Speedrunning kicks ass. I started my speedrunning journey in 2017 when I decided to try running Mega Man 2. As fans of Tecmo Super Bowl, my uncle and I decided to go to CT Tecmo in Southington, Connecticut to try our hand at tournament play. Lo and behold, they were also running a Mega Man 2 race side event. I loved the game and knew it well already, so I worked to learn the speedrun within a week to prepare for the race (shoutouts to this incredible tutorial by duckfist). I got a close second out of the four competitors, and from then on I've constantly been improving my time and kept competing in the annual CT Tecmo Mega Man 2 race. Currently I have a 4-year win streak from 2022 to 2025. Wanna compete and break my streak? Come to CT Tecmo XVI!
For a short time in 2023 I also ran Ninja Gaiden for NES. I was working full-time and taking summer courses for my masters program, and I watched a lot of Arcus' Ninja Gaiden streams to relieve some stress. Inspired, I picked up Ninja Gaiden myself and despite the brutal nature of the game I found that speedrunning it was extraordinarily therapeutic. Don't get me wrong, there were a lot of moments of frustration - but getting the perfect run of each stage felt heavenly.
Interested in watching my Mega Man 2 and Ninja Gaiden PBs? Check the links below:
