For over 25 years, the cult classic Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars has delighted gamers with its colorful world, epic story, and Mario‘s first foray into the role-playing genre. And thanks to dedicated speedrunning communities mastering gameplay frame-by-frame, this beloved title continues shining today as talented gamers like Justincredible83 push the boundaries of human capability to their very limits.
Justinrecently smashed the Super Mario RPG "any %" category world record by an astonishing 1 minute and 32 seconds, beating one of speedrunning‘s most legendary benchmarks with a mesmerizing display of skill. Let‘s explore what makes this achievement so groundbreaking, the history behind Mario RPG speedrunning, and whether you have the dexterity to someday claim the crown.
Understanding the Challenge – Expertise and Exploits
Speedrunning involves completing video games as fast as possible by utilizing immense skill, luck, and exploits beyond normal gameplay. For Super Mario RPG, top players have honed their talents over decades to shave the average 18 hour playtime down to under 2 hours!
The most popular category is "any %" where the only rule is beating the final boss – short cuts and manipulation are all on the table. This tests both thorough game knowledge and relentless technique, necessitating frame-perfect inputs while adapting to randomness. One tiny misstep over a hundred minute run can force restarts!
| Category | World Record Time | Average Playtime |
|---|---|---|
| Any% | 1:57:04 (Justincredible83) | ~18 hours |
| 100% | 4:22:51 | ~32 hours |
As you can see, Justin plays at an astonishing level compared to casual enjoyers. Let‘s break down the secrets that enable cutting 16 hours off a playthrough.
Precise Manipulations – Controlling Chaos
Rather than leaving outcomes to chance, elite gamers manipulate luck itself. A prime example is "rock candy" – items that fully restore health. By memorizing menu opening/closing to precise frames, you can "force" multiple free candies in a row. Justin nabbed 4 straight manipulations during one fight – that‘s extremely rare!
Random battles can also be avoided by moving extra cautiously. Or enemies frozen by timing special attacks to interrupt their actions at the exact frame. This mastery of split-second windows helps cut massive chunks of time.
Devilish Data – Stats and Strats over Decades
Thanks to passionate online communities, Super Mario RPG speed strats have evolved immensely since the 90s. Through NUMBER crunching and obsessive experimenting, pioneers revealed glitches and optimal paths to enable insane tricks.
Modern masterpieces like Justincredible83 integrate decades of community knowledge with personal flair. But nobody conquers a 1:57 without tens of thousands of hours grinding! Let‘s spotlight some unbelievable moments that left jaws on the floor:
| Trick | Description | Saves |
|---|---|---|
| Mack Skip | Jump off Midas River waterfall to skip first boss | ~3 minutes |
| 100 Jump Combo | Time jump attacks to deal 20k damage quickly | ~5 minutes |
| Mine Cart Brake Cancel | Braking causes delay so Justin whistles mid-air to prevent it | ~8 seconds |
This repertoire of slick maneuvers and courage to attempt them shows the world‘s best Super Mario RPG speedrunner in action.
History of Legends – Past Present and Future
As we‘ve discovered, setting world records takes unrelenting passion and practice over many years. Since Mario RPG‘s 1996 release, fiercely determined gamers have crushed barriers believed unbreakable by casual fans.
The evolution from early 50 hour times to sub-2 hour barrier breaking is thanks to those standing atop the shoulders of past giants. Internet forums brought together minds to form route strategies much faster. Fan sites hosted competitions since streaming media was still in its infancy during the 2000 era. Still, world record progression was steady from grassroots collaboration rather than today‘s subscriber fueled Twitch phenomenon.
Justin himself glued eyes to pixelated screens as a 90s kid when speedrunning was far more niche. The inspiration of those innovators paired with modern connections allows talent like his to find an audience. Though with the bar raised so high, even 1 minute improvements require superhuman dedication now. Can a new generation push the pace even faster?
Conclusion – Appreciating Mastery through Accessibility
For outsiders, digesting frame counts and damage values across 8 bosses can create a disconnect. Therefore appreciating speedrunner greatness requires contextualizing just how innately difficult these feats truly are. I assure you, Attempting Justin‘s record is akin to reaching the NFL as a high school athlete. Mario functioning as an extension of oneself through thousands of hours is the only path to such sustained perfection.
Yet thanks to welcoming communities, anyone with such lofty aspirations can start building knowledge. Maybe begin by collecting 100 coins on Bob-omb Battlefield in Mario 64? Or play through RPG gems like Chrono Trigger casually taking notes. Allow the joyful memories of past gaming to inspire returning for new challenges.
Because heaven knows after watching a masterpiece like Justincredible83 shocking the world anew, Super Mario RPG still awaits the next legend to earn their place immortalized forever in the history books. Why not embark on your own journey toward speedrunning glory today?
