SGDQ 2020 day five was consistently entertaining and chock-full of simply entrancing speedruns. Including the fan-favorite “Silly Games” block, a slew of Doom runs, and some truly exciting surprises, there was a great variety throughout the day. From the first run at of the morning to the last run of the night, every speedrun of SGDQ 2020 day five is well worth checking out. That said, if you only have time for a few of them, these are the runs we recommend.
If you want to check out any of the speedruns mentioned below, you can watch them on both the Games Done Quick Twitch channel and YouTube channel. As always, this list is purely subjective and based on the author’s taste alone. Every single speedrun from SGDQ 2020 day five was entertaining and fun, so if you have the time, we suggest you check out the entire 24 hours. To see every run that was shown, check out the full SGDQ 2020 schedule. However, we know that’s not entirely feasible for most of our readers. If you’re strapped for time, here’s a list of the best speedruns of SGDQ 2020 day five!
The Best Speedruns of SGDQ 2020 Day Five
Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition (NG Nero/Dante Devil Hunter) by Mekarazium
The Devil May Cry franchise is one of the most action-packed third-person series around, resulting in speedruns that are full of awesome combos, fast movement, and generally impressive skill. That was assuredly the case for Mekarazium’s run of Devil May Cry 4, which helped transition SGDQ into day five. Apart from the wickedly cool visuals and fun gameplay, this run was full of absolutely hilarious commentary, witty jokes, and a great boss showcase at the end.
Final time: 1:15:38
The Entire Silly Games Block by many runners
As is tradition with Summer Games Done Quick marathons, there was an extended block of speedruns dedicated to wild, eclectic, and otherwise silly games. Riffing off of the “Awful Games Done Quick” tradition of its sibling-marathon, Awesome Games Done Quick, the “Silly Games” block was absolutely awesome from the start. Although I wouldn’t technically call it a silly game, the block begins with the indie horror title Pacify and continues through the next 12 scheduled games, ending with Asghan: The Dragon Slayer.
Some of our favorite runs included Pringles: The Video Game by SecksWrecks, Saint Hazel’s Horsepital by Bullets, and Homey D. Clown by corndan. We also have to give a big shoutout to runner Lizstar for nabbing a world record during her exceptional run of the quirky Hypnospace Outlaw. If that’s not enough skill for you, I would point you in the direction of the blindfolded run of Night Trap by Ecdycis, which was both entertaining and impressive.
Final time: N/A
Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg (Any%) by Kyrrone
If you’ve never heard of this cult-classic Gamecube title, I recommend just hopping into the speedrun without much else knowledge. Simply put, Kyrrone’s run of Billy Hatcher was comfortable, entertaining, and full of fun movement tech. Similar to a 3D Sonic game, Billy Hatcher was an underrated gem made by Sega, featuring a young protagonist rolling a giant egg around various levels. Rolling through each of the game’s joyful stages with speed and precision, Kyrrone delivered a satisfying run that was great fun.
Final time: 1:08:58
Doom 64 (Any%) and Doom 64 (Lost Levels) by ZELLLOOO
Day five of SGDQ 2020 had quite a few DOOM speedruns, including this pair of Doom 64 runs by ZELLLOOO. While Doom is considered one of the grandfather franchises of speedrunning, Doom 64 rarely gets as much exposure as some of the classics. That’s a shame, as this unique take on the demonic, violent shooter is both fast-paced and fun to watch. Generally speaking, this speedrun is more about ultra-fast shooting instead of clips and glitches, but it’s impressive nonetheless. Both runs utilize similar techniques, but contain different sets of levels. If you missed the 2020 re-release of Doom 64, definitely check out the “Lost Levels” run, as those stages were exclusive to the new release.
Final times: 37:37, 12:12
Mega Man 9 (Any% Race) by Slurpeeninja and HJA
There have only been a handful of races at this year’s SGDQ event, which is a bit disappointing. Speedrun races are usually some of the most engaging and suspenseful parts of any GDQ marathon, so we were happy to see at least a few on the schedule. This “Any%” race of Mega Man 9 between runners Slurpeeninja and HJA was on point, with both runners have a decent playthrough. In my opinion, Mega Man speedruns are consistently fun to watch, so a race simply makes it even better. Even if you’re not a fan of this retro franchise, it’s easy to get invested in the competition that a speedrun race evokes.
Final time: 34:24
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Randomizer Co-op) by Raikaru and WoodenBarrel
We’ve seen a lot of Ocarina of Time speedruns over the years of GDQ marathons, but this run was a bit different than most. Firstly, this run of Ocarina of Time was a cooperative run, featuring two players working together to achieve the final time. Second, it was a randomizer mod speedrun, meaning that every major item in the game has been randomly placed in a different area than usual. Ultimately, this results in a 3-hour Ocarina of Time scavenger hunt with loads of glitches and enjoyable surprises. It’s definitely a more laidback speedrun and not meant to be taken ultra-seriously, but if you’re a fan of Ocarina of Time, you’ll definitely want to check this out. Generally speaking, randomizer runs are good for some oddball fun
Final time: 3:01:47
Half-Life: Alyx (Any%, No Spin) by Buffet Time
This speedrun of Half-Life: Alyx at SGDQ 2020 day five marks the first-ever virtual reality speedrun at any GDQ event. Apart from being an awesome milestone for GDQ, this VR speedrun is incredibly interesting, both due to the physical aspect of the glitches as well as the gameplay itself. If you’ve never watched a VR speedrun before, things can be a bit confusing at first, but few speedruns give you such a direct look at what the runner is experiencing. The additional full-body camera helped showed us how much of a workout Buffet Time was getting during the run, as he crawled, scampered, and ran across his play-space with blistering speed. Simply put, this Half-Life: Alyx speedrun was easily one of the most riveting and inventive runs of the entire marathon.
Final time: 31:16
By the end of SGDQ 2020 day five, the marathon has raised over $700,000 for Doctors Without Borders! Now that we’ve entered the weekend, I expect that number to possibly double or triple by the end of the marathon. As always, it’s heartwarming to see the generosity that comes from these events, continuously proving that video games can really make a difference. If you have the financial means, you can donate on the Games Done Quick website.
Those are all of our picks for the best speedruns of SGDQ 2020 day five! There are still two more days left of insanely quick gameplay, so be sure to stop by and watch it live! We’ll be watching the entire weekend, so stop by our social media and discuss the marathon with us. You can jump into the discussion on our Twitter page (@official90skid) or join our Discord group for some gaming pals. We’re looking forward to the rest of SGDQ 2020 and hope you are too! Enjoy the marathon!
