From our friends at the Golden Joystick Awards

As part of this year’s Golden Joystick Awards, avid gamer James Richards was invited to take part in the Lucozade Alert Plus Super Sonic Challenge, with the aim of setting a new Guinness World Record for the first level of Sonic 2. Actually, not one World Record but two, as James tackled the challenge on both Xbox 360 and PS3.

Spurred on by a crowd of onlookers and members of the press, and with adjudicators from Guinness in attendance, James recorded a time of 22 seconds for the first stage of the Emerald Hill Zone on both consoles.

Above: Avid gamer James Richards setting a new Guinness World Record for the fastest speed run on Sonic the Hedgehog 2 at the 2009 Golden Joystick Awards.

“I’ve been training for weeks for this,” exclaimed a chuffed-to-bits James, who already holds the record for speed-running Sonic 3. “I’m so happy to have set the record – one that I hope will stand for some time to come!”

Setting a World Record is no mean feat, as Gaz Deaves, editor of Guinness World Records: Gamers’ Edition, points out: “The first level of Sonic The Hedgehog 2 is one of the toughest challenges in videogames speed running… James’ achievement would make any gamer proud.”

Lucozade, who laid down the challenge, were quick to applaud James.  “It’s great to have been involved in the Lucozade Alert Plus Super Sonic Challenge and we send our congratulations to James in setting these new Guinness World Records,” said brand manager Alex Saunders.

“It’s great to have been involved in the Lucozade Alert Plus Super Sonic Challenge and we send our congratulations to James in setting these new Guinness World Records”

Above: Watch avid gamer James Richards set a new Guiness World Record for a Sonic The Hedgehog 2 speed run in the Lucozade Alert Plus Super Sonic Challenge

06 Nov, 2009