Games are exclusive in the world of art. They’re the only medium of expression that is meaningfully interactive with the audience. Millions of people have played Super Mario World, yet no two people have ever played it in exactly the same way.
Some people miss a jump here, get hit by a shell there, or take ever-so-slightly different paths through the same levels. Every game is an infinite series of choices, raising the natural question: what does it look like when a game is played to perfection?
This is the question answered by Summer Games Done Quick, the annual speed-running marathon streaming all this week on video live-stream site Twitch.
Raising money for Doctors Without Borders, this charity event brings together gamers from across the spectrum, beating every manner of game in the shortest possible time.
Remember the weeks you spent on your first trip through Fallout 3? These pros can hit the credits in fewer than 30 minutes.
Pokémon Blue? They’ll catch them all in less than three hours.
Punch-Out? They’ve got players who can crush Tyson without taking a hit, and do it while blindfolded.
The quest to set the fastest time in any one given game pushes communities to break every level, mechanic, and moment of the game down.
Players search for any new glitch, trick, or exploit that can save even a few seconds off a run. The result isn’t just exciting to watch, but also a fascinating peek into how games are designed.
Running Super Monkey Ball showcases the furthest extent of the game’s hyper-sensitive controls, making impossible leaps and juggles across the map.
A perfect run of Resident Evil 4 requires not just perfect aim, but some clever manipulation of enemy attack patterns. Every game has a secret, and they come out into the open when the speed-running community begins its search.
It’s only made better by the live nature of Summer Games Done Quick. Every run has the opportunity to be a new world record, or feature a new unbelievable moment.
It’s one thing to hear about the incredible moments these streams produce weeks after the fact. Watching the event live is more visceral, making you a part of the crowd as magic unfolds.
But it’s not all about playing games fast. Games Done Quick has also become a showcase for all manner of incredible gaming feats. Earlier this year at the Awesome Games Done Quick event, various Tetris players who have achieved “Grand Master” status demonstrated their awe-inspiring expertise.
A modified SNES capable of entering thousands of button presses per second reprogrammed Super Mario World in real time, to mindblowing effect. You never quite know what will pop up in this year’s Games Done Quick stream, so do yourself a favor and don’t miss a minute.