The speedrunning community saw incredible feats and fascinating developments this week, spanning iconic classics, exciting new personal bests, and groundbreaking research. Here’s a look at the highlights.
World Records: Shining Moments and Dominance
- Super Mario 64 (70 Star): GreenSuigi claimed the 46:27 World Record, marking an extraordinary achievement as they now hold WRs in all five major SM64 categories. Their dominance solidifies their status as a legend in the speedrunning scene, sparking discussions on how rare such all-encompassing mastery is .
- GoldenEye 007 (Depot Secret Agent): Eric P. (foxdie) set a new WR with a blistering 0:38, showcasing GoldenEye’s enduring appeal and its high-skill ceiling .
- Portal (Inbounds): Hrvatskii secured their first sub-8 minute time with a 7:56.82, breaking barriers and setting a new standard .
- Ty the Tasmanian Tiger (Any%): KamaCrimson achieved a remarkable 27:46, pushing the boundaries of this underappreciated gem .
- Stick War: xBMAN2003x became the first to break the 16-minute mark on the hardest difficulty—a testament to dedication in this flash classic .
Community Innovations and Time-Saving Tricks
- Twilight Princess: A seemingly simple Discord comment saved runners 10 hours by uncovering a revolutionary trick. It’s a reminder of the collaborative nature of speedrunning, where even casual observations can lead to game-changing discoveries .
- Cheating Detection Software: A new tool promises to detect falsified runs, enhancing fairness and accountability in competitive speedrunning .
Historical Deep Dives
- Star Fox Adventures Any%: A detailed retrospective explored the history of WRs in this quirky title, featuring interviews with legendary runners. The community’s enthusiasm for documenting its history remains as vibrant as ever .
- Astro Bot: Another fascinating video examined the “already absurd” progression of WRs in Astro Bot, reflecting on how rapidly strategies evolve in even the most niche games .
Discussions and Debates
- Peaks in Speedrunning: A lively thread asked the community to share their thoughts on the most dominant eras and runners in speedrunning history. GreenSuigi’s SM64 sweep naturally took center stage .
- Tool-Assisted Speedruns (TAS): A lighthearted discussion celebrated the chaos and creativity of TAS runs, with Celeste being a community favorite for its absurd precision and energy .
- Livesplit Mysteries: Runners delved into how the ubiquitous timing tool “knows” when to split, sparking a technical but engaging discussion .
Notable Personal Bests and Milestones
- Super Mario 64 (16 Star): BCman2008 hit an impressive 20:17, showcasing steady improvement in this fiercely competitive category .
- Wii Sports: A 7:05 PB in “All Sports” placed ReporterMassive1894 in fourth place, showing the versatility of sports-focused speedrunning .
- Sonic Generations: PurplePizzaWolf’s 00:52:95 in Chemical Plant Act 1 snagged them third place, a significant feat in the online leaderboard scene .
Quirky and Ambitious Runs
- The Longing: A speedrun of a game designed to take 400 days to beat made waves. It’s a rare example of patience blending with optimization .
- Microvania Showcase: A new indie game tailored for speedrunners debuted, inviting players to test its mechanics in short, intense runs .
From landmark records to surprising discoveries, this week proved once again that speedrunning is a dynamic and ever-evolving passion. Whether you’re a world record holder or a casual fan, there’s always something new to marvel at.
Until next time—keep running fast, and breaking barriers!
Source: reddit.com