The speedrunning community is alive and well, and this Mario 64 player proves that collecting every star is possible even when you can’t see.
Super Mario 64 helped to usher in a new era in gaming when it was released for the Nintendo 64 in 1996, and it has remained an inspirational release ever since. Along with games like Ocarina of Time, it was one of the best 3D games of the 1990s, demonstrating what was possible with development technologies at the time. Since then, the speedrunning community has attempted to break world records in various categories using this classic entry in the long-running series, and these runs are sometimes done with one major disadvantage.
Twitch streamer Bubzia recently completed a Mario 64 speedrun. They were able to collect all 120 stars that are scattered around the world in 11:22:43. That may not appear impressive, and it may even appear slow. They did, however, complete the game while wearing a blindfold. Essentially, the run seemed to be more about collecting all the stars without being able to see than about completing the game as quickly as possible.
This is also the first time, according to Bubzia, that someone has done something similar. While blindfolded Mario 64 speedruns have been attempted before, this is the first time someone has succeeded in the 120 star category.
The actual run begins around the 41 minute mark in the video below, and the entire stream lasts just under 13 hours if anyone is interested and has half a day to spare. It’s a long run, but it also demonstrates the patience with which some people can finish classic games with self-imposed challenges.
Runners can complete Mario games in a variety of ways, such as the player who recently completed Super Mario Bros. with only one hand. Given how long some of the older games have been out, fans have had decades to learn how to speedrun them, develop new strategies, and save precious milliseconds.
Of course, Bubzia’s attempt is more about memory retention and sheer determination than it is about speed.
According to Metacritic, Mario 64 is one of the best platformer games of all time, and it’s still a favorite among speedrunners. Despite being more than a quarter-century old, it helped the titular plumber make the transition from 2D to 3D at a time when gaming technology was progressing, and the game is still beloved by many.