Niftski Breaks Super Mario Bros. Speedrun World Record in Mario Costume on Halloween Stream

Speedrunner Niftski has set a new world record in the original Super Mario Bros., completing the game in a blistering time that leaves him just two frames shy of a theoretically perfect run. The record was achieved during a Halloween live stream, where Niftski wore a Mario costume—a choice he jokingly asked to break character from after the run. The feat underscores the extreme precision of modern speedrunning, where top players optimize every input to shave off individual frames. Niftski’s run is notable not only for its near-perfection but also for the lighthearted approach, suggesting that the costume may have helped ease the pressure of chasing such a monumental achievement. The Super Mario Bros. speedrunning community continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in the 1985 classic, with this record standing as a testament to both skill and showmanship. As technology and strategies evolve, the remaining two frames may soon fall, but for now, Niftski’s Halloween run is the pinnacle of Mario speedrunning.