The world of video game speedrunning has produced some wild feats over the years, from completing classics like Super Mario 64 in under 10 minutes to glitching through the entirety of Pokemon Red in just over 1. Super Mario Bros 3 stands as one of the titans of the speedrunning scene, with top runners constantly pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved in this beloved NES platformer. And MitchFlowerPower has consistently proven himself as one of the greatest Mario 3 speedrun pioneers.
Mitch currently holds claim to the world record in the Any% Warpless category, completing the entire Mushroom Kingdom adventure in just 9 minutes and 55 seconds. This run, which you can watch in full below, demonstrates Mitch‘s mastery over both Mario 3‘s deepest mechanics and the luck/adaptability needed in a record-setting pace:
To appreciate exactly how Mitch strings together such an incredible feat, let‘s break down the key elements of Super Mario Bros 3 speedrunning.
Super Mario Bros 3 Speedrunning Categories
Like any popular speedrun game, Super Mario Bros 3 has a series of distinct categories that place different restrictions and objectives for expert players:
100%
In the max completion 100% category, runners must fully complete every single level, world and castle within Mario 3. This includes defeating the notorious Hammer Bros guarding the map paths. With no way to skip content, optimization comes from finding the fastest way through each stage.
Low %
Low % (or minimal completion) turns 100% on its head, instead challenging runners to reach the end boss and credits while completing as little as possible. Heavy usage of shortcuts, warps, clips and sequence breaks lets runners skip entire worlds.
Glitchless
As the name suggests, glitchless runs forbid the use of coding oversights or glitches to break progression. This puts more emphasis on core platforming and combat skills to set records.
Any% Warpless
Any% prioritizes pure speed above all else. The "warpless" modifier still allows glitches but prevents using the hidden warp whistles that would let Mitch skip straight to World 8.
Getting from the title screen to the end credits in under 10 minutes is no easy feat even with glitches. Let‘s examine the essential skills and strategies Mitch leverages towards speedrun supremacy.
P-Speed, Clips and Hammer Manipulation Mastery
Veteran Mario 3 runners all rely on the same core speed mechanisms:
Building P-Speed
By continually running/jumping without breaking momentum, Mario can enter a boosted "P-speed" state nearly twice his normal max velocity. This also allows higher flutter jumps with the Tanooki Suit. Optimizing movement to sustain top speed is vital.
Executing Clips
Clips refer to pixel-perfect positioning that allows Mario to glitch through barriers, skipping huge chunks of levels. However, failure means lost time re-attempting so clips carry big risk/reward.
Controlling Hammer Bros
The wandering Hammer Bros on the world map can delay runs by forcing Mario to wait for their preset movement after each level. Through careful timing entering/exiting levels, runners can manipulate when the Bros move.
In addition to refining these core skills, top players like Mitch specialize in innovative strategies that let them push world record pace…
MitchFlowerPower‘s Record-Setting Strategy
What truly separates Mitch is his pioneering of more advanced speedrunning techniques:
Early Hammer Manipulation
By using frame-counting tools to align his in-level time and score with the Hammer Bros spawn frames, Mitch minimizes their delays by forcing preset walking patterns immediately upon exiting levels.
Damage Boosts
Sometimes intentionally taking hits to gain brief speed boosts allows Mitch to cut through levels faster. This risky tradeoff sacrifices later powerups for immediate pace increase.
Mastering these high-level maneuvers on top of fundamental speed skills illustrates why Mitch excels on the Mario 3 leaderboards over and over.
World Record Analysis
Now let‘s dive deeper into Mitch‘s latest record run, going level by level to highlight crucial moments:
1-1
- After grabbing opening powerup, Mitch builds P-speed jumping then sprints across entire auto-scrolling section
- Spins past Hammer Bros rather than face dangerous RNG fight
1-2
- Performs difficult jump clipping through blocks after checkpoint to skip straight to boss fight
- Fights Boom Boom moving fast via P-speed to end level quickly
2-1
- Grabs Leaf powerup and plays safe, avoiding most enemies thanks to added mobility
- Needed to play it safe here to keep Leaf into next autoscroller
2-2
- Having Leaf allows flying fast over entire autoscroller section, massive time save
2-Fortress
- Intentionally takes hit to spike ceiling to activate Damage Boost
- Skips straight to end thanks to boost, reaching boss battle faster
This pattern continues for each level, grabbing powerups in standard zones to enable faster autoscroller clears while using clips or glitches to blast through more challenging platforming areas.
A few nailbiting moments stick out as well where luck is the deciding factor on a record pace run:
5 Airship
- Barely ducks under Bowser fireball attack thanks to único frame window
- One hit would have killed suit/powerup, costing precious seconds
7-4
- Almost bonks jump after hammer brother, precise aerial recovery saves time
Final Corridor
- Avoids final Bowser fireball by mere pixels, preventing Hammer Suit loss
As many top-level runners can attest, Lady Luck has just as much sway as skill once you reach super optimized play. Thankfully Mitch had both on his side during this epic record run.
Console Differences in Mario 3 Speedrunning
An interesting side note on Super Mario Bros 3 world record pacing – originally Mitch traded the 100% completion mark back and forth with fellow expert Kirua using different console setups. This actually provided small but significant advantages.
NES vs Wii Virtual Console
Testing showed the original NES ran Mario 3 at 60.098 FPS versus 59.727 FPS on Wii Virtual Console. While only fractional, this extra frame render speed adds up over an entire playthrough. For two players playing at identical skill levels, NES would finish over 20 seconds faster.
So while Kirua dominated on Wii VC with numerous WRs, Mitch‘s switch to original hardware allowed him to eventually overtake the 100% record by a hair thanks to inherent console advantages.
This just goes to show that even "identical" ports can produce meaningful differences that determine world record ceilings. Always analyze your speedrunning platform thoroughly!
Frequently Asked Questions
For newcomers or casual viewers, speedrunning a classic NES game in under 10 minutes may seem unbelievable. Let‘s break down common questions:
Do runners memorize everything frame-perfect?
Top players use muscle memory for difficult tricks, but they also rely heavily on sight-reading and reacting to RNG elements. There‘s too much variation to purely memorize.
How big is the Mario 3 speedrun scene?
Mario 3 has one of the most popular speedrunning communities, with tons of categories seeing new records weekly as veterans and upstarts compete.
What console/port should I use to start running?
Analyze the most common setups for your category and prioritize the ones proven fastest, like NES for many classic % runs.
Could someone hit the skill ceiling eventually?
Possibly one day, but RNG elements and human reaction times still leave the door open. TAS bots can play frame perfect but can‘t match human adaptation.
Mario 3 speedrunning has countless intricacies beyond what this overview covers, but hopefully, viewers now appreciate the tremendous skill, strategy and luck required behind MitchFlowerPower‘s world record run. Expect the ultimate Mushroom Kingdom adventure times to keep dropping as legends like Mitchfine-tune their platforming prowess!
