After nearly 10 years, time to submit a new TAS!
Porky Pig's Haunted Holiday is a 1995 side-scrolling platform video game developed by Phoenix Interactive Entertainment (initially Dark Technologies) and published by Sunsoft/Acclaim for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console. The goal of the game is to guide the main character, Porky Pig from the Warner Bros. cartoons, through his nightmares.
Game objectives
Emulator used: BizHawk 2.8 (normal BSNES core)
Aims for fastest time and heavy lag reduction
Takes damage to save time
Uses glitches to save time
This run is 3524 frames (59 seconds) faster than the published 2016 run thanks to better knowledge about the game mechanics, lag reduction, a few new shortcuts and even dealing with the “worst enemy” in this game: the global timer.
Development of the run
A year after the current any% run was published, Droodbot submitted a new any% run in addition to informing about the demo glitch which skips most of the game. This glitch motivated me to work on a new category run, but that new any% run was soon cancelled because Vault rules at the time and the demo glitch obsoleted the 2016 TAS.
Fun fact: another game called “Toki: Going Ape Spit” achieved a “demo glitch” TAS that obsoleted a full game run too, in the same month I worked on Porky Pig again. Just a nice coincidence.
However the rules changed some years later and both full game runs were unobsoleted, although I didn’t plan working on a new any% run until a year later, in October 2021.
During the development of the new project, I lost motivation several times because of lag issues but I changed my mind this year for a good reason: 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of this game, so why not give it a shot celebrating it just in time?
Well I wanted to submit this game for Halloween but I missed the opportunity due to problems while revising/checking possible final results. For this project I used my old 2016 run to build the improvement with the greatest tool TAStudio, allowing me not only to polish the game but to avoid some headaches since not every game won’t sync to the end without caution.
Tricks, glitches and mechanics
Slope technique
The normal maximum speed when walking is 2, but during a slope the speed increments from the current speed until 4. Jumping off a slope keeps the maximum speed for some frames. However if you press the right button on the same frame you jump (if you're facing to the right), the technique can be extended a little further - it also applies to the left direction, with the difference you should press the left button instead.
I also discovered that ignoring the jump and pressing the aforementioned direction on the first frame Porky is going to start falling down, he will be one pixel further. Only useful for small slopes whose end points are short.
The camera mechanic
You can move the camera while Porky is stationary: scrolling the camera (by holding X button + direction pad) moves faster than you, spawning enemies or objects earlier than usual. As soon as you stop doing it Porky's movement speed resets to 0 so the usage is very limited in this run.
Minimum speed loss
If Porky is on the air, ignore pressing the left or right button for 4 frames so that the speed will reduce to 1, wait another frame so the speed returns to 2 and you can continue moving without problem. However if you wait a frame once again, repeat the same two steps then continue moving after returning to max normal speed because this time the normal speed loss will occur.
Also, I found a faster setup: turn around for 2 frames, wait one frame and continue moving. The extra wait rule + avoid losing max normal speed also applies here.
This technique is very useful for heavy optimization but when you're underwater during most of the third level, Porky's movements work differently: letting off the left/right button then pressing again immediately reset speed to 0. For the other side I found one more setup similar to the alternative "normal one", with the difference you can ignore the "waiting rule" by simply turning around for 1-2 frames then pressing the opposite on the next frame.
Sprite glitch
If you press left, right or down every other frame (a la Turbo mode) on bosses, they will not advance to the next sprite as normally intended until you stop pressing the buttons. The repetitive nature looks silly by abusing too much, but this glitch is funny + forcing the boss to not be animated = lag reduction when possible: actually useful during the second, third and fifth bosses.
Moonwalk
This trick only works if you are facing in the left direction and hold left + right buttons. Moonwalking looks like only a visual change at first, but there are a few benefits by clipping some small platforms if possible. However this game is well programmed for finding useful locations... my radar was unsuccessful.
Weather system
The weather effect is notable every time you play this game. This game chooses 'randomly' by delaying the title screen, skipping the title sequence or starting a new level on the map screen through different frames because the global timer decides the choice.
In the published 2016 run, getting rain, snow and fog weather took more time to load than usual while the Droodbot's cancelled 2017 run and "demo glitch" category as well as the 2025 any% run get normal weather. Another reason for the change is the fact they might add some lag during certain rooms in this game.
Chain swing system
Not noticeable when playing this game normally, but the way the chain swings behave… there's a situation: They are timed/controlled from the system rather than during the actual levels where you can find them. They own its global timer too!
The first real difference is shown when Porky reaches the unavoidable chain swing path from the 1-4 checkpoint: if you find small improvements they won't be enough unless you achieve further timesaves so you can avoid waiting time.
During this TAS I lose some frames just for lag reduction in order to keep the global timer advancing because after the first level, the next time he'll find another chain swing is in the middle of the first level 6 room where the problem is unavoidable at all. In addition, there are another two chain swings in the sixth room (the pool one) that you are forced to wait too - I lost time during the 3/4 of the fourth room on purpose while getting rid of some very stubborn lag frames.
Entering / Zipping walls
By holding the X button while on an ascending platform (in this case, the bubbles from the underwater sections), Porky will ignore the collision when he "touches" the ceiling and continue going up until you release the button. This is included in both 2016 and the cancelled 2017 runs skipping most of the third Atlantis room and for the next room the glitch is also useful during the second half since the game limits the amount of bubbles to 3, likely to prevent potential slowdowns.
If vertical zipping is possible, why not try horizontal too? Yep this is possible thanks to Droodbot who discovered that pressing the down button immediately after releasing X, Porky will zip backwards or the opposite depending on the direction you're facing. During the zip sequence if you press or hold down the button again, he can still zip upwards.
Please note that Porky takes damage during the third Atlantis room sequence and might occur during the next room - fortunately careful optimization prevents it. Be careful.
Fun fact: using a loose platform on a certain location during one room of the Mines level, you can venture "underground" but the camera isn't programmed to follow besides the intended way. There's an "alternative exit" located deeper but this strategy was almost useful because there are solid tiles/walls you can't even see at all, requiring slower routing.
Table of improvements
Level 1 - The Haunted Woods
Level 2 - Dry Gulch Town
Level 3 - Atlantis
Level 4 - The Abandoned Mines
Level 5 - The Alps
Level 6 - The Castle
(Coming Soon - Work in Progress)
Darkman425: Claiming for judging.
Darkman425: Cool to see the 9 years of new developments finally applied to this improvement. It's fascinating seeing the sheer amount of lag reduction at work alongside the other improvements. Nice work!
Accepting to Standard as an improvement to [3219] SNES Porky Pig's Haunted Holiday by Challenger in 23:30.46.
That's all, folks!
EZGames69: Processing...

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