For the first time in 20 years...sub 1:30 100%
I finished with 1:29!
I don't have super skills. I can't do the short charge. I can't do the mock-ball very well...but I'm finally good enough to beat 1:30!
Keys were
1) Mock-ball to get super-missile in Brinstar near the elevator to crateria
2) Making a NICE set of wall jumps in the "bubble" room in Norfair to get to the speed booster and wave beam
3) A slick rout through Maridia (involves some back-and-forth)
4) Saving immediately before difficult areas using save stations that are en-route. THIS HELPED TREMENDOUSLY...especially right before (1) and (2).
When I beat Phantoon I did some massive item collection in Old Tourian, lower Crateria, and Brinstar, and then ran down to Maridia to save. I found I had 62% at that point and the time was 0:47. I knew that was really good. After an impressive run through Maridia, I ran to Ridley's lair to save near the elevator. I had 81% item collection with a time of 1:04. That means I gang-busted through Maridia. I KNEW I had it then.
Item collection sequence.
1) Morph ball
2) Missile (first one to the right of morph ball)
3) Bomb
4) Energy Tank (first one, sloped area in Crateria)
5) Super Missile (first one near Brinstar elevator to Crateria)
6) Reserve Tank (first one near Brinstar elevator to Crateria)
7) Charge Beam
8) Spazer Beam
9) Varia Suit
10) High-Jump Boots
11) Speed Booster
12) Wave Beam
13) Power Bomb (first in Norfair, en route to Crocomire)
14) Grapple
15) Ice Beam
16) Gravity Suit
17) Space Jump
18) Spring Ball
19) Plasma Beam
20) Screw Attack
21) X-Ray Scope