But can we get a speedrunning tournament with dogs too?
Games Done Quick has been showcasing the speedrunning community for almost 15 years now with their events raising over $50 million for charity.
While fighting games are not typically one of the more popular genres featured at the main events, Summer Games Done Quick 2024 came through this weekend and ran a tournament on stream for the first time in almost a decade with one of the weirdest picks imaginable.
The game chosen to represent fighters was none other than Evil Zone on the original PlayStation of all things.
Although the 3D title from Yuke’s (the same company that made all of those WWE games until 2018) is not a very common / popular side event you see at actual FGC tournaments, Evil Zone has apparently been a staple GDQ for attendees.
Evil Zone tournaments have been a part of the speedrunning convention experience since basically the beginning in 2015, but this is supposedly the only time they put it on the main stream after that.
Their broadcast block included the top 4 of the tournament with a few veterans between CavemanDCJ and Cane.
But what’s more interesting is Tainam0 and Alymra making it to the finals after allegedly never touching the game before, but the commentators explain how that’s more possible here than other fighters.
Because Evil Zone is a more simplified two-button fighting game, matches can be determined by hard reads, counters, zoning, knowing what the opponent wants to do, and “a lot of throws.”
The fists are flying in our Evil Zone Tournament Finals! Yes, Finals! This is an on-site #SGDQ2024 tournament – our first time streaming an on-site tournament in almost a decade!!
Go to to watch it LIVE! pic.twitter.com/DjnAvDE73g
— Games Done Quick @ #SGDQ2024 (@GamesDoneQuick) July 5, 2024
The newcomers start out with two of the most busted characters in the game between Ihadurca and Kakurine where things go off the rails very quickly.
Despite having just the two attack buttons, spacing is what helps add more depth to the game with the distance between characters determining which moves are available.
And that even includes essentially full-screen grabs though they can be teched in what they claim is likely just a two-frame window.
If you’ve never watched higher level, competitive Evil Zone before, you’re in for a wild ride.
This wasn’t the only fighting game featured during this year’s SGDQ either with Limy racing through the campaign of Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2.
Peanut Butter the Dog may have stolen the whole show, however, by running Ken Griffey Jr. Presents MLB and managing to finish in under the estimated time.
Down 1-0 early, PB has taken the lead in the bottom of the 6th!
We’re in the 7th inning stretch at #SGDQ2024; don’t miss the conclusion! pic.twitter.com/IelHfXYeMW
— Games Done Quick @ #SGDQ2024 (@GamesDoneQuick) July 5, 2024
With the event now wrapped, SGDQ 2024 managed to raise a staggering $2.5 million for Doctors Without Borders.
You can check out the full finals run of Evil Zone at Summer Games Done Quick below.