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Truth be told, I’ve never been a huge fan of video game speed runs. All too often, recordings show players exploiting a game’s code to the point that it hardly seems like they’re playing the game any more, taking all the fun (and some would argue genuine skill) out of it.

But this new record performed by a gamer known only as ‘Blubber’ is nothing short of spectacular and deserves the attention of anyone who ever picked up an NES controller during their childhood.

You wouldn’t think that footage of an 8-bit game released nearly 30 years ago could elicit gasps from spectators, but this speed run had us flinching and squirming in our seats like we were back in short pants playing the game for the first time ourselves.

In order to achieve his record-setting time of 4:57.69, Blubber pulls off pixel-perfect jumps, grazing piranha flowers’ jaws and bouncing off goombas and bullets like they were springboards intentionally left out for him.

▼ I’m sure we’ve all died plenty of times trying to pull this off…

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▼Blink and you’ll miss it. Blubber powers through World 8-2’s Koopa Paratroopers

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▼ It takes serious guts to get that close to a piranha flower

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Here’s the video in full. Prepare to have your SMB skills put to shame.

Anyone willing to pick up the gauntlet and pull off a run of 4:56??

Source: Super Mario Leaderboards h/t Game Informer
Screenshots: YouTube – LordSaradoc