The final day of SGDQ 2020 was pure speedrunning bliss, with 24 hours of amazing gameplay to witness. As the world’s best speedrunners blasted through a variety of beloved classics both retro and modern, they continued to bring in big donations for Doctors Without Borders. As with any final day of a Games Done Quick marathon, there were plenty of big-name games, including Nintendo favorites like Super Metroid and Super Mario Odyssey. Generally speaking, SGDQ 2020 day seven was full of the most anticipated speedruns that the marathon had to offer, so you’ll probably enjoy a good chunk of the selections on this list. If you have the time, we suggest you go back and watch the entire stream! Since that’s probably not a wise option for many of you, we also recommend checking out any of the speedruns on this list. Here are our picks for the best speedruns of SGDQ 2020 day seven!
If you want to check out any of the speedruns mentioned below, you can watch them on either the Games Done Quick Twitch channel or their YouTube channel. As always, the runs mentioned in this article are judged based on the author’s personal taste alone. We recommend checking out other speedruns from the marathon that sound interesting as well, since we were not able to catch every run of the day. However, we can vouch for the quality of every speedrun here, so it’s not a bad place to start!
The Best Speedruns of SGDQ 2020 Day Seven
The Shoot ‘Em Up Block by pingval, Molgar5k, and kayar*
While I wouldn’t call them conventional speedruns, as most of these games are auto-scrolling in some fashion, but I recommend them all the same. Each of the three runs from the early-morning Shoot ‘Em up block is worth checking out if you’re into bright colors, pinpoint accuracy, and an unimaginable amount of stuff on-screen. Unless you’re invested in the genre, you’re likely inexperienced with the featured games, which include Touhou 09.5 – Shoot the Bullet, Ketsui: Kizuna Jigoku Tachi, and DoDonPachi Saidaioujou. That’s a shame, because they’re some of the most visually impressive and action-packed shoot ’em ups around. Don’t worry though, pick from any of these three speedruns (or watch them all) and we’re sure you’ll have a great time.
Final time: N/A
Super Metroid (100%) by ShinyZeni
This “100%” category speedrun of Super Metroid was performed by world record-contender ShinyZeni, so you can expect some top-tier gameplay. In just over an hour and 15 minutes, ShinyZeni dashed through the alien planet of Zebes, shooting down creatures and collecting every unique item available. There was exceptionally informative commentary throughout the run, which is a feat, considering just how many optimizations and techniques are used. From the tiniest trick that saves mere frames to some notable sequence breaks, all manner of Super Metroid skills were on display. If you’re interested in speedruns that show off near-flawless demonstrations of gameplay, this Super Metroid run will surely satisfy.
Final time: 1:16:48
Super Smash Bros. 64 (Break the Target, All Characters, Blindfolded) by Bubzia
Although normal speedruns are impressive enough, it’s always exceptionally note-worthy when a runner dons a blindfold. The popularity of blindfolded speedruns has risen over the past few years of GDQ marathons and we couldn’t be happier. In this quick but supremely satisfying speedrun, runner Bubzia clears every Break the Target challenge in Super Smash on the N64, all while wearing a cute white-seal blindfold. Despite a few mistakes here and there (it’s to be expected), the run was incredibly well-executed, clocking in at well under the estimated time. If you’ve got a spare 10 minutes, we can’t recommend this speedrun enough.
Final time: 8:29
Super Mario Odyssey (World Peace) by Dangers
No GDQ event is complete without a 3D Super Mario speedrun, so we were delighted to watch this “World Peace” category ran by Dangers toward the end of SGDQ 2020 day seven. If you’re unfamiliar with the category, “World Peace” requires the runner to restore every major stage’s problem before finishing the game, which adds a bit more gameplay into the mix. It features more tricks and glitches than the “Any%” category, but doesn’t take an extremely long time to watch. Better yet, runner Dangers pulled off a handful of super-tough jumps and tricks throughout the run, in addition to their consistent Super Mario Odyssey skill. While we would’ve loved to see more 3D Super Mario speedruns at the marathon, this Odyssey run more than satisfied our cravings.
Final time: 1:14:47
Bloodborne (All Bosses) by Ahady
Bloodborne is one of the darkest, most morbid and gruesome Souls-like games from developer FromSoftware, packed with huge bosses and ultra-challenging enemy encounters. While many players are sure to die dozens (if not hundreds of times) while attempting to beat the game, speedrunner Ahady showed us their complete mastery of the game during this “All Bosses” category run. Not only does this run include every boss fight from the original game, but it also includes a handful of bonus DLC bosses. Utilizing a handful of out-of-bounds clips and a variety of quick-kill techniques to fell bosses, Ahady rolled through the dangerous streets of Yharnam. Even if you’re not super-interested in the nuance of speedruns, watching Ahady beat every boss in Bloodborne is a treat.
Final time: 1:17:15
Pokemon Shield (Any% + Isle of Armor DLC) by eddaket
This 5-hour speedrun of Pokemon Shield was scheduled as a purely “Any%” route, but after reaching a donation incentive, the SGDQ 2020 audience unlocked bonus content via the Isle of Armor DLC. This run is definitely worth a viewing, not only for the speedy gameplay and funny commentary, but to witness the impressive train of donations as the marathon finished off. Like other Pokemon speedruns, this run was full of overpowered strategies, cute characters, and wholesome fun. Fans of Arcanine will especially enjoy this run, as the cuddly fire-pup is used for a good chunk of the run. The couch commentators included Keizaron and friends, who delivered both informational and exceptionally funny quips. This is a great run to throw on in the background and watch a few times, as you might just learn a few tips as well.
Final time: 5:24:
All in all, Summer Games Done Quick 2020 raised over $2,300,000 for charity. As I mentioned in the SGDQ 2020 day six article, the final day of any GDQ event is usually the highest for donations and here’s the proof. On just day seven alone, the marathon raised over $1 million, which is baffling. The generosity shown by the GDQ staff, streamers, and viewers is truly inspiring time and time again. With AGDQ 2021 on the horizon, we can’t wait to have our day brightened yet again.
Those are all of our picks for the best speedruns of SGDQ 2020 day seven. We’ll be back from January 3 – 10 to cover Awesome Games Done Quick 2021, so don’t forget to check back then. As always, be sure to follow us on social media like Twitter (@official90skid) and join our Discord to stay in touch! We had a great time covering SGDQ 2020 and loved seeing all the engagement from viewers and runners alike. We’ll see you in January!
