If hilariously bad game programming were an Olympic sport, this game would grab gold.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics is coming closer every day, and Japan is doing its best to appeal to a Japanese pop culture-loving audience. We’ve already seen them favor a manga-themed opening ceremony over a kabuki-themed one, and nearly all of their official ambassadors are characters from anime or video games.
With all that planning then, it would be a shame if somehow things got a little… glitchy when the Olympics were underway.
To see what we mean, check out this video posted by Japanese Twitter user @1150J (originally posted on NicoNico Douga). It shows what happens when all the laws of gravity and physics decide to go haywire… or just what happens when game programmers presumably die at the keyboard:
▼ “I’ve never seen game bugs this terrible before.”
(Click to play video.)
これほど酷いゲームのバクは見たことがない pic.twitter.com/hqyGqdsGyI
— すぺんど (@1150J) July 25, 2017
Oh sweet Sally that is some silly sports-ing!
The video starts off strong with upside-down runners sticking their heads through solid ground, and it just gets better from there. The replay after the race is a thing of beauty, not only failing to show the actual travesty of a race that happened, but having the racers shoot off at light speed in the opposite direction. All the while music meant to pump you up plays in the background, accentuating the absurdity.
And then the pole vault. Oh yes. The way he keeps running, and running, and running (all the while getting “perfect!” scores), and then leaps into the audience… it’s a thing of beauty. And again the replays, and their comically indifferent background music is the perfect spice on top of the poop pie.
Here’s what Japanese netizens thought:
“Oh god, my stomach and jaw hurt from laughing so much!”
“Haha I definitely should not have watched that on the train.”
“Is this the Olypmics where supernatural beings competed?”
“These are some god-tier bugs right here.”
“Oh! I know this game. It’s Konami’s Hyper Olympics in Atlanta for the PS1.”
Well Konami certainly got the “hyper” part of the game right. Now if only they could’ve gotten the game to work properly, that would’ve been a real accomplishment!
Although we have to wonder, is this just a taste of things to comes in 2020? Japan is already taking its Akira anime connection a little too far, so could the Tokyo Olympics be the birthplace of mutant athletes?!
Probably not. But it’d certainly get me to buy a ticket.
Source: NicoNico Douga via Twitter/@1150J
Featured image: twitter/@1150J

Canon shows off video-game-like replay tech for real games of Rugby World Cup in Japan
Graphical glitches turn Pokémon Masters mobile game into mind-flaying horror story【Video】
One of the hottest video games has some hilarious glitches
The glitch this Japanese gamer encountered in Pokémon Go is just too cruel for words【Video】
Unlike real-life counterpart, Tokyo 2020 Olympics video game is going remarkably smoothly
Japanese restaurant chain serves Dragon Ball donuts and Senzu Beans this spring
Japan’s craziest burger chain takes menchi katsu to new extreme levels
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever Hinamatsuri Girls’ Day Frappuccino
Beautiful blue apple jam is taking the Japanese internet’s breath away!
Which convenience store onigiri rice balls are the most popular? Survey reveals surprising results
Akihabara pop-up shop sells goods made by Japanese prison inmates
Drift ice in Japan is a disappearing winter miracle you need to see now
New Miyazaki Pref. tourism ad gets laughs with the incomprehensible dialect of an ancient god
Can we be just like Shohei Ohtani on a budget with a Hello Kitty cap?
Japan Extreme Budget Travel! A trip from Tokyo to Izumo for just 30,000 yen [Part 2]
Highest Starbucks in Japan set to open this spring in the Tokyo sky
Tokyo Skytree turns pink for the cherry blossom season
Yakuzen ramen restaurant in Tokyo is very different to a yakuza ramen restaurant
Japan Extreme Budget Travel! A trip from Tokyo to Izumo for just 30,000 yen [Part 1]
Japan has only one airport named after a samurai, so let’s check out Kochi Ryoma【Photos】
Japanese drugstore sells onigiri at pre-stupid era prices, but how do they compare to 7-Eleven?
Burning through cash just to throw things away tops list of headaches when moving house in Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Foreigners accounting for over 80 percent of off-course skiers needing rescue in Japan’s Hokkaido
Super-salty pizza sends six kids to the hospital in Japan, linguistics blamed
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura Frappuccino for cherry blossom season 2026
Foreign tourists in Japan will get free Shinkansen tickets to promote regional tourism
The 10 most annoying things foreign tourists do on Japanese trains, according to locals
Take a trip to Japan’s Dododo Land, the most irritating place on Earth
Naruto and Converse team up for new line of shinobi sneakers[Photos]
Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting the lines at a popular Tokyo gyukatsu restaurant?
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
TV audiences in Japan surprised to see “Pikachu,” “Raichu” as members of U.S. Olympic team
Anime legs fly high in the sky, look just like a video game glitch come to life in Japan【Video】
A Pokémon glitch no one discovered in 18 years has been found…by a pet fish in Japan?!?【Videos】
Dragon Quest at Olympics opening ceremony? Game theme, Eva-connected song heard coming from stadium
And the most popular video game developer in Japan is…
Japan’s silver medalist figure skater has no time for love because he’s busy playing video games
Hilarious Japanese train-racing racing game at AGDQ has speedrunning fans in stitches【Video】
Olympic athlete gets special Tokyo memory competing at site of one of her favorite video games
U.S. Olympic athlete reveals he runs with Yi-Gi-Oh! cards tucked into his uniform【Video】
The Winter Olympics would have been far more fun with Mario Kart power-ups 【Video】
Onesie for gamers comes with ‘toilet mode’, has Japanese Twitter in stitches
Birth of new kusoge legend — Zelda wannabe has copied Zelda music, all-original crazy bugs【Vids】
The terror of playing a Japanese horror video game with cute face filters
Wear samurai armor while playing video games? That’s an option at this Japanese inn【Video】