Spawn.''' Even with several failed attempts at the mockball, it will still be faster than fighting Spore Spawn. If you forgot to practice at [[Morph Ball Room]] or [[Landing Site]], you can practice one room south in [[Dachora Room]] when you enter.
# Enter Spore Spawn Room (42.50s)
# Spore Spawn (1m19.12s)
# Spore Spawn Supers (25.40s)
# '''[[Brinstar Reserve Tank Room]] (the next room over)''' is also a commonly-recommended safety if you need more health during the run than you currently pick up
# Green Hill Missile (30.10s)
# Spazer (45.08s)
# Norfair Elevator (13.22s)
# Hi-Jump E-Tank (14.00s)
# Hi-Jump Boots (09.40s)
# Hi-Jump Missiles (05.83s)
# Back to Brinstar (20.77s)
# Enter Kraid's Chamber (32.25s)
# Kraid (35.20s)
# Varia Suit (03.02s)
# Kraid E-Tank (28.85s)
# Norfair Elevator (12.43s)
# Cathedral Missile (29.12s)
# Lower Bubble Mountain Missile (24.75s)
# Speed Missiles (2m00.15s)
# Speed Booster (01.75s)
# Wave Missiles (28.58s)
# Wave Beam (05.73s)
# '''Can backtrack North to the top of [[Bubble Mountain]]. From here, you can use the [[Bubble Mountain#Randomizer]] strat to [[damage boost]] to the Northwest [[Green Bubbles Missile Room]]. That also leads to [[Norfair Reserve Tank Room]]. Useful safety items?''' If you fall, you can just keep going towards Croc's Chamber. (3m0s)
# Enter Croc's Chamber (48.13s)
# Croc E-Tank (1m01.83s)
# Crocomire (32.35s)
# Post-Croc Power Bomb (12.03s)
# Grapple Beam (21.33s)
# Upper Bubble Mountain Missiles (2m33.25s)
# Norfair Reserve (18.93s)
# Hidden Missile (00.75s)
# Ice Beam (1m01.40s)
# Brinstar Elevator (35.78s)
# Alpha Power Bombs (1m01.00s)
# Power Bomb Missiles (18.07s)
# Crateria Elevator (33.28s)
# Moat Missiles (31.28s)
# Enter Wrecked Ship (27.17s)
# Enter Phantoon's Chamber (26.85s)
# Phantoon (1m57.15s)
# Wrecked Ship Left Supers (17.83s)
# Gravity Suit (1m49.48s)
# Elevator to Brinstar (25.83s)
# Turtle E-Tank (2m00.00s)
# Turtle Missiles (11.05s)
# Crab Supers (43.23s)
# Aqueduct Missile (28.02s)
# Aqueduct Supers (02.18s)
# Enter Botwoon's Room (27.93s)
# Botwoon (35.05s)
# Botwoon E-Tank (14.28s)
# Precious Room Missiles (2m33.98s)
# Enter Draygon's Chamber (08.28s)
# Draygon (1m16.07s)
# Space Jump (05.35s)
# Plasma Beam (1m20.80s)
# Back to Norfair (1m01.00s)
# Lower Norfair Elevator (54.20s)
# '''You don't need to fight [[Golden Torizo]] or get the [[Screw Attack]]. I'm not sure why this was recommended. It presumably leads to significant time savings and an easier run (screw attacking through enemies).'''
# Enter GT Room (50.92s)
# GT Missiles (02.48s)
# Golden Torizo (30.25s)
# Fireflea E-Tank (1m14.47s)
# Enter Ridley's Chamber (1m41.28s)
# Ridley (49.65s)
# Ridley E-Tank (02.98s)
# Exit Lower Norfair (1m31.30s)
# Leave Norfair (44.42s)
# Crateria via Everest (45.80s)
# Golden Four (33.65s)
# Baby Metroid Room (2m02.68s)
# '''Bring enough missiles to kill Mother Brain 1. Don't softlock lol'''
# Mother Brain's Room (1m11.53s)
# Mother Brain 1 MB1 (43.78s)
# Mother Brain 2 MB2 (1m35.32s)
# Mother Brain 3 MB3 (1m27.32s)
# '''Can [[Save the Animals]] during the escape (60s)'''
# Escape Climb (38.70s)
# RTA End (25.45s)
# IGT End (10.93s)

== Time Estimate ==

If you're finished the game a few times and can do an adequate job with intermediate techniques (single wall jump, Space Jump, Grapple Beam, shinespark) you should finish with an in-game timer well below 2:30 (h:mm). The example video clears at 0:59 (1:22 Real Time Attack) but the runner is experienced. With some meandering, and having beaten the game around 7 times prior, I got an IGT of 1:37 (RTA around 2:30) roughly following this route (but with [[Mockball]]s and skipping [[Crocomire]] and [[Golden Torizo]]).

== Explanation ==

This video is a demonstration of a route that I think would be excellent for anyone who has played Super Metroid casually, and wants to do their first ever speedrun of the game. There is already an excellent [https://www.twitch.tv/videos/69192497 beginners' tutorial by Mishrak], but that route has several techniques that you want to learn early on when speedrunning, but still might require some practice to get them reliably.

* This route assumes you can walljump, but have trouble chaining multiple walljumps together
* This route avoids [[Mockball|mockballs]] entirely
* This route assumes you can [[shinespark]] vertically, but don't know how to do horizontal shinesparks
* This route assumes you don't know how to [[short charge]] the speed booster
* This run does one diagonal shinespark, but you could use the Grapple Beam to traverse [[Mt. Everest]] instead
* This route doesn't do the [[Zebetite Skip]], so you need to pick up enough Missiles to destroy the Zebetites
* This run avoids [[Arm Pumping]] entirely. It's a "free" timesave, but I didn't want to introduce new runners to it in a video with no commentary, because then I can't explain why you want to avoid it on downward slopes.

I was inspired to create this video because of the recently-added [[Nintendo Power%]] category, which follows the route laid out in an issue of the magazine. The problem is that the route is very inconsistent in the skill level that it expects out of the player -- it makes you get Grapple Beam before you can pick up Wave Beam, even though that's a fairly simple walljump, but it expects you to get the Norfair Reserve Tank before Grapple Beam, which means you need to get there through either a very precise walljump, or by using a [[Bubble Mountain#Randomizer|Damage Boost]]. This run collects largely the same set of items, but doesn't require even a moderate level of skill to do so. Compared with Nintendo Power%, this run collects one less missile pack (the [[Post Crocomire Jump Room|Grapple missiles]]), skips [[Spring Ball]], skips [[X-Ray]], and collects one additional Energy Tank ([[Lower Norfair Fireflea Room|the Fireflea E-Tank in Lower Norfair]]).

I uploaded my splits file [https://splits.io/2p5g here]. I use the [https://github.com/UNHchabo/AutoSplitters/tree/master/SuperMetroid autosplitter script], which is included in LiveSplit. The Autosplit settings used for the video included splitting on every item pickup, as well as certain door transitions.

== Caveats ==

A few mechanics I think may not come across by watching the video:
* [[Stop on a Dime]] -- There are many times during the run that I'm holding an angle button and tapping the d-pad to scooch Samus forward a small amount without wanting her momentum to carry her further. Also, you can hold an Angle button as a room loads in order to stop immediately
* [[Walljumping]] -- Many casual runners don't realize that the walljump inputs must be pressing away from the wall ''then'' jumping, and instead try to do those inputs simultaneously

Some mistakes that I made in the video:

* I really meant to turn on my input viewer when recording this, so you could see what buttons I'm pressing for any given move
* I left the room after grabbing the [[Alpha Power Bomb Room | Alpha Power Bombs]] without grabbing the missiles behind the statue, so then I had to go back to get them
* I grabbed the Golden Torizo Supers before fighting Golden Torizo, which is a perfectly valid order to do it, but it's not what's reflected in my splits
* At the start of Mother Brain's Room the autosplitter splits twice. At the time this was a known bug that sometimes popped up, and it's since been fixed. Hitting the "Undo Split" button once put the timer back where it should be.

== Variations ==

If you're already familiar with some tricks of the standard run, you can save a substantial amount of time over this route by implementing some aspects of Mishrak's route. Over time you can drop these safety items to speed up your route, as long as you're comfortably able to complete a run without that safety.

* Walljumping up [[Bubble Mountain]] is significantly faster than taking the long way through [[Volcano Room]].
* If you're able to do the shinespark across [[The Moat]], you can skip [[Grappling Beam]], including the need to fight Crocomire. If you have trouble with the [[West Ocean]] shinespark or can't afford the health, you can just turn off [[Hi-Jump Boots]] and jump across those platforms
** Hardest parts of not having Grappling Beam:
*** [[Crateria]]: shinespark across [[The Moat]]
*** [[Maridia]]: wall jumping up overhangs OR jumping on frozen [[Mochtroid]]s (see [[Colosseum]]), consecutive wall-jumps, shinespark "needed" for Energy Tank in [[Mama Turtle Room]] (you can skip this)
*** Skipping the Grappling Beam also means that you'll need to kill [[Draygon]] with some other method, such as the "Beginner" strategy listed on Draygon's page
* If you are still getting [[Grappling Beam]], it's faster to walljump up [[Post Crocomire Shaft]] than going through the Grapple Tutorial rooms
* If you can do the [[Zebetite Skip]], you can skip several missile packs, which can save substantial time from both traversing to the location, and the item fanfare (a '''rough guess''' is that a beginner needs around 80 Missiles and 15 Super Missiles to get through [[Mother Brain]] 1 without the Zebetite Skip [see [[Mother Brain Room]]])

Beginners Route

2025-12-04T05:04:38Z

Big Head Mode:

{{#ev:youtube|RNE3Ijr5GAU}}

== What Every Super Metroid Speedrunner Should Know ==

Running this game can be fun! It can just be a casual way to enjoy a game you already like. There are strategies to skip parts of the game (making the run shorter) and some of them are fairly easy to do with practice. Much of this wiki uses technical terms familiar to hardcore runners of Super Metroid. This page will endeavor to be light on jargon or at least link to information about the jargon. If you don't understand a word, search it on this wiki -- it might be explained!

Before you run, get a handle on:

* Saving / save states -- dying without saving is a run killer and a mood killer. Use save states (emulator / practice hack) or save rooms while you're still learning.
* [[Practice hack]] -- has many useful features, though the HUD is confusing (can be configured to a near(?) unmodded HUD). You need to decide if you're using the practice hack before you start your run. It uses a totally different ROM (game file) than the normal game.
* [[Control Schemes]] -- Set your own control scheme based on what makes sense for you. You can switch later, the choice is not permanent
* Although not acceptable in any leaderboards, you can try [https://metroidconstruction.com/hack.php?id=161 the Control Freak hack] if you want an (arguably) more intuitive control scheme. You can still practice routing with Control Freak, but you won't be able to learn some of the precise inputs of vanilla Super Metroid because the controls are different. [[User:Big_Head_Mode]] enjoys Control Freak and vanilla/Practice Hack and does casual routes in each.

== Route ==

This is very beginner-friendly [[Any%]] [[KPDR]] route. It's an easier version of [[Nintendo Power%]]. This page was originally created by [[User:UNHchabo]]. Occasionally we use North/South/East/West to correspond to the Top/Bottom/Right/Left side of the game world.

=== Full Route ===

These are the splits from UNHchabo's split file, with their times in (parenthesis). They are in order and correspond to the above video.

You probably want every "safety" described on the [[KPDR]] page. (TODO: Some safeties are definitely already in the route. Is every safety in the route? If so, delete this whole paragraph.)

Steps that deviate from the video are in '''bold'''.

# Enter Ridley's Chamber (16.08s)
# Finish Ridley (26.52s)
# Ceres Escape (18.12s)
# Blue Brinstar (41.22s)
# Morph Ball (10.75s)
# '''Can practice [[mockball|mockballs]] here in [[Morph Ball Room]].''' Probably the easiest room in the game to practice mockballs before they can be used for [[Early Supers Room]]. There may be practice setups in the [[practice hack]].
# First Missiles (10.75s)
# Blue Brinstar Missiles (10.72s)
# Back to Crateria (16.07s)
# Bombs (1m09.23s)
# Bomb Torizo (23.58s)
# Terminator E-Tank (29.78s)
# Green Brinstar (15.25s)
# Charge Missiles (39.78s)
# Charge Beam (04.82s)
# '''Can mockball to skip Spore Spawn.''' Even with several failed attempts at the mockball, it will still be faster than fighting Spore Spawn. If you forgot to practice at [[Landing Site]], you can practice one room south in [[Dachora Room]] when you enter.
# Enter Spore Spawn Room (42.50s)
# Spore Spawn (1m19.12s)
# Spore Spawn Supers (25.40s)
# '''[[Brinstar Reserve Tank Room]] (the next room over)''' is also a commonly-recommended safety if you need more health during the run than you currently pick up
# Green Hill Missile (30.10s)
# Spazer (45.08s)
# Norfair Elevator (13.22s)
# Hi-Jump E-Tank (14.00s)
# Hi-Jump Boots (09.40s)
# Hi-Jump Missiles (05.83s)
# Back to Brinstar (20.77s)
# Enter Kraid's Chamber (32.25s)
# Kraid (35.20s)
# Varia Suit (03.02s)
# Kraid E-Tank (28.85s)
# Norfair Elevator (12.43s)
# Cathedral Missile (29.12s)
# Lower Bubble Mountain Missile (24.75s)
# Speed Missiles (2m00.15s)
# Speed Booster (01.75s)
# Wave Missiles (28.58s)
# Wave Beam (05.73s)
# '''Can backtrack North to the top of [[Bubble Mountain]]. From here, you can use the [[Bubble Mountain#Randomizer]] strat to [[damage boost]] to the Northwest [[Green Bubbles Missile Room]]. That also leads to [[Norfair Reserve Tank Room]]. Useful safety items?''' If you fall, you can just keep going towards Croc's Chamber. (3m0s)
# Enter Croc's Chamber (48.13s)
# Croc E-Tank (1m01.83s)
# Crocomire (32.35s)
# Post-Croc Power Bomb (12.03s)
# Grapple Beam (21.33s)
# Upper Bubble Mountain Missiles (2m33.25s)
# Norfair Reserve (18.93s)
# Hidden Missile (00.75s)
# Ice Beam (1m01.40s)
# Brinstar Elevator (35.78s)
# Alpha Power Bombs (1m01.00s)
# Power Bomb Missiles (18.07s)
# Crateria Elevator (33.28s)
# Moat Missiles (31.28s)
# Enter Wrecked Ship (27.17s)
# Enter Phantoon's Chamber (26.85s)
# Phantoon (1m57.15s)
# Wrecked Ship Left Supers (17.83s)
# Gravity Suit (1m49.48s)
# Elevator to Brinstar (25.83s)
# Turtle E-Tank (2m00.00s)
# Turtle Missiles (11.05s)
# Crab Supers (43.23s)
# Aqueduct Missile (28.02s)
# Aqueduct Supers (02.18s)
# Enter Botwoon's Room (27.93s)
# Botwoon (35.05s)
# Botwoon E-Tank (14.28s)
# Precious Room Missiles (2m33.98s)
# Enter Draygon's Chamber (08.28s)
# Draygon (1m16.07s)
# Space Jump (05.35s)
# Plasma Beam (1m20.80s)
# Back to Norfair (1m01.00s)
# Lower Norfair Elevator (54.20s)
# '''You don't need to fight [[Golden Torizo]] or get the [[Screw Attack]]. I'm not sure why this was recommended. It presumably leads to significant time savings and an easier run (screw attacking through enemies).'''
# Enter GT Room (50.92s)
# GT Missiles (02.48s)
# Golden Torizo (30.25s)
# Fireflea E-Tank (1m14.47s)
# Enter Ridley's Chamber (1m41.28s)
# Ridley (49.65s)
# Ridley E-Tank (02.98s)
# Exit Lower Norfair (1m31.30s)
# Leave Norfair (44.42s)
# Crateria via Everest (45.80s)
# Golden Four (33.65s)
# Baby Metroid Room (2m02.68s)
# '''Bring enough missiles to kill Mother Brain 1. Don't softlock lol'''
# Mother Brain's Room (1m11.53s)
# Mother Brain 1 MB1 (43.78s)
# Mother Brain 2 MB2 (1m35.32s)
# Mother Brain 3 MB3 (1m27.32s)
# '''Can [[Save the Animals]] during the escape (60s)'''
# Escape Climb (38.70s)
# RTA End (25.45s)
# IGT End (10.93s)

== Time Estimate ==

If you're finished the game a few times and can do an adequate job with intermediate techniques (single wall jump, Space Jump, Grapple Beam, shinespark) you should finish with an in-game timer well below 2:30 (h:mm). The example video clears at 0:59 (1:22 Real Time Attack) but the runner is experienced. With some meandering, and having beaten the game around 7 times prior, I got an IGT of 1:37 (RTA around 2:30) roughly following this route (but with [[Mockball]]s and skipping [[Crocomire]] and [[Golden Torizo]]).

== Explanation ==

This video is a demonstration of a route that I think would be excellent for anyone who has played Super Metroid casually, and wants to do their first ever speedrun of the game. There is already an excellent [https://www.twitch.tv/videos/69192497 beginners' tutorial by Mishrak], but that route has several techniques that you want to learn early on when speedrunning, but still might require some practice to get them reliably.

* This route assumes you can walljump, but have trouble chaining multiple walljumps together
* This route avoids [[Mockball|mockballs]] entirely
* This route assumes you can [[shinespark]] vertically, but don't know how to do horizontal shinesparks
* This route assumes you don't know how to [[short charge]] the speed booster
* This run does one diagonal shinespark, but you could use the Grapple Beam to traverse [[Mt. Everest]] instead
* This route doesn't do the [[Zebetite Skip]], so you need to pick up enough Missiles to destroy the Zebetites
* This run avoids [[Arm Pumping]] entirely. It's a "free" timesave, but I didn't want to introduce new runners to it in a video with no commentary, because then I can't explain why you want to avoid it on downward slopes.

I was inspired to create this video because of the recently-added [[Nintendo Power%]] category, which follows the route laid out in an issue of the magazine. The problem is that the route is very inconsistent in the skill level that it expects out of the player -- it makes you get Grapple Beam before you can pick up Wave Beam, even though that's a fairly simple walljump, but it expects you to get the Norfair Reserve Tank before Grapple Beam, which means you need to get there through either a very precise walljump, or by using a [[Bubble Mountain#Randomizer|Damage Boost]]. This run collects largely the same set of items, but doesn't require even a moderate level of skill to do so. Compared with Nintendo Power%, this run collects one less missile pack (the [[Post Crocomire Jump Room|Grapple missiles]]), skips [[Spring Ball]], skips [[X-Ray]], and collects one additional Energy Tank ([[Lower Norfair Fireflea Room|the Fireflea E-Tank in Lower Norfair]]).

I uploaded my splits file [https://splits.io/2p5g here]. I use the [https://github.com/UNHchabo/AutoSplitters/tree/master/SuperMetroid autosplitter script], which is included in LiveSplit. The Autosplit settings used for the video included splitting on every item pickup, as well as certain door transitions.

== Caveats ==

A few mechanics I think may not come across by watching the video:
* [[Stop on a Dime]] -- There are many times during the run that I'm holding an angle button and tapping the d-pad to scooch Samus forward a small amount without wanting her momentum to carry her further. Also, you can hold an Angle button as a room loads in order to stop immediately
* [[Walljumping]] -- Many casual runners don't realize that the walljump inputs must be pressing away from the wall ''then'' jumping, and instead try to do those inputs simultaneously

Some mistakes that I made in the video:

* I really meant to turn on my input viewer when recording this, so you could see what buttons I'm pressing for any given move
* I left the room after grabbing the [[Alpha Power Bomb Room | Alpha Power Bombs]] without grabbing the missiles behind the statue, so then I had to go back to get them
* I grabbed the Golden Torizo Supers before fighting Golden Torizo, which is a perfectly valid order to do it, but it's not what's reflected in my splits
* At the start of Mother Brain's Room the autosplitter splits twice. At the time this was a known bug that sometimes popped up, and it's since been fixed. Hitting the "Undo Split" button once put the timer back where it should be.

== Variations ==

If you're already familiar with some tricks of the standard run, you can save a substantial amount of time over this route by implementing some aspects of Mishrak's route. Over time you can drop these safety items to speed up your route, as long as you're comfortably able to complete a run without that safety.

* Walljumping up [[Bubble Mountain]] is significantly faster than taking the long way through [[Volcano Room]].
* If you're able to do the shinespark across [[The Moat]], you can skip [[Grappling Beam]], including the need to fight Crocomire. If you have trouble with the [[West Ocean]] shinespark or can't afford the health, you can just turn off [[Hi-Jump Boots]] and jump across those platforms
** Hardest parts of not having Grappling Beam:
*** [[Crateria]]: shinespark across [[The Moat]]
*** [[Maridia]]: wall jumping up overhangs OR jumping on frozen [[Mochtroid]]s (see [[Colosseum]]), consecutive wall-jumps, shinespark "needed" for Energy Tank in [[Mama Turtle Room]] (you can skip this)
*** Skipping the Grappling Beam also means that you'll need to kill [[Draygon]] with some other method, such as the "Beginner" strategy listed on Draygon's page
* If you are still getting [[Grappling Beam]], it's faster to walljump up [[Post Crocomire Shaft]] than going through the Grapple Tutorial rooms
* If you can do the [[Zebetite Skip]], you can skip several missile packs, which can save substantial time from both traversing to the location, and the item fanfare (a '''rough guess''' is that a beginner needs around 80 Missiles and 15 Super Missiles to get through [[Mother Brain]] 1 without the Zebetite Skip [see [[Mother Brain Room]]])

Endings

2025-12-04T04:54:38Z

Big Head Mode:

== Animals ==

"The animals" are two non-hostile life forms: the Dachoras and Etecoons. They are not documented on this wiki because they cannot harm Samus. They demonstrate for the player [[shinespark]]s and [[wall jump]]ing.

Samus can "Kill the Animals" or "Save the Animals" depending on her actions during the escape (e.g. [[Tourian Escape Room 1]]). It is much faster to kill the animals, so outside of special occasions like donation incentives during Games Done Quick, runners kill the animals.

=== Save the Animals ===

To save the animals, during Escape, make a detour from [[Parlor and Alcatraz]] to [[Bomb Torizo Room]]. Shoot out the right wall. An animation is shown of the animals leaving, but it's unknown by the creator of this page how the game tracks Save the Animals (see [[True Completion]]). There are StA runs that don't wait for the animation. https://www.shacknews.com/article/125534/what-is-super-metroids-save-or-kill-the-animals-incentive-sgdq-2021

A beginner should have ''plenty'' of time to save the animals if there's at least 1m30 remaining on the escape timer. An intermediate player should have plenty of time with at least 1m00. Vorpaledge saved the animals in about 20 seconds.

If the animals are saved, a small animation is shown during the ending while the planet explodes. A few pixels leave the planet heading directly to the right, signifying the animals escaped. (This is the canonical ending leading into Metroid Fusion.)

Note: You do not need to visit the animals before the escape sequence. You never need to visit their "home rooms" in [[Dachora Room]] and [[Etecoon Room]], or otherwise see them.

== Samus's Outfits: IGT ==

IGT aka "Clear Time" determines what Samus is wearing in this sequence.

== Completion Percentage ==

Shown in game as "your rate for collecting items is". See [[Low%]]. This is the final screen in the game, and animates infinitely. By turning off the system / resetting the emulator here, the game will revert to the last time it was saved.

== Links ==

https://www.reddit.com/r/Metroid/comments/qy5zz0/save_the_animals_running_gag_meaning/

https://metroid.retropixel.net/games/metroid3/endings.php

Beginners Route

2025-12-03T07:16:05Z

Big Head Mode: lots of rework

{{#ev:youtube|RNE3Ijr5GAU}}

== What Every Super Metroid Speedrunner Should Know ==

Running this game can be fun! It can just be a casual way to enjoy a game you already like. There are strategies to skip parts of the game (making the run shorter) and some of them are fairly easy to do with practice. Much of this wiki uses technical terms familiar to hardcore runners of Super Metroid. This page will endeavor to be light on jargon or at least link to information about the jargon. If you don't understand a word, search it on this wiki -- it might be explained!

Before you run, get a handle on:

* Saving / save states -- dying without saving is a run killer and a mood killer. Use save states (emulator / practice hack) or save rooms while you're still learning.
* [[Practice hack]] -- has many useful features, though the HUD is confusing (can be configured to a near(?) unmodded HUD). You need to decide if you're using the practice hack before you start your run. It uses a totally different ROM (game file) than the normal game.
* [[Control Schemes]] -- Set your own control scheme based on what makes sense for you. You can switch later, the choice is not permanent
* Although not acceptable in any leaderboards, you can try [https://metroidconstruction.com/hack.php?id=161 the Control Freak hack] if you want an (arguably) more intuitive control scheme. You can still practice routing with Control Freak, but you won't be able to learn some of the precise inputs of vanilla Super Metroid because the controls are different. [[User:Big_Head_Mode]] enjoys Control Freak and vanilla/Practice Hack and does casual routes in each.

== Route ==

This is very beginner-friendly [[Any%]] [[KPDR]] route. It's an easier version of [[Nintendo Power%]]. This page was originally created by [[User:UNHchabo]]. Occasionally we use North/South/East/West to correspond to the Top/Bottom/Right/Left side of the game world.

=== Full Route ===

These are the splits from UNHchabo's split file, with their times in (parenthesis). They are in order and correspond to the above video.

You probably want every "safety" described on the [[KPDR]] page. (TODO: Some safeties are definitely already in the route. Is every safety in the route? If so, delete this whole paragraph.)

Steps that deviate from the video are in '''bold'''.

# Enter Ridley's Chamber (16.08s)
# Finish Ridley (26.52s)
# Ceres Escape (18.12s)
# '''Can practice [[mockball|mockballs]] here at [[Landing Site]].''' It's the easiest room in the game to practice before you can use them for [[Early Supers Room]]. There may be practice setups in the [[practice hack]].
# Blue Brinstar (41.22s)
# Morph Ball (10.75s)
# First Missiles (10.75s)
# Blue Brinstar Missiles (10.72s)
# Back to Crateria (16.07s)
# Bombs (1m09.23s)
# Bomb Torizo (23.58s)
# Terminator E-Tank (29.78s)
# Green Brinstar (15.25s)
# Charge Missiles (39.78s)
# Charge Beam (04.82s)
# '''Can mockball to skip Spore Spawn.''' Even with several failed attempts at the mockball, it will still be faster than fighting Spore Spawn. If you forgot to practice at [[Landing Site]], you can practice one room south in [[Dachora Room]] when you enter.
# Enter Spore Spawn Room (42.50s)
# Spore Spawn (1m19.12s)
# Spore Spawn Supers (25.40s)
# '''[[Brinstar Reserve Tank Room]] (the next room over)''' is also a commonly-recommended safety if you need more health during the run than you currently pick up
# Green Hill Missile (30.10s)
# Spazer (45.08s)
# Norfair Elevator (13.22s)
# Hi-Jump E-Tank (14.00s)
# Hi-Jump Boots (09.40s)
# Hi-Jump Missiles (05.83s)
# Back to Brinstar (20.77s)
# Enter Kraid's Chamber (32.25s)
# Kraid (35.20s)
# Varia Suit (03.02s)
# Kraid E-Tank (28.85s)
# Norfair Elevator (12.43s)
# Cathedral Missile (29.12s)
# Lower Bubble Mountain Missile (24.75s)
# Speed Missiles (2m00.15s)
# Speed Booster (01.75s)
# Wave Missiles (28.58s)
# Wave Beam (05.73s)
# '''Can backtrack North to the top of [[Bubble Mountain]]. From here, you can use the [[Bubble Mountain#Randomizer]] strat to [[damage boost]] to the Northwest [[Green Bubbles Missile Room]]. That also leads to [[Norfair Reserve Tank Room]]. Useful safety items?''' If you fall, you can just keep going towards Croc's Chamber. (3m0s)
# Enter Croc's Chamber (48.13s)
# Croc E-Tank (1m01.83s)
# Crocomire (32.35s)
# Post-Croc Power Bomb (12.03s)
# Grapple Beam (21.33s)
# Upper Bubble Mountain Missiles (2m33.25s)
# Norfair Reserve (18.93s)
# Hidden Missile (00.75s)
# Ice Beam (1m01.40s)
# Brinstar Elevator (35.78s)
# Alpha Power Bombs (1m01.00s)
# Power Bomb Missiles (18.07s)
# Crateria Elevator (33.28s)
# Moat Missiles (31.28s)
# Enter Wrecked Ship (27.17s)
# Enter Phantoon's Chamber (26.85s)
# Phantoon (1m57.15s)
# Wrecked Ship Left Supers (17.83s)
# Gravity Suit (1m49.48s)
# Elevator to Brinstar (25.83s)
# Turtle E-Tank (2m00.00s)
# Turtle Missiles (11.05s)
# Crab Supers (43.23s)
# Aqueduct Missile (28.02s)
# Aqueduct Supers (02.18s)
# Enter Botwoon's Room (27.93s)
# Botwoon (35.05s)
# Botwoon E-Tank (14.28s)
# Precious Room Missiles (2m33.98s)
# Enter Draygon's Chamber (08.28s)
# Draygon (1m16.07s)
# Space Jump (05.35s)
# Plasma Beam (1m20.80s)
# Back to Norfair (1m01.00s)
# Lower Norfair Elevator (54.20s)
# '''You don't need to fight [[Golden Torizo]] or get the [[Screw Attack]]. I'm not sure why this was recommended. It presumably leads to significant time savings and an easier run (screw attacking through enemies).'''
# Enter GT Room (50.92s)
# GT Missiles (02.48s)
# Golden Torizo (30.25s)
# Fireflea E-Tank (1m14.47s)
# Enter Ridley's Chamber (1m41.28s)
# Ridley (49.65s)
# Ridley E-Tank (02.98s)
# Exit Lower Norfair (1m31.30s)
# Leave Norfair (44.42s)
# Crateria via Everest (45.80s)
# Golden Four (33.65s)
# Baby Metroid Room (2m02.68s)
# '''Bring enough missiles to kill Mother Brain 1. Don't softlock lol'''
# Mother Brain's Room (1m11.53s)
# Mother Brain 1 MB1 (43.78s)
# Mother Brain 2 MB2 (1m35.32s)
# Mother Brain 3 MB3 (1m27.32s)
# '''Can [[Save the Animals]] during the escape (60s)'''
# Escape Climb (38.70s)
# RTA End (25.45s)
# IGT End (10.93s)

== Time Estimate ==

If you're finished the game a few times and can do an adequate job with intermediate techniques (single wall jump, Space Jump, Grapple Beam, shinespark) you should finish with an in-game timer well below 2:30 (h:mm). The example video clears at 0:59 (1:22 Real Time Attack) but the runner is experienced. With some meandering, and having beaten the game around 7 times prior, I got an IGT of 1:37 (RTA around 2:30) roughly following this route (but with [[Mockball]]s and skipping [[Crocomire]] and [[Golden Torizo]]).

== Explanation ==

This video is a demonstration of a route that I think would be excellent for anyone who has played Super Metroid casually, and wants to do their first ever speedrun of the game. There is already an excellent [https://www.twitch.tv/videos/69192497 beginners' tutorial by Mishrak], but that route has several techniques that you want to learn early on when speedrunning, but still might require some practice to get them reliably.

* This route assumes you can walljump, but have trouble chaining multiple walljumps together
* This route avoids [[Mockball|mockballs]] entirely
* This route assumes you can [[shinespark]] vertically, but don't know how to do horizontal shinesparks
* This route assumes you don't know how to [[short charge]] the speed booster
* This run does one diagonal shinespark, but you could use the Grapple Beam to traverse [[Mt. Everest]] instead
* This route doesn't do the [[Zebetite Skip]], so you need to pick up enough Missiles to destroy the Zebetites
* This run avoids [[Arm Pumping]] entirely. It's a "free" timesave, but I didn't want to introduce new runners to it in a video with no commentary, because then I can't explain why you want to avoid it on downward slopes.

I was inspired to create this video because of the recently-added [[Nintendo Power%]] category, which follows the route laid out in an issue of the magazine. The problem is that the route is very inconsistent in the skill level that it expects out of the player -- it makes you get Grapple Beam before you can pick up Wave Beam, even though that's a fairly simple walljump, but it expects you to get the Norfair Reserve Tank before Grapple Beam, which means you need to get there through either a very precise walljump, or by using a [[Bubble Mountain#Randomizer|Damage Boost]]. This run collects largely the same set of items, but doesn't require even a moderate level of skill to do so. Compared with Nintendo Power%, this run collects one less missile pack (the [[Post Crocomire Jump Room|Grapple missiles]]), skips [[Spring Ball]], skips [[X-Ray]], and collects one additional Energy Tank ([[Lower Norfair Fireflea Room|the Fireflea E-Tank in Lower Norfair]]).

I uploaded my splits file [https://splits.io/2p5g here]. I use the [https://github.com/UNHchabo/AutoSplitters/tree/master/SuperMetroid autosplitter script], which is included in LiveSplit. The Autosplit settings used for the video included splitting on every item pickup, as well as certain door transitions.

== Caveats ==

A few mechanics I think may not come across by watching the video:
* [[Stop on a Dime]] -- There are many times during the run that I'm holding an angle button and tapping the d-pad to scooch Samus forward a small amount without wanting her momentum to carry her further. Also, you can hold an Angle button as a room loads in order to stop immediately
* [[Walljumping]] -- Many casual runners don't realize that the walljump inputs must be pressing away from the wall ''then'' jumping, and instead try to do those inputs simultaneously

Some mistakes that I made in the video:

* I really meant to turn on my input viewer when recording this, so you could see what buttons I'm pressing for any given move
* I left the room after grabbing the [[Alpha Power Bomb Room | Alpha Power Bombs]] without grabbing the missiles behind the statue, so then I had to go back to get them
* I grabbed the Golden Torizo Supers before fighting Golden Torizo, which is a perfectly valid order to do it, but it's not what's reflected in my splits
* At the start of Mother Brain's Room the autosplitter splits twice. At the time this was a known bug that sometimes popped up, and it's since been fixed. Hitting the "Undo Split" button once put the timer back where it should be.

== Variations ==

If you're already familiar with some tricks of the standard run, you can save a substantial amount of time over this route by implementing some aspects of Mishrak's route. Over time you can drop these safety items to speed up your route, as long as you're comfortably able to complete a run without that safety.

* Walljumping up [[Bubble Mountain]] is significantly faster than taking the long way through [[Volcano Room]].
* If you're able to do the shinespark across [[The Moat]], you can skip [[Grappling Beam]], including the need to fight Crocomire. If you have trouble with the [[West Ocean]] shinespark or can't afford the health, you can just turn off [[Hi-Jump Boots]] and jump across those platforms
** Hardest parts of not having Grappling Beam:
*** [[Crateria]]: shinespark across [[The Moat]]
*** [[Maridia]]: wall jumping up overhangs OR jumping on frozen [[Mochtroid]]s (see [[Colosseum]]), consecutive wall-jumps, shinespark "needed" for Energy Tank in [[Mama Turtle Room]] (you can skip this)
*** Skipping the Grappling Beam also means that you'll need to kill [[Draygon]] with some other method, such as the "Beginner" strategy listed on Draygon's page
* If you are still getting [[Grappling Beam]], it's faster to walljump up [[Post Crocomire Shaft]] than going through the Grapple Tutorial rooms
* If you can do the [[Zebetite Skip]], you can skip several missile packs, which can save substantial time from both traversing to the location, and the item fanfare (a '''rough guess''' is that a beginner needs around 80 Missiles and 15 Super Missiles to get through [[Mother Brain]] 1 without the Zebetite Skip [see [[Mother Brain Room]]])

Save the Animals

2024-03-01T19:30:19Z

Big Head Mode: Redirected page to Endings

#REDIRECT [[Endings]]

Mother Brain Room

2024-03-01T08:38:45Z

Big Head Mode:

{{Infobox room
|zone = Tourian
|theme = Tourian
|utility = Boss
}}
{{Adjacent rooms
|west=[[Tourian Escape Room 1]]
|east=[[Rinka Shaft]]
}}

[[File:MotherBrainRoom.png|x300px]]

Room state 1 & 2

[[File:Mother_Brain_room%2C_state_1%262.png|x300px]]

Room state 3

[[File:Mother_Brain_room%2C_state_3.png|x300px]]

= Without Zebetite Glitch =

A '''rough guess''' is that a beginner needs around 80 Missiles and 15 Super Missiles to get through [[Mother Brain]] 1 without the Zebetite Skip. This is a rare soft lock opportunity in a non-glitched part of a run. If you don't kill Mother Brain 1 before you run out of missiles, there's no way to get more missiles and continue the fight. MB1 is only vulnerable to Missiles and Super Missiles.

= Zebetite Glitch =

The '''Zebetite glitch''', also known as "Zebetite skip" (typically shortened to "Zeb skip"), allows for bypassing the Zebetites preceding [[Mother Brain]]. By passing through the first or second Zebetite (without destroying it), it causes all remaining Zebetites to not spawn. This saves over a minute in categories where minimal ammo is acquired, conserving both ammo and potentially health compared to trying to bust through the Zebetites.

The Zebetite glitch can be performed with either [[Ice Beam]], [[Speed Booster]], or (if out of bounds is permitted) [[X-Ray Scope]].

Getting the Zebetite Skip is dependent on Samus's subpixel positioning. Both horizontal (x) and vertical (y) subpixel values can cause the skip to fail sometimes, even is the technique is performed correctly. Setups that normalize the x and/or y subpixels can increase the rate of success.

== Ice Beam (Wave Beam) ==

This version of the Zebetite glitch is by far the easiest to execute, and is slightly faster than most of the other versions.

* Upon entering the room, jump and land next to the first Zebetite
* Crouch while using angle down to aim at the spawn location of the Rinka that spawns beneath the Zebetite
* Freeze the Rinka once it spawns beneath you (before it moves)
* Take a hit that gives you invulnerability (whether it be from the Zebetite itself, a Rinka, or a turret shot - invulnerability is required to pass through)
* Do a small [[Spinjump]] to align to the right side of the frozen Rinka
* Jump and hold left (not a spinjump) to clip through the Zebetite before your invulnerability wears off.

If executed correctly, you should pass through the first Zebetite.

After the Rinka is frozen (step 3), doing spin jumps against the Zebetite will, most of the time, let Samus take a hit from the Zebetite (deals 0 damage), granting i-frames; doing the same but with i-frames will, most of the time, position Samus to pass through the Zebetite. Therefore, if the initial setup fails, a common backup is to do small spin jumps into the Zebetite to get pass it.

Screw Attack must be turned off for this method of Zeb Skip. See below for techniques that can be done with it turned on.

{{#ev:youtube|GBXi3MSpGZg}}

== Ice Beam (Low%) ==

If you do not have [[Wave Beam]], such as in [[14% Ice]], freezing the Rinka below the Zebetite is a bit trickier. The main difference is that you will need to fire directly up at the Rinka from below its location before attempting to spin through the Zebetite.

* Upon entering the room, run directly left under the first Zebetite
* Press against the wall and aim directly up
* Freeze the Rinka once it spawns above you
* Jump up next to the Zebetite
* Spinjump through the Zebetite once you have gained invulnerability

You can effectively combine steps four and five by aligning to the right side of the Rinka from a spinjump from the floor. Being struck by the Zebetite will not deal any damage, which is helpful for lower-percentage categories.

{{#ev:youtube|DTntye5_pGY}}

In Randomizer, if you have only Plasma and Ice without Wave, you will need to either turn Plasma off, or crouch and aim up for this to work.

== Ice Beam (Screw Attack) ==

If you have [[Screw Attack]] enabled, such as in [[100%]], [[GT Classic]], and [[RBO|Reverse Boss Order]], it will affect how you can perform the Zebetite skip. Because spinjumping with Screw Attack equipped will reset your invulnerability, passing through the Zebetite by freezing a Rinka without spinjumping is only possible by performing one of the methods below.

=== [[Hitbox Manipulation#Down-backing|Downbacking]] ===

* Upon entering the room, continue to run forward and run off while holding forward until you have landed on the floor
* Jump up into the Rinka above (should be able to do this immediately upon landing)
* Perform a downback after being struck by the Rinka
* As you are performing the downback, freeze the Rinka once it spawns beneath you
* Jump through the Zebetite

It is important to remember that for step four, you continue to hold the inputs for the downback until you have landed, so that you become partially clipped into the Zebetite, so that you can perform a normal (non-spinjump) jump through the Zebetite to pass through.

This method is also slightly faster than the standard spinjump method even for Any%, as long as you're consistent at executing it.

{{#ev:youtube|eQW6ZCe4Zns}}

== [[Hitbox Manipulation#Down-backing|Downbacking]] with Subpixel Normalization ==

[[File:DownbackZebBad0.png|frame|The first bad frame for starting a downback.]]

[[File:DownbackZebBad12.png|frame|The beginning of the second cluster of bad frames.]]

[[File:DownbackZebBad34567.png|frame|The beginning of the third cluster of bad frames.]]

It is possible to normalize Samus's horizontal subpixel value by bonking the T-shaped small platform in front of the Zebetite during your jump:

* Spin jump towards the Zebetite making sure to bonk the T platform
* Keep holding left after the bonk, but release left (and other dpad inputs) before the Rinka damage
* Once damaged, perform a downback and freeze the Rinka right before landing

As long as you bonk this platform, and you're NOT pressing left on the D-pad at the moment you contact the Rinka, you will be guaranteed a good horizontal subpixel for the Zeb skip

{{#ev:youtube|z_Z76CPNbm4}}

In the practice hack, the player can activate the "X Position" infohud mode to check if the bonk is happening. As in the video above, the player should see Samus's X position stop at 837.8000 on the way up; then 837.0000 on the way down. After you you successfully clip into the zeb, your horizontal position will become 836.0000.

Samus's vertical subpixel positioning depends only on the frame on which you start your downback. After the top Rinka knocks you back, there is a pattern of "good frames" and "bad frames" where starting a downback will or will not give you the correct positioning. The pattern is: 4 good frames, then 1 bad frame, then 5 good, 2 bad, 2 good, 5 bad, 1 good, then all the rest are bad. Therefore, it's best to start your downback relatively early to aim for the clusters of 4 or 5 good frames.

This method normalizes the x subpixel to a "good" value and, if the player can execute the downback correctly in a "good frame", then the y subpixel will also be in a "good" value. Therefore, this setup depends only on the player and can be up to 100% consistent.

=== Screw Attack + Space Jump ===

Because Screw would destroy the Rinka in the above setup, other normalization options are necessary.

With Space Jump, it is possible to bonk the turret small wall at the top for x subpixel normalization:

* Spin jump to bonk the turret wall at the top and hold left to reach the Zebetite
* Space jump and immediately break out of spin (still holding jump)
* Once damaged by the Rinka, proceed to the downback and then freeze the Rinka right before landing
* After Samus is crouched in place, release dpad to jump then hold left.

{{#ev:youtube|UYCHLbaA7iI}}

=== Screw Attack ===

Without Space Jump, a Morph method that uses the wall at the top of the Zebetite is:

* Jump against the Zebetite, Morph mid air, and hold left
* Once damaged by the Rinka, still holding left, Samus will make contact with the top wall only, which normalizes x subpixel
* Unmorph, do the downback and freeze the Rinka right before landing.

It is important to properly manipulate the timing of the bottom Rinka so it spawns by the time Samus is nearing its position. This can be accomplished by staying more or less time within the aggro range of the bottom Rinka before jumping.

{{#ev:youtube|2iar8S3O9AA}}

The height the unmorph happens and when the downback is initiated can affect the y subpixel. Unmorphing at or bellow the middle of the Zebetite appears to be better.

== Without Downbacking or Spin Jump ==

*Upon entering the room, continue to run forward and run off while holding forward until you have landed on the floor
*Jump up into the Rinka above
*Move left so that you are right next to the Zebetite as you are falling
*Freeze the Rinka right before you would land next to the Zebetite
*Jump through the Zebetite

The timing of the shot is frame-perfect and is based upon when you would land next to the Zebetite, so this method is not recommended, it is simply possible.

{{#ev:youtube|_tCbF1WCehA}}

== Spring Ball Method ==

There is an additional method that's possible if you destroy the first Zebetite with missiles or super missiles, and then do the Zeb Skip on the second Zebetite using [[Spring Ball]]. Jump into the frozen Rinka, and Samus should be put into a crouching pose. Then just morph, and then use Spring Ball to jump through the Zebetite.

{{#ev:youtube|3SHoWEyPhW0}}

This method is used in GT Classic in an attempt to reach and defeat Mother Brain 1 and 2 with full health, in order to do the [[Standup Glitch]] without pausing to fill from reserves.

=== Morph Bomb Method ===

This method is similar to the Spring Ball Method, but the timing is tight due to the iframes potentially running out before the bomb goes off. A [[Bomb]] (or Power Bomb) can also propel you into the proper position to skip the second Zebetite.

{{#ev:youtube|w48spD5TR24}}

=== Remorph Method ===

Where the Spring Ball and Bomb methods can use straight jumps to get into the crouched position, you can also spin jump into the frozen Rinka, then morph, unmorph, and morph again.

{{#ev:youtube|gAWHhbkeuY4}}

== Zeb Skip Grapple Boost ==

If you have [[Grappling Beam]], once you're standing partially within the wall and aligned to the frozen Rinka, you can shoot the Grappling Beam into the Zeb, and it will move you up to the level of the bottom of the Zebetite, so you can just run forward, without needing to jump an additional time.

{{#ev:youtube|gs5iaoRPAQ0}}

This was discovered by Sniq while making the 100% TAS in 2019.

Grapple can also similarly be used to speed up the Remorph method shown above. Once you're in position, shoot the Grappling Beam, then morph and roll through.

{{#ev:youtube|9hNUeXxiNO0}}

== Speed Booster ==

This version of the Zebetite glitch is required in a [[14% Speed]] run. It can also be performed to avoid having to perform one of the "with Screw Attack" Ice Beam methods listed previously; however, due to the ease of the standard Ice Beam version, usually people simply disable Screw Attack before performing the standard Ice Beam version rather than attempt this version.

* [[Short Charge|Short charge]] a [[shinespark]] from the bottom right wall of the [[Rinka Shaft]]
* Run directly left under the first Zebetite (with the shinespark charged)
* While holding angle up, facing left, and pressed against the wall, activate the shinespark
* As the shinespark's crash animation ends, hold down on the directional pad while mashing the jump button (otherwise, you will become stuck in the bottom portion of the Zebetite)
* Once fully inside the Zebetite, move left to escape (before your invulnerability runs out, which would allow the Zebetite to potentially eject you towards the right instead of the left)

{{#ev:youtube|sMThL7TbzHs}}

== X-Ray Scope ==

This version of the Zebetite glitch is required in a [[12%]] run.

This version of the trick is very particular, because you can't take more than 4 hits from Rinkas, your invulnerability frames run out while x-ray is active, taking a Rinka hit while standing will knock you out of the wall, and the beam's cooldown is delayed by x-ray.

{{#ev:youtube|KyND-o20Vg4}}

== Tutorials ==

{{#ev:youtube|OTJ8UrI1oOI}}

{{#ev:youtube|oqazt8i9ggs}}

{{#ev:youtube|i3HQhtXTkzc}}

{{#ev:youtube|xKWm3T9du3s}}

{{#ev:youtube|6wK3tzYT-bM}}

= Escape =

When you finish the Mother Brain fight, you'll see the message on-screen "Time bomb set! Escape immediately!" In most categories you'll have [[Hi-Jump Boots]], so if you do a full jump along the left wall when you see the entire word "Escape" come on screen, you should be able to hold left and leave the room while the timer still reads 03'00"00. Hold Angle Down as you leave the room so you can shoot the first set of barriers as soon as the next room loads.

{{#ev:youtube|JNeqAcdN8mw}}

If you don't have [[Hi-Jump Boots]], as with most [[14%]] categories, then you can do the same full jump slightly earlier, around the time the 'c' in "Escape" comes on screen.

{{#ev:youtube|mtNU4tFBwHY}}

= See also =

* [[General Movement|Individual rooms]]
* [[Mother Brain]]

= External links =

* [http://tasvideos.org/GameResources/SNES/SuperMetroid.html#PassingThroughZebetites TASVideos description]

[[Category:Rooms in Old Tourian]]

Endings

2024-03-01T08:31:24Z

Big Head Mode: Created page with "Expert runners don't care, but here are the endings: == Animals == "The animals" are two non-hostile life forms: the Dachoras and Etecoons. They are not documented on this w..."

Expert runners don't care, but here are the endings:

== Animals ==

"The animals" are two non-hostile life forms: the Dachoras and Etecoons. They are not documented on this wiki because they cannot harm Samus. They demonstrate for the player [[shinespark]]s and [[wall jump]]ing.

Samus can "Kill the Animals" or "Save the Animals" depending on her actions during the escape (e.g. [[Tourian Escape Room 1]]). It is much faster to kill the animals, so outside of special occasions like donation incentives during Games Done Quick, runners kill the animals.

=== Save the Animals ===

To save the animals, during Escape, make a detour from [[Parlor and Alcatraz]] to [[Bomb Torizo Room]]. Shoot out the right wall. An animation is shown of the animals leaving, but it's unknown by the creator of this page how the game tracks Save the Animals (see [[True Completion]]). There are StA runs that don't wait for the animation. https://www.shacknews.com/article/125534/what-is-super-metroids-save-or-kill-the-animals-incentive-sgdq-2021

A beginner should have ''plenty'' of time to save the animals if there's at least 1m30 remaining on the escape timer. An intermediate player should have plenty of time with at least 1m00. Vorpaledge saved the animals in about 20 seconds.

If the animals are saved, a small animation is shown during the ending while the planet explodes. A few pixels leave the planet heading directly to the right, signifying the animals escaped. (This is the canonical ending leading into Metroid Fusion.)

Note: You do not need to visit the animals before the escape sequence. You never need to visit their "home rooms" in [[Dachora Room]] and [[Etecoon Room]], or otherwise see them.

== Samus's Outfits: IGT ==

IGT aka "Clear Time" determines what Samus is wearing in this sequence.

== Completion Percentage ==

Shown in game as "your rate for collecting items is". See [[Low%]]. This is the final screen in the game, and animates infinitely. By turning off the system / resetting the emulator here, the game will revert to the last time it was saved.

== Links ==

https://www.reddit.com/r/Metroid/comments/qy5zz0/save_the_animals_running_gag_meaning/

https://metroid.retropixel.net/games/metroid3/endings.php

Beginners Route

2024-03-01T08:06:05Z

Big Head Mode:

{{#ev:youtube|RNE3Ijr5GAU}}

== Route ==

This is very beginner-friendly [[Any%]] KPDR route. It's an easier version of [[Nintendo Power%]]. (Todo: convert the on-screen splits into steps here.)

== Time Estimate ==

If you're finished the game a few times and can do an adequate job with intermediate techniques (single wall jump, Space Jump, Grapple Beam, shinespark) you should finish with an in-game timer well below 2:30 (h:mm). The example video clears at 0:59 (1:22 Real Time Attack) but the runner is experienced. With some meandering, and having beaten the game around 7 times prior, I got an IGT of 1:37 (RTA around 2:30) roughly following this route (but with [[Mockball]]s and skipping [[Crocomire]] and [[Golden Torizo]]).

== Explanation ==

This video is a demonstration of a route that I think would be excellent for anyone who has played Super Metroid casually, and wants to do their first ever speedrun of the game. There is already an excellent [https://www.twitch.tv/videos/69192497 beginners' tutorial by Mishrak], but that route has several techniques that you want to learn early on when speedrunning, but still might require some practice to get them reliably.

* This route assumes you can walljump, but have trouble chaining multiple walljumps together
* This route avoids [[Mockball|mockballs]] entirely
* This route assumes you can [[shinespark]] vertically, but don't know how to do horizontal shinesparks
* This route assumes you don't know how to [[short charge]] the speed booster
* This run does one diagonal shinespark, but you could use the Grapple Beam to traverse [[Mt. Everest]] instead
* This route doesn't do the [[Zebetite Skip]], so you need to pick up enough Missiles to destroy the Zebetites
* This run avoids [[Arm Pumping]] entirely. It's a "free" timesave, but I didn't want to introduce new runners to it in a video with no commentary, because then I can't explain why you want to avoid it on downward slopes.

I was inspired to create this video because of the recently-added [[Nintendo Power%]] category, which follows the route laid out in an issue of the magazine. The problem is that the route is very inconsistent in the skill level that it expects out of the player -- it makes you get Grapple Beam before you can pick up Wave Beam, even though that's a fairly simple walljump, but it expects you to get the Norfair Reserve Tank before Grapple Beam, which means you need to get there through either a very precise walljump, or by using a [[Bubble Mountain#Randomizer|Damage Boost]]. This run collects largely the same set of items, but doesn't require even a moderate level of skill to do so. Compared with Nintendo Power%, this run collects one less missile pack (the [[Post Crocomire Jump Room|Grapple missiles]]), skips [[Spring Ball]], skips [[X-Ray]], and collects one additional Energy Tank ([[Lower Norfair Fireflea Room|the Fireflea E-Tank in Lower Norfair]]).

I uploaded my splits file [https://splits.io/2p5g here]. I use the [https://github.com/UNHchabo/AutoSplitters/tree/master/SuperMetroid autosplitter script], which is included in LiveSplit. The Autosplit settings used for the video included splitting on every item pickup, as well as certain door transitions.

== Caveats ==

A few mechanics I think may not come across by watching the video:
* Saving / save states -- dying without saving is a run killer and a mood killer. Use save states (emulator / practice hack) or save rooms while you're still learning.
* Practice hack -- has many useful features, though the HUD is confusing (can be configured to a near(?) unmodded HUD)
* [[Control Schemes]] -- Set your own control scheme based on what makes sense for you. You can switch later, the choice is not permanent
* [[Stop on a Dime]] -- There are many times during the run that I'm holding an angle button and tapping the d-pad to scooch Samus forward a small amount without wanting her momentum to carry her further. Also, you can hold an Angle button as a room loads in order to stop immediately
* [[Walljumping]] -- Many casual runners don't realize that the walljump inputs must be pressing away from the wall ''then'' jumping, and instead try to do those inputs simultaneously

Some mistakes that I made in the video:

* I really meant to turn on my input viewer when recording this, so you could see what buttons I'm pressing for any given move
* I left the room after grabbing the [[Alpha Power Bomb Room | Alpha Power Bombs]] without grabbing the missiles behind the statue, so then I had to go back to get them
* I grabbed the Golden Torizo Supers before fighting Golden Torizo, which is a perfectly valid order to do it, but it's not what's reflected in my splits
* At the start of Mother Brain's Room the autosplitter splits twice. At the time this was a known bug that sometimes popped up, and it's since been fixed. Hitting the "Undo Split" button once put the timer back where it should be.

== Variations ==

If you're already familiar with some tricks of the standard run, you can save a substantial amount of time over this route by implementing some aspects of Mishrak's route. Over time you can drop these safety items to speed up your route, as long as you're comfortably able to complete a run without that safety.

* Even with several failed attempts at the mockball in [[Early Supers Room]], it will still be faster than fighting Spore Spawn (you can practice one room down in [[Dachora Room]] when you enter, if you forgot to practice at [[Landing Site]])
** Taking the Reserve Tank in [[Brinstar Reserve Tank Room|the next room over]] is also a commonly-recommended safety if you need more health during the run than you currently pick up
* Walljumping up [[Bubble Mountain]] is significantly faster than taking the long way through [[Volcano Room]]. You can also damage boost once you have [[Speed Booster]] and are leaving [[Bat Cave]], to get to [[Green Bubbles Missile Room]] and [[Norfair Reserve Tank Room]].
* If you're able to do the shinespark across [[The Moat]], you can skip [[Grappling Beam]], including the need to fight Crocomire. If you have trouble with the [[West Ocean]] shinespark or can't afford the health, you can just turn off [[Hi-Jump Boots]] and jump across those platforms
** Hardest parts of not having Grappling Beam:
*** [[Crateria]]: shinespark across [[The Moat]]
*** [[Maridia]]: wall jumping up overhangs OR jumping on frozen [[Mochtroid]]s (see [[Colosseum]]), consecutive wall-jumps, shinespark "needed" for Energy Tank in [[Mama Turtle Room]] (you can skip this)
*** Skipping the Grappling Beam also means that you'll need to kill [[Draygon]] with some other method, such as the "Beginner" strategy listed on Draygon's page
* If you are still getting [[Grappling Beam]], it's faster to walljump up [[Post Crocomire Shaft]] than going through the Grapple Tutorial rooms
* You don't need to fight [[Golden Torizo]] or get the [[Screw Attack]], I'm not sure why this was recommended. Time savings when jumping through enemies?
* If you can do the [[Zebetite Skip]], you can skip several missile packs, which can save substantial time from both traversing to the location, and the item fanfare (a '''rough guess''' is that a beginner needs around 80 Missiles and 15 Super Missiles to get through [[Mother Brain]] 1 without the Zebetite Skip [see [[Mother Brain Room]]])
* You can "save the animals" for a ~60 second time loss that slightly changes the [[Endings]].