Super Mario Brothers 1 speedruns are getting shockingly optimized. Beating the game with warps in under 5 minutes is common, and a sub 19 warpless run has recently become a reality. I imagine that when PBs run dry, people will want to look for new reasons to extend the gameplay length of the excellent Super Mario Brothers 1. So here is the ultimate challenge: the highest score you can achieve in the game: 9999950. Estimated time: 8-12 hours.
Unlike The Lost Levels, the only restriction is no warps. You won't be able to do this in one life, and you don't get life bonuses at the end, so 1-up exploits such as Koopa Grinding are allowed as well.
My recommended strategy for getting the 9999950 is utilizing 8-2 and repeating it until you have at least 9994000. 8-2 has no checkpoints and an extra life at the beginning that's never far away. There are also coins so you can gradually gain lives. I recommend doing this so you have a comfortable amount of lives to spare to finish 8-3 with the proper amount of points and a Fire Flower (as there is two power-ups in 8-3). Remember, each second you finish a level with gives you 50 points, and the minimum points you can finish a level with is 100. Also remember the conditions under which you get fireworks at the end, which give you extra points.
Now comes 8-4. It's the end of a long run, and you likely only have one chance to do this. Enter 8-4 with a score ending in an odd number and 50 as the last three digits (preferably 9998750) and remember that each coin gives you 200 points and the Hammer Brother gives you 1000 points. Hopefully, you survive the entire level with the Fire Flower and only get the necessary amount of points. After you dodge the fireball at the end, your invincibility after getting hit can easily last you through the Bowser Bridge. It's better to enter 8-4 with less points than more points, as long as it's enough. Remember, if the score surpasses 9999950 and rolls over to the beginning, it's over. If you happen to have the score but die, you can still salvage it by using the double jump trick in the room with the coin block. Just remember not to collect the coin or stomp on enemies by accident!
After this, the time ends when the title screen with Top-9999950 appears. Congratulations, you are a Super Player.
Unlike The Lost Levels, the only restriction is no warps. You won't be able to do this in one life, and you don't get life bonuses at the end, so 1-up exploits such as Koopa Grinding are allowed as well.
My recommended strategy for getting the 9999950 is utilizing 8-2 and repeating it until you have at least 9994000. 8-2 has no checkpoints and an extra life at the beginning that's never far away. There are also coins so you can gradually gain lives. I recommend doing this so you have a comfortable amount of lives to spare to finish 8-3 with the proper amount of points and a Fire Flower (as there is two power-ups in 8-3). Remember, each second you finish a level with gives you 50 points, and the minimum points you can finish a level with is 100. Also remember the conditions under which you get fireworks at the end, which give you extra points.
Now comes 8-4. It's the end of a long run, and you likely only have one chance to do this. Enter 8-4 with a score ending in an odd number and 50 as the last three digits (preferably 9998750) and remember that each coin gives you 200 points and the Hammer Brother gives you 1000 points. Hopefully, you survive the entire level with the Fire Flower and only get the necessary amount of points. After you dodge the fireball at the end, your invincibility after getting hit can easily last you through the Bowser Bridge. It's better to enter 8-4 with less points than more points, as long as it's enough. Remember, if the score surpasses 9999950 and rolls over to the beginning, it's over. If you happen to have the score but die, you can still salvage it by using the double jump trick in the room with the coin block. Just remember not to collect the coin or stomp on enemies by accident!
After this, the time ends when the title screen with Top-9999950 appears. Congratulations, you are a Super Player.
Thread title: