For the past 30 years, Doom has stood as one of the most influential first-person shooters of all time. Its 1994 follow-up �conveniently called Doom 2 �had just as much of an impact. Part ??of the reason these classic id Software games are still around is thanks to the speedrunning community.

Now, more than two and half decades later, one user has managed to beat a long-standing record using a healthy blend of pixel-perfect techniques and sheer tenacity. Back in 1995, a runner called Demonlord managed to get through the first map of Doom 2 in an impressive time of 6?.83 seconds. This has n?ow been bested after decades of attempts.

The new record holder goes by the username ?4shockblast (real name: Aleksey Kamenev) who, at the start of this mont?h, managed to get to the exit of "MAP01: Entryway" in an eye-watering 4.97 seconds, a feat many (including Demonlord) thought was impossible.

How the frick??

In order to understand the ?skill and determination involved in this attempt, and why it's such a significant ru?n, YouTuber Karl Jobst goes through the history of some of the major attempts. While other players, such as Thomas Pilger in 1998, have proved it's possible to get through Entryway in under six seconds, any quicker than that felt almost out of reach.

Although it's a short level, the luck and timing needed to get the new record borders on witchcraft. Jobst explains that the main hurdle is the horde of enemies blocking your path down each corridor. This has resulted in speedrunners firing a stray shot early on in order to get zombies and imps to react and move towards the sou?nd. In theory, this then creates a window of opportunity to slip past t??hem quickly.

This also led to players attempting to get under five seconds, but with monsters not on the map. This at least allowed for pathing techniques, finding the most optimal routes to see if getting a time of four seconds was even possible. Even with additional strategies being implemented, such as a specific type of straferunning called "SR50" and using walls and enemies ??("things") to boost speeds slightly, having monsters turned off meant runs were only ??"theoretical."

The long and the short of it is: there's a reason it took 26 years to beat Demonlord's record. While others �such as SSlasher in 2002�did manage to get below six seconds, it wasn't until 4shockblast's latest attempt that getting under five seconds was actually achievable. While the final time is 4.97, Doom 2's end screen rounds it down to just four seconds??. It's a mighty impressive achievement, and I fear the player who can do even better than that.

The post Doom 2 speedrunner ha??s beaten a record that stood for 26 years appeared first on Destructoid.

Speedrunning is, from my own outsider's perspective, an impressive effort in constantly chasing new goals. At first, runners might try to simply finish a game as fast as possible. Then, they might try to fully finish it, or complete certain objectives, or hit credits with limiters on themselves. It's that last bucket that CarcinogenSDA's run of Resident Evil 2 Remake at AGDQ 2024 falls under.

I've been a fan of Carci's speedrunning for a while. His AGDQ 2018 run of Resident Evil 7 is an easy recommendation for anyone who wants to see someone exemplify their mastery of a game by quickly adjusting their run on the fly. Last night at AGDQ 2024, Carcinogen took the stage with one simple, but incredibly difficult, objective: make it to the end of either Leon or Claire's route in Resident Evil 2 Remake, without taking any damage, on Hardcore.

If you've ever spen??t some time running through the halls of Raccoon City P.D., especially on Hardcore difficulty, you know how daunting that seems. Different types of undead litter the world, all with different placements and tendencies meant to keep players o??n their toes. Oh, and there's Mr. X, too.

A smooth run

As Carcin?ogen lays out at the top, this particular run falls a bit more under the challenge run category�smooth run," as he calls it—than a traditional speedrun. While there are instances where the character on-screen may flinch, or have to use defensive items like a knife, as long as they do not transla??te directly into damage the run is still good. While damage wouldn't have stopped the showcase, Carci promised to donate $100 to the Prevent Cancer Foundation (the charity AGDQ benefits) for every instance of damage.

The fact that Carcinogen was ready to run either character's route through Resident Evil 2, based on audience votes, is already impressive. What followed was an even more impressive display of that knowledge, with a few teeth-clenching moments along the way. And ?if you don't want to know the result, maybe jump back up and watch the VOD quick bef??ore scrolling on.

Escaping the city

If you couldn't tell by now, or were maybe avoiding it, Carcinogen succeeds in taking no damage thro??ughout the run. It's an incredible achievement to pull off in a marathon setting like Games Done Quick. While runners practice a ton, making something big like this happen on the stage, rather than in your typical set-up back home, is always an exciting?? moment. When someone has one shot to perfectly land a display of all their accrued knowledge, and they nail it? That's worth watching.

Fittingly, Carcinogen pops off. After the final boss of Resident Evil 2 is down and defeated, he yanks off his headset and takes a celebratory run through the crowd gathered behind him. He'd later post on Twitter that he was "still in disbelief" he pulled it off, and thanking fellow no-damage runner MattDaRoc, who was on call for the GDQ run as well.

It was the perfect cap-off to a heavily stacked, exciting day at AGDQ 2024. Twice a year, the Games Done Quick streams occupy my second monitor for a whole week, and the Tuesday line-up was a day of bangers. From retro hits run by humans and one very good dog, to a blindfolded bout with an Octopath Traveler 2 boss, to whatever happened in that Granny run, it was an exceptional day. What a fitting way to close it out, for the stateside folks that lost s??ome sleep today to see the run through.

What's next for Carcinogen? Well, he teased something quite intriguing: working on a no-damage run of Final Fantasy VIII, as well maybe some Resident Evil 3 Remake. Follow the rest of GDQ's week over on Twitch here.

The post This Resident Evil 2 Remake no-damage run from AGDQ 2??024 is a must-watch appeared first on Destructoid.

Speedrunning events like Games Done Quick are a chance for people to break world records, while also raising money for charity. It was announced recently that Awesome Game??s D?one Quick will be an in-person event. On top of ?that, the event will also see its first non-human?? combatant.

That's right, according to speedrunner and streamer JSR_, AGDQ 2024 re?presents the first time a dog will officially participate in speedrunning on this level. A trailer video shows that Peanut Butter, the Shiba Inu owned by JSR_, will be there to see if they can break their personal best.

What game will they be playing? According to a post on Twitter, Peanut Butter (sometimes referred to as PB) will be running the 1985 NES game Gyromite.

Not their first rodeo

While JSR_ will be assisting PB to some extent, game inputs wil?l be conducted solely by the dog. A video from earlier this year shows they've done this before, making it through the game in 25:29. The basic set-up utilizes a series of colored buttons hooked up to the game, which Peanut Butter activates (for treats, of course).

Interestingly, both JSR_ and PB are up on Speedrun.com under their own category: Game B - Dog Assistance. The schedule on the AGDQ website shows that this will be an online run rather than in-person, with an expected t?ime of 30 minutes.

We can already see that Peanut Butter seems to have got down the specifics of Gyromite. Yes, I'm aware that they probably don't fully ??understand what's happening, but who among us isn't the least bit tempted to watch a dog play video games? AGDQ will be going ahead ??in January.

The post For the first time ever, Games Done Quick will have ?a canine speedrunner appeared first on Destructoid.

Given the sheer length of time Mario has been around, it's not surprising that people are able to beat the original Super Mario Bros. in record time. Speedrunning is a huge part of the gaming community, and the iconic Nintendo game i??s cl?ose to having the perfect run.

Over on YouTube, runner Niftski has set a new world record, beating Super Mario Bros. in just 4:54.631. Watching the challenge itself is quite? spectacular, but if you're curious as to why they're so ela?ted when they finish the game, it's due to how near-perfect the run was.

//youtu.be/Khu9BB2g4Ks

You see, according to Niftski, someone just needs to shave off 0.366 secon??ds (or 22 frames) for it to be the absolute f??astest �the literal limit �anyone can beat the classic platformer. Until now, this time was deemed impossible for human hands. But now a "new era" has begun for the speedrunning community.

Heart-pumping stuff

According to GamesRadar, this particular run is impressive because of something called "framerule." This is, as the report says, the "hidden in-game timer that chec?ks every 21 frames to ?see if you've completed a level."

There's a 45-minute breakdown of how this works from YouTuber Summoning Salt, if you'r??e interested in learning more. Suffice it to say, Niftski's record sets a new bar for others who want that p??erfect speedrun.

Speedrun.com has validated this latest run, which puts it just 0.233 seconds ahead of second place. Things are only going to get tighter, and it's going to be interesting to see who can come along and essentially do a frame-perfect run of Mario.

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Maybe it should be called Eighth-Life instead of Half-Life...

We've pretty much had to accept the fact that Half-Life 3 is never going to happen. That's... fine, I guess? We still have the original two games, plus Alyx for those of you ?who have a VR headset. Over the years, fans have been challenging themselves to finish the Valve FPS series in eye-wateringly quick times, and there's a new one that puts a number of runs to shame.

Recently, the YouTube channel SourceRuns (via PCGamesN) uploaded a Half-Life 2 speedrun, specifically of Episode Two, that clocks in at a staggering 9:46. Completed by speedrunners jorik and qv2b, the run is the culminat??ion of 196 segmented pieces, which have been spliced together to produce this insanely quick time. It's definitely worth a watch.

//youtu.be/j2N0FJ0dhAw

Once the game starts, you'll see just how much both players are able to skip past huge chunks of the game using exploits. In fact, much of the actual run itself takes place during the final battle at White Forest. Here, the action really slows down as Gordon Freeman defends the area from a Strider attack. Evidently, players haven't found a way to jump past this part t?hat doesn't involve doing the actual fight.

However, at the time of writing, jorik and qv2b's video has not been featured on speedrun.com. This could be because they use a modded version of Episode Two, which removes the cutscenes, thereby reducing the time automatically. However, qv2b is sec?ond on the leaderboard, having achieved a time of 31:12:850 a year ago.

Half-Life 2 is easily one of the most influential FPS games of all time, almost surpassing the impact of its 1998 predecessor. To see pe??ople zooming through the game, (and its expansions), in unbelievably quick fashion shows how skilled some have become at?? guiding our mute scientist hero.

The post This ?Half-Life 2: Episode Two speedr?un is pretty much flawless appeared first on Destructoid.

The biannual speedrunning event starts on Sunday

A new year is here, and so too is a new Games Done Quick even??t. Awesome Games Done Quick 2023, or AGDQ 2023, starts on January 8 and hosts 24-7 speedrunning showcases all the way through January 14.

The biannual charity speedrunning event raises funds for the Prevent Cancer Foundation, and will host a variety of streamers from around the globe. This will also be the final GDQ for event founder Mike Uyama, who is stepping down to pursue new ventures. Director of Operations Matt Merkle will take over the role of owner and man??aging director, and the organization is also seeking a new assistant manager.

Additionally, this year's event is being held online. GDQ confirmed last September that it would not go through with its planned Florida locale, in response to both the state's COVID-19 policies and concerns over HB 1557, colloquially known as the "Don't Say Gay" bill.

"Given the state’s continued disregard for COVID-19’s dangers (including anti-mandate policies) and an increased aggression towards LGBTQ+ individuals, including the law colloquially known as 'Don't Say Gay,' we do not believe it is a safe place for our community," said the organization in a statement.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=SG4n5UIvtdk

This year still looks set to hold some fantastic showcases, however. We've gone through the list of scheduled runs for AGDQ 2023 and picked out a few from each that piqued our interest. Whether it's an interesting category or just a cool game to see speedrun, we'll post them below. Runs will be listed chronologically, and you can check here for time estimates as they're updated throughout the event.

Sunday, January 8

• Borderlands: Game of the Year Enhanced (Any%)
• Cuphead (Bonus Game incentive - 300%)
• Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes (Perfect Stealth / No Kills NG+)
• Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of the Sky (Randomizer 10 Dungeon Blitz)

Monday, January 9

• Skate (X Games%)
• TMNT: Shredder's Revenge (Co-op 2v2 Any% Arcade Chill Race)
• Hitman: Blood Money (Any%)

Tuesday, January 10

• Illbleed (Any%)
• Outer Wilds (Stranger 100%)
• Dead Space 3 (Any% Co-op)

Wednesday, January 11

• Final Fantasy VII (Any% No Slots)
• Pokemon Red or Yellow (Any% Glitchless)
• Neon White (White's Heaven Rush)

Thursday, January 12

• The World Ends With You: Final Remix (Any% Normal)
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (150cc DLC 16 Tracks No Items)
• The Simpsons: Hit & Run (All Story Missions)
• Celeste (Custom maps, Into the Jungle Any%)

Friday, January 13

• Metroid Prime 1 + 2 (Multiworld Randomizer Co-op)
• TrackMania Turbo (White Tracks Double Driver)
• Final Fantasy XIV (Palace of the Dead Solo MCH F171-180, No Mouse)
• Super Mario All-Stars Shuffler (All Four Games Any% No Wrong Warp)

Saturday, January 14

• Metroid Dread (All Bosses Glitchless Race)
• Half-Life: Alyx (Inbounds)
• Pokemon Legends: Arceus (All Lords)
• Super Mario Bros. 3 (Any% Warpless)

Looking ??forward to any AGDQ 2023 runs yourself? Let us know in the comm?ents!

The post AGDQ 2023 kicks off this weekend, here ar??e some runs?? to watch for appeared first on Destructoid.

Pre-recorded footage used in bonus speedrun

The Games Done Quick (GDQ) team has announced that it has rescinded a World Record run that took place during last week's Summer Games Done Quick 2022 event. The run, which featured hack 'n' slash actioner Metal Gear Solid: Revengeance, has been nullified after the SGDQ runner admitted to using footage?? spliced together from previous offlin??e attempts.

While most of the event's speedruns were showcased on-site, a small handful were held in an online capacity for logistical reasons. A Russian speedrunner tackled Revengeance' "Blade Wolf" DLC as part of a viewer donation bonus incentive, and proc??eeded to achieve a world-best clear time in the process. However, the player has since confessed to having faked the feat by simply playing an edited, pre-recorded video on stream.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlkWSqA4VFU

"The Blade Wolf DLC run incentive people paid for is a pre-recorded, segmented run," confessed the runner to GDQ enforcement team after the event. "I haven't mentioned it anywhere, neither during the submission process or the email I sent to the committee. It was supposed to be a real-time? run, but I've changed my mind at the last second after switching the saves."

"I've done an actual bad thing, and I shouldn't have done this on the event... I acted selfis?hly and I haven't put more time thinking about others. I am sorry for doing the thing I've done. Truly."

The GDQ team has since removed the run from its YouTube archive and banned the player from participating in future GDQ events. Despite the honest confession, GDQ seems to believe that it was understood by the player that the subterfuge would not be publically out?ed by the GDQ team. This, ob?viously, has not been the case.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_Ui0Sk1DAM

"This is absolutely unacceptable and attempts to undermine the integrity of the speedrunning community that we love and support," wrote the team in a statement to PCGamesN. "The exact result they desired was unclear from the document, but it is clear that they believed we would not be?? willing to speak out about their behavior. However, we believe it is in the community's best interests to know why this run was removed by GDQ. We have removed [the p?layer's runs] from our YouTube archive, and will not permit him to run in the future."

Summer Games Done Quick 2022, returning to the Double Tree Hilton in Bloomington MA for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the events offline, saw some of the fastest and finest players in the world gather together to smash through a huge catalog of new and classic video games. When the curtain fell on Saturday, the event had raised an incredible $3.01 million USD for charity Medecins Sans Frontieres. You can check out (almost) every run from the event on the official GDQ YouTube channel.

The next online GDQ event, Flame Fatales, will take place between August 21-27.

The post SGDQ 2022 Metal Gear Rising: Revengean??ce World Record run confirmed fake appeared first on Destructoid.

15 picks from the virtual festival

The PC demo scene has really been snowballing in recent years, including �but not limited to �Steam Next Fest, which gave us a chance to check out cool upcoming games like Unsighted and Terra Nil. It's not time for the next Fest yet (that's arriving in October), but there is another batch of Steam demos to sift through this week because of DreamHack Beyond, an at-home take on the long-running LAN-party-turned-e?xpo.

There are a lot of moving pieces to DreamHack Beyond, from regularly scheduled tournaments, to speedruns, to a full-on game-ified experience with NPCs to chat up and booths to visit. (I'll say this much: it's a massive step up from E3's half-baked attempt at a virtual expo, which mostly involved creating an avatar for yourself and never returning again, not for a moment.) I'm a bit late to all of those elements �DreamHack started July 24, and continues through July 31 �though really, I'm just here for these demos.

Once again, I have entirely too many tabs open.

It's simple: I see an intriguing thumbnail on Steam, I hover. If the ensuing screen??shot doesn't betray me, I click into the game's full Steam listing. Here's a ??smattering:

• Exphobia
• Oddinary Highway
• Grotto
• APICO
• LAZR - A Clothformer
• The Outbound Ghost
• Lawn Mowing Simulator
• Despot's Game
• Wolfstride
• Mechajammer
• Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator
• Let's Build a Zoo
• Atrio: The Dark Wild
• No Longer Home
• Flippin Kaktus

Those 15 games stuck out to me among the upcoming releases, and there are demos and deals for already-released titles like Narita Boy and The Longing.

If someone could whip up a gif of the Fugitive-riffing train chase from Wrongfully Accused with the text "S??team demos" plastered on the locomotive, that'd be swell.

There's no guara??ntee that a demo will help yo??ur indie game stand out in the crowd, especially as more developers rally around these sorts of festivals, but I will always appreciate the extra effort.

The post There’s a bunch of demos on Steam right now for DreamHack Beyond appeared first on Destructoid.

Charity begins at home, literally

[Update: Just a reminder that SGDQ 2021 is now officially underway! You can check all the action live on Twitch and take a look at the schedule �localized to your timezone �right here.]

What? It's that time of year already? Apparently so, as this weekend will see the Games Done Quick team take to the airwaves to present one of the biggest highlights of the gaming year, Summer Games Done Quick, which kicks off Sunday, July 4, live on Twitch.

As a hardcore follower of GDQ's events, I'm sure you've all heard this from me a dozen times before, but SGDQ 2021 will see a posse of ?global speedrunners pit their skills against a wide variety of titles, old and new, in a full week of exciting back-to-back gaming action. SGDQ will once again be held in an online capacity this year, as the world continues to gradually pull itself up from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

A quick look at the schedule for this week's event reveals a glut of awesome titles just waiting to be conquered, alongside modern-day fare such as Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Horizon Zero Dawn, the Demon's Souls remake, and Streets of Rage 4 will be retro releases pulled from franchises such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Donkey Kong Country, Mega Man, and Pokemon. The fun begins on Sunday with Dragon Age: Inquisition. Be sure to check out the schedule for a full list of games, localized to your personal time zone.

As always, viewers will be able to bid on bonus games, enter competitions, vote on ing-game player choices, and �most importantly �donate to a worthwhile cause. This year will see GDQ direct all donations to global healthcare network Medicins Sans Frontieres, an organization that has perhaps never been under more strain than in recent times. Last year's SGDQ event raised an amazing $2.3 million USD, so here's ho?ping that this year's festivities are able t?o match, or even smash, that incredible figure.

Summer Games Done Quick is one of my highlights of the year, every year?. While it has admittedly lost just a touch of its charisma having been forced into an online capacity, it remains a thoroughly entertaining week �packed full of great games and compelling action, while demonstrating the indelible and rarely t??rumpeted generosity and dedication of the video gaming community. Be sure to check it out.

SGDQ 2021 runs July 4-11. You can check out all of the action on the GDQ Twitch channel

The post (Update) S??ummer Games Done Quick 2021 kicks off this weekend appeared first on Destructoid.

Knocking out Any% and No Gold like it's no big deal

Twitch streamer HectiqueX broke the Any% speedrun record in Spelunky 2 this week with a 1:38 run, which is impressive in its own right. But here's the wild part: it's also the fastest No Gold speedrun. The runner took the top spot in two cate??gories at the ??same time.

"Frankly, I'm not entirely sure how this run exists in the first place," said HectiqueX.

(Warning: if you turn your audio up to hear the background chatter, make sure to drop it back down to a normal range before 2:10 in the video. It ge?ts relatively loud!)

//youtu.be/Sk0ymYYDNvc

"I haven't been grinding No Gold for a very long time �those categories just aren't particularly fun to attempt, but I had been trying to beat the Spelunky HD time (1:37.111) in Spelunky 2 for a little bit now," wrote HectiqueX.

"Getting Jetpack, Teleporter, and Compass on 1-2 fairly early is one of your best shots to do that. After an average Dwelling and a solid Volcana, I realized on Olmec the run was still $0, but didn't want to sacrifice my speed to keep myself No Gold. I decided that I'd continue to do quick teleports, which could land me directly on gold, but to attempt to avoid any I find with the jetpack. To say I got lucky is an unders?tatement."

"Don't get me wrong �you can't just get a 1:38 with luck alone, my e?x??ecution still has to be solid as hell. But the fact that I managed to narrowly avoid some of the gold on this run is crazy. Some of the teleports nearly stopped my heart."

There's something extra special about just how carefree and chill the record-breaking run is despite, you know, the constant on-screen chaos? and potential for run-ruining slip-ups or nasty RNG. It was a pleasant surprise for everyone involved �even the runner!

??Times are always improving, and categories can and will flip, but this double whammy is worth remembering in the hallowed halls of Crazy Spelunky Runs.

The post This nonchalant Spelunky 2 speed??run broke two records at on?ce appeared first on Destructoid.

It's summertime and the living is speedy

Because this has been the fastest year in the history of time, we are just one short month away from one of gaming's most exciting annual events: Summer Games Done Quick (SGDQ). The charity speedrun marathon will on??ce again see some of the best game players from across the globe gather online to dazzle and astound with their fine??ly honed (and sometimes especially sneaky) skills.

As we're not quite out of the COVID-19 pandemic yet, the schedule calls for SGDQ 2021 to be held in an online capacity once again. We can still tune in for a week's worth of gaming action, offering our support while making donations for a worthwhile cause. This year's beneficiary is once again global healthcare network Medicins Sans Frontieres, an organization that (understandably) needs our help now more than ever. Last year saw the GDQ team raise an awesome $2.3 million USD, so they'll no doubt be? looking to break that record??.

The Games Done Quick team has released the schedule for this year's event, which is loaded for bear with fantastic titles old and new. Making an appearance will be Nintendo's Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, and Super Mario Odyssey, Guerilla Games' Horizon Zero Dawn, Capcom's Devil May Cry V, Dotemu's Streets of Rage 4, and Fromsoft's PS5 remake of Demon's Souls. This is but a tiny selection of the array of amazing games waiting on deck, so be sure to peep the SGDQ 2021 schedul??e and look out for some of your favorites.

Summer Games Done Quick 2021 kicks off Sunday, July 4, and will run until Sunday, July 11. You can follow all of the action over on the official GDQ Twitch channel. I can't wait!

The post Summer Games Done Quick schedule includes Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Demon’s Souls, Horizon Zero Dawn, and more appeared first on Destructoid.

Submissions open May 18-25

The button-mashing speedrunners over at Games Done Quick are getting set to sweat once again. The GDQ organizers have announ??ced that sibling community Frame Fa?tales will be holding another fantastic, all-women's speedrunning event this coming summer.

Rebranded "Flame Fatales", the week-long event will see some of the world's greatest speedrunners gather online to showcase their twitchy, glitchy abilities. Game submissions are set to open on May 18 and will remain open until May 25. So if you're a fast lass and want in on the action, drop a DM to the Frame Fatales Twitter for access to the o??fficial Discord, where you can speak to the event organizers and meet the friendly Frame Fatales community.

The "Fleet Fatales" event back in November 2020 successfully raised over $80,000 for The Malala Fund, a non-profit organization that fights to ensure women and girls across the globe are afforded access to safe, free, and high-quality education, regardless of status, background, nationality or economy. The team will no doubt be looking to smash that number this summer, so be sure to check out?? the action come ??August. Don't worry, we'll be sure to remind you!

Flame Fatales takes place August 15-21. For more information, visit Frame Fatales on Twitter.

Flame Fatales, an all women ?spee?drunning event, will run from August 15th - 21st!

ðŸ—“ï¸ Upcoming Dates 🗓ï¸
🔘 Game Submissions Open:
May 18th - 25th
🔘 Gameslist / Schedule:
July 15th
🔘 Volunteer Submissions:
July 15th - 24th
🔘 Volunteer Schedule:
August 1st pic.twitter.com/EFV7ACIMLj

— Frame Fatales (@FrameFatales) April 30, 2021

The post All-Women’s GDQ speedrunning event Frame Fatales returns in August appeared first on Destructoid.

No more hot plates, hopefully

Speedrunners have a knack for finding new ways to mess with games in the search of faster clear times, and the latest Dragon Quest 3 strategy is no exception. Runner Hitshee has now cleared Dragon Quest 3 in under seven minutes by swapping the cartridge around wit?h a few other games?? while playing.

In a video, Hitshee broke down their strategy, which involves pulling the cartridge for Dragon Quest 3 and inserting several other games: Dr. Mario, Final Fantasy, and Kirby's Adventure. They recorded their full playthrough of the speedrun, but ??the video in the tweet below highlights the cartridge-swapping action.

ドラクエ3 ãªã‚“ã§ã‚‚ã‚ã‚ŠRTA å˜ç™ºæœ¬ä½“ãƒãƒ£ãƒ¼ãƒˆæ™‚ã®æœ€é€ŸRUN 動画アップã—ã¾ã—ãŸã€‚
(実æ³å‹•ç”»ï¼‰FC版 ドラゴンクエスト3 ãªã‚“ã§ã‚‚ã‚ã‚ŠRTA ä»»æ„コード実行ãƒãƒ£ãƒ¼ãƒˆ 6:47 //t.co/8tCN7ww2IE #sm38547442 #ニコニコ動画 #ドラゴンクエスト3 #RTA pic.twitter.com/bpg9unTztJ

— Hitsheegame＠ホットプレート使ㄠRTAinJapan (@Hitsheegame) April 7, 2021

Nintendo Enthusiast broke down Hitshee's explanation of the technique. By swapping in new cartridges and inputting specific commands, it will result in some rewrites that result in maxed-out party members, item codes being rewritten, and the game getting a little buggy. Once the right swaps and inputs have happened, the player can simply Zoom to the castle in Tantegel and, with a few finishing moves, be greeted with the ending of Dragon Quest 3.

Dragon Quest 3 runners are no stranger to odd techniques. It wasn't that long ago that some in this "anything goes" category were putting their consoles on a hot plate after d??iscovering they could bug saves when their cartridg?es reached a specific temperature.

Not only does this seem a little bit safer, it also has some real results. In the video above, Hitshee sets a time of 6:47.10, and they've posted times below six minutes as well. The ingenuity of speedrunners to not just find fast methods for beating ??a game on its own terms, but to discover any way they can shave minutes off a run—even resorting to hot plates and hot swaps—will always amaze me.

The post New Dragon Quest 3 speedrun strategy involves swapping? around other cartridges appeared first on Destructoid.

Summer Loving

The Games Done Quick team has announced that it will once again be hosting its sunny speedrunning event Summer Games Done Quick in July. The event will bring together some of the fastest and... furiousest players from acr??oss the globe to compete in a week-long extravaganza of speedrun challenge?s, tool-assisted chicanery, and fascinating longplays.

As the world remains rocked by the effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this year's SGDQ will once again be an online affair, with hosts and runners streaming directly from the comfort and safety of their own homes. While GDQ fans are most certainly missing the ??camaraderie of the event's traditional hotel gathering, the online GDQ events have been no less entertaining an??d enjoyable in terms of content.

The online setting and difficult world circumstances have also had seemingly no effect on the generosity of the gaming community, who last year donated an amazing $2.3 million USD to non-profit charity Medecins Sans Frontieres. The GDQ team i?s yet to confirm who will be the beneficiary of SGDQ 2021, but I wouldn't be surprised if they don't return to the global medical and healthcare initiative, as has been the case for sev??eral years now.

As I've made it known many, many times before, Summer Games Done Quick is one of my favorite times of the year. Chilling in the sun with good drinks and good games, all for a good cause. I haven't missed it in years, and I don't intend to in 2021. You can check out all of the action yourself when SGDQ 2021 kicks off Sunday, July 4, live on the official GDQ Twitch channel.

We'll be sure ?to keep you informed once this year's schedule ?is announced.

Announcement: With the health and safety of all in mind, #SGDQ2021 is now SGDQ 2021 Online, happening July 4 - 11. Expect the same weeklon??g charity speedrun event you know and love!

Runners: Submissions ??open March 31 at 11:59 PM EDT!

More info: //t.co/Gja49VasM8

— Games Done Quick (@GamesDoneQuick) March 30, 2021

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Amazing success for the annual speedrunning event

Another Awesome Games Done Quick event has drawn to a close. The past week has seen so??me of the best – or at least fastest – video game players in the world come together to smash their way through a cavalcade of titles old and new, all in the name of charity.

As the curtain fell on the final run, (which saw runner CLG ZFG blitz through The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time in just under 42 minutes), the grand total raised stood at an amazing $2,758,847. All of these proceeds will be donated directly to the Prevent Cancer Foundation, an international organization who work unceasingly to research life-?sav??ing developments in the curing of cancer.

AGDQ 2021 was the first AGDQ event to be held in a strictly-online capacity, necessitated by the restrictions of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this major hurdle, the GDQ team, global community of speedrunners, and a worldwide audience on Twitch came together to celebrate the medium of video games, with seven straight days of exciting and occasionally mind-blow?ing challenges.

Newer titles such as Hades, River City Girls, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice stacked up against old-schoolers including Ecco the Dolphin, Strider, and Aladdin. AGDQ regulars Silent Hill, Metroid, Spyro the Dragon, and Donkey Kong Country were all present and correct, while two specifically notable challenges saw runner "Bubzia" playing Super Mario 64 blindfolded, and runner "PeekingBoo" battle through twitchy platformer Celeste using a dance mat!

All of AGDQ 2021's speedruns are now archived on both Twitch and YouTube, and are quickly accessible via this handy Reddit thread. ??Seems like a perfect way to ??while away a lazy Sunday.

I know I'm like a broken record, but it always bears repeating: Video games have a perpetually bad rep. They did when I was dropping coins into arcades in the '80s, and they do today as a billion dollar industry. But away from the scaremongering headlines and the more toxic aspects of the hob??by, gaming is built upon a global community of dedicated players, filled to the brim with good people bu??rsting with passion and generosity.

The GDQ events epitomize this. And in times?? as chaotic, hazardous, and mournful as these, the community still came together to make this important charity event a showcase of what makes our favorite pastime truly special. Congratulations to the AGDQ faithful &ndash??????????????????????????; its organizers, hosts and tech crew, runners and donors – for their amazing success under the most difficult of circumstances. Your tireless energy and effort never ceases to amaze us all.

Summer Games D?one Quick will take place later in 2021. So get practicing.

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Now with added Hades

It's January, and you?? know what that means, it's once again time for some of the savviest players in the business to gather together for a non-stop marathon of fantastic gaming action.

Awesome Games Done Quick is upon us once again, and will see players from across the globe congregate to showcase their skills on a great (and not-so-great) plethora of titles. While the world remains mired in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, AGDQ 2021 has shifted to an online capacity - much like SGDQ 2020 - but that doesn't mean you can't tune in and watch all of the action from the comfort and saf?ety of your own abode.

This year's schedule sees recent entries such as Hades, Carrion, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice rub shoulders with a bevy of AGDQ regulars from the Metroid, Castlevania, The Legend of Zelda and Sonic the Hedgehog franchises. Entries from the Final Fantasy and Silent Hill series are in attendance, as are AGDQ mainstays such as Mirror's Edge, Crash Bandicoot, and Spyro the Dragon.

As the week progresses, viewers can donate to the event, with all proceeds once again going to the Prevent Cancer Foundation, which continues its effort to research and develop groundbreaking advances in the curing of cancer. Last year's marathon raised a record-breaking $3.1 million USD, with the AGDQ event?? having cumulatively raised over $15 million USD since ??its inception back in 2010.

As always, viewers can expect competitions, giveaways, interviews, and daily roundups. While the event might have shifted online, the GDQ team still work tirelessly to deliver an exciting and engaging week of festivities with all of the expected trimmin??gs, despite limitations imposed by the current health crisis. Good luck to all of the presenters, crew members, and runners. Stay safe and have an awesome week!

AGDQ 2021 runs January 3 - January 10. Check out all of the action on the official GDQ Twitch channel.

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Speedrunning marathon was a great success

The Fleet Fatales extravaganza has finally ??wrapped. As the curtain falls on a week of daily game-busting escapades, the Games Done Quick team announced that an amazing? total of $81,101 USD was accrued over the course of the seven-day, all-women's speedrunning event.

Fleet Fatales, which made its debuted in 2019, is an event which has grown out of the Frame Fatales community, supporting women speedrunners from across the globe. Over the past seven days, the socially-distanced marathon saw players smashing through great titles including Hades, Resident Evil 2, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, and Cadence of Hyrule, alongside entries in legendary franchises such as Tomb Raider, Mega Man, and Sonic the Hedgehog.

All of the proceeds raised will be donated directly to The Malala Fund, a non-profit organization that fights to ensure women and girls across the globe are afforded access to safe, free, and high-quality education, regardless of status, background, nationality or economy.

The Frame Fatales team will return in 2021 for its next event, Flame Fatales. In the meantime, you can learn more about the community and how to get involved over on the official Frame Fatales Twitter. Congrats to everyone involved - from the runners to the production team and the generous donators - in making the week's events a success.

That's a wrap! #FleetFatales has officially raised $81,101 for @MalalaFund! â­ï¸

Shout out to all of the volunteers, runners & staff that made this event possible. And thank you all for your generosity & supporting this cause! We'll see you next year for Flame Fatales 2021 â¤ï¸ðŸ”¥ pic.twitter.com/nPsZFK8hH0

— Games Done Quick (@GamesDoneQuick) November 22, 2020

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You need to place in the top 35

[Update: The course is live! Just log into Super Mario Maker 2, go to "play," then "course world," then locate "35th Anniversary Auto-Mario." If you can't find it, bring up the news reel: it'll be the latest update. Or, locate it at the bottom of the main Course World menu under "Ninji Speedruns." To complete it (and thus, complete the mission), all you need ?to do is stand still. Of course, that won't get you the top time necessary for the coin reward.]

For weeks now I've been waiting for the 35th ??anniversary auto-Mario Ninji speedrun event to actually hit, and today, the day has come.

As a reminder, Ninji speedrun is a mode in Mario Maker 2 that periodically drops first-party levels into the game that players can literally speedrun. Completing a stage will then plop little Ninjis into sub?sequent runs, which are basically "ghosts" of other competitors, similar to classic time trials in other games. It creates an intense atmosphere where you're racing the clock.

There's a bunch already available that you can run for fun, but tonight at 6PM PT, Nintendo is dropping a special map with a real-life reward. If you place in the top 35 (a feat!), you can net an actual Mario commemorative coin. The front showcases the 35th anniversary of Mario, while the back shows off Mario Maker 2's logo, as well as Mario and Luigi in color.

You have until November 24 at 6PM PT to get your score in. Now this is important: make sure you specif?ically sign up for the challenge on Nintendo's site. You can play Super Mario Maker 2 separately if you want, but r?egistering for the event will ensure that you're good to go.

Double-check your mission list to ensure you entered here. Oh, and don't forget to click a b??utton and enter the "My Nintendo Super Mario Sweepstakes?" too while you're there!

Nintendo of America [Twitter]

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Keep on Speedrunnin'

The record-smashing folks over at Games Done Quick are at it again, as another awesome speed running event is scheduled for this week. Dedicated video game fans will once again be?? blitzing through a host of titl??es, old and new, in a worthy effort to raise money for a good cause.

Fleet Fatales is slightly different in concept to GDQ's typical marathon events, however, in that it specifically boasts an all-women squad of runners. Born out of GDQ community Frame Fatales, the week-long event will see expert players burn through a list of rad titles, old and new. The schedule includes modern releases such as Hades, Celeste, Resident Evil 2, and Cadence of Hyrule, alongside classic entries from the Mega Man, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Legend of Zelda series.

As with all GDQ events, Fleet Fatales will feature bidwars, challenges, and interviews alongside the fundraising action. 100% of the proceeds donated throughout the week will go directly to The Malala Fund, a non-profit organiz??ation dedicated to championing every girl's right to safe, free, and high-quality education, regard??less of background, status, and economy.

Fleet Fatales kicks off tomorrow, November 15, and ends on Saturday, November 21. The event will run from 13:00 PT / 16:00 ET until 21:00 PT / 00:00 ET each day, so be sure to tune in to the GDQ Twitch channel, check out some great speedrunning action and, of course, do??nate if you are able.

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It's that time of year again

Awesome Games Done Quick is getting set for its 2021 iteration. The organizer of the annu??al speedrunning marathon has released a tentative games list for the event, revealing over 150 titles from the pantheon of gaming - all being played in efforts to raise money for a worthwhile cause.

The AGDQ 2021 schedule includes a huge list of great titles, old and new. In attendance will be GDQ mainstays from The Legend of Zelda, Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Mario Bros. and Metroid series, alongside games making their GDQ debut. These include Supergiant's Hades, WayForward's River City Girls, and Activision's Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 & 2. Also on deck are a selection of fun and unique retro titles such as Mr. Bones, Snow White: Happily Ever After, and Rollergames.

As was the case with summer's SGDQ 2020 event, AGDQ 2021 will be an online affair, keeping all runners and staff safe and socially-distanced in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The week-long event is expected to feature giveaways and competitions, alongside hours upon hours of awesome gaming action. All runs will be broadcast live over on the official GDQ Twitch channel.

The proceeds raised by generous viewers will be directly donated to the Prevent Cancer Foundation, with which GDQ has long been a benefactor. Earlier this year, AGDQ 2020 raised a record-breaking $3.1 million for the cause, so here's t??o hoping the 2021 event will be every bit as succ??essful.

AGDQ 2021 takes place January 3-10. You can check out more details on the GDQ website.

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'NOT a viable medical training tool'

UK developer Bossa is offering free copies of Surgeon Simulator 2 to all NHS staff members. And if you do work for that excellent organisation, all you need do is visit this website before October 22 and register your official NHS email ??address to receive a PC key for the wild 'n' gory sequel.

"At Bossa, we've always envisioned Surgeon Simulator 2 as a valuable training tool for NHS workers to hone their healthcare skills!" said Bossa co-founder Henrique Olifiers. "The Surgeon Simulator 2 community is frankly rubbish at saving Bob, so we think our players need to be shown how it's?? really done."

??NHS registrar Dr. Idris Morgan takes a very different viewpoint.

"Surgeon Simulator 2 is absolutely NOT a viable medical training tool??," stated Dr. Morgan, before adding "However, I do enjoy playing video games in my spare time and I'm confident medical professionals around the world will find Bossa's interpretation of medicine, and the possibility of five-second heart-transplants, very amusing."

In addition to offering free games, Bossa will be hosting a 24-hour charity speed-running event on Oc?tober 15. The event, which aims to raise £1000 for the North Lincolnshire NHS Trust, will see a fully-qualified NHS surgeon, cardiologist, radiologist and IT specialist compete to perform a successful h??eart transplant in as quick a time as possible...

...in-game, I'm assuming.

Bossa makes Surgeon Simulator 2 free for NHS? staff [Eurogamer]

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Spidey, but minus all the war crimes

In today's contest, you can win trippy swinging game Cyber Hook for Steam!

If you don't know me by now, you will n??ever never never know me. I'll be simply red with anger if you don't understand how much I love '80s neon and synthwave. Angry! Upset!

But you do know me. And you know stuff like Cyber Hook is my exact jam. Come win a S??team copy from us, or I swear I'll start crying again.

I don't know how to describe this one other than Tron meets Spider-Man, but some jerk-ass robot keeps telling you to go faster. Like, dude, I was already swinging from weird cyber stuff with my cyber tether trying to go through all the obstacles, but then ?you tell me I'm not going fast enough? It's pretty rude. Anyway, you swing around the levels and it's equal parts awesome and terrifying. Wahoo!

• Marathon Mode - Run through a bevy of levels in a row without having time ever stop and see if you can make it to the top of the leaderboards. Challenge yourself in full game Marathon, Monthly Marathons, and Per World Marathons.
• Intense Parkour Action - Fast-paced 3D parkour gameplay that plunges you through intense platforming challenges. Scale and ride walls, but be careful to time jumps correctly or you'll plunge to your death.
• Tools At Your Disposal - Use a grappling hook to fly through levels by hooking yourself onto blocks, while blasting foes and blocks with a laser gun.
• Alter The Game - Warp time to save yourself from falling to your death and discover new movement options to make it past challenges. In Cyber Hook, you can forge your own path by abusing physics and breaking the level design.
• Levels Galore - 70+ levels at launch to test your parkour skills.
• Worldwide Leaderboards - Compete with other players using the region or worldwide leaderboard and watch others play in-game to determine the best strategies to make it through levels.

None of that official press info mentions anything about that cyber-dick always yelling at you. Seems like a pretty big ov??ersight to me.

To enter to win your copy, comment below giving us a replacement for that rude robot. I love th?e look and sound of this game, but I absolutely will not stand for technology bossing me around.

We have ten Steam keys to give away; winners will be drawn Monday, October 5. Make sure to comment using a Dtoid account with your current email address on file. If you're new, sign up here to repla?ce te?chnology with something more pleasant.

Cyber Hook is available now on Steam. Be sure to head over to PC Invasion for more chances to win!

The post Co?ntest: Win Cyber Hook for Steam and get your ?synthwave Spider-Man on appeared first on Destructoid.

Charity marathon returns in socially-distanced capacity

Unsurprisingly, the Awesome Games Done Quick team has confirmed that their fi??rst event of the new year, AGDQ 2021, will be an online-only affair, as the world continues to be rocked by the ongoing COVID-19 pandem?ic.

Much like last month's SGDQ 2020 event, the week-long charity speedrun? marathon will features players from across the globe showcasing their amazing gaming prowess from the safety of their own homes. Viewers on Twitch will be able to check out seven days of speedruns, while ente?ring prize draws and, most importantly, donating money to a worthy cause.

Despite eschewing the usual haunt of the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel in Minnesota, SGDQ 2021 still managed to raise a very impressive $2.3 million for global medical network Medecins Sans Frontieres. All of the streams from the summer event can be found bookmarked over on the GDQ VOD website.

AGDQ 2021 will take place between January 3-10. Game submissions will open on September 24. Additionally, an all-women's speedrun event, Fleet Fatales, will take place between November 15-21. For more info on all events, visit the official GDQ website.

With COVID-19 being a continuing concern, for the community's safety we have decided to move #AGDQ2021 to an o??nline ?format with the same January 3rd-10th dates.

For more info: //t.co/umiMSaefOZ

Game and select?? volunteer submissions wil??l open September 24th!

— Games Done Quick (@GamesDoneQuick) September 12, 2020

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The light in the storm

Against all of the odds, and despite all of the hurdles 2020 has put in place, the annual Summer Games Done Quick speedrun marathon has delivered once again. As the curtain fell on this year's event, SGDQ 2020 succeeded in raising an amazing $2.3 million USD for cha?rity.

Typically held every August at the Double Tree Hilton Hotel in Minnesota, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic forced the GDQ team to move their annual summer extravaganza to an online-only format, with an ??army of speedrunners showcasing their skills from the comfort and safety of their own homes.

As a week of awesome gaming action closed with a five-hour speedrun of Nintendo's Pokemon Shield, a grand total of $2,309,530 had been raised by a home audience watching along on Twitch. The money raised will be donated directly to international charity Medecins Sans Frontieres, a global network of medical professionals who provide relief, medicine and care wherever it is need?ed worldwide, regardless of race, creed or political persuasion.

The week saw engaging playthroughs of modern titles such as Horizon Zero Dawn, The Last of Us, Demon's Souls, and Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, alongside classics Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Doom 64, Super Metroid, and Elevator Action Returns. If you missed the action, don't fret, as all of the week's runs are now bookmarked over on the GDQ VOD website.

Once again th?e gaming community has succeeded in coming together, even under the most frustrating and oppressive of circumstances, to celebrate the medium of video ?games while raising a staggering amount of money for those who need it most. It makes you proud. Congratulations to the GDQ crew, the streamers, and the donors for contributing to a great event and keeping hope and hearts beating during this exceptionally difficult year.

The next Awesome Games Done Quick event is scheduled for January 2021. An all-women's speedrunning event - Frame Fatales' Fleet Fatales - will take place in November.

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Socially-distanced speedrunning

It's that time of year once again, and nothing's gonna stop it. The Games Done Quick (GDQ) speedrunning community has hit the green light on its annual summer event? Summer Games Done Qu??ick (SGDQ), which will see some of the world's fastest, and trickiest video game players blast through a mammoth list of back-to-back titles while raising money for a good cause.

As long-time GDQ fans know, these events generally operate out of the Double Tree Hilton Hotel in Minnesota, but while the world remains mired in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the team has been unable to get together at their regular stomping ground. Undaunted, this y??ear's SGDQ is an online affair, and will see players streaming their runs from the own homes, delivering the same action we've come to expect from these awesome events, but within a safer, socially-dista?nced environment.

The SGDQ 2020 schedule promises runs on retro classics such as Super Turrican, Alone in the Dark, The Lion King, Elevator Action Returns, and multiple titles in the Sonic the Hedgehog, Legend of Zelda, and Castlevania series. Modern representation comes in the form of The Last of Us, Hollow Knight, Yakuza Kiwami 2, and Horizon: Zero Dawn. Of course, GDQ mainstays such as Super Monkey Ball, Super Mario Odyssey, and Super Metroid are also in the mix. You can check out all of the action over on the official GDQ Twitch channel.

Over the course of the week, viewers will be able to donate directly to SGDQ 2020, with all proceeds going to relief organisation Medecins Sans Frontieres, an international network of medical professionals who provide aid, care, and medicine across the globe, wherever it is needed, regardless of race, creed, or political persuasion. MSF (also known as "Doctors Without Borders") is an organisation which relies upon benefactors to pay for its travel, equipment, and supplies. Last year, SGDQ 2019 successfully raised an amazing $3 million USD. Here's hoping that this year's event is eq??ually as successfu?l.

Summer Games Done Quick 2020 is now live and will run until Sunday, August 23. You can check out the full schedule, adjusted for your time zone, right here.

Summer Games Done Quick 2020 [Twitch]

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What catches your eye?

Demon's Souls has never been more prominently relevant than it is right now. Possibly the most infamous of the From Software Souls-type games, everyone has their eyes trained on that PS5 remake that was announced last month. It's being made by Bluepoint, who handled the excellent Shadow of the Colossus remake a few years ago.

Maybe it's premeditated or maybe it's coincidence (or maybe it's destiny) but Demon's Souls kicks off Summer Games Done Quick this year. For anyone who hasn't played it, it's a fine opportunity to see what you're getting into on PS5. For everyone else, it'll be cathartic watching someone kick Demon's Souls ass when usually Demon's Souls is the one doing the ass-kicking.

It takes some scrolling -- there are a lot of games -- but there's some more SGDQ runs worth pointing out. Monday night gets a three-hour Alien: Isolation run on Nightmare difficulty (which saddles Ripley with a broken tracker that has a distorted display). Half-Life: Alyx is included as a bonus game on Thursday.

What sticks out to you as must-see viewing? Here's the full SGDQ 2020 schedule. The speedrunning festivities run from August 16 through August 22. However, SGDQ will be held online instead of in Minnesota this ??year because of the ongoing? pandemic.

SGDQ2020 Schedule [Games Done Quick]

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We Were Never Friends

Devolver Digital has announced that the Nintendo Switch port of hyperactive shooter Ruiner will l?aunc??h on the Nintendo eShop June 18. The isometric action title previously launched on PS4, PC, and Xbox One back in 2017.

Developed by Reikon Games and dripping in neon-tinged ultraviolence, Ruiner is a cyberpunk tale of a loner who embarks on a nihilistic mission to take down the ruthless corporation Heaven, who are responsible for the disappearance of our protagonist's brother. Guided by genius hacker "Her", our non-hero run 'n' guns the?ir way through Heaven's hi-tech, high-security office blocks, taking on waves of enemies with an arsenal of futuristic weaponry, whilst learning the? truth about themselves, their brother, Her, and Heaven itself.

Like many titles that spill out of the Devolver catalogue, Ruiner is soaked in weird style and suffocating atmosphere, heavily emphasising speed, tactical-thinking, and efficiency. Similar to games such as High Hell, My Friend Pedro, or Ape Out, Ruiner is a game that is built to?? be run and re-run as the player hones their mastery of its mechanics, resulting in a b??allet of blood-stained carnage.

Ruiner ?launches on Nintendo Switch June 18. It is available now on PS4, PC, and Xbox One.

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The meetup in Minnesota is off

Summer Games Done Quick has a format shakeup this year, even though every part of its name still holds true. It's the world's largest and mo?st prominent speedrunning event, so the "Games Done Quick" part is accurate. And, it takes place in August, so the "Summer" designation is still good.

However, there won't be a live, in-person event this year. Because of COVID-19 restrictions and concerns, the GDQ organizers have opted to scrap the week-long ??event that's always held in Bloomington, Minnesota. Instead, it'll be online only.

This isn't the first online-exclusive GDQ. In April, there was an emergency Corona Relief Done Quick charity event where they raised more than $400,000 over the course of a weekend.

It's a bit?? of a bummer, but it's also the reality of 2020. One of the coolest things about GDQ is the ballroom full of people cheering them on. Understandably, tha?t won't be the case this time. No local co-op this time, online only.

Summer Games Done Quick is set to take place August 16 through August 23. All the speedrunning can be found on Twitch. As always, all money raised goes to Doctors Without Bor?ders.

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Tremendous total will go to providing PPE worldwide

_{Image Credit: Direct Relief website}

The video game community has, once again, mobilised our favourite pastime to help a worthy cause. Despite lockdown legislation, the good folk at Games Done Quick successfully ho??sted an impromptu speedrunning marathon this weekend, where they succeeded in raising over $400,000 USD for front line hea?lth care workers.

Corona Relief Done Quick showcased back-to-back speedruns streamed live from players' homes. From Friday through to the early hours of this morning, a slew of players hacked their way through over 100 great games, from classics such as Super Mario Bros. 3, Donkey Kong Country, and Super Metroid, to more modern titles like Dark Souls, NieR: Automata, and Pokémon Sword.

As CRDQ went off-air, just over $400,000 had been raised from over 6,000 viewer donations. This amazing sum of money will go to Direct Relief, an? international organisation that is currently providing much needed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to front line healthcare workers. These are the people bravely and tirelessly working to protect, comfort, and support those currently ailing with COVID-19, more commonly known as "??coronavirus."

The money will be used to distribute masks, gloves, gowns, sanitiser, and other products where they're needed most. ?In addition, Direct Relief is supporting smaller community clinics, helping to provide prescription medicat?ion to those who urgently need it.

If you wish to check out any of the CRDQ runs, then the whole weekend is archived, with chapter points, over on the GDQ Twitch channel. Congratulations to the organisers, hosts, sponsors, and streamers for putting together the extempore event. The money raised, and the healthcare workers that will benefit from it, are an indomitable testament to the strength, generosity,??? and goodwill of the people, even in the most distressing of times.

Summer Games Done Quick is curren??tly ?scheduled for August 16-23.

We also managed to break $400k raised for @DirectRelief! How about that!

Thank you so much to everyone for all your effort and all the money you have donated towards this wonderful charity during this marathon! #CRDQ

— Games Done Quick (@GamesDoneQuick) April 20, 2020

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Let's-a go!

As we're all stuck indoors trying to beat quarantine, Samura1man decided to do something a little differently in mid-March: beat Mario Sunshine with a Guitar Hero controller.

But it wasn't a slow, clunky completion run. No, they actually managed to clear it in three hours and 12 minutes as a speedrun. While a lot of the run is surprisingly easy-going given the laid back nature of Sunshine as a whole, there are plenty of tense moments, especially boss battles that require quick maneuvers in tiny windows. Also the F.L.U.D.D.-less platforming moments, which n??eed more finesse t??han everything else, are fun to watch.

As a note, this is not a world record: Mario Sunshine speedruns typically clock in at rou?ghly 1 hour an??d 14-15 minutes. But still: did most of those record holders do that with a guitar controller? No!

Although Sunshine is one of my least-played Mario games, I ran through it again in a few years back and still found it to be firmly placed in the middle of the 3D-Mario qual??ity road. If Nintendo really is remastering it on the Switch, it'll probably get a lot of love from newcomers.

[Thanks Jack!]

The post A ?Mario Sunshine speedrun with a guitar control??ler? Sure why not appeared first on Destructoid.