New world record set in Super Mario Bros.

The speedrunner Niftski has set a new world record for completing Super Mario Bros. in 4 minutes, 54 seconds, and 299 milliseconds. This achievement places him just two frames away from the time of a computer-programmed run, known as a TAS, which is considered the theoretical fastest possible time for the game.

Super Mario Bros. remains a popular challenge

Even though Super Mario Bros. was first released on the NES in 1985, it remains a favorite among speedrunners. More than 40 years later, the game continues to attract players who aim to complete it in the shortest time possible, with every detail of its mechanics being studied and optimized.

Precision is key in speedrunning

During a speedrun, every movement, jump, and button press is optimized to achieve the fastest time. In Super Mario Bros., the mechanics are so finely tuned that achieving perfection requires linking movements with extreme precision throughout the entire game. This level of accuracy pushes even the best speedrunners to their physical limits.

TAS provides a benchmark for perfection

To measure what a perfect run would look like, speedrunners refer to a TAS, or tool-assisted speedrun. These runs use computer tools to optimize each command frame by frame, allowing players to approach the theoretically fastest time. The reference TAS for Super Mario Bros. was completed by Maru371 in April 2019, with a time of 4 minutes, 54 seconds, and 265 milliseconds.

Niftski’s recent achievement

On Saturday, October 31, Niftski completed Super Mario Bros. in 4 minutes, 54 seconds, and 299 milliseconds during a Halloween live stream where he was dressed as Mario. This beat his previous record by 33 milliseconds and brought him just 33 milliseconds closer to the TAS time.

The significance of frames in speedrunning

Super Mario Bros. runs at 60 frames per second, with each frame lasting approximately 16.7 milliseconds. Two frames represent barely more than three hundredths of a second. For Niftski, gaining these final two frames means exploiting the smallest details of the game, such as the framerule that governs level endings.

Challenges in the final stages

The last level, world 8-4, does not follow the standard framerule, meaning every movement and jump directly affects the final time. Unlike a TAS, where players can slow down and test commands, speedrunners must perform in real time, without the ability to pause or retry.

Competition and rule changes

Several speedrunners, including Niftski, are competing to match the TAS time. In February 2026, input swapping—a technique that allows players to switch control devices during a run—was temporarily banned by moderators on Speedrun.com. Niftski, who used the technique, accused a rival of influencing the decision. The rule was later reauthorized, but only under specific conditions.