Get Ready for Epic Speedruns: Awesome Games Done Quick Makes a Triumphant Comeback for Charity!

Awesome Games Done Quick, a speedrunning event dedicated to generating funds for charitable causes, returns for its yearly winter gaming marathon from January 5 to January 12. More than thirty groups and individual speedrunners are engaged in this edition, with segments streaming continuously throughout the week.

This year’s Awesome Games Done Quick is gathering donations for the Prevent Cancer Foundation. While well-known titles such as Horizon: Forbidden West, The Last of Us, Astro Bot, and the 2024 remake of Silent Hill II serve as headliners for the marathon, a diverse selection of both popular and lesser-known games will be showcased. Classics like Super Mario Bros., Ninja Gaiden II, and even the 1996 Batman arcade game are featured alongside niche favorites, including Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana, UFO 50, Inspector Gadget: Gadget’s Crazy Maze, and Squirrel With A Gun.

Some participants adopt a traditional approach, aiming to finish an entire game or a specific segment as swiftly as possible. This task itself is impressive, requiring extensive practice and deep expertise in understanding how the game operates. Others, however, have more unconventional ideas in mind.

For instance, the segment featuring The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in the forthcoming Games Done Quick has two players sharing a single controller, testing how far — if at all — they can progress in the game. Those running Elden Ring are organizing a unique concept termed DLC Bingo Lockout, where participants race to complete a line on a bingo card first, with each square representing a particular challenge, such as defeating a boss or locating a rare item.

The segment for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time incorporates a randomizer to alter the locations of items and potentially even dungeons, while someone aims to traverse as much of New Super Mario Bros. Wii as they can — while performing on a piano. A live band even provides accompaniment for Crazy Taxi during that segment of the event.

Games Done Quick has organized speedrunning marathons in both winter and summer for 15 years and has successfully raised $51.8 million for worldwide charities, including Doctors Without Borders, Organization for Autism Research, and AbleGamers. The latter organization promotes increased accessibility in gaming, leading the charge in developing adaptive technologies that enable individuals who cannot utilize conventional controllers to still experience and connect through games.

Games Done Quick will broadcast the event live on its Twitch channel. AGDQ’s website contains the complete schedule.