Double Rocket

A **Double Rocket** is a glitch where a runner refills their FLUDD charge as they rocket off the ground, allowing them to rocket (or use other FLUDDs) again in midair. There are several different ways you can perform a double rocket. A double rocket can be extended into a triple rocket using animation looping and rocket storage.

For a visual tutorial and presentation, watch Super Mario 63 in 63 Seconds: Double Rocket.

## Varieties

### Pause Double Rocketing

Pause Double Rocketing is the simplest and easiest method of double rocketing, as well as the most common by far. It can be performed by pausing the frame that the rocket launches. If you pause early, then you can pause buffer to the next rocket animation frame repeatedly until the rocket launches. Since this method does not rely on any frame perfect inputs, it is recommended for beginners.

This method was discovered by AprilSR in November 2014, and was the first method of double rocketing discovered which was viable in Any%.

### Shift Double Rocketing

A **Shift Double Rocket** or **SDR** can be performed by pressing shift, usually changing to turbo, on the frame that you rocket. Shift double rocketing is usually slightly faster, although provides marginally less height, than pause double rocketing, so it is used in TAS and occasionally in BTT segments.

### Pause Shift Double Rocketing

A **Pause Shift Double Rocket** or **PSDR** is a BTT and TAS only double rocket that combines a pause double rocket and shift double rocket to compromise on the speed of a SDR and height of a PDR. It involves pausing for 1 or 2 frames before unpausing and holding shift afterwards. Normally, pausing for less than 3 frames then unpausing would result in no double rocket at all. This is because for the FLUDD power meter to refill, you must be on the ground and the rocket animation must be completed. For a pause double rocket, you must wait 3 frames before unpausing so the animation finishes. However, a SDR is not limited by this as shifting cuts off the animation. A PSDR therefore works by: remaining paused 2 or 4 frames to gain height; unpausing; then shifting to cut off the animation and remain on the ground for 1 frame, filling the FLUDD power meter.

## Impractical Double Rockets

### Damage Double Rocketing

By taking damage on the frame you rocket, you can do a double rocket. Although damage double rockets have been known about for a long time, they are usually done on accident so the date of discovery is likely not known. Video of a damage double rocket can be found here.

### Dash Double Rocketing

Dash double rocketing can be done by performing a dash with the second right tap being on the same frame the rocket goes off. This double rocket was discovered by Tai0 on December 7th, 2019.

### Dive Double Rocketing

The dive double rocket has the same timing as a pause double rocket but cannot be buffered. Since it is required to enter the dive state to do this rocket, movement options are limited.

### Dive Recover Double Rocketing

Dive recover double rockets can be seen as the inverse of dive double rockets. Whereas dive double rockets take you up then forward, dive recover double rockets will move you forwards and then up. To perform, rocket while on the ground holding down and c. Then tap up to dive recover. To avoid diving again, release the down key after dive recovering. Although potentially useful for backups, the dive recover double rocket is not used as a main strategy anywhere in speedruns.

### Locked Door Double Rocketing

Locked Door Double Rocketing is the dumbest double rocket method known. Discovered on February 4th, 2022 by Tomothy, it involves attempting to enter a locked door on the same frame a rocket goes off. The locked door will stop Mario in mid-air just slightly off the ground making a second rocket impossible without pause buffering. However, since it refills the FLUDD power meter, it does count as a double rocket. Here you can find the original footage.

### Luigi Double Rocketing

As Luigi, you can double rocket by rocketing the frame that you backflip. This method was discovered by Sekanor and AprilSR in October 2014, and is notable for being the first Double Rocket method discovered. Since Luigi always goes directly upwards when he rockets, even if he is diving, he can also do a vertical double rocket by standing up from a duck (which causes a Hyper Rocket for Mario.)

### Practice Hack Double Rocketing

The Practice Hack features a Command Prompt which can be opened with the **/** key. Since the game intentionally freezes, except for certain animations, when the command prompt is opened, pressing / on the frame a rocket goes off will refill the FLUDD power meter once the command prompt is closed.

## Significance

The double rocket is a central component of movement for speedrunners. It is the most common method runners use to travel large distances upward. Double rockets are a very versatile technique: in No Major Skips and 100%, performing a double rocket and then using the FLUDD charge to *turbo* instead of rocketing again is a frequent technique for covering large vertical and horizontal distances simultaneously.

1. ↑ https://www.twitch.tv/videos/44975401
2. ↑ https://youtu.be/gl8X2k8F5dA
3. ↑ https://imgur.com/a/JztWgC7
4. ↑ https://www.twitch.tv/videos/45414563