Games Done Quick is a biannual speedrunning charity event, where gamers from all around the world come together to beat video games as fast as possible. Over the last 12 years, Games Done Quick has raised over $37 million for organizations such as Doctors Without Borders. The technical skill and prowess on display at Games Done Quick has always been a great spectacle, and while the summer marathon has already concluded, it’s not too late to go back and watch some of the event’s greatest runs.
Speedrunning is a competitive form of gaming where “runners” attempt to beat a video game as quickly as they possibly can. They use leaderboards like speedrun.com to record their times and compete with one another. Games Done Quick brings together some of the greatest runners from around the world to showcase their runs in one place. These runs often involve highly precise and technical tricks, and the spectacle of watching a runner pull off these tricks makes speedrunning fun for the audience. Below are some of the best runs to watch from Summer Games Done Quick 2022.
The marathon opened with a run of Shadow of the Colossus, completed in 47 minutes and 29 seconds by RUBIEHART. Shadow of the Colossus runs are always a great sight at Games Done Quick. Rather than playing the game the standard way, the runner instead uses the game’s built-in time trial system to challenge its 16 bosses in succession. Once the final boss is defeated, the final time is recorded, and the run is completed.
This Shadow of the Colossus run features some of the exact spectacle and tricks Games Done Quick tries to highlight. One of the game’s most infamous and most difficult tricks is shown off against the third boss. Instead of doing the fight the intended way, which usually takes a while, the runner instead uses a glitch in the game’s momentum to launch their player character extremely high into the air. From there, they can reach the boss’s weak points and finish the fight much quicker than the game developers intended.
Most runs at Games Done Quick are “any%,” meaning beating the game is the only necessary action to complete the run. Dayoman’s Spyro the Dragon run, however, required him to not only complete the game as fast as possible, but also complete every single optional objective in the process. Seeing him tear through the game at a breakneck pace while simultaneously collecting every gem, freeing every dragon and completing every level was a sight to behold. Dayoman fully demonstrated the knowledge and mastery he has of the entire game.
Races are another fun event at Games Done Quick, where two or more runners play the same game simultaneously and see who can beat the game first. Crunan and DrunkenDraconian’s Super Castlevania 4 race saw two masters of the game go head-to-head, and for the majority of the run, the difference between them was razor thin. Not only that, but neither of them picked up any additional upgrades or weapons during the run. It’s very impressive to see two highly skilled players blitz through the game with nothing but the basic starting weapon.
Soon afterward, Nave357 performed a run of the first level from Sly 2: Band of Thieves, the sequel to the original Sly Cooper. While the game is no stranger to Games Done Quick, this was the first run of any game besides the first one at the event. While not quite as fast as its predecessor, Nave demonstrated a number of impressive tricks, such as jumping far higher than the developers ever intended, to blaze through every mission as quickly as possible. Other techniques, like intentionally killing himself to skip a number, are likely to get a laugh out of the viewer.
Another fun run type is co-op runs, where multiple runners play a game at the same time, forcing tight teamwork and cooperation to get the best times. The four-player Phasmophobia run demonstrates this nicely, as the four runners need to work together to identify a ghost in a haunted location and escape as quickly as possible. This run demonstrates high game knowledge and efficiency on the part of all four runners, and it’s impressive to see them work together in a fast-paced environment. For those who want to watch other horror games get demolished, the Five Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breach run is also a lot of fun.
The runs of long RPGs at Games Done Quick are a rarity, but always a spectacle. Froob’s four-hour run of Yakuza: Like a Dragon showcased strong focus on the part of the runner, who must remember every single trick and technique needed to get through the game quickly. There was no time for grinding levels or better equipment, so he had to make sure he executed every move perfectly to get through each battle. For anybody who has the time to sit through a longer run, Yakuza: Like a Dragon is one that you don’t want to miss.
Finally, also on the longer side, is Ganon’s three-hour run of Super Mario Odyssey. Mario runs aren’t new to Games Done Quick, and Super Mario Odyssey has produced some of the best and most exhilarating runs in the marathon’s history. Ganon’s run not only required him to beat the game, but also complete the extra-difficult Darker Side bonus level as quickly as possible. A regular playthrough of Super Mario Odyssey can take dozens of hours, so to do it in less than three and a half requires some truly incredible dedication and skill to pull off.
While it’s too late to watch Summer Games Done Quick 2022 live, it’s the perfect time to watch all the greatest runs from the marathon. Games Done Quick has continued its tradition of providing entertaining runs while supporting a great cause for 12 years and will hopefully continue to do so for many years more. Whether you’re new to speedrunning or invested in it already, the runs from Summer Games Done Quick 2022 are well worth watching, and will make you all the more ready for when Games Done Quick comes back next year.
