Hey there! Let‘s dive into the world of Undertale speedrunning and take a close look at one of the best in the business – TGH. Together, we‘ll explore his epic speedruns, see what makes Undertale such a unique and memorable game, and learn some pro tips for aspiring runners. Sound fun? Then let‘s do this!
Introducing Undertale: An RPG That Subverted Expectations
Before we get into TGH‘s specific runs, providing some background on Undertale itself will help set the stage. This game was a huge indie success story that took players by surprise in all the best ways.
Undertale was independently developed and released in 2015 by Toby Fox. On the surface (heh), it appears to be a relatively simple 2D retro-style RPG. But that facade hides a very cleverly written, emotionally impactful story.
The Quirky, Surprising Story and World
You play as a human child who falls into the mysterious underworld of monsters called the Underground. To return home, you‘ll need to travel across all sorts of environments like snowy forests, volcanic caves, and creepy labs.
Along the way you meet tons of creative monsters, from chivalrous knights like Papyrus to introverted scientists like Alphys. All of the characters subvert expectations with surprising depth and humor. I won‘t spoil too much, but the story is filled with entertaining twists.
Turning RPG Tropes Upside Down
Now, here‘s what makes Undertale so groundbreaking. RPGs usually focus heavily on combat and getting stronger by defeating enemies. But in Undertale, you have the choice to resolve every monster encounter peacefully through nonviolent actions.
Instead of typical turn-based attacks, battles play out as bullet hell shooting segments where you dodge incoming patterns. The game actively encourages you to show mercy, use humor, or find non-combat solutions to progress.
This innovative approach to RPG combat and morality systems caught many players off guard in the best possible way. It led to an incredibly devoted fanbase that fell in love with Undertale‘s world and characters.
Multiple Story Routes and Endings
Your choices during the adventure determine which of Undertale‘s branching story routes you experience. If you kill every monster, you get the dark Genocide ending. But should you find peaceful solutions, you unlock the True Pacifist finale.
There are also numerous variations of the Neutral ending based on your actions. This variability encouraged multiple playthroughs to see all content and outcomes. It‘s ingeniously done.
An Overview of Accomplished Speedrunner TGH
Now that you know the basics behind Undertale, let‘s get into the star of our show today: TGH. In the world of Undertale speedrunning, he‘s considered one of the absolute best.
TGH has been speedrunning Undertale since 2016 and currently holds world records in multiple categories. His extensive knowledge and skill are obvious in the high-level strategies he employs during his runs.
According to speedrun.com statistics, TGH holds the world record for:
- Undertale Pacifist% run: 1 hr, 5 min, and 37 sec
- Undertale Genocide% run: 1 hr, 27 min, and 29 sec
He is also ranked #1 globally for Undertale on speedrun.com, far surpassing any other runners‘ times and scores. When it comes to mastering Undertale speedrunning techniques, TGH is as good as it gets.
Breaking Down TGH‘s Undertale Speedrunning Strategies
Now let‘s analyze TGH‘s specific approach to speedrunning Undertale quickly and optimally under different conditions. We‘ll look at his famous Genocide run first.
TGH‘s Genocidal Speedrun Strategy
For his genocide run, TGH annihilated every monster in just 1 hour and 5 minutes. This run requires killing enemies in a precise order to maximize efficiency.
As soon as the run starts, TGH skips almost all NPC dialogue to avoid wasting time reading text. Since he won‘t be befriending monsters anyway, he opts to ignore conversations entirely.
TGH has memorized the most optimal routes through each zone. He hugs walls and environments closely to stay on the fastest path and avoid encountering monsters randomly. His knowledge of level layouts is unparalleled.
In combat, TGH times his attacks to defeat monsters within the first few seconds of each encounter. This alone probably saves several minutes compared to an average player‘s reaction times.
He also knows exactly how many random battles must be grinded to completely wipe out enemies in each area. As soon as new encounters stop appearing, he proceeds forward immediately. There‘s no wasted movement.
These time-saving strategies enable TGH to build EXP and LOVE extremely quickly. This makes dispatching most bosses a total breeze, since their HP scales with your level. He defeats them flawlessly without taking a single hit.
According to speedrunner Fireb0rn, TGH‘s expertise in battles like Sans and Undyne is world-class. His detailed knowledge of their patterns allows him to weave smoothly through waves of attacks at lightning speed.
Overall, TGH‘s genocide run is a testament to optimizing every second through routing, quick reflexes, and practice. Now let‘s see how his strategies change when speedrunning the Pacifist route.
TGH‘s Peaceful Pacifist Speedrun Approach
For Undertale‘s Pacifist ending, TGH holds the world record time of 1 hour and 27 minutes. This requires befriending all monsters through non-lethal means.
Since gaining EXP through kills isn‘t possible here, TGH heavily prioritizes avoiding encounters and battles. He sticks to calculated routes that dodge random monster fights.
When battles can‘t be avoided, TGH either flees immediately or masters bullet hell segments until monsters can be spared. His dodging skills are incredible under pressure.
Many story events and bosses feature non-combat challenges. TGH has flawlessly practiced these minigames and can now blaze through them without breaking a sweat.
According to speedrunner Xelna, TGH ensures his Pacifist runs hit every optional story beat required for the best ending. He‘ll reload saves to view all hidden cutscenes and dialogue.
Once again, we see masterful execution that saves time wherever possible. But this run taxes TGH‘s consistency and concentration even more than Genocide. Maintaining perfect friendly play for over 90 minutes is astounding.
Why Undertale Speedrunning Pushes Limits
After analyzing TGH‘s approaches, you can probably see why Undertale isn‘t necessarily an "easy" game to speedrun optimally. There are many factors that make it seriously challenging.
Knowing Complex Routes and Events
Navigating Undertale quickly requires memorizing lots of winding paths, optional scenes, and specific story triggers. One wrong turn can lose seconds, so runners like TGH make no wasted movements.
Executing Frame-Perfect Inputs
Dodging enemy bullet patterns and platforming segments demand tight timing and pixel precision. Even tiny errors can ruin a speedrun, so perfection is key.
Satisfying Specific Ending Conditions
The criteria for Undertale‘s endings are very particular. The Genocide route means calculating a perfect kill order and grind. Pacifist requires seeing all content without harming monsters. There’s little room for deviation.
Mental Focus and Stamina
Maintaining razor-sharp execution for over an hour straight requires insane mental focus. Lapses in concentration can spell disaster and lost time. The mental demand is just as high as the technical skills.
Creative Optimization
Top players like TGH are constantly finding new ways to shave off seconds. This involves discovering hidden routes, frame-perfect tricks, and other intricate optimizations. True mastery means always improving.
As you can see, Undertale speedrunning forces players to push many skills to the absolute limit simultaneously over long durations. It’s far from simple!
Appreciating TGH‘s Jaw-Dropping Abilities
Taking all we‘ve covered into account, we can truly appreciate the incredible talents TGH demonstrates through his Undertale speedruns:
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His routing knowledge allows him to navigate areas nearly flawlessly every time. He never wastes time doubting which way to go.
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TGH shows speed and precision not just in combat, but also platforming and minigames. His quick thinking and reflexes dominate all of Undertale‘s challenges.
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He utilizes strategies and optimizations not expected from casual players. TGH finds ways to break Undertale wide open and cut massive chunks of time.
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No matter how long the run, TGH maintains outstanding focus. He never slows down or makes careless mistakes even after 80+ minutes of intense play.
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Perhaps most impressively, TGH can adapt his approach between any category or style of run Undertale throws at him. His versatility is unmatched.
Thanks to these talents, TGH stands at the pinnacle of Undertale speedrunning. He makes excellent play look easy, but don‘t be fooled – it requires tremendous dedication to reach his level of mastery.
Tips to Start Your Own Undertale Speedrunning Journey
Does TGH‘s incredible speedrunning inspire you to dive into Undertale and start optimizing your own runs? If so, here are some beginner-friendly tips to set you on the path to success:
Pick One Ending Category
Focus on either Pacifist or Genocide at first. Mastering the quirks of both different ending types at once can get confusing for new runners.
Utilize Save States
Take advantage of save states and rewind features in emulators. This lets you restart tricky segments or boss fights instantly without wasted time.
Study Top Runner‘s Strategies
Dissect TGH‘s routes and combat approaches. Understand why he makes certain choices and see how you can adopt his strats. Gaining knowledge first is key.
Join Speedrunning Communities
Discord servers and forums let you ask questions, find resources, and get encouragement. Having a community improves motivation and tips.
Prioritize Consistency Over Speed
Work first on executing maneuvers and tricks cleanly before worrying about raw times. Focusing on precision early on will naturally improve speeds later.
Practice Short Sessions Daily
Like any skill, speedrunning improves most through regular, short practice rather than long grinding. 30 minutes per day can work wonders.
If you follow these steps, your Undertale times will drop consistently. Who knows, you may even end up good enough to challenge the legendary TGH someday!
Appreciating Undertale‘s Hidden Depth
Through the lens of speedrunning, we can gain a whole new appreciation for how Undertale provides nearly endless gameplay depth beyond just an initial playthrough.
Seeing experienced players break the game and uncover new optimizations shows how Undertale rewards creativity in using all its systems. There‘s always a faster strategy or unseen skill ceiling waiting to be found.
This passionate speedrunning community is a testament to Undertale‘s brilliant design. Even today, it still feels fresh as dedicated fans continue to push its possibilities further. That‘s the sign of a true modern classic.
Thanks for joining me on this speedrunning journey today! I hope it inspires you to both play Undertale yourself and watch masterful runners like TGH break new barriers. Now get out there and go make some friends – or annihilate some monsters!