Heh. To get my 9th place score I had to finish the entire last stage in 25 seconds. The people who got the higher scores were a bit faster (the real pros can do it in 21 seconds, but that's about as fast as possible).



 

20 seconds is the fastest I saw on last stage (did it only once, during 2014 contest), I doubt it is possible to do 19 seconds...

I commented on the video asking if he ever plays for high score. I want to see someone get 180k. I've heard that it's possible but I haven't seen it.

 

I know I'm a bit late to the party (as I woke up this morning with a voice extinction and had to pass hours waiting at the hospital), but I'm very happy to make the finalist list for the contest HoF. It is an honor to be among all these great players and I wish everyone the best of luck to make the last cut.

Awesome work by Brock and Santa, these guys rock!

Oh, I understand that I suck at this game. I know that I'm not coming anywhere near the top at all. Even if I had finished the game, I'd probably only have received a score just over 100k. But, it was literally my best run yet. Admittedly, I don't think I have ever put in as much time as some folks do duing the contests. I tend to wait until Sunday evening to push it, then realize if I had done more during the week, I would have done better over-all. But still, I won't be coming close to the 170k+ scores any time soon. The scoreboard tells me that there are many folks playing that can relate to my story  
 

If you can get over 100k, that's still very good.

If you haven't yet beaten the game then just keep practicing. Trust me the final section gets much easier with practice.

 

It is totally possible. Scott Kessler did 179,050 with no wands. If in his run (Fluffy posted the video earlier) he gets a wand in stage 2 and go on with the same kick ass run, he would have an additional 2200 points to make it 181,250, cause this would give him an extra 1000 for finishing stage 2 with 10 extra seconds and another additional 1000 for finishing stage 3 with that same 10 extra seconds, and then an extra 200 seconds in stage 4 cause he would actually spoil 8 of these extra seconds by locking the clock at 99 from the start. Then, in stage 5 it doesn,t matter since you get back to 99 at the mini enemies spot.

This is not counting the scenarios where you actually get more worthy wands (cause some of them can be worthless).

Unfortunately the wands seem to be more rare when you're playing well. Scott even commented on that.

Somebody really needs to figure out exactly how the wands are triggered.



 

Where was this detailed?

edit: i should read more than the first sentence.

I can't believe that some idiot downvoted this.




 

BTW I adjusted my math.

Indeed, wands are hypothetically rarer when you're playing the game faster, cause the time frame where you get one is limited. This said, I had up to 3 wands in very clean runs, though many times these are useless wands (like getting one when you're already at 96-99 seconds, or getting them after you reach the finish line and starting up with 99 by default, etc.).

This said, getting a wand in stage 2 when playing perfectly is not that rare. That's the most worthy wand too point-wise.

I have two save states, both from the same run, where the marble is parked with approx one second before a wand is granted (end of Aerial Race, and end of Silly Race). In both cases, if you start the save state and leave the marble sitting, you will get the wand at a specific time 100% of the time. But also in both cases, if you move the marble even in the slightest, you will not get the wand. Doesn't really put me closer to solving the wands but thought I would share this tidbit.
 

Yeah, that's me (kidding).

I tried some stuff with save states back in 2009 to get a clue about wands and know exactly what you're talking about.

I'm still clueless, but from that specific case, I thought about the hypothesis that the wand might be randomly available in a specific spot at a specific time during stages.

I thought that as well, but then I even tried moving the marble slightly and then moving it back to its original position in time for the wand to spawn, and the wand would not spawn.

​I know I was down to the pixel on marble placement because after not getting the wand, I would reopen the save state and get the exact same screen (except with a timer difference, obviously).
 

That thing seems to be completely undecipherable! We need some game-code genius to look into that.

Yeah, I agree it's pretty much the only way. I think if a person learned how to manipulate the wands that would really bring things to the next level. No more psychological pressure of "I can't blow this lucky run".
 

After this contest I've come to the conclusion that depending on wands is not the way to play this. Being able to consistently reach the ultimate race with 99 seconds without wands is the prerequisite for getting 170k+ scores. Unfortunately I'm not there yet.  

Totally right man!

I was hoping Bea would become more naturally interested in this game, because if any of us could solve the enigma of the wands' programming, she could.

My brother is a programmer and I asked him to check the source code. He said its an RNG, which he said means they appear at random.
 

Which would mean that we ironically had it right all along, lol.

Except that the NES doesn't have a RNG. It has to be dependant on some sort of timer. Even if it's the amount of frames on the title screen before start is pressed.

edit: Also, where is this source code you speak of? I can read assembly language.

I honestly have no idea and may have screwed up the terminology. I called him friday night when I was doing run after run. I thought he said he'd check the source code and call me back. He called back pretty quick, so he may have just googled it. I think he said its an rng, which means they appear at random. He said that there could be conditions on that (for example, I have always thought you are more likely to get a wand if you have lost a life - he said that's possible, but you wouldn't be able to find out). 
 

Yep... like how speed runners manipulate the location of the Technodrome in TMNT by pressing start when a certain musical note plays.