The perfect Super Mario Bros. speedrun is just four frames away

In the world of video game speedrunning, a race has been ongoing for decades to complete the classic 1985 platformer, Super Mario Bros. The pursuit has led to a staggering world record of 4:54.332 – just .067 seconds shy of the theoretical fastest possible run. At the forefront of this race are two elite speedrunners, LeKukie and Niftski, who are in a heated competition to be the first to achieve the perfect game.

During a livestream on August 14, Niftski shattered the previous record with a time of 4:54.332, bringing the finish line tantalizingly close.

While the prospect of witnessing history in the making is thrilling, some members of the speedrunning community grapple with the implications of a near-perfect run. The thought of no longer having a challenging goal to strive for feels somewhat disheartening. However, considering how finely tuned the current run is, some wonder if discovering an entirely new strategy could push the time even further, though it seems highly unlikely at this point.

It's also possible that another speedrunner could emerge and claim the first perfect game before LeKukie or Niftski manage it.

As someone who has been casually speedrunning the NES World Championship edition on their Switch Lite for over a year and a half, the awe-inspiring skill demonstrated by these professional speedrunners is truly remarkable. Their personal best of 5:12.61 falls far short of the current record, demonstrating the incredible level of expertise required to achieve such a feat.