No, since it's given to you automatically by the chozo test. Now MB without it's another matter...
It's definitely possible, if you move fast through (or skip) the few heated Norfair rooms. Besides that it's just avoiding damage: AJBolt's movies should help with that.
Without actually collecting the Varia Suit? That's quite easy. The only heated room I ever give a crap about is the one behind the Hi Jump Boots.
I can IBJ/DBJ through that heated section with something like 400 energy, and I'm not exactly a master. It's the only room I classify as "needed", due to my inability to beat MB without the screw attack :)
EDIT: With the speed booster and wave beam, you could do it in a matter of seconds, but WB is not for a short while after. It's still fast with just the booster.
Well, for those heated rooms, I go through them from behind (I get Screw Attack and then go through them to High-Jump), and I can do it with like 150 total energy, but that's with Screw Attack. I do, however, need to get a little refill from one of those fire guys walking around in the bigger heated room. I've done it with 200 energy total on an any% hard run, and gotten out with like 65 left several times, so I know it's possible with 50 less energy (1 less ET). Dunno about going the other way, though, you'd have to do a speedy IBJ through there. Prolly need 200 that way. So, that makes me wonder if it's worth it to skip the energy tank right behind Ridley (since I go in that room anyway). I've already done that seg, but maybe if I do another run like this one, I'll skip it.
Dunno about going the other way, though, you'd have to do a speedy IBJ through there
Like I said. I'm no record breaker, but I did it with 400 energy. I could have ascended a little faster, or maybe shot all the bricks away to move through faster, but I didn't make any HUGE screwups, like missing the IBJ and restarting.
Maybe it was 300 energy, but no less, and definitely didn't have much to spare. I think I had 3 left when I got the screw attack. The flame monster in the room after the save point nearly killed me when I almost tripped over him :)
(Oh, and that run was on easy mode.... will see if normal changes anything)
Confirmed, did it with 299 energy, 17 remaining, and I screwed up the IBJ some. Missed it twice at the start, then didn't go diagonal for about three extra bounces. Woulda lost about 50-60 energy on that.
i always get varia suit before even leaving brinstar in my games, ever since i mastered IBJ, i just go up and grab it. Sure, it may take longer... but its just something i enjoy doing.
ibj - ledge ibj - ledge door ibj - passage bombjump kinda thing over gaps. fall jump jump (over lava) ibj off of self destructing brick - passage ibj up to hole in wall VARIA SUIT GET! (cue the classic item tune)