The world of speedrunning is a fascinating one, and it doesn't get any more fascinating than this. Speedrunner Darbian, who previously held a world record for speedrunning the original Super Mario Bros., has now done it again.
Darbian finished the game (while playing on an actual Nintendo Entertainment System) in a whopping 4:57.260, shaving a few milliseconds off his previous world record time of 4:57.427. Yes, that's minutes. A few milliseconds doesn't sound like a crazy improvement, but it's a time that might not ever be broken. Considering how the game's optimal speed routes have already been discovered, all that's left is for speedrunners to perfect that said path in order to achieve the best possible time. That means constant practice and perfect execution from the player if they want to come anywhere close to the world record.
That's what Darbian has done. He streamed the entire thing, too, while rigged up to a heart rate monitor, no less. You can watch it all unfold in the video below.
As he begins to realize how close he is to achieving a new world record, Darbian's heart rate begins to soar. Once it's all said and done and the euphoria of making history kicks in, his heart rate peaks at 172 beats per minute. It looks like he can barely believe it himself.
His new record comes in the "any percentage" category, which means that Darbian didn't need to complete every level of the game in order for his time to count. Rather, he simply needed to get to the game's final stage as quickly as possible, which he did by utilizing a number of shortcuts and glitches. While some speedrunners have faster times thanks to tools that help them perform platforming feats nearly impossible for most humans, Darbian's run is as classic as it gets.
As for what's next for the speedrunner? Who knows, but it's definitely not playing more Super Mario Bros. In the description for the video, Darbian writes, "I have reached my potential in this category — I'm done! My quest is over."
Fans will have to wait and see what speedrunning quest Darbian embarks on next, but he no doubt deserves a much-needed break after setting yet another world record.
