Awesome Games Done Quick 2023, the annual seven-day-long speedrunning charity marathon, is kicking off soon on January 8 and we can’t wait. The AGDQ 2023 schedule is full of appropriately awesome speedruns that we’re eagerly anticipating, ranging from iconic retro classics to underrated modern indies. Livestreamed on the Games Done Quick Twitch channel, all donations during the event go toward the Prevent Cancer Foundation.
As usual, we’ll be covering AGDQ 2023 all week long with daily recaps and live reactions over on our Twitter. It’s bound to be a week packed with exciting gameplay and heartwarming generosity, which is why we’re always so keen to watch. Let’s take a glance at the AGDQ 2023 schedule and see what this new year of speedrunning will bring!
AGDQ 2023 Speedruns to Watch
We recommend checking out the complete AGDQ 2023 schedule HERE (https://gamesdonequick.com/schedule), as there are far too many speedruns to mention in one article. You can also find the approximate start times for any speedruns we mention in this article, as the schedule is subject to change throughout the week (all times mentioned in this article are for Eastern Standard Time).
If you miss a speedrun live, worry not, as they are usually available on the Games Done Quick YouTube channel afterward. The speedruns mentioned below are just a small selection from the 100+ games featured on the AGDQ 2023 schedule, so we highly recommend watching anything else that catches your eye.
AGDQ 2023 Retro Speedruns
There is no shortage of fabulous retro speedruns on the AGDQ 2023 schedule, dating all the way back to the NES. Early in the marathon, you can catch an Any% run of the PlayStation classic, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (Sunday, 4:30PM), or an exciting 2v2 speedrun bingo race of Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage (Wednesday, 9:45PM). RPG fans can also look forward to a seven-hour-long Final Fantasy VII speedrun (Wednesday, 6:30AM).
Of course, classic Nintendo is on full display, with iconic games like Donkey Kong Country 3 (Sunday, 9PM), The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (Wednesday, 7:30PM), and Kirby’s Adventure (Friday, 8:30AM) popping up throughout the week. In fact, the AGDQ 2023 schedule closes out with a retro finale of Super Mario Bros. 3 by mitchflowerpower, wrapping up the marathon on Saturday night around 11PM.
AGDQ 2023 Modern Speedruns
You’ll also be able to catch some of the newest games making their GDQ debuts, whether it be blockbuster sequels or popular new indies. AGDQ 2023 starts with an Any% run of the new Nintendo Switch shooter Splatoon 3 (Sunday, 12PM), with other recent releases like Resident Evil Village: Shadow of Rose DLC (Tuesday, 7:55PM) scattered around the week. Personally, I’m very excited for the 6-player cooperative “all vehicles” category speedrun of the quirky new indie game PowerWash Simulator (Thursday, 11:45PM).
There’s even more cutting-edge speedrun tech slated on the AGDQ 2023 schedule, including an “Inbounds” category speedrun of the virtual reality game Half-Life: Alyx (Saturday, 3:20PM). Indie gamers will want to tune in for an Any% run of Cult of the Lamb (Friday, 1:45PM), while feline-inclined fans should not miss the Any% speedrun of Stray (Wednesday, 8:20PM). It’s also not a GDQ event without a Pokemon speedrun, so be sure to catch the “All Lords” run of Pokemon Legends: Arceus (Saturday, 7:30PM) if you’re a fan of pocket-sized monsters.
Awful Games Done Quick 2023
Honestly, it’s easy to watch speedruns of games you know and love, but we recommend checking out speedruns for random games you’ve never heard of. More often than not, it’s these sleeper speedruns that end up being our favorites. A great time to do so is during the “Awful Games Done Quick” block, which encompasses most of the early morning hours on Thursday.
During the block, you can catch speedruns of hilariously busted games like Salamander County Public Television (Thurs, 3:20AM), I’m going to die if I don’t eat sushi! (Thurs, 5:25AM), and Stephen Seagal is the Final Option (Thurs, 7AM). Time and time again, the Awful Games block is a highlight of any AGDQ event and I can’t recommend it enough.
When all else fails, just do what we do and leave AGDQ 2023 running for the entire week. It’s impossible to watch every single speedrun, but you sure can try! Either way, enjoy AGDQ 2023 and don’t forget to swing back for more of our live coverage during the marathon. Remember, check out the complete AGDQ 2023 schedule for the entire list of every speedrun that will be streamed over the week.
