The spectacular speedruns continued at SGDQ 2020 day four with another 24 hours of nonstop gaming excellence. The theme of the SGDQ 2020 schedule has been a bit of a grab-bag, with a smattering of game genres and series throughout each day. Day four gave viewers a great variety of games and runs, including some well-known action titles, underrated Nintendo franchise entries, and a quality block of classic Sonic the Hedgehog games. If you have the time, we recommend checking out every single run that was shown, but if you’re short on free moments, we’ve laid out a list of our picks for the best speedruns of SGDQ 2020 day four.
If you want to check out any of the speedruns we list below, you can watch replays on both the Games Done Quick Twitch channel and YouTube channel. Per usual, the runs listed below are simply a subjective selection based on the author’s personal taste. Each and every run from SGDQ 2020 day four is worth checking out and commendable, especially when you consider the vast amount of money that’s been raised for charity so far. For a full list of every run from day four, check out the full SGDQ 2020 schedule. However, if you’re simply looking for some quality speedruns to check out, this list should give you a few great places to start!
The Best Speedruns of SGDQ 2020 Day Four
Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (NG+, No Quit Exploit) by Xem
The Ratchet & Clank series is well-known for its explosive and wacky gameplay, heavily featuring ridiculous weapons and advanced gadgets. In this super-quick speedrun of Up Your Arsenal, the third game in the franchise, runner Xem gave us an excellent demonstration of inventive weapon use. Before the run starts, there’s an excellent breakdown of the movement techniques, making it action easier to follow when things get hectic. This run of Up Your Arsenal is pure chaos right off the bat, quickly grabbing your attention with a flurry of explosions and bolts. With the new Ratchet & Clank coming out on PlayStation 5, watching this speedrun is a great way to raise those hype levels.
Final time: 30:16
Bioshock Infinite (Any%, HRH-Mod) by bloodthunder
The Bioshock franchise is a favorite here at A9K, so we were more than happy to see speedrunner bloodthunder taking a stab at the Any% category at SGDQ 2020 day four. By utilizing a gear-item called the Hill Runner’s Hat, bloodthunder was able to quicken up his pace, skipping through the game’s many sci-fi fights with ease. Besides providing lightning-quick gameplay as usual, bloodthunder also delivers a brief but enjoyable overview of the overtly complex narrative of Bioshock Infinite. If you’ve played Bioshock Infinite but never seen a speedrun, definitely check out bloodthunder’s run from SGDQ 2020 day four. If you haven’t played Bioshock Infinite, go do that first!
Final time: 1:47:09
EAT GIRL (Any%) by touhoe
Like so many other great speedruns from SGDQ 2020, EAT GIRL was a surprise gem that I went into completely blind. Having never heard of the game prior, I expected something completely wild. Imagine my surprise then, to discover that EAT GIRL is actually an indie PAC-MAN of sorts, featuring a small pixelated protagonist munching on pellets. Runner touhoe showed off this 2019 release with impressive skill, only making a few mistakes along the way. Clocking in at just under 10 minutes, this bite-sized run of EAT GIRL is definitely worth a viewing.
Final time: 9:51
Neon Boost (Any%, Lights on, 1.2) by kykystas
Runner kykystas helped keep SGDQ 2020 day four speedy with their run of Neon Boost, an appropriately colorful first-person speedgame. Similar to games like ClusterTruck, Neon Boost simply tasks players with swiftly navigating through short, hazard-filled stages. Unlike ClusterTruck though, Neon Boost almost entirely revolves around the rocket-jump mechanic, with players boosting themselves to astronomical heights by shooting at their feet. Using this titular boost, kykystas blasted through the game in under 10 minutes, resulting in a wonderfully colorful and entertaining run.
Final time: 9:20
Virtual Boy Wario Land (100%) by swordsmankirby
The Virtual Boy gets a lot of flak for being one of Nintendo’s biggest failures, existing as a system with barely any games and exceptionally rough visuals. It would seem then, that swordsmankirby’s run of Wario Land on the Virtual Boy was a bit of a joke, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Buried under the blurry, early-VR attempt that was the Virtual Boy’s visuals is a quality Wario Land game, complete with precise platforming, great level design, and interesting speedrun strategies. As usual, swordsmankirby performed their run with undeniable skill, pulling off one of the cleanest Wario speedruns I’ve ever seen. Not only did Wario Land on the Virtual Boy exceed my expectations, but so did this speedrun.
Final time: 23:29
The Last of Us (Grounded mode, Glitchless, New Game) by AnthonyCaliber
If you’ve got around 3 hours to kill and you’re looking for a speedrun that’s more about gameplay than glitches, look no further than this one. This run by AnthonyCaliber is easily the highest level of Last of Us skill that I’ve seen, as he scrapped across the US on Grounded difficulty with very few problems. By dealing out consistent headshots and speedy stealth kills, AnthonyCaliber was able to cap off the normally dozen-plus hour game in just a handful of hours. While I wouldn’t describe the run as “cozy” by any means, it’s one of the most entertaining multi-hour runs of SGDQ 2020 for sure.
Final time: 2:53:43
Sonic 3 & Knuckles (All Emeralds, Sonic) by TheSoundDefense
A good chunk of the evening of SGDQ 2020 day four was occupied by the Sonic the Hedgehog block, which featured the first three Genesis games as well as Sonic Heroes. While I fully recommend all of the Sonic runs (especially Sonic 2 by Joeybaby69), I have to give a special nod to this Sonic 3 & Knuckles run by TheSoundDefense. Sonic 3 & Knuckles is definitely my favorite of the Genesis games, so I was especially happy to see TheSoundDefense destroy the game while collecting every single Emerald. With appropriate speed for a Sonic game, TheSoundDefense spin-dashed, clipped, and hopped through the game with exceptional levels of swag and style. From his impressive skills in the orb mini-games to the expertly-executed glitches and tricks, TheSoundDefense had a truly fantastic run.
Final time: 1:03:49
By the end of SGDQ 2020 day four, the marathon has raised over $500,000 in donations for Doctors Without Borders. With the weekend around the corner and some of the most anticipated runs yet to come, who knows what the final donation total will be? Even with the universal financial strain caused by the pandemic, it seems like generosity is still in style. If you have the means, you can donate at the Games Done Quick website.
Those are our picks for the best speedruns of SGDQ 2020 day four! There was no shortage of awesome runs, as the entire day was fully entertaining and worth the watch. As always, the Games Done Quick streamers and crew continue to put on an excellent show, so we recommend watching live if you can. If you’re watching from home, feel free to join us for speedrun discussions on social media. We’re currently live-tweeting reactions at our Twitter (@official90skid), and you can always find some friends in our active Discord group. Enjoy the marathon!
