Majora's Mask (NTSC-J): Comprehensive tutorial on bomb tricks and correct timing of inputs and their corresponding frames

THIS TUTORIAL ASSUMES YOU HAVE SOME BASIC KNOWLEDGE/ INTUITION OF MOVEMENT/ CONTROLS OF SPEEDRUNNING AND TRICKS ON THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: MAJORA’S MASK (JAPANESE). PAUSE BUFFERING CAN BE USED ON ALL OF THESE TRICKS AND MAY BE NEEDED FOR YOU TO LEARN/ RECOGNISE THE CORRECT FRAMES FOR CERTAIN CONTROLLER INPUTS

Firstly, below is a guide on the phases of the bomb animation once it has been drawn using the assigned C-button

Order of bomb flashes:

Blue slow1, Red slow1, Blue slow2, Red slow2, Blue slow3, Red slow3, Blue quick1, Red quick1, Blue quick2, Red quick2, Blue quick3, Red quick3, Blue quick4, Red quick4, Blue quick5, Red quick5, Blue quick6, Red quick6, Expanding blue, Expanding red, Explosion frames.

EXTRA DETIALS ON THE BOMB (FRAMES/ ANIMATION PHASES):

If you follow this link there is a extremely detailed set of images/ data/ information on a frame by frame analysis of the bomb animation: http://imgur.com/a/3bInU

^^^^^

(This was created by me, however the raw data was collected by my friend Javascripttt in Ocarina of Time, I confirmed that the data & animation was the same in Majora's Mask and the proceeded to create these):

-- NOTE: The ‘quick flashes’ start after the 3rd slow red flash, see above. These phases vary in number of frames per phase. Generally the latter phases contain fewer frames; namely Red quick6, Expanding blue, Expanding red being 1 frame only phases.

With the tricks concerned below timing inputs usually begin at Blue quick4

GENERAL MOVEMENT INPUTS

Shield

R-button

Target/ Z Target

Z-button (corresponding button may depend on controller)

Pull bomb

Press assigned C-button

Backflip

Z Target + DOWN (Analogue stick) + A-button

Dry Roll

Z Target + A-button

Shield drop

Press R-button (bomb must be drawn)

ESS position

Holding the Analogue stick in a very specific & slightly of centre position (NOT a detailed explanation, look elsewhere for a better guide/ description); you must know how to get ESS position properly or the HESS trick will not work.

BOMB TRICKS

-- NOTE: The cues YOU use for when YOU press certain inputs will depend on YOUR own reaction time/ preference. The explanations below give the exact timings/frame(s) by which controller inputs MUST be activated. Therefore you need to consider YOUR own human reaction speed and YOUR own familiarity with the trick(s) through practice and repetition when choosing the time you try to select inputs.

e.g. I personally cannot react in 0.00s, and my hands take time to actually press the buttons, as I'm not a robot/ TAS. So I make sure I start to try and press the inputs slightly before I expect to see the correct frame(s). This means my cue has to be the same amount of time before the correct timing/ frame(s), as the time it takes between me seeing a cue and actually selecting the input I want.

Recoil Flip [DIFFICULTY: one 3 frame input]

Pull a bomb (with C-button) and shield drop it and wait for the following timings:

Whilst holding target and shield, backflip on one of the following frames: Frame 1 [Red quick6], Frame 2 [Expanding blue] or Frame 3 [Expanding red].

Additional info on the Recoil Flip:

The bomb does not need to be shield dropped immediately at the start of the trick, you can actually hold the bomb until nearer the end of the bomb animation; just make sure you have time properly draw your shield before you need to backflip with the shield and recoil from the bomb damage frames. When holding target 2 frames are needed holding the shield (R-button) in order to fully draw the shield.

Super Slide [DIFFICULTY: mashing a 3 frame input]

Whilst holding Z target pull (with C button) and shield drop a bomb while back flipping (do this as early as possible into the backflip) in order to be the correct distance away from the bomb; you must hold DOWN (on the Analogue stick) during the backflip until link lands to get the correct distance away from the bomb. Continue to hold shield and target from the moment drop the bomb. The idea is to roll and try to grab/pick up the bomb as it explodes. The cue you use for when to start mashing the A-button may vary (depends on your own reaction time/ preference), but the frames that will work and give you the Super Slide are consistent; mashing the A-button will be the next input(s).The A-button press (to roll) and subsequent mashing of the A-button (to grab) must begin on the blue flash (Blue quick4) after the 3rd red quick flash (Red quick3). However, the 1st frame of this blue flash (Blue quick4) will not work, it has to be 2nd [second frame of Blue quick4], 3rd [First frame of Red quick4], or 4th [Second frame of Red quick4]. The first frame you can see Blue quick4 will be the 1st frame; however this will not work, so wait 1-3 more frames before inputting A-button mashing.

Keep holding shield once the Super Slide has been achieved. The first A-button press to Roll can/ should be included in the A-button mashing; it is not separate, other than in this explanation to describe its function.

HESS [DIFFICULTY: one 4 frame input, one 2 frame input]

Pull a bomb (with C-button) and hold it until the following timings:

A shield drop and dry roll (simultaneous) must be done on the 1st [First frame of Blue quick4], 2nd [second frame of Blue quick4], 3rd [First frame of Red quick4], or 4th [Second frame of Red quick4] frame of/from the 4th blue quick flash (Blue quick4) after the 3rd red quick flash (Red quick3). Once you have shield dropped and dry rolled, the analogue stick should be put and held in ESS position (ESS right or ESS left) and should be the only input on the controller until the latter inputs of shield and target are also added. The shield & target (simultaneous) must be done on the frame of red blood/sparks [frame 1], or the frame immediately after [frame 2]. These 2 frames are where Link is getting hit by the damage of the bomb near the end of his roll animation. When pressing target and shield on the correct frame [1 or 2] make sure you are still holding a correct ESS position; DO NOT stop holding ESS position. Keep holding ESS position and target once the HESS has been achieved.

Megaflip (during hover) [DIFFICULTY: one 3 frame input, one 1-2 frame input]

Pull a bomb (with C-button) and hold it until the following timings:

A shield drop and dry roll (simultaneous) must be done on the 1st [First frame of Blue quick4], 2nd [second frame of Blue quick4], 3rd [First frame of Red quick4] frame of/from the 4th blue quick flash (Blue quick 4) after the 3rd red quick flash (Red quick3). The backflip inputs must be done on the frame 1-2 frames after you can see links foot/feet appear again from behind the shield as he rolls (another cue is 1-2 frames after links hand is extremely bent). These inputs & roll frames must also coincide with the 1st-2nd frames of the explosion. Due to these frame requirements, in order to do the trick optimally there must be maximum overlap between the correct roll frames and correct explosion frames. At best this is a 2 frame trick; but if not timed optimally it can be a 1 frame trick. Optimal overlap of frames is attained by shield dropping the bomb and dry rolling on the 2nd [blue] frame of the Blue quick4; this causes the first explosion frame to line up with the first correct roll frame to backflip on. This also results with the second explosion frame to line up with he second correct roll frame to backflip on.

Additional info on the Megaflip (during hover):

When doing the backflip input make sure you only hold DOWN for a maximum of 2 frames (i.e. during the first 2 frames of the backflip animation) otherwise you'll reduce the distance at which you Megaflip. This probably means you should you use a flicking movement on the analogue stick for the DOWN input to ensure that you don't activate the input for over 2 frames.

Weirdshot [DIFFICULTY: one 3 frame input, one 2 frame input, one 1 frame un-input]

Whilst holding target pull a Bomb (with C-button) and shield drop it, immediately after hold DOWN-RIGHT (on the Analogue stick) and make link shuffle in a DOWN-RIGHT direction until you are far enough away from the bomb so that you can’t pick it up (if you are not far enough away link will put the Hookshot away instead of dry rolling later in the trick). The bomb should now be forward and left from your current position. Immediately after link is in position whilst still holding target press the Hookshot C-button and 1-4 frames afterwards the shield button. This causes link to draw the Hookshot but not enter aiming mode (quickdraw). Now keep holding only target and wait for the following timings:

A dry roll must be done on the 1st [First frame of Blue quick4], 2nd [second frame of Blue quick4], 3rd [First frame of Red quick4] frame of/from the 4th blue quick flash (Blue quick 4) after the 3rd red quick flash (Red quick3). Immediately after the roll has been initiated press and keep hold of DOWN-LEFT on the Analogue stick. After the bomb explodes and link is at the end of his roll you will see frames where link takes damage from the bomb (red splatters/ sparks/ blood). You must press the C-button assigned to Hookshot on the frame with red sparks/ blood [frame 2] or the frame before [frame 1] for 1-2 frames only [these 2 damage frames should correspond with the following roll frames described: 2-3 frames after you see links foot/feet appear again from behind the shield as he rolls; these roll frames should also overlap with the 2nd and/or 3rd frame of the bomb explosion in order to perform the trick successfully, which you should manage if you did the dry roll at the correct time]. These 2 frames are the correct frames for the Hookshot C-button input. If done correctly a red Hookshot dot should appear just under link on the successive frame; the only inputs being held at this point is target. The next action is to let ONE more frame pass whilst still holding only target, when successfully on this next frame the red Hookshot dot should have moved to just above link. Now release all inputs and you should have achieved a Weirdshot.

Additional info on the Weirdshot:

Target must be held throughout the trick. DOWN-LEFT must be held after the dry roll until the frame before the C-button for the Hookshot is been pressed and registered (however you can hold DOWN-LEFT for longer; up to the end of the trick until all inputs are release if you prefer). The Hookshot draw with shield (Hookshot quickdraw) can also be done whilst shuffling into position; so you don’t actually have to wait to be stationary and in the correct position relative to the bomb to do this input. This trick can also be done with a Bow; just make sure your Bow is equipped to the C-button you press (same timings).

MORE BOMB TRICKS CAN BE EXPLAINED AT REQUEST IN THE FUTURE. ANY RECOMMENDATIONS/ FEEDBACK ON THESE EXPLANATIONS AND THEIR FORMATTING ARE WELCOME.