According to the sites that support the tool-assisted speed runs, the tools/hacks used in emulators allow them to remove "human error" from the game, i.e. knowing you are capable of making a jump or something, but you make a minor mistake and goof up. They also use methods like save states, which allow them to backtrack to wherever they last saved the game in case of such a mess up. I think I have links to the FAQs posted somewhere on page one in this post...
daiconv said:
we should totally turn this into a speed run thread