For retro gaming fans, Super Mario RPG holds a special place in our hearts. As Mario‘s first ever RPG adventure, this 1996 SNES classic marries the platforming action the plumber is known for with extensive worldbuilding and turn-based battles. Over 25 years later, Super Mario RPG remains a cult favorite thanks to its vibrant art, whimsical humor and varied gameplay. I still have fond memories of teaming up with iconic characters like Bowser and Peach for the first time!
Super Mario RPG has also earned a passionate following within the intense world of speedrunning. Expert players compete to complete games as fast as possible through exploiting glitches, precise inputs and sheer luck. One renowned master stands above: Justincredible83, current world record holder for Super Mario RPG‘s "any%" category. In this run, Justincredible83 blazes through the full adventure in under 2 hours – an astonishing feat considering a regular playthrough takes over 20!
In this guide just for you, I‘ll fully break down Justincredible83‘s revolutionary Super Mario RPG run. You‘ll understand the strategies that set world records, appreciate gaming history and maybe even feel inspired to take your own Mario RPG journey to the next level! Let‘s-a go!
Understanding Any% Speedruns
Before analyzing Justincredible83‘s specific run, some background on speedrun categories will be helpful. These determine the restrictions a player must operate under, essentially "rules" to make record comparisons fair.
The main types for Super Mario RPG are:
| Category | Rules | Objective |
|---|---|---|
| Any% | Reach end credits with lowest completion | Beat the game‘s final Smithy boss as fast as possible using any means necessary |
| 100% | Fully complete all content | Defeat all bosses, acquire all weapons/items, max out all character levels |
| Low Level | Finish while keeping Mario‘s level as low as possible | Avoid combat encounters to prevent Mario gaining EXP |
| Beat Culex | Defeat Culex, the secret optional superboss | Conquer the ultra-tough hidden enemy Culex |
Justincredible83‘s run is an "any%" attempt, meaning he aimed to get through the critical path only. This allowed utilizing major sequence breaking tricks and exploits to minimize time. Now let‘s learn more about the gaming beast who achieved this record!
Justincredible83: The Speedrunning Expert
Veteran gamer Justin Sanders, better known by his handle Justincredible83, has been conquering retro games since the 1980s. For over 10 years, he has held world records across classic titles like Super Metroid, Mega Man X2 and X3.
Justin streams many attempts on his popular Twitch channel where an average of 1,500 fans tune in to cheer him on. Known for his chill and informative commentary, he offers great entertainment while making top-tier play look effortless. Over 182,000 follow to see his unmatched consistency and determination pushing limits.
When it comes to beloved 1996 SNES release Super Mario RPG, Justincredible83 has reached peak master status. Let‘s break down the monumental run that set a new world record!
Shattering the Super Mario RPG Record
For 3 years, speedrunner Scrixx held the undefeated Super Mario RPG any% record with a completion time of 1 hour, 57 minutes and 45 seconds. Expert runners struggled to even come within minutes of this blistering pace.
Then on June 29, 2022, Justincredible83 stunned the community with a mesmerizing run finishing at 1 hour, 56 minutes and 13 seconds! This revolutionary new world record positively smoked the previous by over 90 seconds – a massive margin between top players.
Just take a look at the previous record versus Justincredible83’s game-changing run:
| Player | Date Set | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Scrixx | May 2021 | 1:57:45 |
| Justincredible83 | June 2022 | 1:56:13 (World Record) |
Shattering a record that lasted over a year proves Justin‘s True Gamer credentials. Let‘s analyze the frame-perfect tricks that made it possible!
The Frame-Perfect Inputs Behind the Record
While the full run requires near flawless execution, we‘ll spotlight key frame-perfect moments:
00:42:20 – Block Bounce into Bob-omb Explosion
By frame precisely bouncing off a block, Justin collects an item while enemies below are destroyed by a Bob-omb, perfectly synchronizing actions to save seconds.
00:57:40 – Quadruple Rock Candy Manipulation
Random Number Generation (RNG) is manipulated to luck into 4 free healing items instead of the usual 1 or 2 from Rock Candy. Considered one of the most difficult tricks in the game!
1:22:13 – 100 Jump Attack Combo on Boss
Justin unleashes a perfect 100 hit combo with Mario’s jump attack on the Johnny boss. Requires intensely strict timing on button actuations over 5+ seconds!
The tricks above demonstrate how speedrunning stretches gaming to superhuman levels. Let’s explore how online communities made these innovations possible!
Growing the Community Since 1996
While the internet was still nascent when Super Mario RPG launched in 1996, a niche group of fans quickly began competing to speedrun the fresh title. With no streaming platforms around, runners could only exchange times and strategies on archaic gaming forums. Unfortunately most original records were not officially verified or archived.
By the early 2000s, dedicated speedrun sites like SpeedRunsLive emerged to formally log rankings on leaderboards. This kickstarted the modern era of efficiently exchanging knowledge to inch ever closer through collaboration.
From the late 2000s as access to recording and streaming improved, viewership of live attempts boomed. Soon Speedrunning marathons like Games Done Quick became beloved charity events, further increasing public engagement. Top level players like Justincredible83 became minor celebrities!
This culture of friendly competition where anyone can participate drives Super Mario RPG running innovation through the 2010s to today. But mastering RPG speed tech differs greatly from pure action games…
RPG Speedrunning vs Other Genres
While platformers like Super Mario Bros focus mostly on precision jumping prowess, optimizing RPGs relies heavily on number crunching and strategic decision making. This includes:
- Statistical analysis of damage multipliers, critical hit chances, EXP rewards etc.
- Predicting and manipulating random elements like status ailments or dropped items
- Memorializing complex boss attack patterns and weaknesses
RPGs also feature far more menus, cutscenes and dialog to impatiently skip through compared to action games. Additionally, while frame-perfect inputs provide some benefit, they tend to be less crucial than platformer pixel jumps.
On the other hand, marathon RPG session lengths increase margin for error over short burst games. Concentration and determination over long periods separates the truly dedicated! Justincredible83 clearly has these mental abilities in spades achieving his record.
Now let’s pass such wisdom onto you! I‘ll provide tips so you can enjoy Super Mario RPG speedrunning yourself.
Tips For Getting Into Speedrunning
Does witnessing expert play inspire you to dive into speedrunning? Here is advice for getting started Super Mario RPG running:
Play Normally Extensively First – Completely finish the game multiple times to intimately understand locations, battles and abilities before complicating things with speed strats.
Watch Commentated Runs – Streamers like Justincredible83 detail the precise method behind tricks, giving helpful context.
Pick One Category – Target any%, low level or 100% rather than getting overwhelmed trying to learn everything at once. Baby steps!
Join Discord Servers – Discord groups offer best way to ask personalized Super Mario RPG questions to learn from experienced runners.
Appreciate the Journey – This hobby ultimately takes 100s of hours before mastery looks remotely viable. The incremental process itself when supported by internet friends provides the enjoyment!
I hope these tips help you appreciate Super Mario RPG more – maybe even from a speedrunning lens! Now let’s gaze into the future of this beloved category…
Pushing The Limits of Super Mario RPG
While Justincredible83 has delivered an unbelievable Super Mario RPG any% record, history shows another rival will eventually come to surpass this time. The battle over seconds will continue as long as dedicated player communities keep discovering new optimizations. Perhaps one day we may even see the fabled sub 1 hour 30 minute completion time barrier broken!
But above world record times themselves, the greater value lies in speedrunning’s spirit of friendly competition and mutual celebration of gaming excellence. Modern pioneers like Justincredible83 represent the pinnacle of skill, yes – but also perserverance and passion. We all advance further when supporting each other to push boundaries with a smile.
So I encourage you to check out Justincredible83’s ever-improving attempts on his Twitch channel. Send him encouragement as he inches toward the impossible…and maybe pickup Super Mario RPG to start a journey of your own! What personal speedrun records can you set? I believe in you, my friend!
