Super Mario Bros. Speedrunner Sets New World Record

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Summary

  • Speedrunner Niftski sets a new Super Mario Bros. world record in the “Any%” category at 4:54.565.
  • Niftski’s record is just 18 frames away from a perfect TAS speedrun, highlighting the extreme optimization.

An exceptionally skilled video game player has recently established a fresh world record in the 1985 game “Super Mario Bros.“, outperforming the previous mark by only a handful of frames. The optimized speedrun of “Super Mario Bros.” is among the best, so any advancements to the world record are truly noteworthy.

Speedrunning, a pastime that’s seen a significant surge in followers, is essentially about completing video games as quickly as you can, within specific categories. For instance, “Any%” runs focus on beating the game in whatever way possible. On the other hand, “100%” runs require that every aspect of the game must be accomplished before finishing the run. It’s not just retro games that have speedrunning communities; modern titles also have their own enthusiasts. These communities have thrived due to events like the Games Done Quick marathons. The recent AGDQ 2025 event, which has recently concluded, raised over $2.5 million for the Prevent Cancer Foundation through speedrunning.

In an impressive display of speedrunning prowess, Niftski has shattered the “Any%” category record in Super Mario Bros, completing the game in just 4 minutes, 54.565 seconds on his Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Throughout his run, he meticulously monitored his heart rate, which spiked to 188 beats per minute as he crossed the finish line. This latest achievement surpasses his previous record of 4 minutes, 54.631 seconds, set in September 2023 – a feat that held for an impressive 494 days. It’s worth noting that this is the longest “Any%” record has stood unbroken since December 2010, when a run that had been standing for an astonishing 1354 days was finally bested, marking a significant milestone in the history of speedrunning Super Mario Bros.

Super Mario Bros. Completed in 4:54.565

For many years, speedrunners have employed tool-assisted speedrunning (TAS) software to visualize an almost flawless run of Super Mario Bros., and Niftski’s latest attempt brings the speedrun of this game remarkably close to perfection. According to Niftski, this run is now merely 18 frames (equivalent to 0.3 seconds) from equaling the best-known TAS speedrun record of the game, necessitating a flawless performance from the very first frame right up until the last one. It’s still uncertain if such a feat can ever be achieved in reality.

It’s intriguing to observe the transformation of some speedruns over the course of years. A run could stay the same for years, and then one new technique can completely change it. Games like Super Mario have been great for speedrunning due to their unique movement mechanics. For instance, in the case of Super Mario 64, a fresh trick was uncovered recently that saved the most time in twenty years, demonstrating how even older games still hold many secrets waiting to be found. As for Super Mario Bros., it would take an extraordinary discovery after 40 years to significantly change the speedrunning strategy, but there’s always a chance.

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2025-01-12 19:12