Could a dog genuinely attempt to break a video game speedrun record? It might appear to be an unusual idea, but it's slated to occur in January at the upcoming Awesome Games Done Quick (AGDQ) event.
AGDQ stands as the most prominent gathering in the world of video game speedrunning, where players strive to complete games in the shortest time possible. Since 2010, the Games Done Quick events have collectively generated over $46 million for various charitable causes.
The forthcoming flagship event, AGDQ 2024 in January, is set to showcase a unique "dog-assisted" speedrun featuring the game Gyromite for the original Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), as reported by GameSpot. Gyromite typically requires the R.O.B. robot accessory for NES gameplay, but in this instance, a Shiba Inu dog will replace R.O.B. through a specially designed controller.
In a video posted by JSR, the anonymous owner of Shiba Inu Peanut Butter, they've successfully trained the dog to use a custom controller due to Peanut Butter's remarkable intelligence. Peanut Butter is set to become the first dog to participate in an AGDQ event via an online livestream.
JSR directs Peanut Butter in a video showcasing the dog's personal best time, using commands and treats to encourage him to press the correct buttons with his paw.
While JSR and Peanut Butter's "dog-assisted" speedrun times won't be directly compared to human players, their current best time for Gyromite's "Game B" mode, at 25 minutes and 29 seconds, is the world's best in this specific category.
They are not far from the human record of 24 minutes and 39 seconds, achieved with the R.O.B. robot by Octopuscal. Peanut Butter and JSR are determined to chase the overall Gyromite Game B world record in January while raising charity funds.
