In a video uploaded to YouTube, user Jeremy3979 managed to get to the end of the original Super Mario Bros. in record time, finishing at 4:57. The most amazing thing about this speedrun, however, is that they managed to do it using just one hand. Part of the footage is dedicated to showing them placing just one hand on the NES controller, using their thumb to press the D-pad and the other fingers to activate the jump button.
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At the time of writing, the video has not yet been added to speedrun.com, but users in the comments have congratulated the runner for setting a new world record by speedrunning Super Mario Bros. One person did question whether there was a bug during the run. At the final part, Mario can be seen jumping over Bowser, and it appears as though one of the hatchets goes through the player-character. However, this could be down to a bug or an inconsistent hitbox. In any case, the run itself is very impressive, and completing it in less than five minutes using just one hand is quite the feat for any player.
With so many video games that players can learn to speedrun, there is a growing community of fans dedicating themselves to beating their favorite games at lightning speeds. Such an act takes hundreds of hours of practice. And while newer games such as Elden Ring are being given the speedrun treatment, Jeremy3979’s video shows that there are just as many who are willing to return to the classics.
The Mario franchise is a global phenomenon, with a new Super Mario Bros. movie currently in development, though delayed until next year. With the NES release now 37 years old, there’s been plenty of time for gamers to perfect their runs and smash world records. It remains to be seen whether someone will come along and manage to knock Jeremy3979’s one-handed attempt off the current top spot.
The original Super Mario Bros. was released in 1985 for the NES.
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