Beating Ocarina of Time in under 25 minutes and other crazy speed runs

You shouldn’t be able to beat The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time in 23 minutes and 29 seconds, but thanks to some truly bizarre glitches, you actually can accomplish this incredible feat.

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Speed runs are nothing new. Players bored with merely plowing through their favorite titles until they hit a “game over” screen have made their own fun by  trying to complete the experience in record time. While the best speed runners rely on fast reflexes and skills (a single mistake can ruin an entire attempt), many also take advantage of glitches to secure the top spot on the leaderboards.

That’s how we can have a video like the one below where ZeldaFreakGlitcha beats Ocarina of Time as young Link and skips most of the title’s dungeons and story in the process.

Still, this isn’t the only exciting speed run out there. For just about any popular game you can imagine, an impressive video of a fast playthrough probably exists to go with it. Below are examples of some of the most interesting quick plays you could watch.

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Super Mario 64 in six minutes and 41 seconds by FunilaSM64’s

This run takes advantage of Super Mario 64’s buggy walls to rush through the plumber’s first 3D adventure without collecting a single star. Still, I’m more impressed by FunilaSM64’s platforming skills. He has the three Bowser levels figured out to a science. I especially love when he intentionally jumps into lava, so he can use the extra height from Mario’s fire-bounce to reach a high ledge. Also, this man is the king of the long jump.

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Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in 18 minutes and 12 seconds by Joe Stanski

Could speed runs be more appropriate for any other series? Sonic levels always feature multiple paths, so you need to know the best route to get the fastest time. Joe not only knows the quickest way through each stage, but he also takes advantage of some obscure glitches like the lava floor he falls through in Hill Top Zone Act 1. Also, this guy makes Dr. Robotnik look about as threatening as a baby with a feather pillow during the boss battles.

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Super Metroid in 32 minutes by Satoru Suzuki

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Many gamers know that completing Metroid games quickly will reward you with a scantily-clad Samus. Well, you need to beat Super Metroid in under three hours if you want to see some skin. Satoru did it in 32 minutes! I mean, I know this is a Nintendo game and all that, but I feel like he deserved a bit more than some pixelated midriff.

This run doesn’t use a lot of exploitation; it relies on just good old-fashioned skill. Just look at how deftly he uses the dash and screw attack! I weep with envy.

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Again, you can find a lot of speed runs out there. Many are just as entertaining as the ones above. Speed Demo Archives is a great place to discover a quick playthrough of your favorite title. You can even submit your own videos if you’re crazy enough to master a game to the extent that Satoru, Joe, and FunilaSM64 have.