Take a breath, runners. You’ve done it again. Awesome Games Done Quick 2024 has given us all a welcome boost into a fresh year of fast gaming. Live speedruns for games new and old raised more than $2.5m for the Prevent Cancer Foundation and brought plenty of smiles to our faces. In case you missed watching any runs live, we’ve picked out some of our favorite performances that we caught during the week, including developer insight, dogs in control, and Super Mario 64 on a drum kit. So slow down, take a seat, and enjoy watching others go fast for a while with our favorite runs from Awesome Games Done Quick 2024.
Super Monkey Ball
Duration: 19m 16s
Any time a Super Monkey Ball run shows up at AGDQ, it’s a guaranteed watch for us. The notoriously challenging physics-based rolling game transforms into an arcane art in a speedrunner’s hands. Angling the stage precisely and pausing at just the right moments, they set up the inputs for ridiculously fast completions to stages that have infuriated us for hours. This year’s run by Helix13 threw up some unexpected challenges to make reaching the end seriously tense, but they faced them bravely to reach the master stages and show off for the crowd.
Dead Space (2023)
Duration: 1h 55m 14s
It feels like last year’s Dead Space remake got a little overshadowed by Capcom’s stellar recreation of Resident Evil 4. There's no better time then to show it some appreciation by watching runner sharkhat87 dismember it more efficiently than a plasma cutter slicing through a Necromorph’s limbs. The run also saw developer Patrick Quinn, who got into speedrunning the game while testing it pre-launch, joining the couch to offer extra insight.
Gyromite (by a dog)
Duration: 26m 24s
The era of human speedruns is coming to a close. We’ve seen the proof. No, we’re not talking about another case of AI supposedly stealing our jobs. This time it’s a backstab by man’s best friend. One of AGDQ 2024’s biggest highlights was the first speedrun by a dog. Yes, you read that right.
Peanut Butter, the well-trained Shiba of runner JSR quite literally stepped up to success this year. By responding to commands, he pushed through technical issues and unexpected surprises to complete a successful run of the NES game Gyromite. Using a custom control scheme made specifically for the run, PB more than earned his share of treats and the reputation of best boy at AGDQ.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Duration: 30m 24s
Sometimes the stars align and a speedrunner is granted both phenomenal gaming skills and a brilliant on-screen presence. In this Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night showcase, runner Bobbeigh, alongside his couch commentators, manages to deliver not just an entertaining and informative run, but a world record to boot. Something he pulls off so casually in front of a live audience that you might not even realize what an achievement it is. Castlevania fans? Don’t miss this one.
Resident Evil 2 Remake (no damage)
Duration: 1h 27m 57s
Shaking up the usual time-focused goal of AGDQ, runner CarcinogenSDA tackled Resident Evil 2 Remake not in a race against time – though he still beats it faster than we ever could – but as a smooth run challenge. That means finishing the entire game on Hardcore difficulty without taking a single hit. It’s a goal he’s completed previously, yes. But pulling it off live in front of a crowd? That takes some serious guts and focus. You'll have to watch and see if he can manage it.
Super Mario 64 (on drums)
Duration: 23m 6s
The speedrunning community has long had a penchant for playing games with unconventional control schemes, but this year’s SM64 Drum% speedrun has to be one of our all-time favorites. With controls tied to different parts of the kit, runner CZR produces an impressive blitz through the first 3D Mario game. He even adds in entertaining fills for each star collection. You have to see and hear it to believe it. Make sure not to miss the end credits drum cover here.
What were your favorite runs from Awesome Games Done Quick 2024? We can’t supply a drum kit, but you can ensure you’ve got all the gaming gear you need to start your own running successes by heading to the HyperX store. Check out the full playlist of AGDQ 2024 vods here.
