The only way to know if it's the full "100%" is to count the items picked up, which is what I did.
There's 255 missiles in the game, and you get 75 for killing Kraid, and 75 for Ridley, so that leaves 105 missiles via pickups, which is 21. I get all 21 (go counting while watching the tape), along with all 8 Energy Tanks (go stupid E-Tank in Norfair), then the suit enhancements:
Maru Mari Bombs Ice Beam Varia Hi-Jump Screw Attack Wave Beam 2nd Ice Beam Long Beam
So that equals 38 pickups (no, not 37 Radix! :P ), but of course the Ice/Wave Beams come back so you aren't screwed at Tourian, but I do pick up both Ice Beams and the Wave for the "100%".
Watching it right now. I'm loving all those cute performances (such as shooting the wall to the Metroid theme in Brinstar, and turning the missiles on and off while on elevators :D). But most importantly, I absolutely admire the way you're playing. One minor question, though: Why did you risk getting screwed when going to pick up the Varia? :? You had only one energy point left, and any hit from anyone could have destroyed the run. :?
I risked getting screwed going up to the Varia because I was hoping the Waver was going to fly up, and not down into me. I was very "awcrap" but I guess having exactly 01 energy was kinda cool. I had to get the Waver out of the area anyway, so it's just luck if it goes up instead of down first there.
Yeah with the flashing changing on elevators I wasn't sure if the music select thing was gonna show up, but I guess it did.
Yoshi: I shoot to the music in the first room after getting the Maru Mari, then again when I'm falling down the gold passage to the first missiles, then probably other places.
I do that too much I think, but in Zero Mission it's a little harder to tell when I do. I'm just bored I guess so I do something.
RS, I just watched your 100% Metroid video. Great stuff! You had lots of clever ideas throughout. I was also reminded of how poorly I know this game, especially Norfair. I got lost just watching that part.
Have you tried going right instead of left after the freeze beam to get the varia? You can climb up the corridor near the bombs by freezing Rippers and a Waver. It's tricky though, and sometimes the Waver isn't there. It seems like it would be faster this way.
That's what I do in my :56 100% I mailed off to Nate today, along with Ridley first.
Cool, I'm looking forward to seeing that run! Ridley first makes a lot of sense. Even though I killed Ridley first on my run, I didn't take full advantage of it. I should have killed Kraid with missiles, and the high jump boots, among other things, help the pillar climb on the way out of Kraid's hideout. I've borrowed some techniques from your other vids and discovered a few tricks of my own to help improve my any % speed run.