Super Mario Brothers speedrunner Niftski finishes a near-perfect run of the game, setting a new world record and achieving the near impossible. Read on to learn more about the situation, the SMB speedrunning scene, and truly how difficult this achievement was.
Speedrunner Sets New SMB World Record
Niftski Tops SMB Speedrunning Leaderboards
Niftski, a runner from the Super Mario Brothers speedrunning community, has achieved the unthinkable and set a new world record, clocking it at 4 minutes 54 seconds 63 miliseconds. This achievement nearly matched the Any% speedrun time set by a Tool-assisted Speedrun, better known as TAS. A TAS is essentially a robot that replicates inhuman inputs to push the absolute limits of a speedrun and get a theoretical perfect run. Niftski's legendary run required countless frame-perfect command inputs, extensive knowledge of game exploits, and countless hours of trial and error to complete. He now sits atop the SMB speedrun leaderboards, comfortable in his conquest of the previously impossible.
Beyond The Human Limit
The unbeatable time of 4 minutes, 54 seconds, and 26 milliseconds was originally achieved by the runner Maru using a TAS (Tool-Assisted Speedrun). This TAS utilized frame-perfect command sequences, glitches, and game exploits to achieve the shortest possible time. Given its nature, it was deemed beyond human capabilities to conquer or even match, with the fastest unassisted run being a whole 2 seconds slower. Two seconds may sound like nothing, but to a speed runner dealing with the fractions of milliseconds, this may as well be jumping across the Grand Canyon. But just as there are daredevils who tempt fate, this challenge prompted Niftski and others in the speedrunning community to take it on.
Conquering The Impossible
The community banded together for years, finding new exploits in the game to save time and eventually match the speed set by the TAS all those years ago. Many hurdles stood in their way, one of which was the nature of the game itself.
The hurdle was a system inherent to the game. Super Mario Brothers used the Framerule System, which checked level completion every 21 frames (0.35 seconds). To match the TAS run, runners aimed to enter within its framerule window, a challenge they pursued for years, successfully framerule-saving all levels except one.
Level 8-4 in Super Mario Brothers hosts the iconic Bowser boss fight and marks the end of the game. Unlike the other levels, it doesn't follow the Framerule System and ends instantly upon touching the axe to defeat Bowser. Niftski's mastery of this level helped him match the TAS speedrun record, securing his spot in gaming history.
The True Scope Of the Challenge
Considering this, the challenge's magnitude becomes clear. The standard speed run includes 8 levels, using warp pipes to bypass the standard 32. Seven of these levels could be framerule-saved, reducing time wasted, while the last relied on different methods. Niftski completed these seven consecutive levels with frame-perfect precision and aced the final level, achieving the absolute fastest time possible. What was once deemed impossible is now etched in gaming history as the day that man approaches human limits. He's unlikely to rest on his laurels, so it's but a matter of time before he sets an even faster time.
