Awesome Games Done Quick 2020 (or AGDQ 2020 for short) is a seven-day long speedrunning marathon that just wrapped up over the second week of January.
This marks the 10th anniversary of Games Done Quick marathons, where twice a year gamers come together to raise big bucks for charity. The final donation total of the event was a staggering $3.13 million, with all funds going to the Prevent Cancer Foundation.
AGDQ 2020 was packed with speedrunning content, with gamers blazing through their favorite games in unbelievable times. From retro gaming classics to modern blockbusters, the marathon had a plethora of variety for viewers to enjoy. Over the week, I binged an incredibly unhealthy dose of these speedruns, and discovered some true gems along the way.
If you’re new to the concept of speedrunning, or just want some cool gaming content to watch, I’ve whipped up this list of three great Nintendo speedruns from AGDQ 2020. Whether you’re a fan of the 8-bit, 16-bit, or 64-bit era, these are three retro Nintendo speedruns you shouldn’t miss.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (100% No Source Requirement) by ZFG
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is one of the undisputed classic Nintendo games and – as usual – ended up being one of the best Nintendo speedruns of AGDQ 2020. The Ocarina master himself, ZFG, showed off a speedrun of the “100% No Source Requirement” category.
This category requires the runner to collect 100% of the unique items (that’s all the wallets, bomb upgrades, ocarina songs, etc), but they can use any glitch in their wheelhouse.
When it comes to experts of Ocarina-glitching, ZFG is the king. If you’ve never seen an Ocarina of Time speedrun, this one might be a bit hard to follow. That said, it’s a nearly 3-hour presentation of some of the craziest N64 glitches I’ve ever seen in my life.
Final game completion time: 2:50:12
Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! (2 players 1 controller, blindfolded) by sinister1 and zallard1
Most people who try the NES version of Punch-Out!! have a pretty tough time, mostly due to the punishing difficulty and quick reflex time required.
This boxing title is one of the all-time greats, and speedrunners sinister1 and zallard1 are arguably the two best players to ever enter the virtual ring. Both of these speedrunners have pulled off awesome Punch-Out!! speedruns before, but at AGDQ 2020, things got even crazier.
Not only did the runners finish the game in under 30 minutes, but they also did it blindfolded… while using the same controller. You read that right; one player pressed the A and B buttons while the other ducked and dodged with the directional pad. Both of them were blindfolded. To top it all off, they absolutely demolished Mike Tyson. If you’ve ever wanted to see true “god-gamer” levels of skill, this is a must-watch speedrun.
Final game completion time: 23:39
Mega Man X (100% Race) by Tokyo90, darrenville, Clipper1, and Soppanaama
Another great part of any Games Done Quick marathon are the races. If normal speedruns aren’t exciting enough for you, speedrun races might do the trick.
In this specific race, four players faced off in a sprint to collect 100% of power-ups and items and complete Mega Man X. Many Super Nintendo owners will fondly remember this challenging action title, and be simply blown away by the level of Mega Man mastery demonstrated in this race.
Each of the speedrunners in the race are absolute beasts at Mega Man X, able to kill bosses in the blink of an eye without taking any damage. When pitted against each other, that’s when things get interesting.
This race had it all: lots of lead changes, dramatic and tense boss fights, and down-to-the-second finishes. Any fan of the Mega Man franchise or competitive gaming will undoubtedly enjoy this invigorating display of Super Nintendo skill.
