Super Mario Bros: Speedrunner sets new world record

Super Mario Bros

A speedrunner setting a record is usually not uncommon. However, this new world record is almost something special, as after a very long time one player has managed to undercut the previous records of four minutes and 55 seconds. In older games it is often only seconds - or milliseconds - that separate a new world record from an old one. In Super Mario Bros, the records ranged from four minutes to 55 seconds for a long time. The Twitch streamer and speedrunner Niftski has now managed to achieve a time of 4: 54.948 and thus set a new world record.

Recommended editorial content Here you can find external content from [PLATFORM]. To protect your personal data, external integrations are only displayed if you confirm this by clicking on "Load all external content": Load all external content I consent to external content being displayed to me. This means that personal data is transmitted to third-party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy . External content More on this in our data protection declaration. Almost everything went right in his run and coupled with Niftski's skills as a speedrunner and his preparation, it will be difficult to undercut this time. Also, some gamers believe that this will be the last full second that can be pulled off a Super Mario Bros speedrun. This argument is supported by the fact that the fastest "tool-assisted speedrun" also "only" manages four minutes and 54 seconds. You can watch the associated run on the Niftski YouTube channel.

It can of course always happen that new things are discovered that can save a lot of time. Niftski's new world record is definitely an almost perfect run by current standards and will probably not be undercut anytime soon. But with the commitment shown by the Super Mario Bros. Speedruns community, this time will probably be beaten at some point.

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Super Mario Bros. on NES has a new, 'impossible' world record

What can you do in 4:54:948? 

Nintendo

Super Mario Bros. is an iconic game, and for speedrunners, having a world record playing the game is just as iconic. One player achieved what was considered impossible for years by beating the NES classic in less than 4 minutes and 55 seconds. 

Twitch streamer Niftski accomplished a seemingly perfect run of Super Mario Bros. Wednesday by clocking in at 4:54 and 948ms in the 'Any%' category, beating the previous world record by 282ms. The 'Any%' category allows players to use warps, glitches and other tricks to defeat Bowser in the fastest time possible. 

Though Niftski beat the record set back in February, what's significant is that he's the first speedrunner to complete the game in less than 4:55. World records for Super Mario Bros. come down to milliseconds, with players looking to improve their times by the smallest fractions of a second. To give some perspective, the first run under five minutes was done back in 2010. It took 11 years to beat that time by another 5 seconds. The speedrunning community considered anything below 4:55 to be almost impossible. (You know, like the four-minute mile.)

In the description of the video, Niftski gave thanks to those who supported him and said, 'Also, I don't plan on stopping here!' 

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