The world of speedrunning has been rocked by a new world record in the classic game Super Mario Bros., and it comes just 395 days after the previous record was established.
Niftski, a prominent figure in the speedrunning community, managed to secure this remarkable achievement on September 6 by completing the game with a time of 4:54.63, besting the previous record of 4:54.798. At first glance, the .167-second difference might seem negligible, but the true significance lies in the details of how this feat was accomplished.
Super Mario Bros. is a unique challenge in speedrunning due to a hidden in-game timer that operates on a 21-frame cycle to determine when a level is completed. This cycle continues even after reaching the end of a level and leaping over the flagpole, preventing progression to the next level until the next frame rule is met.
Because of this strict rule, each level has a specific minimum time frame within which it can be completed. Niftski’s latest achievement represents the first successful human endeavor to attain the fastest frame cycle. While faster runs have been completed with the assistance of emulators, programmed inputs, and save states, these attempts do not count toward the official world record, making Niftski’s run all the more significant.
Notably, there is an exception to the frame rule within the final level of the game, 8-4. In this level, after defeating Bowser, the game immediately proceeds to the ending sequence, bypassing the usual frame rule and saving precious seconds.
Niftski, reflecting on this extraordinary accomplishment, stated, “There are no more frame rules left to be saved, so this is now a battle of the remaining 8-4 frames! Only 22 frames, or 0.366 seconds, separate this run from absolute perfection.” Emphasizing that this record is not the ultimate goal, Niftski expressed the determination of the speedrunning community to continue refining their techniques and striving for even faster times.
