Welcome back to another edition of the Weekly Speedrun Roundup! This week has been packed with groundbreaking discoveries, insane world records, and important updates for the speedrunning community. Let’s dive in!
Breaking the Donkey Kong Kill Screen
After 44 years, it turns out that the infamous Donkey Kong kill screen isn’t actually the end of the game! A player has discovered a way to bypass the long-assumed limit, opening up new possibilities for high-score attempts and potential speedrun strategies. This revelation has sparked discussions across the community, with players and historians alike re-examining the classic arcade title.
Kosmic also covered this breakthrough in a video, diving into what this means for Donkey Kong’s competitive scene. The discovery has already reignited interest in high-score attempts, and we may see a resurgence in DK runs as people attempt to push the game beyond its perceived limits.
Super Metroid Speedruns Hit New Heights
Super Metroid continues to dominate the speedrunning scene with two incredible new records:
- ShinyZeni achieved an Any% world record of 40:22, pushing the classic run to new levels of optimization.
- Zoast set a new Any% in-game time record of 0:26, proving once again why they are one of the top Super Metroid runners in the world.
These runs showcase the ongoing refinement of movement, routing, and execution in one of speedrunning’s most revered titles.
Splits.io Shutting Down
In a major loss for the community, Splits.io will be shutting down on March 31, 2025. The site has been an essential tool for tracking and analyzing speedrun splits, and its absence will leave a void for many runners. If you haven’t already, make sure to back up your splits and explore alternative tools before the shutdown.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Speedrunning Scene Explodes
Baldur’s Gate 3 speedrunners have been setting records left and right, with multiple new WRs posted this week:
- Honour Mode (No Major Glitches): 37:54.45 by Kinslayer817
- Explorer Mode (No Major Glitches): 35:34.39 by Kinslayer817
- Honour Mode (No Major Glitches) WR Updated: 35:05.79 by Kinslayer817 (just hours before this post!)
The BG3 speedrunning scene is rapidly evolving, and it’s exciting to see new strategies emerge in this deep RPG.
Crash Team Racing 101% World Record: First Sub-2 Hour Run
Hypnoshark has made history by achieving the first-ever sub-2 hour run in Crash Team Racing 101% with a time of 1:59:42. This incredible feat improved the previous record by nearly 50 seconds, setting a new standard for CTR runners.
Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers 2 and Mortal Kombat II WRs
- Chip ‘n Dale 2 Any%: 14:15 WR by One-Personality4854
- Mortal Kombat II (Arcade) – Sub-Zero: 7:30 WR by Dark_Tenka
- Mortal Kombat II (Arcade) – Johnny Cage: 7:43 WR by Dark_Tenka
New Time-Saving Glitch in Watch Dogs: Legion
A brand-new glitch called Fabere’s Call has been discovered in Watch Dogs: Legion, saving a full minute in certain categories. This has the potential to shake up the game’s speedrunning scene, and runners are already testing new routes to maximize its efficiency.
Upcoming Events & Community Highlights
- No Glitches Allowed 2025: Submissions are open! If you have a glitchless speedrun you’d like to showcase, now’s your chance to apply.
- Little Nightmares Speedrun Race: A group of runners is organizing a friendly race for Little Nightmares 1 in mid-February. All skill levels are welcome!
- GDQ Couch Commentary Requests: A thread is gaining traction discussing the best GDQ runs featuring JHobz and SpikeVegeta on commentary. If you’re a fan of insightful and entertaining commentary, be sure to check out the recommendations.
Security Alert: Oengus Password Reset Recommended
Oengus, a site used for speedrun event scheduling, has issued a critical security alert. All users are strongly advised to change their passwords and reset 2FA to protect their accounts.
Conclusion
This week has been filled with historic moments and rapid developments across multiple games. Whether it’s breaking decade-old barriers in Donkey Kong, optimizing RPG runs, or discovering new glitches, the speedrunning community continues to push gaming to its absolute limits.
Stay tuned for more updates next week, and as always—happy running!
Source: reddit.com