Summer Games Done Quick 2019 starts today with a retro-infused schedule

A week of charity speedrun goodness

There’s no event in gaming’s calendar year I look forward to more than Games Done Quick’s charity speedrun extravaganzas. And today sees the return of such an event, with the start of the group’s mid-year marathon, Summer Games Done Quick.

From today until June 30, speedrunners from across the globe will converge upon the DoubleTree Hilton Bloomington-Minneapolis Hotel in Bloomington MN, coming together en masse to rip their way through a catalogue of great (and not-so-great) video games from past and present. Speedruns, wacky challenges, tool-assisted chicanery and more can be expected over the next seven daysღ, along with panels, interviews, giveaways, and lots of fantastic prizes to be won by lucky viewers.

The is live now, with this year’s event seemingly leaning toward the old-school. Alongside classic remakes such as Spyro the Dragon Reignited and Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, we have Nintendo mainstays Castlevania and Metroid, multiple titles in The Legend of Zelda, Mega Man and Super Mario series, as well as a glut of 8-bit/16-bit releases such as Splatterhouse: Wanpaku Graffiti, Punch-Out!!, Boogerman, and even Last Action Hero. There’s also a sub-four hour run on Kingdom Hearts III planned. You can check out the full schedule – adjusted for your own timezone –

All proceeds raised during SGDQ 2019 will go to relief organisation , a international network of professionals who work tirelessly to provide aid wherever it is needed, regardless of race, colour, creed or political persuasion. MSF have saved countless lives through their amazing efforts, relying on the generous donations of their benefactors in order to provide equipment, care and staff worldwide. Last year’s SGDQ event raised an incredible $2.1 million for the group. Here’s hoping they can smash that record over the coming week.

You can watch all of the action over at . For more information on the event, . Good luck to all of those involved in this week’s activities, be they speedrunners, hosts, staff or spectators. It’s sure to be another fantastic week of gaming, as well as a testament to the positive impact video games and the gaming community can have on the world at large.

SGDQ 2019 ruꦕns from June 23-30 at the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel൩, Bloomington, MN.