This Week:
I decided for the Gamecube version instead of the HD version, simply because I like the speedrun of the Gamecube version more, since quite a few things were patched for the HD remake.
First of, the categories.
For this game we got the typical three: Any% (finishing the game as fast as possible, no restrictions), 100% (complete the game as fast as possible, no restrictions) and Glitchless (finishing the game as fast as possible, but without using glitches/OtB/ etc.). But we also have Low% on this one, which is basically Any%, but you are not allowed to take certain items, which in this game are actually quite a few. Bottle, Boomerang, Delivery Bag, Ballad of Gales, Skull Hammer, Cabana Deed, Bait Bag, 5000 Rupee Wallet, Magic Armor, Pictobox, every treasure chest, every Heart Container and Heart Piece. Those are the items a runner is not allowed to take in order to qualify for the Low% category.
Next up are the Records from the people from the top of the pack.
The world record in Any% is currently holding ChaoticAce, with 3h, 57mins and 59secs. Following him closely is Demon9, finishing the game in 3:59:51. As for 100%, this time it's the other way around. Demon9 holding the WR with 6:56:57, followed by ChaoticAce with a 7:09:34. Next up is Glitchless, with Chasetopher being 6mins and 22secs faster than nezumii, finishing the game in 5:38:13. And last but not least is Low%. The world record holder, again being Demon9, finishing the game in 5:28:53 (Part:1/2/3/4/5) and being 29mins and 43secs faster than Vixy (sadly no VOD I was able to find).
As for glitches, we have actually quite a lot in this one.
First off we have a small one in forsaken fortress, were you gain few frames in which enemies are not able to detect you by picking up a barrel to hide under, and immediately get out of it again. Next up we have a foundation glitch, used for mutiple other glitches later on, that being Dry Storage. Dry Storage requires the Wind Waker and works by climbing up a small edge right next to something, so that you'd normally fall right off again, and by using the Wind Waker in the few frames before falling off again, you get out of the animation, but the game still thinks you are there, which lets one do quite a few different things. The first of those things coming up next, Super Swim, which works by jumping into the water after doing dry storage, and by turning in circles very fast lets one gain a lot of speed, which can be used to swim to different islands faster than would be possible by using the boat. The next thing Dry Storage can be used for is to trigger dialogue when you want it to, because when after you use the dry storage, and trigger dialogue, it won't start right away, but after you use your wind waker the next time, which can be used to skip certain dialogue by overwriting it with other dialogue. Another thing climbing on ledges and falling off again can be used for besides Dry Storage, is getting out of bounds, because at some points you will pull yourself in to somthing that's on top of the ledge, and if you fall off sideways you will end up inside the ledge you climbed on. Another way to get out fo bounds is to place something like a bomb on top of the ledge so it pushes you inside the wall next to the ledge, but that only works on ledges with a wall next to them. The next thing that really makes this run short is the zombie hover. The Zombie Hover works by dying and then spamming jumpslash right before finishing the death animation, this will take link a little bit higher, but the jumpslash will get canceled right away, this makes it possible to fly up walls by spamming jumpslash.
There are quite a few more things to list here, but I don't want to drag it out to much. And besides, link to explanations for all the stuff I listed and not listed are just a little bit further down.
When it comes to competition on the leaderboard, then there is definitely a lot of space to get your own times in-between.
On the Any% Leaderboard we have 57 runner, and a total difference of 6 hours 28 minutes and 18 seconds separating first and last runner. In 100% the difference is even bigger, sitting on 7:16:15 between the first and last place and 13 people on the Leaderboard. Glitchless has only six runner on the Leaderboard and 2:47:50 difference. And Low% having only four runner, but 4h 51mins and 4secs as a total difference between wr and last place.