A new Mario 64 world record has been set, and this time it's a 16-star sub-20-minute run completed entirely by playing the drums.
Look, Mario 64 is a very old game, and it's one of the most popular for speedrunners, so naturally these records are getting more and more convoluted. But that doesn't make this one any less significant in the pantheon of Mario 64 world records! In fact, beating the game in under 20 minutes is an accomplishment in its own right, but until now it's never been done quite so fast on a frikkin' drum set.
Speedrunner CZR specializes in beating games using drum sets, and so it's only natural he'd be the first to break this very specific world record. He actually completed the run a couple of weeks back, but a Twitter shout from Full Squad Gaming founder Jake Lucky brought much deserved attention to CZR's run. In response, CZR said it was his "proudest record to date."
My proudest record to date - Thanks for covering this @JakeSucky 🥁👏🏼 https://t.co/usCB3ZfLYiDecember 22, 2022
You can watch the entire 19:48 run here, which shows CZR bashing away at a drum set that's been rigged up to an actual N64. The streamer has attempted to drum his way through the game in under 20 minutes several times before - his previous run came oh so close at 21:09 - so the tension and anticipation in the video is palpable. He uses exploits called "clipping" to skip the 30-star door and beat the game with only 16 stars. Meanwhile, the talented musician treats us with sick drum fills over the musical jingles during scenes without gameplay.
As for what's next, CZR says he's considering multiple games to speed-drum, including Super Mario Bros. 3, Goldeneye, Minecraft, and Zelda: Majora's Mask.
Thanks, TheGamer.
Guess where Mario 64 landed on our list of the best N64 games ever made.
