Super Metroid stands the test of time as one of gaming‘s most legendary titles over 25 years later. With its vast worlds to explore, upgrades to discover, and menacing bosses to conquer – adventurers continue to be drawn in. Beyond casual playthroughs, the game has cultivated a passionate speedrunning community obsessively dissecting its secrets to achieve greatness.
Leading the charge is Zoast, a decorated veteran boasting over a decade perfecting his Super Metroid craft. With multiple world records under his Power Suit across various competitive categories, he continues to demonstrate astonishing mastery of the acclaimed adventure.
Zoast recently captured headlines in April 2022 by reclaiming the coveted Any% world record from fierce rival Oatsngoats in thrilling fashion. We will breakdown this monumental run showcasing unbelievable skill and mental fortitude under pressure. Welcome to the dazzling, high-octane realm of Super Metroid speedrunning.
The Growing Spectacle of Speedrunning
For the unfamiliar, speedrunning is the practice of completing video games as quickly as possible through immense skill and strategy. It formalized into a global phenomenon in the early 2000‘s as online platforms enabled players to easily record, share and compare times.
The culture has since flourished into a vibrant, supportive community cheering on incredible talent. Speedrunning demands tremendous dexterity, game knowledge, mindset skills and creative routing from top athletes. Competitors grind out countless hours mastering precise movement mechanics, unintended glitches, optimal damage output and more to shave off precious seconds towards overall completion. Titles with sequence-breaking potential like Super Metroid that allow deviation from normal progression paths create especially captivating showcases as runners attempt to break perceived constraints.
Watching expert gamers bend beloved games in unbelievable ways makes for an incredibly entertaining spectacle. Over years, wavering odds and shocking upsets become embedded into historic rivalries between iconic runners. Major events like Games Done Quick regularly attract hundreds of thousands of viewers through their charity fundraising marathons while highlighting notable speedrun triumphs across both modern and retro classics.
If you have yet to dive in, expect an incredibly rewarding and inspiring viewing experience. The communal spirit pushing boundaries inspires newcomers and veterans alike. Which brings us to the prolific prowess that is Zoast in the realm of Super Metroid.
The Storied History Surrounding Super Metroid Speedrunning
Since release in 1994, Super Metroid‘s open ended explorative design made it an instant speedrunning fan favorite. Players sought to utilize sequence breaks and valuable shortcuts to trim in-game completion times. Early recorded runs date back to 2001 on the emulation scene.
However it wasn‘t until 2007-2008 that competitive times started catching more dedicated traction through platforms like SpeedDemosArchive and Youtube. Iconic runners such as Behemoth, Ivan and Krauser paved foundations later built upon. They offered glimpses into what Super Metroid mastery could ultimately achieve at theoretical skill ceilings.
The modern era truly kicked off from 2010 onwards as new generations inherited their knowledge. Athletes like Zoast, Oats, ShinyZeni and others have since brought the game to entirely new heights through revitalized passion and tech. Following years of draining optimization saw sub hour runs go from pipe dream fantasy to consistent reality. With real-time timing becoming standardized, thrilling competitions emerged with records constantly exchanging hands between rivals in a flurry of near daily triumphs and heartbreaks befitting a combat sport.
Let‘s recap notable progression across two popular categories:
Any% Completion Records
| Year | Time | Runner |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 1:17:53 | ShinyZeni |
| 2012 | 57:46 | Garrison |
| 2015 | 51:58 | Oatsngoats |
| 2019 | 45:31 | Zoast |
| 2022 | 40:45 | Zoast |
100% Completion Records
| Year | Time | Runner |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 1:39:55 | Behemoth |
| 2016 | 1:32:37 | Oatsngoats |
| 2021 | 1:27:45 | ShinyZeni |
| 2021 | 1:27:79 | Zoast |
These representations capture but a fraction of the scene‘s rich history. From outdated hardware limitations to surmounted perceptions on theoretical possibility – Super Metroid speedrunning continues to enchant both devotees and curiosity drawn newcomers.
Which brings us to Zoast continuing this fine legacy. Let‘s review his recent world record setting run cementing his esteemed greatness.
Zoast‘s Background and Multiple Super Metroid World Records
Before analyzing his headline stealing performance, let‘s understand Zoast‘s extensive background with Super Metroid. He originally joined the scene in 2011, grinding tirelessly for years until eventually reaching an elite level. His breakthrough emergence happened in 2016 with a 1:30 low % completion that turned heads. From there he continued ascending the ranks, trading legendary World Record times with equals like Oatsngoats across various categories.
Zoast‘s Notable Super Metroid Accomplishments Include:
- Any% Record Holder: 40:45 [2022]
- Low% Record Holder: 39:00 flat [2020]
- Former 100% Record Holder: 1:27:79 [2021]
- 2nd Place in multiple categories
Beyond sheer game performance metrics, Zoast‘s impact stems also from community contributions. His speedrunning guides and commentary offer aspiring runners a treasure trove of wisdom. From general practice tips to nitty-gritty frame specific tech, his willingness to educate perpetuates excellence across generations.
Let‘s see how this shone through in his most recent Any% run recapturing him the world record.
Zoast‘s New 40:45 Any% World Record Run
On April 14, 2022. Zoast culminated years upon years of relentless effort by pulling off the unthinkable – a 40 minute 45 second Super Metroid any% completion. Mere frames faster than top competitor Oats‘ blistering 40:46 record several weeks prior, the sensational run signalled Zoast‘s glorious return to the apex as the king of Any%.
Let‘s break it down!
The Route and Key Statistics
Right from the introductory crawl, Zoast demonstrated laser sharp focus – perfectly executing prompts to enable an early sequence break. This allowed bypassing of trigger events and enabling rapid progression. Clever tricks like vertical bomb jumps and failed wall grabs littered the opening to maintain sheer momentum.
By the halfway point at ~20 minutes, Zoast had collected merely 4 items – the Vitamin, Morph Ball, Bombs and a single Energy Tank. This is the absolute minimum necessitated for concluding explosions to defeat the final boss. Forgoing all other aids forced white knuckle platforming and combat the rest of the way.
Additional statistics around Zoast‘s choices:
- Time: 40:45 [World Record]
- Skipped major gear like Screw Attack and Space Jump
- 3 boss cycles against Phantoon (10s time loss)
- Near perfect Ridley fight
The decision to avoid helpful upgrades like the Screw Attack and Space Jump provided faster routing opportunity in exchange for requiring exceptional skill. We‘ll see how well he navigated these conditions next.
Speedrun Breakdown and Analysis
The run formally commenced with a sequence of wall jumps, shinesparks, mockballs and elevator clips to skip entire zones. Zoast‘s movement intricacy enable rapid entry into Brinstar‘s underwater caverns and harrowing creature morphing conduits with limited safety buffers.
Even for top level players, tiny marginal errors like colliding into surfaces do creep in. We observed occasional blunders between the 10-25 minute marks across narrow tunnels. But Zoast admirably composed himself every time to minimize disruption to flow state rhythm.
Upon arriving at the Phantoon spectral entity boss near the halfway point however, Zoast met an unlikely setback. Randomized attack cycles forced an extended 3 phase confrontation rather than the typical swift single round affair. But he kept determination high for a solid showing regardless. Later against the erratic Ridley, Zoast unleashed stellar aim for a near immaculate bout barring the opening shots.
In Tourian‘s final descent, Zoast prepared setups for the pivotal "Zebetite Skip" – an extremely unforgiving elevator gate glitch shortcut. Precise horizontal positioning and nerve wracking pause buffer delays could easily have dashed world record hopes. But Zoast proven wise beyond his years by pulling off the bypass successfully on his very first try.
The concluding sprint saw several heart dropping wall jumps across sinking terrain. Zoast completed his mission mere frames quicker than past accolades. But it was sufficient for heavenly glory – a well deserved personification of trials conquered through determination.
Areas of Improvement
As phenomenal as Zoast‘s run was, even further room for enhancement exists. We can isolate promising sections to target should he pursue additional optimizations:
Phantoon Cycles: Manipulating attack RNG could enable more 1 phase instant kills.
Aerial Polish: Smoother angles can eliminate unintended wall bumps.
Movement Depth: Additional animation cancels and diversified tricks to bolster consistency.
Realizing further refinements across these facets could feasibly lower times below 40:45. But for now, standing victoriously with a handicapped route makes the crown shine brighter.
Cementing His Legacy Across Categories
While the Any% title continues flipping between Zoast and Oatsngoats, Zoast has proven his versatile mastery across numerous Super Metroid leaderboards since his 2011 entry. His Low% 39 minute flat record from 2020 astounds as one of speedrunning‘s pinnacles, fully utilizing intended mechanics for surreal showmanship.
In 100% runs, Zoast also claimed a fabled sub 90 minute time in 2021, representing the mental and the physical achieving harmonious glory. Though rival ShinyZeni recently surpassed him, their back and forth of unspeakably low ratios remains a thing of beauty.
Based on further demonstrations of total capability across win conditions, map awareness and combat scenarios, Zoast appears destined for additional transcendence as he continues perfecting his craft another decade onward. The scenes brightest future beckons.
The Thrill of the Unknown Ahead
Zoast‘s overwhelming performance across Super Metroid speedrunning underscores masterful dedication to the form and community enrichment. His recent Any% World Record etched into history books signifies well deserved recognition following 10 years of incredible highs and lows.
For now, he rightfully revels atop the throne as fans celebrate his highlight reel talents. But time waits for no one as future challengers hone their skills tirelessly to orchestrate a potential changing of guards sooner than later. The question dangles delicately on whether Zoast‘s established greatness has already breached insurmountable levels matched only by tactical machine learning algorithms. Either outcome ensures thrilling days ahead as the scenes brightest minds lay everything on the line sprinting towards glory.
