A Pacifist Run of Mega Man Zero 3's Intro Stage
23In this run, Zero shows that he’s taking the threat of the returning Omega and Dr. Weil very seriously by completely ignoring every enemy within their crashed space vessel.
This is a pacifist run of MMZ3’s intro stage, the Derelict Spacecraft. Although the level is short, it contains a densely packed interior section that presents quite the puzzle when approached as a pacifist. Additionally, while the fight against Omega is unavoidable, it’s still possible to take a minimalist approach to combat as a way of preserving the pacifist spirit. In this case, I play on Hard Mode and restrict Zero to the Buster as a means of spicing things up.
The two halves of the stage are diametric to each other; the opening section is almost wholly deprived of the need to think at all. The only point of consideration is taking care to avoid dash jumping into the fourth and fifth Grand Cannons. The slope they inhabit is oddly angled, but even so, it takes all of 30 seconds to figure out how to meander past them. Aside from that, the spacious nature of the snowy plains allows free passage. The procedure of quickly changing your controls in the menu might actually be the most difficult part here.
The indoor section where Zero infiltrates the ship may last roughly 20 seconds, but its enemy placement and topography create a scenario that demands strict input precision when trying to maintain speed as a pacifist. Before detailing how I circumvent each bit of level geometry and its associated enemies, I first need to explain the technique of delaying your dash jumps.
A normal dash jump is obviously simple. However, Z1, Z3, and Z4 all have a mechanic where players are able to input a dash command up to 3 frames after jumping—pressing both buttons on the same frame also works, and it’s the only way to perform this trick in Z2. The benefit of delaying the gain of dash momentum until Zero is airborne is that obtrusive surfaces like ice, sand, and other momentum-hampering stage elements won’t apply. This technique allows players to overcome such obstacles without the use of Chips like the Spike Boots and Lightweight Body.
The start of the ship’s interior is undoubtedly the most rigorous part, with a few stacks of ice blocks, a Batring, and a Pantheon in the way. Without the ability to blast through the Batring, you need to gain sufficient momentum on the first two ice blocks, then wall jump over to the next set. This isn’t too bad since you’re given space to carry momentum from the prior ledge. However, the pseudo-staircase that follows is a different story. As soon as you land on the lower block, you have to use a delayed dash jump and modulate its height so that you land on the corner of the upper blocks near the Pantheon. Holding the jump button will cause Zero’s jump arc to lead him directly into the Pantheon, which would be fine if you’re slicing it apart. In my case, I have to perform a second delayed dash jump on the corner of the blocks, right before Zero walks off the ledge—too early, and you’ll fail to clear the gap. Two narrow input windows and precise positioning demand a lot of practice.
A third, significantly easier delayed dash jump awaits on three ice blocks above. The second Batring lurking past the conspicuous box is subject to RNG; to my knowledge, there’s no way to know in advance if it’ll drop or fly, so take a momentary pause to observe it before proceeding. Above that, a pair of Shotcounters seemingly bar the way, but it’s just barely possible to snake by without having to wait for them to move. The second one fires a shockingly slow bullet to the left; don’t dash forth into it.
Prior to the boss door are cramped corridors occupied by two Pantheons and a Batring. The challenge here is entirely one of problem solving and not technical skill. The key is this: if a Pantheon is facing Zero, he can dash jump over it, even if a low ceiling causes their sprites to intersect. However, if it’s facing away, you need to wait for it to return to a neutral stance and start your dash jump from further away. The Batring can be lured downward after leaping over the first Pantheon, so don’t be hasty.
I’m sure the primary question that anyone will ask about the Omega fight is why I’m jumping around like a Spoink fighting for its life. It’s all about optimizing my shot timing, ensuring that I hit as soon as Omega’s i-frames are up. With the Saber, you’re given the lenience of an active hitbox that endures for a number of frames, whereas Buster shots dissipate upon contact, even if the target is invincible. Saving time requires that you fire while the enemy is still flashing, with the risk being that you misfire and deal no damage. By using full-height jumps as a sort of metronome, I ensure a steady pace of damage by releasing a charge every second jump. Compared to winging it, this ended up saving 2 seconds, but it’s also considerably more taxing, requiring a steady hand.
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