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Tears of the Kingdom speedrunner beats the game in about 94 minutes

The kingdom barely had a chance to cry as a speedrunner put in a stellar 94-minute any-percent run on launch day.

TJ Denzer

May 12, 2023 11:25 AM

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It was bound to happen eventually, but an intrepid speedrunner is already making marks on The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom on Day 1. With the game having launched at midnight on May 12, a speedrunner was able to post an any-percent clear of the game in around 94 minutes, an hour and a half.

It was gymnast86 who posted a YouTube video of their clear of the game, as spotted by Video Games Chronicle, on May 12, 2023. According to the title, gymnast86 is able to clear the entirety of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom in 1 hour, 34 minutes, and 33 seconds. Their video also serves as proof of the accomplishment, though be wary to watch as there will be spoilers. Nonetheless, it’s an impressive feat full of unique tactics and techniques using the game’s features such as the Ultrahand and Fuse mechanics, which allow you to put nearly anything together as a weapon or vehicle to traverse the world.

We’re no strangers to seeing speedrunners clear games quickly. Pokemon, Final Fantasy, Resident Evil, Elden Ring, and more have played host to a variety of speedrunning accomplishments coming right out of their launch. It is, however, incredible to see in Tears of the Kingdom, where we have seen plenty of reviewers and critics reporting having 70 to 100 hours in the game before they wrote their reviews. Of course, reviewers are probably taking their time and exploring everything that Tears of the Kingdom has to offer in contrast to a speedrunner looking to get the fastest clear possible.

The early bar is set for Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom speedruns. We’re sure to see more insane and zany clear times with the game now out in the wild. Stay tuned as we continue to watch for further news on the game and check out our Tears of the Kingdom strategy guide if you need help in your own adventures!

TJ Denzer

Senior News Editor

TJ Denzer is a player and writer with a passion for games that has dominated a lifetime. He found his way to the Shacknews roster in late 2019 and has worked his way to Senior News Editor since. Between news coverage, he also aides notably in livestream projects like the indie game-focused Indie-licious, the Shacknews Stimulus Games, and the Shacknews Dump. You can reach him at tj.denzer@shacknews.com and also find him on Twitter @JohnnyChugs.