Speedrunning video games is hard enough, but for the speedrunning platformer New Super Mario Bros. Wii at the Awesome Games Done Quick 2025 festival, streamer FunkopotamusWes decided to complicate his task even more.
Image source: Nintendo
Unlike a regular speedrun, speedrunning New Super Mario Bros. Wii performed by FunkopotamusWes was accompanied by simultaneous piano playing – the enthusiast simultaneously played the platformer’s soundtrack.
To achieve this, FunkopotamusWes (or just Wes) wrote his own arrangements of music from New Super Mario Bros. Wii (you can get acquainted with them at the link), corresponding to his level of mastery of the instrument.
Image source: X (Games Done Quick)
Since Wes’s hands are busy playing the piano, control the New Super Mario Bros. character. The Wii enthusiast had to play in an unusual way – by strapping the controllers (the speedrunner adapted a pair of Joy-Con from the Switch for the game) to his body.
The control system looks like this:
- First Joy-Con (tied to the head) – Wes controls Mario by tilting his head in different directions;
- The second Joy-Con (tied to the foot) – the speedrunner presses the bumper (running) with his toe, and to jump (pressing the stick) he steps on the controller.
Although the final completion time was far from the world record, the spectators present at Awesome Games Done Quick 2025 stood up from their seats in unison to celebrate Wes’ achievement with a standing ovation.
As if passing at speed while simultaneously playing the piano and controlling the character’s head and foot wasn’t enough, after completing the speedrun Wes replayed the first level in the same manner, but now blindfolded.