Super Mario 64 Speedrunner Beats The Game With A Drumkit
Drumroll please, someone has climbed to the top of Princess Peach's Castle and bested Bowser using nothing more than a drumkit, a lot of skill, and a dash of dumb luck. Stepping into the arena of Super Mario 64 speedrunning is YouTuber CZR, who's shown you don't need a Nintendo 64 controller to conquer this classic title. Most of us struggle to collect the stars and chuck Bowser in the lava anyway, but imagine doing it with a drumkit.
When it comes to the legacy of Super Mario 64, it largely sits in a category of its own alongside N64 icons like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and GoldenEye 007. Becoming hands-down the best Mario game of all time, it's no surprise 1996 platformer became the best-selling N64 game during its acclaimed run. It's been remade for the Nintendo 3DS, while there's plenty of hope it could eventually be fully remastered for the Nintendo Switch.
Who is the Super Mario 64 drumkit speedrunner?
Posting on YouTube, Super Mario 64 fans can watch CZR rattle through the standard 70-star completion in an impressive 1:28:09. Using a modified drumkit instead of the controller, it all works seamlessly. After CZR mapped the drumkit to corresponding controller buttons, the cymbal is start and the toms represent movement. Even though some of it is just a cacophony of noise, there are moments things actually sound pretty good.
Even if a time of just under 90 minutes would be impressive enough on its own, let's also remember the world record for a 70-star completion using an N64 controller is 46:59. Considering CZR made it to the end using just a drumkit in less than double that time is a feat to behold. CZR also mastered the various wall jumps and glitches needed on a standard Super Mario 64 speedrun - putting most of us to shame in general.
What's next after the Super Mario 64 drumkit speedrun?
A Fortnite streamer recently scored an epic killstreak using a guitar, while a Call of Duty: Warzone player escaped the Gulag with a recorder. Most impressively, we've also covered how one brave gamer took on the notoriously challenging Demon's Souls using just some Donkey Konga bongos. Aside from just making your way through a game, taking on "collectathon" games like Super Mario 64 is a much bigger mountain to climb.
Looking at CZR, he also holds the world speedrunning drumkit record for Ocarina of Time. Like we previously said, these two are considered legacy titles for the N64. All he needs to do now is speedrun GoldenEye 007, and we'll be happy. CZR has also put his drumming skills to the test for Pokemon Blue and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Of course, Super Mario 64 speedruns are a staple of retro gaming, and we're continuing to see new ways to beat the game. As speedrunning records become more and more inventive, could a Super Mario 64 drumkit become the next craze?
Images via CZR YouTube