General Info

Phantomire's MM7 Tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLu9v9BR8l89jfhqU6G9YllrApwy_sv2zs 
  

Version Differences
Weapon Get Cut Scenes 
 The most obvious difference between the US and Japanese release of the game are the cutscenes after clearing one of the 8 robot stages. On the US cart, you only ever see Dr. Light talk to Mega Man. On the J cart, you can see any of Dr. Light, Roll, or Auto. 
 Dr. Light is always the fastest conversation. Auto is usually the longest. The notable exception is "Burst Roll". 
 Timing Differences 
 Data courtesy PJ. Better Formatting in progress  
 Bass dialogue 
 
 
 
 Segment 
 NA (time) 
 JP (diff) 
 JP (Light) 
 JP (Auto) 
 JP (Roll) 
 JP (Average) 
 JP (Best) 
 JP (Worst) 
 
 
 Intro 
 123.278 
 -6.922 
   
   
   
 -6.922 
 -6.922 
 -6.922 
 
 
 Bass Dialogue 
 12.995 
 -0.216 
   
   
   
 -0.216 
 -0.216 
 -0.216 
 
 
 Cloud proto 
 14.459 
 -0.765 
   
   
   
 -0.765 
 -0.765 
 -0.765 
 
 
 Cloud weapon get 
 27.521 
   
 -3.611 
 0.799 
 0.666 
 -0.715 
 -3.611 
 0.799 
 
 
 Junk end load 
 2.446 
 -0.017 
   
   
   
 -0.017 
 -0.017 
 -0.017 
 
 
 Junk weapon get 
 28.686 
   
 -3.943 
 1.032 
 -0.566 
 -1.159 
 -3.943 
 1.032 
 
 
 Freeze weapon get 
 26.306 
   
 -1.048 
 5.075 
 3.278 
 2.435 
 -1.048 
 5.075 
 
 
 Burst weapon get 
 27.754 
   
 -4.210 
 2.363 
 6.872 
 1.675 
 -4.210 
 6.872 
 
 
 Pre-museum lab 
 49.900 
 -11.913 
   
   
   
 -11.913 
 -11.913 
 -11.913 
 
 
 Post-museum lab scene 
 7.338 
 -0.383 
   
   
   
 -0.383 
 -0.383 
 -0.383 
 
 
 Turbo proto 
 14.093 
 -0.599 
   
   
   
 -0.599 
 -0.599 
 -0.599 
 
 
 Turbo weapon get 
 25.973 
   
 -1.414 
 2.047 
 3.311 
 1.314 
 -1.414 
 3.311 
 
 
 Shade load 
 19.651 
 -0.050 
   
   
   
 -0.050 
 -0.050 
 -0.050 
 
 
 Shade proto 1 
 18.486 
 -3.611 
   
   
   
 -3.611 
 -3.611 
 -3.611 
 
 
 Shade proto 2 
 36.106 
 -2.313 
   
   
   
 -2.313 
 -2.313 
 -2.313 
 
 
 Shade weapon get 
 28.486 
   
 0.150 
 5.724 
 2.529 
 2.801 
 0.150 
 5.724 
 
 
 Slash weapon get 
 23.910 
   
 0.083 
 4.509 
 6.123 
 3.572 
 0.083 
 6.123 
 
 
 Spring weapon get 
 27.920 
   
 -3.877 
 1.464 
 -0.266 
 -0.893 
 -3.877 
 1.464 
 
 
 Lab cutscene 
 76.456 
 -6.805 
   
   
   
 -6.805 
 -6.805 
 -6.805 
 
 
 Bass 1 intro 
 10.532 
 1.980 
   
   
   
 1.980 
 1.980 
 1.980 
 
 
 Bass 1 end 
 7.754 
 -1.864 
   
   
   
 -1.864 
 -1.864 
 -1.864 
 
 
 Bass 2 intro 
 18.885 
 1.697 
   
   
   
 1.697 
 1.697 
 1.697 
 
 
 Bass 2 end 
 8.719 
 2.629 
   
   
   
 2.629 
 2.629 
 2.629

Route Differences - 100% Route Choices
First 4 Robots 
 From PJ on why the first four robots are what they are 
 
 stage order is chosen to eliminate revisits and minimize buster usage on bosses, even though it means a pretty awful burst stage 
 Freeze-Burst-Cloud-Junk: standard Freeze-Cloud(+19)-Junk-Burst(-15): +4 (time loss on Cloud from buster fight, time gain in Burst from having jet and weapons) Cloud(+19)-Junk-Freeze(-19)-Burst(-15)-Junk(+36): +21 (time gained on Freeze from having weakness, but needs Junk revisit) 
 
 Second 4 Robots 
 Form PJ on why Shade 5th 
 
 Shade Man revisit (to the respawn point and exiting, since that is all the additional content): 2684 frames (44 seconds) Minus the cost of death abuse and respawn: 91411 - 90650 = 761 (11 seconds) Total cost of revisit: +33 
 Shade Man fight (first pixel to teleport frame): Hyper fist: 93758 - 92147 = 1611 (26.8 seconds) Regular S.Adapter: 71314 - 69692 = 1622 (27.0 seconds) 
 Turbo Man: Good truck with T.Bolt: 9.8 (from slide-shot to movement after truck death) Other trucks with T.Bolt: 11.5, 10.5, 14.5 Good truck with Noise Crush: 6.8 Difference: -3-8 seconds, based on pattern 
 Turbo Man fights (from first pixel of health to end teleport): Buster (good): 74931 - 71773 =  3158 (52.6 seconds) S.Adapter (good): 74725 - 71773 = 2952 (49.2 seconds) Noise crush QK: 106034 - 104966 = 1068 (17.8 seconds) Difference: 32-35 seconds (probably 33 best case, since health refill is needed) 
 Total Turbo Man difference: 36-41 seconds with good luck on boss.  Probably -48 vs really bad luck. OVERALL route difference: 33 seconds lost during revisit and Shade Man fight without Hyper Fist, 36-48 seconds saved with Turbo Man QK and truck fight.  In all, 3-15 seconds faster.

Route Info
The two main categories being Any% and 100%. 
 100% collects all permanent upgrades, such as Protoman's Shield, the Energy Balancer, and the Exit Module. 
 Any% 
 
 Cloud 
 Junk 
 Freeze 
 Burst 
 Slash (use Ice) 
 Spring 
 Shade 
 Turbo 
 
 An alternate route would be to visit Shade early to get a second Quick Kill on Spring Man 
 100% 
 
 Freeze (so avoid a Junk revisit)

Noise Crush Quick Kills
Shade Man's weapon bounces off walls, creating a unique opportunity to have a shot bounce around a robot master's room. 
 In theory, this can be used to strike a boss the moment its life meter appears, reducing it from the first HP it gained to 0, killing it. 
 In practice, even with the use of options to get Noise Crush early, there are only 2 viable places to use this trick - Spring Man and Turbo Man. 
 Execution 
 Mega Man must fire the noise crush as he moves into the gate, making the noise crush spawn on the other side of the gate and bounce around the room. 
 As a slow method, you can tap right and Y at the same time to have Mega Man inch forwards. This is slow, but faster than the boss fight. Faster methods certainly exist.

Weapon Notes
The Mega Buster 
 The charge speed is kinda awful. Lemons out DPS it against bosses (though if you do have free time to charge, do it). 
 Wild Coil (Spring) 
 This weapon can be charged. Charged springs do more damage (perhaps obviously), but can also bounce higher. Hold up when releasing Y to get a high bounce. This is extremely useful when fighting Shade Man and the Wily Capsule. 
 Freeze Cracker 
 Has 6 directional fire, hold up or down to fire diagonally. 
 If you use it against Freeze Man, it will heal him to full HP. 
 Rush Jet and Coil 
 Rush can get hit in this game. If Rush takes damage, he will cease being a platform for Rush Jet, so be careful. 
 Danger Wrap (Burst) 
 If you hold down when firing, the bubble will not spawn, and Mega Man will simply put a bomb on the floor. This is extremely useful to make the Cloud fight faster. 
 The bubble also flies up at a steeper angle if you hold up. 
 Noise Crush (Shade) 
 This weapon can be charged by firing a shot off a wall to bounce back into Mega Man. 
 It really only needs Mega Man inside the weapons' hit box to make Mega Man absorb the shot and charge the weapon. This can be done with a quick "shot slide". This technique is used often, especially when a wall is not available such as the boss of Wily 3. 
 Junk Shield 
 It's really strong, but super laggy 
 Fast Swap Weapon Wheel 
 This section is not complete 
 Pressing L+R at the same time resets Mega Man to the buster (just like most games). 
 Jet, Coil, Rush Search, the Super Adaptor, and the Proto Shield are not part of the rotation. 
 Otherwise, pressing R will select the next weapon on this list that Mega Man has available. Pressing L similarly goes backwards through the list to the next (previous?) available weapon. 
 Buster - Freeze...........Spring

Mega Man 7 Shop
While the shop is generally not used in top level speedruns, knowing how to access it is useful for beginners as a means of accessing E-Tanks. 
 Shop Access 
 The shop can be accessed from the stage select screen by pressing select. 
 Item Availability 
 At the start of the game only "the usual" items are available, mainly E-tanks and 1ups. 
 Beat Whistles can be purchased if you rescue Beat from Slash Man's stage. 
 More items become available, and most basic consumables become half price, if you recover Auto's Super Bolt from Spring Man's stage. 
 Auto's Bolt 
 This is in the top left of the very large room late in Spring Man's stage and (will be) documented in that stage's notes. It is behind a wall that must be knocked out by one of the punch springs. 
 Bolt Currency 
 The screws recovered in stages either in the open or as drops are the "money" spent on items here.

MM7 Damage Table
Damage table taken from https://megaman.fandom.com/wiki/Mega_Man_7_Damage_Data_Chart   
 
 
 
   
 Mega Buster 
 Freeze Cracker 
 Junk Shield 
 Danger Wrap 
 Thunder Bolt 
 Wild Coil 
 Slash Claw 
 Noise Crush 
 Scorch Wheel 
 Super Adapter 
 
 
 Mad Grinder 
 1:1:2 
 1.5:1.5 
 1:2 
 2:3:4 
 3:1 
 2:3 
 1 
 2:4 
 4 
 4 
 
 
 Bass 
 1:1:2 
 1.5:1.5 
 1:2 
 2:3:4 
 3:1 
 2:3 
 1 
 2:4 
 4 
 4 
 
 
 Freeze Man 
 1:1:2 
 +4:+4 
 4:4 
 1:1:1 
 1:1 
 1:1 
 1 
 1:1 
 3 
 2 
 
 
 Junk Man 
 1:1:2 
 1:1 
 0:0 
 1:1:1 
 4:4 
 1:1 
 2 
 1:2 
 0 
 2 
 
 
 Burst Man 
 1:1:2 
 4:3 
 1:1 
 0:0:0 
 1:1 
 1:1 
 1 
 1:2 
 4 
 0 
 
 
 Cloud Man 
 1:1:2 
 1:1 
 0:0 
 4:4:4 
 2:2 
 1:1 
 1 
 1:2 
 1 
 3 
 
 
 Spring Man 
 1:1:2 
 1:1 
 1:1 
 1:1:1 
 0:0* 
 0:0 
 4 
 1:2 
 1 
 2 
 
 
 Slash Man 
 1:1:2 
 6:4 
 1:1 
 0:0:0 
 1:1 
 1:1 
 1 
 1:2 
 4 
 2 
 
 
 Shade Man 
 1:1:2 
 1:1 
 1:1 
 1:1:1 
 1:1 
 3:6 
 1 
 0:0 
 1 
 4 
 
 
 Turbo Man 
 1:1:2 
 1:1 
 1:1 
 1:1:1 
 0:0* 
 1:1 
 1 
 3:6 
 0 
 2 
 
 
 Shirokumachine 
 1:1:2 
 1.5:1.5 
 1:2* 
 2:3:4 
 3:1* 
 2:3 
 1* 
 2:4 
 4 
 4 
 
 
 Kanigance 
 1:1:2 
 1.5:1.5 
 1:2* 
 2:3:4 
 3:1* 
 2:3 
 1* 
 2:4 
 4 
 4 
 
 
 King Gojulus 
 1:1:2 
 1.5:1.5 
 1:2* 
 2:3:4 
 3:1* 
 2:3 
 1* 
 2:4 
 4 
 4 
 
 
 VAN Pookin 
 1:1:2 
 1.5:1.5 
 1:2 
 2:3:4 
 3:1 
 2:3 
 1 
 2:4 
 4 
 4 
 
 
 Truck Joe 
 1:1:2 
 1.5:1.5 
 1:2* 
 2:3:4 
 3:1* 
 2:3 
 1* 
 2*:4* 
 4 
 4* 
 
 
 Sisi Truck 
 1:1:2 
 1.5:1.5 
 1:2* 
 2:3:4 
 3:1* 
 2:3 
 1* 
 2:4 
 4 
 4 
 
 
 Proto Man 
 1:1:2 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 
 
 Mash 
 1:1:2 
 1:1 
 0:0 
 4:4:4 
 2:2 
 1:1 
 1 
 1:2 
 1 
 3 
 
 
 Bass 
 1:1:2 
 2:1 
 1:2 
 2:2:1 
 2:1 
 1:2 
 1 
 2:2 
 2 
 6 
 
 
 Guts Man G 
 1:1:2 
 0:0 
 0:0 
 0:0:0 
 0:0 
 0:0 
 2:4* 
 0:0 
 0 
 2 
 
 
 Super Bass 
 1:1:2 
 2:1 
 1:2 
 2:2:2 
 2:1 
 1:2 
 1 
 2:2 
 2 
 4 
 
 
 Gamerizer 
 1:1:2 
 0:0 
 0:0 
 1:0:8 
 0:0 
 2:3 
 0 
 0:0 
 0 
 0 
 
 
 HannyaNED² 
 1:1:1 
 0:0 
 2:0 
 0:0:0 
 0:0 
 0:0 
 3 
 2:4 
 0 
 0 
 
 
 Wily Machine 7 
 1:1:2 
 1:1 
 0:0 
 0:0:0 
 2:1 
 0:0 
 0 
 0:0 
 2 
 1 
 
 
 Wily Capsule 
 0:0:1 
 1:1 
 0:0 
 0:0:0 
 0:0* 
 1:2 
 0 
 0:0 
 0 
 1

Other Notes
Advancing Text 
 Outside of the opening cutscene that always takes 2 minutes, you should hold START to advance text as quickly as possible. 
 Note that the cutscene after the clown boss also lets you hold start. 
 Always Center After Bosses 
 Even the castle bosses.