10 Game Speedruns From This Year’s AGDQ Event That You HAVE to Watch
Awesome Games Done Quick is an epic annual speedrunning event we never miss, and this year's event, which ran from Jan. 9 to Jan. 16, was momentous for a number of reasons.
First off, the event raised a whopping $3,416,729—more than any other event in Games Done Quick history—to benefit the Prevent Cancer Foundation. But even beyond that monumental showing of altruism, the fully online speedrunning event was also a blast from start to finish. So, whether you missed the event entirely or were only able to check in for a few awesome runs, keep reading to see the top 10 runs we think you have to watch.
10. Part Time UFO (Any%) by ykrin
Time: 26:59
Part Time UFO is one of our favorite physics puzzlers on the Nintendo Switch, and to see it being played at such a high level really is a sight to behold. The very cute game revolves around a UFO with a claw arm who picks up and drops things to solve all kinds of conundrums, and in this run, ykrin manages to not just finish the levels, but also to complete the secret quests for each one, in record speed—and we dare you not to get the precious earworm of a theme song stuck in your head.
9. Journey (Any% White Robe Glitched) by nathanj
Time: 18:09
Journey is a remarkable game, and probably the coziest title on this entire list. In this indie adventure title, players guide a robed figure across a huge and mysterious desert, taking them on a journey of connectedness and empowerment as they intuitively join forces with other players to complete the game. It's hard to describe just how wholesome Journey is—and we recommend watching the short run to see just what we mean.
8. Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II (Any% Co-op) by Argick and AmberCyprian
Time: 43:47
Even if this wasn't one of the most impressive speedruns on the list, it might be worth watching for Argick's ridiculous Sonic the Hedgehog costume alone—but believe us when we say there's so much more to it. Not only do runners Argick and AmberCyrpian keep up the energy with colorful commentary during the entire run as they work together to complete the game, but the duo also manages to get a world record in the category. That doesn't often happen at marathon events, and this is one you'll want to watch the whole way through.
7. Pokémon Crystal (Key Item Randomizer Race) by Keizaron, 360Chrism and Shenanagans
Time: 2:34:41
If you're a Pokémon fan, but you've never seen a randomizer, you are in for a huge treat. In this unique video, runners Keizaron, 360Chrism and Shenanigans race to beat Pokémon Crystal the fastest under some unusual conditions. Firstly, the Pokémon that can show up in the game are entirely random, with randomized movesets, and even the badges, TMs and key items (such as fishing rods, keys and the bike) are all shuffled. They're all playing off of the same seed, which means they're working with the same options (besides random Pokémon encounters), and the chaos throughout will keep you entertained the entire 154-minute run. And, because he came in last, Shenanigans also had to produce a written apology to the Pokémon Bulbasaur, who was slandered during the race, so it was a fun time all around.
6. Chicory: A Colorful Tale (All Bosses and Trials) by Punchy
Time: 33:13
Chicory: A Colorful Tale has to be one of our favorite games to release in all of 2021, with a heartwarming and emotionally powerful story, and some of the best puzzling we've seen in games in years. Throughout this run, Punchy shows us how to completely break the game apart and skip almost all of that to complete the game in just over half an hour. The fact that the run is also commentated by Greg Lobanov, the game's creator, adds even more color (forgive the pun) to this fast-paced and delightful run.
5. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D (Any%) by gymnast86
Time: 38:50
After The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D beat The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time in a bid war (surprising many, many fans), we all got to experience one of the fastest, most fascinating Zelda speedruns out there. The run begins with gymnast86 advancing to the end of the game's three-day cycle as quickly as possible before using a very precise set up to do a "Moon Warp" and advance directly to the final area of the game. The final fight against Majora is infamously difficult, even when you have all of the health and tools in the game at your disposal, so seeing this runner make it through the boss's three stages with limited items and without taking a single hit made our jaws drop. Even gymnast86 himself can barely believe what he's achieved.
4. Hades (All Weapons Race) by c_gull and tounisu
Time: 1:38:43
Hades is probably the game we've been playing the most ourselves, lately, so to see it being run by the masters was one of our favorite moments of the entire marathon. Runners c_gull and tounisu were challenged with beating the game six times, each time using a different weapon between the sword, spear, shield, bow, fists and gun. Hades is all about staying alive and making smart choices to make yourself as powerful as possible to ensure your survival and success in the run, so to see these players go this fast and kick this much butt is always a thrill. Plus, for every $3k donated, the runners would have to pet everyone's favorite three-headed doggie, Cerberus, a certain number of times before beginning their next run, eventually getting up to 20 pets (and raising $60k for charity!).
3. Kena: Bridge of Spirits (Any% No Major Glitches (Hard)) by InsertLogic
Time: 28:35
Kena: Bridge of Spirits came out just last year, and it's a marvel in every sense of the word. Not only does it look absolutely astounding, but it's also got a profound story and a strong adventure unfolding in an open world to tie it all together. We love seeing all of the unusual skips that are possible in the game thanks to its fluid movement, as well as watching tough bosses get conquered with ease. And, not only is this a fantastic run of a new, gorgeous game, but InsertLogic also managed to nab the world record for this category during his run. He doesn't even know until a couple of minutes after the run has concluded, and seeing the realization on his face when he hears the news is priceless.
2. Resident Evil Village (Village of Shadows Glitchless) by 7dayD
Time: 1:55:54
We'll warn you beforehand—Resident Evil Village can be a scary game, and even runner 7rayD's Jigsaw makeup is a bit frightening, but if you like that kind of thing, this is the run for you. The game's Village of Shadows difficulty was really made for new game plus, where you carry over all of the powerful weapons you've collected over the course of the game, so to see this runner make it through the game on a new save through sheer ability alone really is something else. For some context, the very first enemy in the game takes 22 headshots to take down—so this run is no joke.
1. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (Blindfolded Any%) by Mitchriz
Time: 2:00:35
When Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice first came out, it got quite a lot of flack for being too difficult for the average player to jump into. In our favorite run of AGDQ 2022, Mitchriz doesn't just beat the game—he does the entire thing blindfolded. He gets through the entire challenging game on feel and sound alone, making his way through areas and defeating bosses that most people can't conquer even when they can see precisely what's happening. Another impressive note? Two hours and 40 minutes were carved out in the marathon for him to complete this challenge, and he managed it in just over two hours.
Want to try a couple of these games for yourself? Click HERE to check out the list of our favorite inexpensive games on the Nintendo Switch.