Few things better encapsulate the feel of speedrunning than taking skilled players and making them race. And when that race comes down to a split-second difference, it’s must-watch.
That’s exactly what happened when a pair of speedrunners squared off at this year’s Summer Games Done Quick gaming marathon, running through Mega Man 4 and pushing each other to the brink in the process.
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Mega Man games are known for their precise platforming requirements, and Mega Man 4 is no different. The combination of skill and knowledge of the aged software is immense for the world’s best runners of these popular old-school games. Speedrunners “almondcity” and “Chelney” demonstrate a wealth of both in their run, but there was no predicting just how tight the finish to their race would be.
Almondcity manages to pull slightly ahead coming down the home stretch, but Chelney isn’t easily denied. During a chaotic final boss fight, the final blows struck are separated by a mere second.
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It’s a photo finish that has to be seen to believed, and one more reminder that there a few experiences in gaming quite like watching some of the best games ever developed deconstructed in the name of charity.
