If there was an Olympic event for speedrunning in games, then Summoning Salt would surely be a top contender. A household name in the world of speedrunning, Summoning Salt has broken the world record for the quickest completion of the hardest boss in gaming history, Mike Tyson's Punch-Out. This legendary Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) challenge has stood unbroken for over three years. Sharing a moment of victory on Twitter, Summoning Salt wrote, "I just beat Mike Tyson faster than anyone has before - 2:00.61, beating a world record that stood for over three years." Such a feat of skill followed years of relentless pursuit, with something like 20,000+ attempts.
Derived from the niche gaming practice where achievement is judged not just on completion, but the speed with which a game is finished, speedrunning rewards dogged persistence, unshakeable focus and an incessant desire to always improve. Summoning Salt's YouTube channel, a popular destination for speedrunning fans, features explanations and narratives of speedrunning history and techniques. In turn, these videos have provided fans an unprecedented insight into the discipline required for high-speed gaming.
With Punch-Out, Summoning Salt has excelled and dominated, securing a series of number one records, including extreme rule sets like Tyson Challenge, where the goal is to defeat Tyson 14 times consecutively, without losing a fight. Established as the top player in 2017, Summoning Salt has consistently improved performance, setting the previous record time of 2:00.97 in 2020. This achievement seemed untouchable with other players only managing to tie for second place at 2:05.25. But now, three years later that, record has been broken, cementing Summoning Salt’s legacy in the gaming world.
To elucidate the level of challenge this record poses, Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out is often considered one of the most difficult bosses in gaming. While it’s impossible to measure the toughness of a boss in objective terms, personal attempts by countless gamers place this challenge near the top. Sharing personal success stories, many players recall hundred plus attempts before finally taking down Tyson. However, achieving this victory in 2:00.61 is a feat enjoyed by Summoning Salt alone.
The past month has seen landmark events in the speedrunning community. Outside of Punch-Out, players of Super Mario 64 discovered time-saving tricks leading to world record-breaking gameplay. Additionally, Portal speedrunners have also awed the gaming community with their record-breaking clever solutions.
For those eager to dip their toes into the world of fast-paced gaming, NES provides a heavy roster of classic games to choose from. The question is, who will be the next gaming gladiator to rise through the records, bringing new techniques and unlocking further potential in these timeless games. For now, we salute Summoning Salt, the reigning champ, for providing us with a thrilling exhibition of his unwavering dedication, and unprecedented gaming success.
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