Released in November 1991, ActRaiser featured a very unique two-genre system where the player would go through a sidescrolling stage, go through a simulation sequence where the player takes the role of an angel purging the land of evil, then go through another sidescrolling stage to completely purge a region of its evil. You play a deity who is trying to wrest control of world from the grip of the evil being Tanzra.
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Single-segment with deaths 1:07:06 by Nicholas Hoppe.
Author's comments:
Speed Run Rules
ActRaiser was an early release game for the SNES by Enix (now known as Square Enix). This game is a dual-mode game, featuring Action stages (Acts) and Simulation stages. Each of the 6 main areas features 2 acts and a simulation in between. The initial act must be cleared to allow development of the people in the area, and the second act must be cleared after all monster lairs are sealed to stop the people from being scared of monsters. Only after all 12 acts are cleared is when the final act available and can be completed.
Every area (except Deathheim) has a level requirement, which means I occasionally have to wander around the simulation sections for a while before moving on. This is because the level you are at is based upon the total number of people in the world. Level requirements for each area and their population equivalent:
Bloodpool and Kasandora have post-Act II scenarios that halt population growth if they are triggered and aren't corrected. Each scenario has an item to correct it (Music for Bloodpool scenario and Herbs for Kasandora scenario) but a speedrunner doesn't have time to get these items, go back to the area with the problem, use them, and then continue on. This means I have to watch my local population levels after Act II. Bloodpool is the only one I have to worry about, as I need to stick around long enough to get the scroll from Teddy (Kasandora I can scram before it happens, even if it is right away). So as long as Bloodpool's population level is below 300, I am safe. If the totals go above 300 and I am NOT in the area, the growth is not inhibited until I return to the area.
I apologize for the simulation being a tad boring, but as I said above, I don't have much of a choice have to get through it to do other acts and areas.
Just as a notation to those curious, I specify the US version as there are considerable differences between it and the Japanese version (and the PAL version too). The US version though is the fastest of the three by a considerable margin (especially since the PAL version runs at 5/6th the speed!). While I won't go into all the differences, I will say they were numerous, in gameplay, difficulty, and the US version removed religious references (The Master is really God, Tanzara is Satan, Sky Palace is actually Heaven, etc). Likely I'll make a list of all the changes and put it up on my site, as time allows.
This run is a culmination of the work and ideas brought by the Max Population guide at GameFAQs by Admiral, TASers OgreSlayeR and Zidanax, as well we my own severe studying of the game. This allowed me to beat the presently listed TAS by about 39 seconds. This was an wonderful feeling for me, though I'm sure when Zidanax gets done with the new improved TAS (thanks to new tools they have now that they didn't have when OgreSlayeR had like RAM watching and frame advance) he will wax my time.
This run was my eleventh version of this mode. I've put up a comparison sheet on my website comparing the times of my runs to each other and to the TAS. Feel free to check it out, as it goes much more into detail than I can here. My prior submission was my 7th version, for notation purposes (and the submission before was #4).
Runners Notes:
A couple minor mistakes, but several changes here and there allow me to beat the level about 5 seconds faster than normal.
Boss: Centaur - I figured out how to battle him successfully on the right side of the screen instead of going back to the left.
The simulation sections got an overhaul, mostly due to the max population guide, and partially due to RAM watching on an emulator. This helped develop the route I did to maximize population in a short time, and also on how to avoid the house that catches on fire. My initial population is lower (222 to 258), but my post area growth is tremendous (240 to 128)!
The one jump at the end of the lower route in the first section was a nice treat. It's admitably hard to hit that jump going fast without taking damage - but I did it!
Boss: Minotaurus - Nailed this, though I still only had a time of 188, instead of 189, the best possible time with 2 magic.
Enemy timings in my favor plus the sword-swing extra long jump make for an excellent level!
Boss: Manticore - Boss fight was EXCELLENT! It's difficult to get him in one round.
Thanks to RAM watching, this section has a few changes. The route through is mostly the same, but I use the arrows and bomb to increase population growth faster (since killing monsters faster allows for faster growth early on). Just like Fillmore, lower population when I leave, but more growth after.
A fairly nice level. A couple of the monsters I killed that seemed out of the way were for points, which affect the potential population, but they weren't out of the way enough to affect my time (short of maybe a couple of frames).
Boss: Zeppelin Wolf - I got bad spawns. Don't know what I was thinking with that magic use. ^^;;
Several of those jumps had just-slightly-off-stupid-timing.
Boss: Dagoba - Boss fight more than made up for that round of stupidity.
This area got another major overhaul. More clearing, more routes, more effiency. But less population, both during my stay and after.
This level goes so smoothly, I can skip the first apple. The damage to get through the blue fireball at that point was very slick - no bounceback.
Boss: Pharao - Boss fight was BRILLIANT! Never had that clean of a fight. Definately one of the highlights of the run.
A couple really nice kills and major damage abuse all around.
Boss: Aquatic Dragon - Quick boss fight, thanks to the air sword powerup.
This is the first time I'm held back on advancing to the next area, but it doesn't take too many rounds (3 to be exact) to get the necessary 1500 to reach Marahna. Higher population during my stay and afterwards too - in fact, my population before I left was higher than my post population in my last speed run posted at SDA!
Clearing the 2nd section as fast as I did was a nice change of pace, don't you think? "Wait? What do I look like, a waiter?"
Boss: Flame Wheel - Magic was MUCH more cooperative on the boss than numerous other attempts.
The US version of this level is considerably easier than the Japanese version. I feel like Superman here - totally invincible and ready to kick butt after having played the Japanese version.
Boss: Rafflasher - Fairly nice boss fight, even with a couple of slipups.
Nothing much changed here, only just that I can leave a hair earlier since my population hits 1900 faster (due to growth in other areas - my Marahna population is lower than prior runs). Again, the lair I left for last was to cut out chatter, and also for humor value (a gift received from thin air!).
I nailed that one jump in the 2nd section...so beautiful. :) Didn't take that much damage in this level either - nice change of pace.
Boss: Kalia - Falls quickly. Nothing much else to say here.
The eyeballs made some interesting spawns. I love that one on the ice ride - got that one BLIND. And for once, I can skip the apple since I didn't take that much damage.
Boss: Merman Fly - No damage on the boss. The magic use there was right on target.
My only objective here is to move the people along, keep the enemies from destroying them, and seal all 4 lairs as fast as possible.
The eyeballs again made interesting spawns. I also seemed to suck attacking those birds, though I did nail the last one.
Boss: Arctic Wyvern - Wish that 2nd magic on the boss would have done ONE more damage. Stupid magic.
And with that, the world is saved. The people praise their lor...wait. Where ARE the people? The temples are empty! Have they already forgotten the struggles their master (and themselves) went through to create peace? This is the lesson.
But enough talk. Have at scores!
A final thanks to OgerSlayeR, Zidanax, StrangenessDSS, and Admiral. Without your help, this run wouldn't be as wonderful as it could have been.
This run is (C) 2007 Nicholas "Sir VG" Hoppe and is allowed for downloading and private viewing. Permissions for hosting this run have been granted to Radix and Speed Demos Archive. Public viewing of this run is prohibited without prior permission from the creator. The selling or distribution of this run for profit in any way, shape, or form including (but not limited to) selling on eBay and television for profit is prohibited without prior permission from the author. Any violation of the above listed may result in legal action. ActRaiser is (C) 1991 Enix (now Square Enix).
"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good." Genesis 1:31
FIN
Professional! mode with deaths 0:27:43 by Nicholas Hoppe.
Author's comments:
Speed Run Rules
For those that hate boring simulations, this run is for you.
After beating the game on Normal Mode, Professional! becomes available as a secret option on the menu. Professional! mode has the following changes from the normal game mode:
There's still a couple errors in the run. The biggest was in Marahna Act II
and another small one at the beginning of Death heim's Fillmore Boss Refight.
In total, 15 time units was lost between v3 and v7 throughout the entire run.
One fact remains the same though: No Deaths Until Death heim!
Level Improvements (in time units):
Individual Sections with the biggest improvements (in time units):
Full chart of level times and differences will be available at my personal site. For notation purposes, the prior submission was v3 and the first submission was v2.
A final thanks to OgreSlayeR and zidanax for all our discussions on the game at TASVideos. Also thanks to StrangenessDSS for the idea about abusing death more in Death heim.
This run is Copyright (C) 2007 Nicholas 'Sir VG' Hoppe and is allowed for downloading and private viewing. Permissions for hosting this run have been granted to Radix and Speed Demos Archive. Public viewing of this run is prohibited without prior permission from the creator. The selling or distribution of this run for profit in any way, shape, or form including (but not limited to) selling on eBay and television for profit is prohibited without prior permission from the author. Any violation of the above listed may result in legal action. ActRaiser is Copyright (C) 1991 Enix (Now Square Enix).
Sir VG, signing out.
FIN