Published , by Ozzie Mejia
Published , by Ozzie Mejia
It's the start of a new year and that means that Awesome Games Done Quick has returned. After briefly returning to live speedrunning at last year's SGDQ, things have gone virtual once again after GDQ management expressed concerns over COVID policies and increasingly hostile political policies in Florida. While everyone is virtually checking in, the mission remains the same as it always has. The top runners in the world will look to speed through some of the most recognizable games of the past and present in front of a worldwide audience on Twitch and they'll do it for charity.
Awesome Games Done Quick 2023 Online takes place from the homes of many of the world's best runners. In three days, GDQ has already raised more than $500,000 for the Prevent Cancer Foundation. Shacknews will be watching all week and we'll make sure to bring you the daily schedule each day. Plus, we'll highlight the noteworthy runs worth watching.
Before we get to the schedule, let's look at a highlight from Day 3. Who likes more world records? Another one was set during the Super Mario Galaxy 2 race!
You can watch all of the action in the embed below!
Here's the full schedule for Day 4, taken from the Games Done Quick website, along with a handful of runs to check out:
| Time (All Times PT) | Game | Run | Runner(s) | Target Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:29 PM | Stardew Valley | Seeded Crafts Room - Glitchless Race - PC | blackheartwings, theValiantSun | 30:00 |
| 1:19 PM | Sonic Unleashed | All Day Stages - Wii | Speck | 23:00 |
| 1:52 PM | Sonic Colors: Ultimate | Egg Shuttle Race - PC | thebluemania, Subbaro, Nyu | 50:00 |
| 2:57 PM | Sonic Advance 2 | Character Bidwar - GBA | Kirbymastah | 30:00 |
| 3:47 PM | Pokémon Red or Yellow | Any% Glitchless - GC | pokeguy | 2:05:00 |
| 6:02 PM | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D | Any% - 3DS | benstephens56 | 35:00 |
| 6:47 PM | BONUS GAME 4 - Stray | Any% Unrestricted - PC | Erims | 53:00 |
| 7:55 PM | Daily Recap - Wednesday | Recap% - Live | Interview Crew | 15:00 |
| 8:10 PM | Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage! | 2v2 Lockout Bingo - PS2 | slvr__, zacharylawrence, Spudlyman, Wed | 55:00 |
| 9:15 PM | Neon White | White's Heaven Rush - PC | Blaidan | 40:00 |
| 10:20 PM | Kirby Star Allies | Guest Star ???? Star Allies Go! Mage Sisters - Switch | Mr_Shasta | 40:00 |
| 11:10 PM | Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures | Any% - SNES | PARTY MAN X | 26:00 |
| 11:49 PM | Yo! Noid 2: Game of a Year Edition | No Major Skips - PC | rythin | 16:00 |
| 12:17 AM | Yolanda: The Ultimate Challenge | Wimp% - Amiga | FlannelKat | 18:00 |
| 12:45 AM | Lizard Lady vs the Cats | Any% - PS5 | Asuka424 | 6:00 |
| 1:06 AM | Office Race | Any% - PC | BystanderTim | 30:00 |
| 1:46 AM | Salamander County Public Television | Any% - PC | teddyras | 30:00 |
| 2:26 AM | Battle of the Eras | Any% Shadowsnake - PC | corndan | 10:00 |
| 2:51 AM | Morodashi Sumo | Any% - PC | teddyras | 20:00 |
| 3:21 AM | Dokkaebi-ga Ganda | Any% - PC | dowolf | 20:00 |
| 3:51 AM | I'm going to die if I don't eat sushi! | Any% Easy - PC | Bullets | 24:00 |
| 4:30 AM | Sonic Blast | Sonic vs Knuckles - Beat the Game Race - Game Gear | Hibnotix, S-TWO | 16:00 |
| 4:56 AM | Bad Guys At School | All Missions - PC | Sadlybadlyy | 25:00 |
| 5:31 AM | Steven Seagal Is: The Final Option (Prototype) | Any% 9 Exits - SNES | Crak Atak | 30:00 |
For the latest Bonus Game incentive, GDQ is looking to debut a new game to the rotation. Stray was one of 2022's biggest breakout hits. While the average player might take a few hours to roam through the game's strange, dystopian setting, Erims' cat will have the zoomies and look to finish up in just 53 minutes.
Here's another GDQ debut and it's one that's going to prove fascinating to watch, simply because Neon White was practically designed with speedrunning in mind. Those interested in seeing the most optimal routes and strategies will want to tune in to this one. Anyone who hasn't played Neon White yet, get ready for a visual treat, as Blaidan blasts through baddies with Matrix-style precision.
Anyone who has ever tuned into Awesome Games Done Quick knows what time it is. It's time for the Awful block, which features a string of subpar video games that still have a speedrunning following. It starts with the "love it or hate it" Pac-Man 2 and runs the gamut from Amiga titles, PC hidden "gems," and even a PS5 title. Brew some coffee and stay up all night, because the Awful Games Done Quick block only happens once a year.
Awesome Games Done Quick 2023 Online will take place from now through Saturday, January 14. For more, check out the Games Done Quick website and be sure to come back all week to Shacknews for more on this week's marathon.