Random: Games Done Quick Just Featured Its First-Ever Speedrunning Dog
Image: Nintendo Life / JSR_Peanut Butter the Shiba Inu is officially the best boy in the world. This adorable pup has made history by completing a speedrun on the world stage at Games Done Quick’s bi-annual speedrunning event, AGDQ 2024.
With the help of his owner and human speedrunner JSR_, Peanut Butter has been training to wow the world with a speedrun of Gyromite. You know, one of only two games that are officially compatible with R.O.B., that NES toy robot accessory. JSR_ has been chronicling the journey over on his YouTube channel (in an amusingly titled ‘PB & J’ playlist). And since getting into AGDQ 2024 last October, the hype for this run has been building.
Today, the pair took to the stage (over a stream, because we can’t imagine how hard it would be for a dog to speedrun on the actual stage) to showcase their talents. Playing in the category ‘Game B – Dog Assistance’, the pair had to make it through the entire game, with an estimated runtime of 30 minutes.
But how can a dog speedrun Gyromite? With a custom controller, patience, and lots of treats, of course! JSR_ has created a large controller to allow PB to put his paws onto four different buttons ā ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘A & B’ together, and the ‘Select’ button.
Using those buttons, Peanut Butter needs to hold down the correct one to lower the coloured pillars to allow Professor Hector to make his way through the stage to collect dynamite. Releasing the button causes those pillars to rise, meaning Peanut Butter needs to remove his paw to help the professor make it up high ledges. Sometimes, this could also result in being squashed. It’s pretty easy for a human ā and for R.O.B., of course ā but a dog? Watching the little pup navigate the buttons as JSR_ guides his paws (and nose) using treats and commands is a joy.
Sadly, things didn’t go quite to plan during today’s run. Peanut Butter and JSR_ got pretty unlucky towards the end of the run, encountering an enemy that took away the professor’s last life. But the pair had a back-up plan, and even with the hiccups, the audience, the internet, and us, were enamoured. And they still made it under the estimate, too, at 26:24.
Peanut Butter got a lot of treats and attention throughout the run, and we’re sure they’re going to get plenty more. Perhaps we’ll see the dynamic duo back on the stage at SGDQ 2024 this summer… You can watch the speedrun on Twitch below either by clicking on the GDQ logo, or by skipping to 10:11:38 on the VOD.
AGDQ 2024 is currently taking place at the Wyndham Grand in Pittsburgh, PA, and is a hybrid in-person and online event. While runs such as Pikmin 4, Mario Kart Wii, and Donkey Kong 64 have already taken place, there are still tons of streams going on until Sunday, 21st January, with Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, a Tool-Assisted Speedrun of Super Metroid, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder still to come.
You can watch all the streams on the official website, the official GDQ YouTube channel, or on Twitch. And don’t forget, Games Done Quick is held to raise money for the Prevent Cancer Foundation charity.
Have you watched Peanut Butter’s speedrun? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
[source twitch.tv]
