A new Super Mario Bros. world record has brought the speedrunning community closer than ever to a perfect run of the classic NES platformer. Runner Niftski has achieved a time of 4:54.332, leaving just 4 frames—or 0.06 seconds—between his performance and the theoretical limit of 4:54.265.
The Path to a Perfect Run
While speedrunners have largely optimized the earlier stages of the game, the final stage, 8-4, remains a significant hurdle. Unlike previous levels that are governed by fixed completion checks, 8-4 requires a sequence of frame-perfect inputs performed back-to-back. Niftski has confirmed his intent to continue the grind, stating, "I will make sure to not stop this grind until I put this category to rest with the perfect SMB1 Any% speedrun of 4:54.265."
Community Contenders
Niftski is not the only player closing in on the record. LeKukie, who initially learned to speedrun on a PS2 emulator and a slower regional NES model, has become a top contender. The speedrunning community previously crowdfunded a standard NES and streaming equipment for LeKukie to help him compete on an even playing field, with Niftski himself contributing to the effort.
Quick Facts
- Current Record: 4:54.332 held by Niftski.
- Theoretical Limit: 4:54.265 (No L+R TAS).
- Remaining Gap: 4 frames / 0.06 seconds.
- Platform: NES.
As noted by speedrun documentarian SummoningSalt, the eventual completion of this run is expected to be one of the most significant accomplishments in the history of speedrunning.