What makes a speedrun even more exciting? A race. And what makes a speedrunning race more exciting? A photo finish.
That's exactly what happened when the speedrunners at the Awesome Games Done Quick charity marathon decided to tackle the Ninja Gaiden trilogy in a relay race that would go down right to the wire.
But a group of speedrunners blazing through all three titles consecutively in a showdown with another team, in a race that couldn't possibly be any closer? Now that's impressive.
(Sorry, this embed was not found.)The entire race is worth watching, as both teams impress with their quick reactions and improvisational abilities. The race is tight throughout, but when the players come down the final stretch, that's when things get wild.
(Sorry, this embed was not found.)Such raucous celebrations don't often occur at the event, as things rarely get quite so competitive, even during a race. But you can't blame these gamers for being ecstatic after putting on such a show and emerging victorious before a massive audience on Twitch.
Awesome Games Done Quick 2015 has already raised over half a million dollars. It runs through 1/11.