Kirby Air Riders Speedrun at Summer Games Done Quick Shatters World Record
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Speedrunner Bluekandy shattered the Kirby Air Riders world record during Summer Games Done Quick, completing a grueling No Dupes run in 37:54 and showcasing the game's hidden competitive depth.
Summer Games Done Quick has officially kicked off its annual charity marathon for Doctors Without Borders, and the livestream has already delivered a standout moment for the speedrunning community. During the opening night of the event, speedrunner Bluekandy took to the stage to tackle Kirby Air Riders, turning a standard showcase into a record-breaking masterclass. What started as a plan to speed through all eighteen standard courses quickly pivoted via a donation incentive into a much harder challenge. Known as the No Dupes category, the objective required Bluekandy to use a completely different racer and vehicle combination on every single track.
The resulting 38-minute gauntlet showcased the surprising depth hidden beneath the arcade racer's deceptive two-button control scheme. Because players do not even need to hold a button to accelerate, casual observers often mistake the title for a simple party game. However, high-level play demands intricate knowledge of character stats, vehicle physics, track routing, and precise enemy management to maintain top speeds. Bluekandy paired characters like Rick with specialized carts such as the Rex Wheelie to conquer tight turns, while also executing advanced tricks like tossing bombs backward to clear out enemy spawns on the fly.
Not only did the run successfully entertain the massive Twitch and YouTube audience, but it also obliterated the previous world record. Bluekandy crossed the finish line with a time of 37:54, crushing the former record of 39:51 set by runner KazuYoshi by nearly two full minutes. It is rare to witness a world record fall live on the GDQ stage, and rarer still to see one beaten by such a wide margin. For players following the event this week, the performance stands as proof of why this platform staple continues to resonate as one of the definitive releases of recent years. You can read the original coverage over at Polygon.
Tags: Speedrunning, Nintendo, Kirby Air Riders, GDQ, Streaming
Original article: Polygon