As the speedrunning community gears up for an exciting year, here’s a look at the top highlights from this week, spanning world records, breakthroughs, and events!
🚨 Countdown to AGDQ 2025
The most anticipated event in speedrunning is almost here! Awesome Games Done Quick 2025 kicks off January 5th and runs until January 12th. This year promises a fantastic lineup of games and runners showcasing incredible skills—all for a good cause. Don’t miss it!
🏆 World Records of the Week
- Super Smash Bros. Melee Home-Run Contest
- A groundbreaking WR featuring a phantom double bat drop combo in real-time! Truly a historic moment for SSBM fans.
- Mario Kart Wii – Rainbow Road
- Owen Smith sets an electrifying time of 0:57.688, further pushing the limits of this iconic track.
- Unity’s bhop_arcane Map
- After six years, the bhop_arcane WR has been beaten legitimately, reigniting interest in this classic.
- Mortal Kombat II (Arcade)
- A 6:34 Liu Kang WR showcases how speedrunners continue to innovate even in the classics.
- Victoria 2 – Form Scandinavia Any%
- A quick 9:11 WR by MChainsaw demonstrates peak efficiency in this grand strategy game.
🔍 Community Discoveries & Discussions
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Ice Ice Outpost Strategy
A new motion glider technique was discovered, offering exciting routing possibilities. - Super Mario Bros. TAS Tie
- Niftski achieves a back-to-back TAS tie in 8-2 for Any%, showcasing incredible consistency.
- Big Jon Tribute
- The community mourns the loss of Big Jon’s father. Big Jon is a cherished figure in speedrunning, and the outpouring of support has been heartwarming.
- Super Mario 64 Historical Run Search
- A 2005 SM64 speedrun featuring The Princess’s Secret Slide is being sought out by fans. Do you remember this gem?
🎥 Video Spotlights
- “OoT Speedruns are INSANELY Lucky”
- DannyB dives into how RNG shapes Ocarina of Time runs.
- “How a Door Kills Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Speedruns”
- Mythrigon breaks down a bizarre obstacle in XC2.
- Quake Done Quickest 2
- A nostalgic look at speedrunning’s roots.
- Majora’s Mask – All Dungeons Low% LOTAD
- A creative showcase of a meticulous run.
🎮 Tips & Questions
- Splits.io for N64
- New WR holder for Star Wars Episode 1 Racer seeks guidance on using Splits.io for hardware verification.
- Sonic Adventure 2 Metal Harbor Tips
- A runner seeks advice to perfect their Metal Harbor speedrun.
🌟 Runner Spotlight
Bezzles smashed their own record in The Ascent with a time of 2:58:04, cutting down from an earlier 4.5-hour mark. Talk about dedication and improvement!
See You Next Week
That’s it for this week’s speedrun highlights! Don’t forget to tune in to AGDQ 2025 and keep an eye out for the amazing runs and new WRs sure to emerge.
Happy speedrunning! 🕹️
Source: reddit.com