Super Mario 64 Blindfolded Speedrun Record Shattered in Historic 70-Star Category
German speedrunner Bubzia has shattered his own Super Mario 64 blindfolded 70-star world record, clocking in at 1:16:41 on March 19, 2025. As reported by GamesRadar, this beats his previous best of 1:20:12—set just weeks earlier on March 2—by over three minutes. Bubzia declared the 70-star category "dead," suggesting optimisation has reached its limit, and announced plans to tackle the 120-star blindfolded challenge next.
Years of Precision and Practice
Bubzia’s feat required memorising hundreds of precise inputs across 15 stages, relying solely on audio cues for navigation. He’s honed this skill since at least 2020, logging thousands of practice hours. His progression—1:44:28 in 2021 (TheGamer), 1:25:11 in 2023, and now 1:16:41—shows relentless refinement, using techniques like backwards long jumps (BLJs) and wall clips executed with frame-perfect timing.
The Rise of Blindfolded Mario 64
Blindfolded speedrunning gained prominence after US streamer Simply showcased a 120-star run in 2020, hitting 1:38:28 (Eurogamer). Bubzia and others expanded the niche, with current blindfolded records including 19:43 for 16 stars (Bubzia, 2024) and 6:58:13 for 120 stars (Bubzia, 2023), per Speedrun.com. Meanwhile, non-blindfolded any% runs dropped to 6:03 in 2024, reflecting ongoing innovation in Nintendo 64 challenges.
Technical Mastery Meets Community Legacy
Achieving such times demands input latency below 2ms—possible on original N64 hardware or FPGA systems like the Analogue 3D. The Super Mario 64 speedrunning community, with over 2,200 active members on Speedrun.com, sees these runs as a testament to preserving the 1996 game’s mechanics. Bubzia’s record, viewable on his YouTube channel once uploaded, underscores this dedication.
What’s Next?
With 70-star “dead,” Bubzia’s shift to 120-star promises further spectacle.
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