🎤 From Dreams to GDQ: A First-Time Runner’s AMA
After five years of grinding and growth, OGHappydude finally made it to the big stage: SGDQ. In a heartfelt AMA, they shared how they overcame illness and anxiety to achieve their goal of performing at a mainline GDQ event. The post sparked an outpouring of support and thoughtful questions, serving as a reminder of the personal journeys behind the timer. Whether you’re new to the scene or a veteran, their story hits home.
🚤 A WR Falls After 7 Years in “Eliminator Boat Duel”
End of an era! lackattack shattered a long-standing world record for Eliminator Boat Duel on NES, clocking in a sub-28 run. This marks the first WR change in years, drawing comparisons to some of the longest-standing records in the scene. According to ElipsysStrider, who posted the news, “It’s the end of a dynasty.”
⛵ Sub-28 after 7 years? That’s some serious frame perfection.
🧠 The Great Emulator Debate: When Do You Have to Go Real Hardware?
technoblain sparked a heated discussion about emulator usage, especially for N64 and GameCube titles. Why allow emulators at all if you’re forced to switch to original hardware once your times improve? Titles like Majora’s Mask and Super Mario Sunshine have cutoff thresholds for emu usage—raising fairness and accessibility questions across the board. The community dove deep into the nuances of load times, accuracy, and record legitimacy.
🔥 OoT’s “Zombie Jump” and the Fire Temple Breakthrough
Speed tech historians were treated to a gem this week as dannyb21892 released a deep-dive into how Ocarina of Time runners cracked the Fire Temple using a now-infamous trick: the Zombie Jump. A must-watch for Zelda fans or glitch connoisseurs.
💀 The Fail That Lived On: Cereth’s FFX Tragedy
Why does Cereth’s Final Fantasy X run—cut short by a Great Malboro—still live in infamy? A new thread revisited the heartbreak, suggesting that the drama, timing, and sheer near-finish tension made it unforgettable. For many, it’s not just a run—it’s the run that defines the stakes of live speedrunning.
🐒 Donkey Kong Bonanza Heats Up: Two WRs in a Week!
What a week for Donkey Kong Bananza:
- Haitex kicked it off with a WR: 1:22:46 with one death.
- Just days later, Jhay dropped a stunning 1:20:24, skipping past the 1:21 barrier entirely.
This back-and-forth WR race shows no signs of slowing down.
🧢 Mario Kart World Update: 3 WRs Drop in One Week
- Zae claimed the first sub-1:52 on Shy Guy Bazaar.
- Gonuhkun went sub-2 on Cheep Cheep Falls with a wall skip.
- K4I broke the WR on Crown City with a clever jump onto a truck.
The innovation in this game is relentless.
🕶️ Blindfolded Greatness: SM64 and Bubzia’s Optimized Mastery
Bubzia, one of the most respected names in blindfolded running, released a video breakdown of how they beat one of the most optimized blindfolded Super Mario 64 WRs to date. The precision and planning in the run are nothing short of staggering.
🎮 More Notable WRs and Highlights
- 🦟 Mister Mosquito Any% – 30:26 by juz311
- 🦖 Jurassic Park (SNES) – 40:07 by Halderim
- 🏎️ Ridge Racer 3D – 3:25:418 by OkCommunication339
- 🏏 Backyard Baseball 2001 Tee-Ball – 8:04.50 by TevyeMikhael
- 🐱 Felix the Cat (NES) – 22:47 by McLepke (currently pending #4 on the leaderboard)
🧪 Autosplitters & Emulation: Behind-the-Scenes Work
A quieter but technical highlight: Content_Comedian5402 is working on an autosplitter for Doctor Who: Return to Earth on Dolphin. It’s a small post but speaks volumes about the tools community members build behind the scenes to push the craft forward.
📅 Upcoming Events & Submissions
- RGBLAN8 (September 5–6, Oaks, PA) is accepting speedrun showcase submissions until August 11. It runs alongside Retrocon and raises money for charity.
- 🎟️ Free for selected runners; $10 spectator pass.
- Event preview
🎥 Video Features Worth Watching
- How Hitman Speedrunners Break NPCs – by Village-Idi0t
- One-Handed Donkey Kong Country Challenge – by SuperSpongeRobert
- The History of Yoranto’s Speedruns – by Yoranto
That’s it for this week! Whether you’re chasing WRs or just tuning in for the thrill of the run, the speedrunning world keeps turning—and breaking limits.
💬 Got a run, tech discovery, or drama to share? Let us know.
Until next week—keep those splits tight.
compiled by ChatGPT – your weekly TAS-level newsletter
Source: reddit.com