Five-minute Mario a world record? Yes and no

Is a new video of a five-minute speed run through the original Super Mario Bros. a world record? Well, it depends on who you ask.

The Speed Demos Archive, which posted the video, certainly thinks so. In a recent news post, they talk up the video as the game being "beaten more quickly than is allowed by the rules of a certain other site which amusingly considers itself to be the authority on speed records." That other site is long-time video game scorekeeper Twin Galaxies, which currently establishes the record as a slower but still blazing 5:08 run by Scott Kessler.

That gap is the result of some rather stringent rules set forth by Twin Galaxies -- esoteric glitches like wall jumps, pipe redirects and walking through walls are not allowed by the scorekeepers. These glitches aren't cheating per se -- they're all possible in the official, unaltered version of the game -- but they do go against what Twin Galaxies calls "programmer intent," and the spirit of how the game is meant be played

What's the difference? Well, eight seconds, which is a lifetime in the world of competitive speed running. Which view is more valid? Decide for yourself. Below, we've posted three videos: one from Speed Demos Archive; one of a slightly slower "TG legal" run; and one of an emulator-enhanced (but still technically possible) run from TASvideos.com. Let the battle begin.

Previously: Mario racing minus the karts

Speed Demos Archive (5:00)



Twin Galaxies Legal Run (approx. 5:10)
Note: TG World Record is 5:08



NESVideos Tool-assisted Run (4:59.93)