MoistCr1tikal has returned with his highly-anticipated third $10,000 speedrun challenge after a three-month hiatus. If you're new to the challenge, here's what you need to know: Following the success of his first challenge, Cr1tikal announced that he planned to make it a regular event, with a monthly occurrence if possible. He also revealed that in each challenge, $1,000 would be awarded to the person who discovered the most impactful glitch, in addition to the $10,000 prize split among the top three runners at the end of the two-week period. That means first place takes home $6,000, second place gets $2,500, and third place receives $1,500.

## The game

The selection process appears to have been quite challenging, which explains the lengthy gap between challenges. [Here’s what Cr1tikal had to say:](https://youtu.be/5Ht3biCKD8Y?t=330)

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/2yzrme4d.jpg)

“*When we did Exodus from the Earth (EFTE) as our second one, I don't think we realized just how good of a speedgame it turned out to be and I don't like going backwards. So like, Exodus from the Earth was amazing - I wouldn't want to just choose another stinker kind of like Amok Runner was.*” (The game from the first challenge) -MoistCr1tikal

This brings us to game number 3, The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard! TESAR is an action/adventure game much like the others in the famous Elder Scrolls series, however, this one is unique in that it’s the only title where you play as a pre-determined character (Cyrus the Redguard) with a forced third-person perspective.

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/v5ngkzqp.jpg)

Similar to EFTE, before the challenge was announced TESAR had just one runner - [Solitaan](https://www.speedrun.com/user/Solitaan). In 2018, Solitaan themselves managed to bring down the record from nearly 3 hours to [just under 2 hours](https://www.speedrun.com/the_elder_scrolls_adventures_redguard/run/mr84kkgy) with a few new skips and much better gameplay, with the idea that a time of 1:55:00 should be doable with the route at the time.

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/9qzpwe3v.jpg)

## The skip(s)

Fast forward to the announcement of the challenge yesterday, May 3rd, 2023. Cr1tikal’s [announcement video](https://youtu.be/5Ht3biCKD8Y) gets 1,300,000 views in less than 24 hours and almost 2000 new members join the Challenge Discord.

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/v5e15n02.jpg)

With this kind of exposure, it was only a matter of time before some serious tech was discovered.

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/qoeojngp.jpg)

Around 3pm EDT (just one hour after the announcement of the challenge), top contender from previous challenges [Zach](https://www.speedrun.com/user/zach) discovered that you were able to [clip through objects when getting attacked by enemies.](https://clips.twitch.tv/MistyBeautifulChinchillaOSkomodo--HGt39Zjs4j1cd_J) Nothing could make use of this yet, but the day was only just getting started.

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/d3ek5exp.jpg)

Many other new small skips were found, and even [one that was confirmed to save around 35 minutes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaVNQfyAyTM) by [Gizmovor](https://www.speedrun.com/user/gizmovor) which was found at 7pm EDT.

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/3xz01el0.jpg)

However, between 8:34 and 8:46pm EDT glitch hunter [ontrigger](/users/ontrigger) posted these messages, sharing screenshots of the final boss.

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/9kzwjnq1.jpg)

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/oxzd9nmq.jpg)

As it turns out, [ontrigger](https://www.speedrun.com/user/ontrigger) had found an incredible spot to use the enemy clipping method from [Zach](https://www.speedrun.com/user/zach) - one that would cut the 2-hour run down to just 15 minutes.

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/y1n5ve3v.jpg)

In the old 2-hour route, players had to visit different locations to collect resources such as gold or key items. The primary goal was to obtain N'Gasta's Amulet and deliver it to Governor Richton at the Palace. However, after handing over the amulet, Richton betrays the player and sends his guards after them. This event leads to the player spending the majority of the rest of the game trying to get back to the Palace to seek revenge on Richton.

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/l1n75z5r.jpg)


In the new route, with ontrigger’s clip, you simply need to clip through a door next to Richton in the Palace and the game allows you to pick up the rest of the main questline from that point - **saving a whopping 1.5 hours.**

Here’s the first recorded successful clip from [mickyyyr](https://www.speedrun.com/user/mickyyyr)

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/97n6xnqm.gif)

For audio, [watch the Twitch clip here](https://clips.twitch.tv/NimbleClearWombatBlargNaut-9MANWJD8P9prilWm)

Runner and glitch hunter [SabulineHorizon](https://www.speedrun.com/user/SabulineHorizon) would also find [a faster, easier, and more consistent setup for this clip](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovnCE6K108o) by 10:30pm EDT in the same night.

As of now, I am writing this just 25 hours after the announcement of the challenge and this is what the leaderboard looks like - with plenty more runs still awaiting verification!

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/67e95z1o.jpg)

And here’s a sneak peek at the “History” feature with TESAR WR’s! History will enter beta in a future update ;) [Note: This will not replace WR History charts]

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/3ynl3n6o.jpg)

With such impactful activity on this leaderboard in the last 25 hours - who knows what the next 13 days of the challenge will look like?

Big thanks to a bunch of the people in the Challenge Discord who helped me sort out information and make sure this article was as accurate as possible! Huge thanks to Ellie, Artemis, ChristianRoyle, BobToad, CreamSock, ZumoDePapaya, Letanda, and the rest of the Challenge Discord! You are all absolute legends :)

MoistCr1tikal has returned with his highly-anticipated third $10,000 speedrun challenge after a three-month hiatus.

Cr1tikal's third $10K challenge shaken up by 1.5 hour skip on day 1

(Also quick note, we aren’t sponsored by or currently  in partnerships with any of these games as of the writing of this article)

***ArcRunner***

**Cyberpunk Action Roguelike**

*[Link to game](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1575830/ArcRunner/)*  ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/7rnq0rzj.jpg)

ArcRunner has surprisingly fluid movement and combat for a game that doesn’t actually have a release date yet. I can only assume that this demo is essentially a near-final vertical slice of what the entire game will feel like when it’s done because it’s incredibly satisfying. There’s also online co-op which I didn’t get the chance to try, but in my mind co-op brings speedrunning to a whole other level. Super excited to see more from this one.

[INSERT GIF]

***Mika and The Witch’s Mountain***

**Adventure**

*[Link to game](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1819460/Mika_and_The_Witchs_Mountain/)* ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/67e9y4n1.jpg)

MTWM is a super cute adventure game that reminded me of A Hat in Time with a dash of Wind Waker. The cutscenes are gorgeous, and are **skippable**! The demo consists of some pretty basic “go here, collect this, bring it there” but the broom movement is quite fun once you get the hang of it. I even noticed that if you mounted your broom, boosted, dismounted and repeated, you could go a decent bit faster. I assume this might only apply to some of the early game brooms, so who knows what a full game route might look like - either way this is one definitely going on my wishlist!

[INSERT GIF]

***Shady Knight***

**First Person Hack & Slash / Platformer**

*[Link to game](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1155650/Shady_Knight/)*![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/3ynllqn6.jpg)

Shady Knight is actually a demo that I played during one of the Next Fest’s last year and it felt good even then. This time around, there’s probably a little over twice as much content, and the game still feels GREAT. Shady Knight is one of those games that excels at rewarding you with massive amounts of dopamine when you get good at its combat and movement, pushing you into a flow state like some other titles you might be familiar with such as DOOM Eternal, Ghostrunner, or Neon White.

Instead of sharing my own (terrible) gameplay here, I recommend you check out the [current verified world record for the Feb ‘23 demo](https://www.speedrun.com/shady_knight/run/y80x38xm)

***MEATGRINDER***

**Post-Apocalyptic Parkour FPS**

*[Link to game](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1968710/MEATGRINDER/)*![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/r7z3k6nd.jpg)

Soo…. have you ever played Clustertruck? Take that, double the chaos, add in DOOM quick weapon switching, a grappling hook, and a crap load of enemies and you’ve got MEATGRINDER. This one is a ton of fun to run, although there’s a pretty nasty bug right now where the game will softlock you if you go too fast during a certain area. As long as that gets patched by release, (I’ve reported it as a bug already) then this will be prime speedrunning content.

[INSERT GIF]

As a bonus, here's a strat I came up with to beat the boss in 15 seconds!

[INSERT GIF]

***Rusted Moss***

**Metroidvania / 2D Platformer**

*[Link to game](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1772830/Rusted_Moss/)*![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/2qny1gnp.jpg)

I’m not the most experienced when it comes to Metroidvania’s, I’m not sure why - but they usually just don’t stick with me for some reason. That said, Rusted Moss definitely stuck with me. The gun that we get to use in the demo feels super satisfying, the visual style is interesting, and the combat is a decent challenge without being too grindy. However, these things alone probably wouldn’t have made me want to include it in this list. What **does** is the grappling hook you receive after beating the first boss, which then brings some sweet movement based challenges and puzzles that bring the game to another level entirely.

[INSERT GIF]

***Bramble: The Mountain King***

**Adventure / Horror Platformer**

*[Link to game](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1623940/Bramble_The_Mountain_King/)*![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/p4zj89ek.jpg)

This game LOOKS absolutely gorgeous, and it starts off all cute and wholesome

[INSERT GIF]

but it quickly takes a VERY dark turn when the horror elements are introduced.

[INSERT GIF]

I feel like the merit of speedrunning this one will only be for a select few due to the relatively slow pace and (unfortunately) unskippable cutscenes. However, I do get some Little Nightmares vibes and I can definitely see some interesting possibilities in routing the platforming sections and some of the enemy encounters. I don’t think this is one I’ll actually run myself, but I am 100% going to watch a run once it comes out.

And that’s a wrap! I ended up playing a lot of demos in the last couple days, but I didn’t even scratch the surface of the several **hundred** that have been released. Was there a demo you found that’s great for speedrunning but wasn’t mentioned here? Let’s discuss in [this forum thread I created!](https://www.speedrun.com/speedrunning/thread/rrd3p/1#yx6gv)

In no particular order, here are 6 games from Next Fest February 2023 that I think have great potential for speedrunning!

6 Potential Speedgames From Steam Next Fest Feb '23

The challenge lasted two weeks, with a promise of an extension if anybody was caught hiding run-changing strats, and so runners flocked to Amok Runner in droves hoping to claim prize money - or just to participate in a fun community event! ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/v5e1dve0.jpg)



After the challenge was over, Moist announced that this wasn’t just a one time thing but rather a **monthly** occurrence. He also mentioned that the next challenge would award $1000 to the person who finds the most impactful glitch (separate from the other $10,000 ) and that any following challenges will split the $10,000 among the top 3 runners when the two weeks is up. That means $6,000 to first place, $2,500 to second place, and $1,500 to third place.



If you want to catch up from the previous challenge, I recommend you check out Moist’s [History of My $10,000 Speedrun Challenge](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFY1bUHBKfI).



Now that a month has passed, Moist [announced the latest challenge](https://youtu.be/5c7OK3xmGpE) just yesterday and already runners from all areas of the speedrunning scene are taking it upon themselves to learn the new challenge speedgame [Exodus from the Earth](https://store.steampowered.com/app/12390/Exodus_from_the_Earth) - a first-person shooter from 2007.

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/9kzwlyeq.jpg)Before the challenge came along, there was just one runner of the game - [deluxyze](https://www.speedrun.com/user/deluxyze). Deluxyze had already brought the game down to just above the hour mark, from a roughly 5 to 6 hour casual playthrough with a solid amount of tricks and combat optimizations - although even he claimed that the time could go much lower because there were some tricks he didn't include in that run.

 ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/3xz0w0nl.jpg)



Now seeing as we’re still only on what is essentially day one of the challenge not many runners have actually finished learning the run yet, but by taking a look at all the streams of people learning the speedrun on Twitch I think it’s safe to safe this leaderboard is going to absolutely **explode** with runs in the coming days. 

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/oxzd3qnm.jpg)

Even taking a look at the Exodus Discord voice channels, we can see 30+ people who have gathered to learn the run or glitch hunt together.

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/y1n5vme3.jpg)While in the middle of writing this very article, speedrunner [spicee](https://www.speedrun.com/user/spiceeTV) managed to get an incredible run of 56:08 LRT / 59:16 RTA. The very first sub hour in the game in the 16 years since its release. 



![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/l1n7x0e5.jpg)

While this is only the second challenge hosted by Moist, it’s already possible to see the effect it's having on the entire speedrunning scene, uniting runners from all different kinds of speedgames, and introducing new people who’ve never been exposed to speedrunning before now - and that’s truly a beautiful thing to witness.

If you’d like to follow the challenge over the next two weeks, you can see all the verified runs over at [Speedrun.com/EFTE](https://www.speedrun.com/efte) or watch runners compete live at [TheRun.gg/Moist.](https://therun.gg/moist)



At the end of last year MoistCr1tikal hit the speedrunning community with some huge news, announcing a $10,000 speedrun challenge for a game almost no one had ever heard of before - its time for round 2.

MoistCr1tikal Announced Yet Another $10k Speedrun Challenge

ESA Winter 2022 was the first in-person event since February of 2020, and wow - talk about coming back with a bang. After 7 days of non-stop speedrunning entertainment, ESA raised a whopping **$105,592** for [Alzheimerfonden!](https://twitter.com/Alzheimerfonden). 



Incredibly, I was lucky enough to get sent out to ESA representing Speedrun.com. Wow, I wish I could write about everything I did, all the amazing people I met, and all the fantastic runs I watched - but maybe let's keep it to *10* of my personal highlights. :)



As per usual, I’d like to put a reminder out there that these are only in chronological order, and that just because a run isn’t included here doesn’t mean it wasn’t totally awesome. I highly recommend you go back through [ESA’s recent highlights](https://www.twitch.tv/esamarathon/videos?filter=highlights&sort=time) to see if anything catches your eye from Winter 2022!



## Highlights



Anyway, let’s take a look at some runs, shall we?

***Mirror’s Edge***  

**2P1KBM Any%**  

Ran by [hekigan](https://www.speedrun.com/user/Heki) & [meteos_probably](https://www.speedrun.com/user/meteos_probably)  

*[Link to run](https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1296284284)*![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/oxzdkqem.jpg)

Okay so, *technically* this run was a part of the pre-show - but that still counts right? You’ve gotta check this out. Mirror’s Edge is an impressive speedgame on its own, but heki and meteos take it to **another level** by each controlling one part of a mouse and keyboard (and there’s handcams!)



***Prince of Persia: Sands of Time***  

**Any% No Major Glitches**  

Ran by [Jaka](https://www.speedrun.com/user/Jaka)  

*[Link to run](https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1297414029)*  ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/y1n51me3.jpg)

This PoP: Sands of Time NMG run is a great demonstration of platforming, yes. But do you know what’s even better? Jaka ran on a modified copy of the game that changes out **ALL** of the dialog in the game for voice lines recorded by runners from the Prince of Persia speedrunning community - and it is *hilarious*.



***Ghost of Tsushima: Directors Cut***  

**New Game+ (Lethal Difficulty)**  

Ran by [Aeshmah](https://www.speedrun.com/user/Aeshmah)  

*[Link to run](https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1298056870?filter=highlights&sort=time)*  ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/l1n7k0z5.jpg)

Check out Aeshmah running Ghost of Tsushima with his two cupids Xoneris and Riekelt by his side, spreading “love” through Iki Island with bombs and blade during this very special Valentines Day speedrun!



***Shadow of the Colossus***  

**NTA Bossrush (Random)**  

Ran by [RUBIEHART](https://www.speedrun.com/user/RUBIEHART)  

*[Link to run](https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1298115309?filter=highlights&sort=time)*  ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/97n6ojnq.jpg)

RUBIEHART’s energy and commentary is top notch during this run, with a one minute PB to boot! If you’ve never watched a SotC speedrun before, expect *many* tense moments where Rubie ALMOST gets thrown off but manages to just *barely* stay on. 



***Castlevania: Symphony of the Night***  

**Crowd Control (Randomizer)**  

Ran by [theblacktastic](https://www.twitch.tv/theblacktastic)  

*[Link to run](https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1299336059?filter=highlights&sort=time)*  ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/7rnqdrej.jpg)

I’m convinced Bobby “Press The Button” Blacktastic could get just about anyone hyped up about anything. Bobby fights his way through Castlevania while the audience throws absolutely everything they can at him in this crowd control run, and he still manages to put on a good show alongside his fantastic couch!



***A Hat In Time***  

**All Time Pieces (All DLC)**  

Ran by [Cygnuss](https://www.speedrun.com/user/Cygnuss)  

*[Link to run](https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1299831681?filter=highlights&sort=time)*  ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/67e924z1.jpg)

A Hat in Time is one of the best third person platformers out there, and Cygnuss demonstrates the game’s high skill-ceiling movement *extremely* well in this run during which she collects every single one of the time pieces across the base game and both DLCs!



***Kao the Kangaroo: Round 2***  

**Any%**  

Ran by [rythin](https://www.speedrun.com/user/rythin)  

*[Link to run](https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1299862039?filter=highlights&sort=time)*  ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/3ynlkqe6.jpg)

If you enjoyed the A Hat in Time run, you’ll likely enjoy this Kao run too as it feels very similar from an audience perspective except with a little *spice*. Watch Rythin tear through KtK: Round 2 as Kao the Kangaroo equipped with boxing gloves, some sweet movement, and some awesome skips!



***Airplane Mode***  

**JFK - KEF**  

Ran by [Kainalo](https://www.speedrun.com/user/Kainalo)  

*[Link to run](https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1300229684?filter=highlights&sort=time)*  ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/r7z326nd.jpg)

If you’ve never seen a “$%” run like this $25% run of Airplane Mode from Kainalo, you’ve got to check this out. This category means that so long as someone donates $25 (and stays within Twitch/ESA TOS), they can request that the runner, commentators, or audience do *anything* they want - like for instance playing some of the modded custom content Kainalo & Co. put into the game (a speedrun trivia crossword, custom remixes of popular songs, and more), or having the audience participate in one big conga line. Yeah, it gets wild.



***Cuphead***  

**Low% (Regular, Legacy)**  

Ran by [Kirthar](https://www.speedrun.com/user/Kirthar)  

*[Link to run](https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1303393018?filter=highlights&sort=time)*  ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/2qny9gep.jpg)

Cuphead is hard enough on its own, with no restrictions and just trying to get through a casual playthrough - but of course Kirthar takes it up another notch, running Low% which restricts you to just using *just the first weapon in the game*. This run is such a massive display of skill, and I **highly** recommend you give it a watch.





***The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time***  

**Any% (Super Smash Bros. Brawl Masterpiece Demo)**  

Ran by [Savestate](https://www.speedrun.com/user/Savestate)  

*[Link to run](https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1303725728?filter=highlights&sort=time)*  ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/p4zjx9nk.jpg)

Alright now this ones unique. In this run, Savestate is actually playing a *demo* of Ocarina of Time from the Masterpieces collection on Super Smash Bros. Brawl which drops you in a save midway through the game with only *5 minutes* to run around. Savestate's goal of course, was to reach the credits before the 5 minute timer ran out. Did they get it? Better watch to find out ;)



That’s a wrap! Once again, definitely make sure to check out some of the other [VODs](https://www.twitch.tv/esamarathon/videos?filter=highlights&sort=time) from ESA Winter 2022, they were all great! I also recommend watching the [closing speech from the ESA organizers.](https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1302522209?t=26h02m17s).

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/r1n814eq.jpg)

Winter 2022 may be over, but there’s more to come! Of course ESA Summer 2022 was confirmed, but even better than that ESA events have been booked all the way through 2023 already! There’s plenty of charitable speedrunning entertainment to look forward to everybody, and I for one *cannot wait.*



ESA Winter 2022 raised over $100,000 for the first time ever, benefiting Alzheimerfonden. Let's take a look at some of the runs that helped ESA raise more than ever before!

ESA Winter 2022 Highlights

And that’s a wrap on [AGDQ 2022](https://www.twitch.tv/gamesdonequick)! Right off the bat, I’d like to congratulate everyone involved with raising a grand total of ***$3,416,729*** for the [Prevent Cancer Foundation](https://campsite.bio/preventcancer)! Welcome to the highlights of AGDQ 2022! While reading this, please keep in mind that just because a run is not in this list, does ***not*** mean that it wasn’t an entertaining run! The entire event was a blast, and I highly recommend you take a scroll through the [GamesDoneQuick YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/c/gamesdonequick) to see if anything catches your eye!



## Highlights

That all said, let’s dig into some highlights from AGDQ 2022!

***Dead Space 2***  

**Any%**  

Ran by [sharkhat87](https://www.speedrun.com/user/sharkhat)  

*[Link to run](https://youtu.be/-zqTSUrrDS4?t=65)*  

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/y1n5dme3.jpg)Following the spectacular showcase of [the first Dead Space from LivingLooneyBin](https://youtu.be/bMhnbyWEV8Y?t=90) in SGDQ 2021 — the man, the myth, the legend, and the owner of the *best* hat in the entire world, sharkhat87 demonstrated the glorious run of Dead Space 2. Not too long ago, Dead Space 2 was over 2 hours long and now hovers just over the 1 hour mark. I’ll leave it at that. This run was fantastic. Maybe we’ll see Dead Space 3 in SGDQ 2022??



***Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance***  

**Tanker Blindfolded**  

Ran by [ApacheSmash](https://www.speedrun.com/user/ApacheSmash)  

*[Link to run](https://youtu.be/n8sDx2IG5PU?t=15)*  

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/l1n740n5.jpg)Apache runs through Tanker totally blind with hardly any mistakes at all, featuring detailed solo commentary from [MackMcD](https://www.speedrun.com/user/mackmcd). This run is altogether a grand display of talent, dedication, and some hilarious setups like the [Marine Glide](https://youtu.be/BvW52GiO6jM?t=648), which has you punching 15 times and… some other stuff. Give it a watch.



***Chicory: A Colorful Tale***  

**All Bosses and Trials**  

Ran by [Punchy](https://www.speedrun.com/user/Punchy)  

*[Link to run](https://youtu.be/iNAIr9kY62w?t=60)*  ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/97n66jnq.jpg)

This game, Punchy, the developer on commentary [Greg Lobanov](https://twitter.com/GregLobanov), as well as the official Chicory Twitter account [live-tweeting](https://i.imgur.com/1dC17WR.png) this run was all so chock full of charm and wholesome goodness, my poor lil heart almost exploded… but like in a good way.



***Webbed***  

**Any%**  

Ran by [ShadowthePast](https://www.speedrun.com/user/ShadowthePast)  

*[Link to run](https://youtu.be/Fa0xZoqcXs4?t=24)*  ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/7rnq6rzj.jpg)

This game is about as adorable as Chicory, but DAMN the movement of this game kinda came out of nowhere? Watching a pro like ShadowthePast glide through levels like butter is *extremely* satisfying. Not to mention the amazing commentary by [SteelOsprei](https://www.speedrun.com/user/SteelOsprei), [Torqqes](https://www.speedrun.com/user/torqqes), and special guest as well as one of the developers of Webbed, [Noah Seymour](https://twitter.com/noahlseymour).



***Geoguessr***  

**Perfect Score (Co-Op)**  

Ran by [Havrd](https://www.speedrun.com/user/havrd) & [Janmumrik](https://www.speedrun.com/user/Janmumrik)  

*[Link to run](https://youtu.be/aV2VuWleEeY?t=77)*  ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/67e984z1.jpg)

Havrd previously had a successful [run of Geoguessr at SGDQ 2021](https://youtu.be/fxBcdmExUyc?t=3) running the Perfect Score category by himself and returned to AGDQ with a **bang** bringing Janmumrik with him. The two of them running the same category but needing to work together with each only having half of the information — it’s an out-of-this-world demonstration of communication, memorization, and problem-solving. 



***Shootmania Storm***  

**Hard Map Showcase**  

Ran by [SBVille](https://www.speedrun.com/user/sbv)  

*[Link to run](https://youtu.be/2kYWe67xe3A?t=17)*  ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/3ynloqn6.jpg)

Watching SBVille blaze through maps in Shootmania Storm is like watching a master chef create a fine 6-course meal. The refined craft that is the movement and quick flicks required for propelling yourself through these difficult maps is intense, and SBVille totally nails it in this showcase.



***Half-Life 2***  

**Any% No Voidclip**  

Ran by [Maltemller](https://www.speedrun.com/user/maltemller)  

*[Link to run](https://youtu.be/2sNsnjmoeBo?t=22)*  ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/r7z3g6ed.jpg)

Bunnyhopping backwards, gaining invincibility, infinite ammo, AND noclip **all** in the *same* run. Yeah, I think you should go watch this.



***Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Blindfolded***  

**Any% Blindfolded**  

Ran by [Mitchriz](https://www.speedrun.com/user/Mitchriz)  

*[Link to run](https://youtu.be/FQeeRBtQgzE?t=14)*  ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/2qny6gep.jpg)

Yeah, that’s right, another blindfolded run but **hear me out** - they’re really cool. Take the creative setups from Apache’s MGS2 blindfolded run, mix in a much longer run plus classic FromSoft level difficulty bosses and you get a recipe for a fantastic run.



***Portal 2***  

**Inbounds**  

Ran by [Msushi](https://www.speedrun.com/user/Msushi)  

*[Link to run](https://youtu.be/vh8l3TB_BWc?t=165)*  ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/p4zjp9zk.jpg)

Not only was this run a race against the clock for Msushi - it was also an intense race for the chat, trying to raise as **much** money as possible before the end of the run to meet the Deltarune incentive, and perhaps more importantly, preserve the friendship between Msushi and Shayy. Don’t understand how that’s relevant to donations? That’s okay, just watch the run and you’ll understand :) Msushi’s fantastic solo commentary and positive energy will make your night.



***Deltarune***  

**Chapter 2 Main Route**  

Ran by [Shayy](https://www.speedrun.com/user/Shayy)  

*[Link to run](https://youtu.be/ak2w8nZs42E?t=159)*  ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/r1n804zq.jpg)

Sooooo spoiler alert, the Deltarune incentive was met within the last ***45 SECONDS*** of the Portal 2 run! The energy was palpable, and I’m happy to have been there live as this was happening. Riding the wave of positivity after the first incentive was met, Shayy delivered a charismatic showcase of the main route for Deltarune, in a way only Shayy can. Shortly after, during the event recap AGDQ 2022 reached $3,000,000 total in donations, meeting the second incentive for Deltarune, the Chapter 2 Snowgrave route!



## World Records!



Before we conclude, I’d like to give a special shoutout to all the brand new *world records* achieved live last week!



***Kena Bridge of Spirits***  

**Any% NMG (Hard)**  

Ran by [InsertLogic](https://www.speedrun.com/user/InsertLogic)  

*[Link to run](https://youtu.be/v8oAAqwJjwI?t=40)*  ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/0dz4p4z6.jpg)

***Kuon***  

**Yin Phase vs Yang Phase**  

Ran by [MissScarletTanager](https://www.speedrun.com/user/MissScarletTanager)  

*[Link to run](https://youtu.be/a1foBZx_bzc?t=67)*  ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/0wzx8vnr.jpg)

***Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode II***  

**Any% Co-Op (PC)**  

Ran by [Argick](https://www.speedrun.com/user/Argick) & [AmberCyprian](https://www.speedrun.com/user/AmberCyprian)  

*[Link to run](https://youtu.be/vF0Sns9ZEwQ)*  ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/1pzmkkek.jpg)

***Garshasp: The Monster Slayer***  

**No Void Rolling**  

Ran by [Stacky McBears](https://www.speedrun.com/user/StackyMcBears)  

*[Link to run](https://youtu.be/bTs8Xo1yX8M)*  ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/2yzr74e4.jpg)

***Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes***  

**The Centurion**  

Ran by [Procyon](https://www.twitch.tv/procyonyx)  

*[Link to run](https://youtu.be/mAgqYvtJYrg?t=21)*  ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/v5ngmjnq.jpg)

***Pumpkin Jack***  

**NG+ No OOB**  

Ran by [Jaxler](https://www.speedrun.com/user/Jaxler) AKA Pumpkin Jaxler  

*[Link to run](https://youtu.be/n8sDx2IG5PU?t=15)*  ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/9qzpdlz3.jpg)

Each of these runs is a great watch with spectacular displays of talent and commentary all around, not to mention some great reactions and… cosplay? Definitely give these a watch, and check out the runners at their respective socials by clicking their names!



## Wrapping Up

That’s it from me! I’d like to reiterate that just because a run didn’t make it into this list of highlights, doesn’t mean it wasn’t awesome. I had to cut this list down from a list of about 25 or so, otherwise, I’d just be blabbing your ear off forever! Once again, I recommend you head on over to [GDQ’s YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI3DTtB-a3fJPjKtQ5kYHfA) and skim through to see if anything catches your eye, I’d be very surprised if nothing did.



I’d like to give a massive shoutout to all the amazing runners, hosts, representatives of Prevent Cancer, and especially all the event staff it took to put this event together. You are all bringing joy to this world for a good cause — that’s a double whammy, my friends. 



Awesome Games Done Quick 2022 was a total blast, raising the most amount of money at any GDQ ever, clocking in at a whopping $3,416,729 total raised for the Prevent Cancer Foundation.

AGDQ 2022 Highlights

The European Speedrunner Assembly’s Summer 2021 marathon has come to an end having raised over $67,000 for [Save the Children](https://www.savethechildren.org/) and marking the most successful online ESA marathon to date.



In case you missed it, here are some highlights from the last three days of the marathon:



## Thursday

### The Legend Of Spyro: The Eternal Night - GBA

### Any% (Dark)

*Race between CDRomatron and lovebot*  

*Commentary by CountCreep*  



Check out this incredible race between two skilled runners and watch for the new World Record set at the end. Dark Mode in The Legend Of Spyro: The Eternal Night is unlocked after defeating the game’s Hard Mode. It keeps the enemies just as strong while starting Spyro with an overpowered form that makes those enemies satisfyingly simple to dispatch.



Watch it [here](https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1100518946?t=32h23m43s).



### Super Mario 64 - WiiVC

### Power Star Pathway (Randomizer)

*Race between 360chrism vs. bird650*  



Using a seed of 38666 (based on the donation total at the time), two runners compete to fill up their board with the right stars to earn a win. Expect plenty of Mario-themed puns from the donations and watch the run carefully because you never know what the runners will encounter next! 



Watch it [here](https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1100518946?t=36h37m35s).



### The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD WiiU

### 100%

*Run by mralberto*  

*Commentary by Joaish and gymnast85*  



Mralberto and his commentators do a great job introducing and explaining the tricks and glitches as they appear. With some great RNG and impressive frame-perfect tricks, this is definitely a run worth checking out!



Watch it [here](https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1100518946?t=37h29m16s).



## FRIDAY, JULY 30TH, 2021

### Metal Gear Solid - PC

### Any% (Easy)

*Run by NickRPGreen*  

*Commentary by bruschetta_bros*  



Running a route that was reworked just a week beforehand, NickRPGreen skips a huge chunk of the game just five minutes into the run. But the end of the game is no cakewalk and will have you on the edge of your seat!



Watch it [here](https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1102592903?t=0h58m48s).



### Deal or No Deal - PC

### Win Big Money!



*Run by BigJon and TheBlacktastic*  



While it’s not quite a speedrun, this is a great chance to watch the hosts you know and love from Super Boss Bros as they play a game of Deal or No Deal where the prize money will actually be donated to the marathon. It’s just as fun, silly, and suspenseful as you could want!



Watch it [here](https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1102592903?t=16h59m30s).



##  SATURDAY, JULY 31st, 2021

### Super Mario 64 - N64

### 16 Star (Drum%)

*Run by czr_drums*  

*Commentary by Ownasaurus*  



If you haven’t seen czr_drums play his way through Super Mario 64 with a drum instead of a controller, you have got to check it out! With well-executed drum rolls and cymbal crashes, he plays through a familiar game in an unfamiliar way. Make sure to stick around for the end when he jams out to the game’s credits.



Watch it [here](https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1102592903?t=27h0m19s).



### Resident Evil Village - PC

### Hardcore (Glitchless) v2

*Run by gidano*  

*Commentary by ThatAccountBlaBlaBla*  



Originally meant to happen earlier in the week, gidano’s run was cut short by a local blackout. Luckily, the marathon staff offered to add a donation incentive to give gidano another shot at running RE:V to close out the marathon. It’s an enjoyable run of a still-new game and of course, it’s a chance to see everyone’s favorite 9-and-a-half foot tall villainess, Lady Dimitrescu.

Watch it [here](https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1102592903?t=42h30m35s).



The whole marathon was incredible and there are so many cool runs worth checking out. For more about ESA Summer 2021, check out our early marathon highlights [here](https://www.speedrun.com/news/861-2021-7-30-esa-summer-2021-early-highlights).





ESA Summer 2021 wrapped up successfully, having collected more than $67,000 for charity. Let's take a look at some of the highlights in the final days of the event.

Highlights from the end of ESA Summer 2021

ESA Marathon Summer 2021 kicked off Friday, July 23 with a miniature Break The Record Live event followed by an awesome Pre-Show, all before the main event. Since then (and at the time of publication), ESA has raised an incredible $43,000 for [Save The Children!](https://www.savethechildren.org/)

## Friday



***Persona 5***  

**True Ending Hard**  

*Ran by neviutz*  

*Commentary by Darkkefka, FOG, Metako, Pottoww, RoboSparkle, TatsuyaAct, Ghoul02, NocFrost, Mulsqi and Darkkefl*  

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/r1n86xzq.jpg)The Persona 5 speedrun is among some of the longest speedruns, with True Ending (Hard) being the longest category. Neviutz kicked off ESA Summer 2021 with this incredible feat of endurance, coming in under estimate with a 15:39:07 — yes, that’s FIFTEEN HOURS. 15 hours may sound like a lot, but considering casual playthroughs often taken well over 100 hours, 15 is blazingly fast.



## Saturday



***Alan Wake’s American Nightmare***  

**Any% New Game+**  

*Ran by TaintedTali*  

*Commentary by Demonic*  

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/83nv01em.jpg)Kicking off the main event of ESA Summer 2021, TaintedTali got an incredible time of 56:09 getting herself a new **personal best**. Running at a marathon can be nerve wracking which usually leaves PBs off the table, but TaintedTali conquered those nerves with a run that came *just* shy of a world record!

## Sunday



***Dark Messiah of Might and Magic***  

**Any% Relay Race**  

*Ran by Team Duncan VS Team Percy*  

*Commentary by Moonstruck and Xoneris*  

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/0dz44wz6.jpg)Never before have I seen a Relay Race at a speedrunning marathon, but boy was I ever missing out. This incredible showcase includes multiple runners from world record holders to brand new runners, alongside the energetic commentary from Moonstruck and Xoneris. Not to mention, Dark Messiah is a hilarious demonstration of a variety of entertaining glitches worth watching on their own. In the end, Team Percy ended up clutching out the Race with a time of 28 minutes 42 seconds.

## Monday

***Titanfall 2***  

**All Helmets**  

*Ran by Lord Fluffy*  

*Commentary by Bryonato*  

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/0wzx9rzr.jpg)If you’ve never seen a Titanfall 2 speedrun before, this is a great place to start. Lord Fluffy and Bryonato premiered the All Helmets category at a marathon, showcasing the game's incredible skill ceiling and high octane movement with some of the best commentary at ESA so far.

## Tuesday



***DOOM 2016***  

**Any%**  

*Ran by Heny*  

*Commentary by Danejerus*  

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/qrz268e0.jpg)DOOM Any% is a brutally difficult speedrun involving a lot of precise skips, navigating out of bounds and flying the Slayer through the air at mach 5 by abusing the mantle mechanic. If you haven’t seen DOOM’s speedtech before, you’re missing out, and this is the perfect introduction from Heny and Danejerus.

## Wednesday

***Alien Isolation***  

**No Major Glitches Nightmare Steering Wheel Race**  

*Ran by Nikoheart & Drayux*  

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/2yzrjje4.jpg)Having met a donation incentive, Nikoheart and Drayux bumped up their race from Novice difficulty up to the max Nightmare difficulty while navigating ***with a steering wheel***. This showcase has **MULTIPLE** elements combining to make for an extremely entertaining run, but perhaps the most entertaining is Nikoheart’s googly-eyed steering wheel twisting and turning for 3 hours.



## Forging Forward



ESA Summer ‘21 has been a blast so far, and if I could write about every single run so far I would’ve because it’s been a non-stop ride of entertainment — but not to worry because ESA is still going on! If you want to see more runs like the ones in this article, head on over to [ESA’s Twitch channel](https://www.twitch.tv/esamarathon), and we’ll see you there!



ESA Summer 2021 has already featured some pretty incredible speedruns. We've selected some highlights here, covering the first half of the event.

ESA Summer 2021 early highlights

The cycle of speedrunning marathons raising money for amazing causes is infinite, and there’s no better time to enjoy such content than during the summer. Both GamesDoneQuick (GDQ) and the European Speedrunner Assembly (ESA) have major events in the summer where the finest talent from all around the world comes together. 



As ESA’s biggest event of the year comes ever closer, let’s take a look at what I'm most looking forward to as someone who played a large part in the scheduling process!



## Honorable Mention - Persona 5 - True Ending (Hard) by Neviutz - July 23 10:30 pm CEST / 4:30 pm EST

ESA is continuing with the pre-shows as they did with Winter earlier in the year, allowing them to showcase much longer runs that would usually have a hard time fitting into the schedule. Kicking off the event is Neviutz with Persona 5, and it’s a big speedrun. This run chooses the hardest difficulty, where you do 20% less damage and take a whopping 60% more compared to normal mode. It also explores the true ending of the game in order to make sure no stone is left unturned inside the world of Persona 5. We’re ready to go through a year of the protagonist’s life, are you?



## Bloodborne - All Bosses (Unrestricted) by Yarthow - July 24 5:30 p.m. CEST / 11:30 a.m. EST

Kicking off the first day of ESA Summer 2021 is a first day full of crazy runs, and what is crazier than beating every Bloodborne boss in 90 minutes? To those unfamiliar, Bloodborne is an entry into the *Souls* franchise. These games are extremely difficult, and Bloodborne is absolutely no exception. 



As the game is a Playstation exclusive, users of other platforms might not be as haunted by the names of some bosses when compared to something like *Dark Souls*. However, The Old Hunters DLC that comes with the package is well known to include some of the most difficult bosses in the entire series. Bloodborne puts a new spin on Souls combat and forces players to be much more aggressive in order to survive. This makes it all the more of a spectacle to watch, and all the more breathtaking when Yarthow showcases his exceptional talent.



## Minecraft - Random Seed (Glitchless, 1.16+) by Sizzler - July 24 8:30 p.m. CEST / 2:30 p.m. EST

Shortly after Bloodborne, we will take a large turn from a bleak and hopeless landscape filled with terror to a much more relaxing childhood favorite of many in Minecraft. In recent times, Minecraft has taken the speedrunning world by storm and has become by far the most popular speedrun to exist. At the forefront of this craze is RSG, otherwise known as Random Seed Glitchless. RSG is quite simple; you spawn into a random world and kill the ender dragon as quickly as you can. No glitches, no prior preparation, just you and the tools the game gives you.



Version 1.16 changed the landscape of Minecraft speedrunning forever, as it allowed for trading within the Nether in order to receive ender pearls rather than farming them from Endermen. Nowadays, it gets even deeper (pun fully intended) with runners using ocean monuments to farm gold for the aforementioned trading. It remains to be seen what Sizzler will be able to pull off when he only gets a single shot to take down the dragon.



## Resident Evil Village - Hardcore (Glitchless) by Gidano - July 25 2 a.m. CEST / 8 p.m. EST

It is one thing to master a game that has been around for years and possibly even decades, but what happens when a game is only two months old? The newest entry in the *Resident Evil* franchise is Village, the eighth installment into the main series. Already runners are doing their best to complete the game in record time. This game has made many a headline in the gaming world, discussing how ruthless and unforgiving the Hardcore difficulty is. The enemies are quicker, deal much more damage and won’t give you a moment to breathe. Fortunately for us, we will be safe in the hands of Gidano, who has mastered this exceptionally hard difficulty and will use nothing more than the hand he is dealt in order to overcome the gargantuan challenge he will be faced with. Everything is planned carefully to the last bullet, will you be there to see where they land?



## Honourable Mention - JP Block by quino_w / stone_clive / fuso_wasedr09 / swordfish464 / cicada - July 26 2 p.m. CEST / 10 a.m. EST

This block of games is definitely a first for ESA, and possibly even most western speedrunning events. On July 26, ESA will feature a number of top-level Japanese speedrunners in their own segment of the event to showcase their skills to the western world. There usually isn’t much overlap due to language barriers and travel costs for in-person events, but one of the upsides of us all being home is that these sort of crossovers are much more doable. 



At the time of submission, we contacted the runners and all of them were extremely friendly when we were trying to make sure English commentary was possible and to schedule tech checks. Every single one of them had a plan in mind, whether it be speaking English themselves or having a dedicated commentator to bridge the language barrier, so I’m super excited to see these guys showcase their exceptional talent to a world that might have never seen them otherwise.



## Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen - Elite 4 Round 2 by Shiru - 5 a.m. CEST / 11 p.m. EST

There is nothing comfier than a good old-fashioned Pokemon speedrun. The amount of preparation required in order to efficiently level your Pokemon while also using a single team to sweep the entire game is really impressive. 



Runners will know every trainer they face, each move their Pokemon have and each item they carry. This knowledge allows for a limitless amount of potential when it comes to routing and creating a powerful team, and this is amplified when we look at Round 2. Most people will be familiar with defeating the Elite 4 in a playthrough, but in these titles you can have a rematch against them. During Round 2 their Pokemon will be at a higher level, and they will have switched out members of their team to have a more deadly lineup. This means that new strategies will need to be utilized in order to efficiently defeat the Elite 4 once again, so join Shiru as he takes them down.



## The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD - 100% by mralberto - July 30 midnight CEST / 6 p.m. EST

When it comes to speedrunning, Zelda speedruns have made up a huge chunk since the hobby’s inception. Some of the most well-known moments in speedrunning history stem from the Zelda scene. The 18:10 & the infamous barrier skip, to name just a few, with the latter all coming to a head within the HD version of The Wind Waker. Currently, if you take a look at the top of almost any Wind Waker HD leaderboard, you will see just one name and that name is mralberto. Alberto has been dominating WWHD for a long time now and shows no signs of slowing down, so it is an honor for us to let him show his skills to the masses as he collects every last hear, item, song, and upgrade on his way to 100% completion.



## Grand Theft Auto: Vice City - 100% by Mhmd_FVC - July 30 9 p.m. CEST / 3 p.m. EST

Continuing on from 100% runs you definitely should not miss, how about seeing a Grand Theft Auto title completed 100% in less than 5 hours? The Grand Theft Auto community is one of the largest on the planet, and Mhmd is one of the greatest of all time. We haven’t seen a 100% run of Vice City at ESA since 2015, and the difference between the two runs is going to be colossal. Huge amounts of mission duplication and memory corruption are segmented between casual Sunday drives through Ocean Beach. This run truly has it all. Ever wondered how to complete 100 taxi fares while only delivering one? How about completing the firefighter missions without using the water cannon, or completing the paramedic missions without saving a single patient? All will be revealed and much much more as Mhmd takes you on a trip to the eighties.



## GeoGuessr - Perfect Score (A Diverse World) by havrd - August 1 2 a.m. CEST / 8 p.m. EST

The finale of ESA Summer 2021 is quite a unique speedrun. We’ve all played GeoGuessr at some point I’m sure, putting our geographical skills to the rest by trying to pinpoint a location anywhere in the world purely by looking at Google Maps. It’s definitely not easy, and usually, I find myself sometimes guessing the wrong country or even wrong continent entirely. havrd is built different though. Not only will he get the country, but he will find the exact road he’s been placed on anywhere in the world within a few minutes. A perfect score is 5 maps, and he will guess perfectly for all 5 maps in order to complete a perfect run. Bonkers.



## Where Can I Watch?

ESA Summer 2021 will be taking place from July 23 - August 1 over at [ESA’s Twitch channel](https://www.twitch.tv/esamarathon), and will be running around the clock during those dates to bring you only the best of what speedrunning has to offer.



What we have mentioned in this list is not all you will be seeing at ESA, and you can find the entire [event schedule on their website](https://esamarathon.com/schedule/). The event will support [Save The Children](https://www.savethechildren.org/). Their goal is to improve the lives of children everywhere through better education, health care, and economic opportunities. Save the Children respond to major emergencies, deliver innovative development programs, and ensure children’s voices are heard through our campaigning to build a better future for and with children.



You can also find ESA on these platforms:



[Twitter](https://twitter.com/esamarathon)  

[Discord](https://discordapp.com/invite/0TZ2NlveujtasAqb)  

[YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/EuroSpeedAssembly)  

[Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/europeanspeedrunnerassembly)  

[Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/esamarathon/)  



We hope to see you there!





ESA Summer 2021 gets underway on July 23. We've compiled a list of can't-miss speedruns from the week-long event that are sure to delight fans!

Runs at ESA Summer 2021 you don’t want to miss

Speedrunning expresses such a high level of love for the chosen game. Marathons like Games Done Quick, bringing together the broader speedrunning community to show off their runs and talents, demonstrate this like nothing else. The positive energy surrounding the event can be felt even now as it comes to an end — not to mention by the end of it, SGDQ 2021 raised nearly ***3 MILLION DOLLARS*** for [Doctors Without Borders.](https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/)

Truly amazing.

Let’s dive into the highlights from the final days of [Summer Games Done Quick 2021!](https://www.twitch.tv/gamesdonequick)

### ***Halo 2***  

**Any%**

*Ran by Monopoli*

*[Link to ru](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqZeIVOivXw&t=42s)n*

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/qoeo74ng.png)Similar to Ocarina of Time, you need a university degree to understand Halo 2’s speedrun. Monopoli wastes no time getting into the run executing one glitch after another, doing a fantastic job as a solo commentator explaining the difficult tricks while also performing them. The main highlight is a glitch called Arbitrary Unit Possession which manipulates the games memory to allow you to become nearly anything in the game. Only a few minutes into the run, Monopoli transforms into a Phantom (a VEHICLE *by the way*) and navigates out of bounds.

That’s just scratching the surface, you ***CANNOT*** miss this run.

### ***Astro’s Playroom***  

**Any%**

*Ran by Xeilius*

*Commentary by LeKcEy and MotoNickelz*

*[Link to run](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzC5PKC7XVM&t=14s)*

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/qrz278n0.jpg)Astro’s Playroom is a *free* third-person-platformer with extremely advanced movement, as well as adorable characters and atmosphere - also the sound design is phenomenal.  Developers also implemented a Speedrun Mode where they specifically leave in speedrunning tricks that get patched out from the regular mode. Yay for speedrun accessibility! On top of stunning movement, this run has some amazing (and very physical) climbing strats using the Playstation controller, which is quite entertaining to watch Xeilius perform.

### ***Factorio***  

**Any% Set Seed**

*Ran by Frankqly*

*Commentary by AntiElitz, Thue and XenoCyber*

*[Link to run](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlEVneHpRas&t=5s)*

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/1pzmoonk.jpg)This run is a showcase of incredible routing and execution. Routing a game like Factorio is incredibly difficult due to the sheer amount of options you have, and the runners even mention themselves that the route is still pretty frequently updated. For the duration of the run, Franqly remained mostly quiet because Factorio is, surprisingly, *very* demanding of your execution. Every second of the run for its nearly 2-hour runtime demands Franqlys strict attention, considering if he was to place something where it wasn’t supposed to, there could be a potential for devastating consequences further down the line. Listening to the stories behind the routing process of this run is worth a watch by itself, definitely give this run a watch.

### ***Celeste Custom Maps***  

**Glyph All A-Sides**

*Ran by frozenflygone*

*Commentary by Comet*

*[Link to run](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zon5vP6qIo&t=80s)*

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/2yzr2jn4.jpg)Frozenflygone premieres a custom-made map containing entirely custom level design and music which looks absolutely *gorgeous.* The movement tech is incredible, the commentary is great, the developers were watching showing their support, and overall frozenflygone and comet provide a truly heartwarming showcase from one of speedrunning's most wholesome communities. Did I mention the movement tech is incredible?

### ***Bowser’s Fury***  

**Any% No Amiibo**

*Ran by fir_*

*Commentary by Dangers*

*[Link to run](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enDKdZRGrwI&t=105s)*

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/v5ng0xeq.jpg)Nintendo games always seem to bring some new mechanics that mesh really well with speedrunning, and Bowser’s Fury is a *little* different which had runners thinking it wouldn’t be a good speedgame — but where there’s a will, there’s a way. Imagine a bus stop…. No? Old meme? Okay. This is Bowser’s Fury’s premiere at a Games Done Quick, and both fir_, as well as Dangers, do an incredible job explaining the new tech and the speedrun appeal of Bowser’s Fury, if you love platformers and cycles — give this one a go.

### ***Super Metroid***  

**100% Race**

*Ran by Oatsngoats, Behemoth87 and ShinyZeni*

*Commentary by Antinomy and TheHockeytowner*

*[Link to run](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucwaN2bbwLU&t=36s)*

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/9qzp96n3.jpg)Super Metroid is a true classic 2D platformer with a *rich* speedrunning history, many people have years of practice under their belt and it really shows here in this race between Oatsngoats, Behemoth87, and ShinyZeni, who were all neck and neck for a very long time at the start of the run. Even by the end of the hour-long run, they all finished within 3 minutes of each other - an incredible display of optimization on a classic speedgame.

### ***Dark Souls 3***  

**Any% Glitchless**

*Ran by MattApocaalypse*

*Commentary by Distortion2 and Fudge Cow*

*[Link to run](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQJOl72vJGQ&t=84s)*

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/v5e15mn0.jpg)If you’ve ever played a Dark Souls game, you’ll know how brutally difficult the game is. Bosses can sometimes take the majority of players multiple *hours* to complete, and yet in this run, MattApocaalypse completes Any% Glitchless in under ***one hour*** real time. If you ever want to see a display of immense skill, check out a speedrun from a souls series. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

## Final Stop

Well, that’s a wrap for Summer Games Done Quick 2021. There were jokes, glitches, lots of talent, and a whole lotta love and passion. Unfortunately, it is true that all good things must come to an end, but not forever. The next GDQ is only ever a few months away.

If you happened to miss any runs you were interested in, you can find every run as well as interviews and other great moments over on [GDQ’s YouTube channel.](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI3DTtB-a3fJPjKtQ5kYHfA)

With SGDQ 2021 a wrap, we're taking one last opportunity to highlight some of our favorite events from the week-long speedrunning event.

Final SGDQ 2021 Highlights

We’re a little over the halfway point of Summer Games Done Quick 2021 and things are still going *very* strong! At the time of publishing, the marathon has raised more than a ***MILLION DOLLARS*** for Doctor’s Without Borders.



It’s been a few days of non-stop talent and entertainment. Let’s dig into some of the key moments from the first half of Summer Games Done Quick 2021.



## Tuesday Night



### ***Metal Gear Solid 3 Snake Eater***  

**European Extreme**  

*Ran by ApacheSmash*  

*Commentary by Jaguar_King and miniomegaking*  

*[Link to run](https://youtu.be/C5g1j0WPPKI)*  



Having met a donation incentive, ApacheSmash ran through MGS3 while having Snake wear a tuxedo as much as the game allowed — while also wearing a tuxedo in real life. European Extreme is the games highest difficulty, forcing the player to restart a room if they get caught. This is also on top of the tuxedo, which makes it *much easier* to be caught. Of course, Apache Smash blasts through the run in a little over an hour real time.



### ***Dead Space***  

**Any%**  

*Ran by Looney*  

*Commentary by Sharkhat and Waifu*  

*[Link to run](https://youtu.be/bMhnbyWEV8Y?t=97)*  



Even before Looney had started his run, he received a tweet from a former Dead Space producer, [Steve Papoutsis](https://twitter.com/leveluptime/status/1412516658476814336?s=20) letting him know he was looking forward to his run — no pressure or anything. Thankfully, Looney’s run was a jaw-dropping success. 



While Looney was boosting around and performing some incredible skips and tricks, Twitch chat was consistently expressing how surprised they were that Dead Space had never been to a GDQ event before — and how excited they were to inevitably see Dead Space 2 at a future event.



## Wednesday



### ***Geoguessr***  

**Perfect Score**  

*Ran by Havrd*  

*Commentary by Mumrik and Chuckolator*  

*[Link to run](https://youtu.be/fxBcdmExUyc)*  

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/r7z30lzd.jpg)Havrd is typically an amazing glitch hunter and strat finder, but he *also* is a Geoguessr wizard. Geoguessr is a game where you get plopped down on a 3D map and have to figure out where you are, the closer you are to the actual location when you place your pin on the map, the more points you get. Havrd’s goal for this run was to get a *perfect* Geoguessr score in under 35 minutes. I’ll tell you, I nearly failed my geography course years ago and it *shows* when I try to play Geoguessr. Watching Havrd and listening to his thought process while trying to pin down his location is mind-blowing, and a showcase from GDQ you cannot miss.





### ***Ratchet & Clank: Into The Nexus***  

**NG+**  

*Ran by mobius*  

*[Link to run](https://youtu.be/IzHrfZRntsE?t=38)*  

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/2qny5dzp.jpg)

Ratchet and Clank is potentially one of the most popular series to speedrun among the Playstation exclusives, and the developers, Insomniac Games, are maybe the most supportive of their speedrunning community out of any studio I have ever seen. 

On top of Mobius' excellent execution throughout the run, there were constant donations stating support from different developers on the team. All any speedrunning community wants is support from the developer of the game they pour their hearts into, and watching this run is really heartwarming.

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/p4zjo1nk.jpg)

### ***Ghostrunner***  

**Any% Inbounds**  

*Ran by Blaidan*  

*Commentary by Bryonato, DragonTears0, and BladeLMAO*  

*[Link to run](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTsYYJJQxyY&t=73s)*  

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/r1n8rxzq.jpg)Ghostrunner is one of those games where the movement system has such a high skill ceiling, watching a pro like Blaidan rip through the game is like watching a 1000 degree knife cut through butter. During this run, Blaidan played **within a minute of his world record** — even getting a best segment on one of the most optimized levels in the game. If you want a high octane run with *fantastic commentary*, Ghostrunner is definitely something you don’t wanna miss.

Oh, by the way, Blaidan got a brand new world record by 30 seconds the very next day — the first-ever sub-35-minute time.



## Thursday



### ***Sonic 3D Blast***  

**Beat the Game 2 Players 1 Controller**  

*Ran by AmberCyprian & TGH*  

*[Link to run](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTzkEILXZYI&t=46s)*  



Speedrunning is hard enough as is, but imagine if two people had to coordinate their gameplay using half of a controller for each of them. AmberCyprian and TGH working together to complete Sonic 3D Blast as fast as they can with just a single controller is really a sight to see, especially with the controller cam on for the duration of the run.



### ***Destiny 2***  

**Deep Stone Crypt**  

*Ran by Shockwve, MunchaKoopas, Tokeegee, Traderkirk, Scoobyfoo, BystanderTim*  

*[Link to run](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaHMkXMVEWU)*  

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/83nvp1nm.jpg)On the topic of cooperation, this run of Destiny 2’s Deep Stone Crypt raid by *six different runners* is a glorious showcase of co-op speedruns which are **always** a demonstration of teamwork and wild cooperative strategies. This group of runners has a lot of charisma, and the showcase was a very wholesome experience you should definitely check out.



### ***DOOM Eternal***  

**Ancient Gods 1&2 No Major Glitches Inbounds**  

*Ran by Bloodshot9001*  

*Commentary by Bryonato, DrakePHOSE, and Xiae*  

*[Link to run](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EmAQ1BdRAk)*  

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/0dz49wn6.jpg)The follow-up to last year's main campaign NMG run, Bloodshot runs both DLC’s for DOOM Eternal back-to-back demonstrating great combat, movement, and some wild skips. All of this was supported by a wonderful couch that had electric energy for the entire duration of both runs.



A highlight within this highlight: Bloodshot's cat had a cameo and someone donated ***$10,000*** to see Bloodshot pet him. 



## The show goes on



Summer Games Done Quick 2021 has had too many memorable moments to fit them all in here. The good news is the event isn't over yet. SGDQ will continue through Sunday, July 9th 2am EST - if you want to see more moments like these head over to [Games Done Quick](https://www.twitch.tv/gamesdonequick) There are many more runs to look forward to, and we’ll see you there!

Now midway through the event, SGDQ 2021 continues to deliver with memorable speedruns. Let's take a look at the highlights from the last couple of days.

Mid-week highlights for SGDQ 2021

EBen

xwpw4y0l

summertimealice

A Difficult Game About Climbing

Leaderboard will be closed for moderators to prepare for full game release.

The Outlast Trials

The leaderboards will open 2 weeks from launch to allow discussion about the categories we want to start out with.