Extra Life
Extra Life is an American charity benefiting children's hospitals across the continental United States. Their flagship charity event, "Game Day", began in 2008 and has occurred annually ever since. Starting in 2013 Draco has hosted a 24-hour fundraising marathon for Extra Life in an effort to raise money for Driscoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas. Draco says he chose this hospital because when his brother was very young they saved his life. To date, Draco and the Gatorbox community have raised over $13,000 for the hospital. Draco has also personally made additional donations of games, toys, and stuffed animals to the hospital.
Gatorbox's 2013 and 2014 marathons were hosted from the Extra Life event headquarters in Windcrest, Texas. Draco was a featured performer both years; in 2013 his speedrun of Cosmic Spacehead was showcased on the official Extra Life livestream and in 2014 he was a participant in some of Extra Life's live skits and comedy content. The event headquarters moved in 2015 and Draco has hosted the marathon from the regular Gatorbox set ever since. A marathon was planned but ultimately not held in 2017 due to Hurricane Harvey destroying the studio where the show was taped. The annual marathon resumed in 2018 with a record-setting turnout both in funds raised (at the time) and marathon length. Despite not holding a marathon in 2017 a few donations still came in out of tradition from fans and Draco contributed the ad revenue of the Extra Life videos on the channel for the previous year like he normally does.
Extra Life participants are permitted to do whatever they like for their Game Day fundraising events, Draco has elected to model Gatorbox's marathons similarly to popular speedrunning marathons such as Games Done Quick. Between 2013 and 2018 Draco hosted a 24-hour speedrunning marathon, however starting with 2019's broadcast the schedule was split into two 12-hour marathons in order to allow for better scheduling and a more restful break.
Occasionally, new world records are set in some of the games featured; in 2013 and 2014 new records were set for Super Off Road. In 2020 a new world record was set for Croc's World. In 2021 a de facto record was set for Crimson Room: Decade. A de facto record was also set for Monster Truck and the PS1 version of Revolution X in 2024.
Following the conclusion of the 2023 marathon Draco and the Gatorbox channel were awarded Extra Life's lifetime achievement award for surpassing $10,000 in total donations across all of the marathons.
Donation Incentives
Throughout the years that Gatorbox has broadcast an Extra Life marathon there have been numerous attempts to incentivize donations. The marathons hosted in 2013 and 2014 included basic "milestone" style incentives such as turning an "Any%" run of a specific game into a "100%" run. These incentives were eventually discontinued due to the issues they posed with scheduling. Milestone incentives were brought back as a one-off for 2019's marathon, though this time the incentive would be placed at the very end of the marathon to avoid scheduling issues and to offer as much time as possible for viewers to donate. The game in question, Twitch Sings, would only be added if the marathon's goal of $500 was met (which it was).
In 2015 the idea of performing a quick game "challenge" for every $50 raised was introduced and this proved to be a much easier incentive to incorporate into the show. Every time the marathon's total donation amount reached a multiple of $50 Draco would draw a random challenge from a box of community-submitted ideas and had 15 minutes to complete it. In 2022 the amount needed for a challenge was raised to $100 due to the continued growth and support of the marathon by the community.
Starting with the 2023 marathon Draco has arranged a drawing to offer a raffle prize for viewers who donate a certain amount during the course of the event (usually at least $10). Eligible donators are then dropped into a random number generator tool and the drawing is held. The prizes for previous marathons so far have been:
- 2023: Factory sealed & graded *NSYNC: Get to the Show autographed by Draco
- 2024: Factory sealed & graded Monster Jam: Showdown autographed by Reflex
Gimmick Speedruns
There are numerous games that are featured multiple times in Gatorbox's Extra Life marathons and some of them are included every year. In order to avoid these games becoming "stale" to viewers Draco occasionally mixes up their features to include fun gimmicks and keep them interesting. The first such gimmick was the "Cheeseburger Challenge" for M.C. Kids, introduced in 2016, where Draco would stop playing the game and eat an entire McDonald's cheeseburger for every death he took during the run.
Examples of these runs:
- Kirby's Adventure: Beaten with a non-standard controller (NES flight stick, Xbox 360 light gun).
- Super Off Road: Beaten with an Xbox 360 steering wheel controller.
- M.C. Kids: Draco eats something every time he dies (cheeseburgers, McNuggets, sometimes with hot sauce).
- Bible Buffet: The game's official Bible quiz book is used.
Featured Games
Below is a table showing every game that has been featured in a Gatorbox Extra Life marathon. Games noted with a "C" signify titles that were featured as a donation incentive challenge and not a full speedrun. An "X" denotes a run that was cancelled during the marathon due to technical difficulties or other unforeseen problems.
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 102 Dalmatians: Puppies to the Rescue |
GBC | C | |||||||||||
| 3D Body Adventure | PC | ||||||||||||
| 3D Dinosaur Adventure | PC | ||||||||||||
| 4-in-1 Fun Pak | GB | C | |||||||||||
| Action 52 | NES | C | |||||||||||
| Adventure | A2600 | C | |||||||||||
| Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle, The |
NES | C | |||||||||||
| Aladdin | SNES | C | |||||||||||
| Alice no Paint Adventure | SFC | C | |||||||||||
| Anticipation | NES | C | |||||||||||
| Arkista's Ring | NES | ||||||||||||
| Asmik-kun Land | FC | ||||||||||||
| Atlantis no Nazo | FC | C | |||||||||||
| Attack of the Labyrinth |
PC | ||||||||||||
| Back to the Future II & III |
NES | C | |||||||||||
| Backgammon | FDS | C | |||||||||||
| Backyard Football 2007 | GBA | C | |||||||||||
| Barbie Groovy Games | GBA | C | |||||||||||
| Barney's Hide & Seek | GEN | C | |||||||||||
| Bible Buffet | NES | ||||||||||||
| Bigfoot | NES | C | |||||||||||
| Biker Mice From Mars | SNES | ||||||||||||
| Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | SNES | C | |||||||||||
| Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon S | GG | ||||||||||||
| Blackjack | A2600 | C | C | ||||||||||
| Blast Corps | N64 | ||||||||||||
| Blue Sphere | GEN | C | |||||||||||
| Board Game Classics | GBA | C | |||||||||||
| B.O.B. | SNES | C | |||||||||||
| Boggle Plus | GB | C | |||||||||||
| Bubble Ghost | GB | C | |||||||||||
| Bubsy 3D: Bubsy Visits the James Turrell Retrospective |
PC | C | |||||||||||
| Cameltry | SFC | C | |||||||||||
| Centipede | A2600 | C | |||||||||||
| Chalvo 55 | GB | C | |||||||||||
| Checkers | A2600 | C | |||||||||||
| Chiki Chiki Boys | GEN | ||||||||||||
| Chip's Challenge | PC | C | |||||||||||
| Codename: Kids Next Door | GBA | C | |||||||||||
| Color A Dinosaur | NES | C | |||||||||||
| Contra | NES | C | |||||||||||
| Cool Spot | GEN | ||||||||||||
| Cosmic Spacehead | GEN | ||||||||||||
| Cotton 100% | SFC | C | |||||||||||
| Crash Bash | PS1 | C | |||||||||||
| CrazyCars 3D | PC | C | |||||||||||
| Crimson Room | FLA | ||||||||||||
| Crimson Room: Decade | PC | ||||||||||||
| Croc's World | NS | ||||||||||||
| Destruction Derby 64 | N64 | ||||||||||||
| Destruction Derby Arenas | PS2 | ||||||||||||
| Dian Shi Ma Li | FC | C | |||||||||||
| Dig Dug | FC | C | |||||||||||
| Digimon Racing | GBA | C | |||||||||||
| Dinosaurs For Hire | GEN | C | |||||||||||
| Donald Duck Advance | GBA | C | |||||||||||
| Donkey Kong Country | SNES | C | |||||||||||
| Doraemon: Nobita to Tsuki no Oukoku |
SFC | C | |||||||||||
| Doraemon: Nora no Suki no Yabou |
GG | C | |||||||||||
| Dordle | WEB | C | |||||||||||
| Dragon Tales: Dragon Adventures |
GBC | ||||||||||||
| Dragon Tales: Dragon Seek | PS1 | ||||||||||||
| Dragon's Lair | NES | C | |||||||||||
| Dragster | A2600 | C | |||||||||||
| Duck Tales 2 | NES | X | |||||||||||
| Duke Nukem Forever | PC | ||||||||||||
| Dynamite Headdy | GEN | ||||||||||||
| E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial | A2600 | C | |||||||||||
| Earthworm Jim 2 | GEN | ||||||||||||
| Ecstatica | PC | C | |||||||||||
| Extreme Forklifting 2 | PC | C | |||||||||||
| Extreme Sports w/ Berenstain Bears |
GBC | C | |||||||||||
| F-Zero Climax | GBA | C | |||||||||||
| Fantavision | PS2 | ||||||||||||
| Forgotten Ones, The | PC | ||||||||||||
| Freaky Factory | FLA | C | |||||||||||
| Ghosts N' Goblins | NES | C | |||||||||||
| Goma-chan no Yuuenchi Daibouken |
SNES |
C | |||||||||||
| Gon' E-Choo! | PC | X | |||||||||||
| Gone Home | PC | C | |||||||||||
| Goof Troop | SNES | C | |||||||||||
| Grimace's Birthday | GBC | ||||||||||||
| Hacker, The | FC | ||||||||||||
| Harm's Way | X360 | ||||||||||||
| Home Improvement | SNES | C | |||||||||||
| Hot Wheels World Race | C | ||||||||||||
| Ice Road Truckers | PC | C | C | C | C | ||||||||
| Innsmouth no Yakata | VB | ||||||||||||
| International Superstar Soccer 2000 |
GBA | C | |||||||||||
| Island Xtreme Stunts | GBA | C | |||||||||||
| J League '96 Dream Stadium | SFC | C | |||||||||||
| Jeopardy!: Teen Tournament | GB | C | |||||||||||
| Jungle Book, The | GEN | ||||||||||||
| Jurassic Park | GG | ||||||||||||
| Kamen Rider Black | FDS | C | |||||||||||
| Kendo Rage | SNES | C | |||||||||||
| Kidou Senshi Z Gundam: Hot Scramble |
FC | C | |||||||||||
| Kirby Super Star | SNES | ||||||||||||
| Kirby's Adventure | NES | ||||||||||||
| Kirby's Dream Land | GB | C | |||||||||||
| Krazy Kreatures | NES | C | |||||||||||
| Last Legion UX | N64 | C | |||||||||||
| Last Starfighter, The | NES | C | |||||||||||
| Legend of Zelda, The: A Link to the Past |
SNES | C | |||||||||||
| Lethal Weapon | NES | C | |||||||||||
| Lost World, The: Jurassic Park | GG | ||||||||||||
| M.C. Kids | NES | ||||||||||||
| Maniac Mansion | NES | C | C | C | |||||||||
| MANOS: The Hands of Fate | PC | ||||||||||||
| Mario Clash | VB | C | |||||||||||
| Mario Pinball Land | GBA | C | |||||||||||
| McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure |
GEN | ||||||||||||
| Mega Man 4 | NES | C | |||||||||||
| MegaRace | PC | ||||||||||||
| Mercury Hg | X360 | ||||||||||||
| Microsoft Entertainment Pack | GBC | C | |||||||||||
| Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers | SNES | C | |||||||||||
| Milon's Secret Castle | NES | C | |||||||||||
| Mini Putt | GB | C | |||||||||||
| Monster Truck Madness 64 | N64 | ||||||||||||
| Monster Truck Rally | NES | C | |||||||||||
| Monster Trucks Nitro | PC | ||||||||||||
| Mortal Kombat 4 | PS1 | C | |||||||||||
| My Little Pony: Dr. Discord's Conquest |
NES | ||||||||||||
| NanoQuest | PC | X | |||||||||||
| Nanosaur | PC | ||||||||||||
| Natsuki Crisis Battle | SNES | C | |||||||||||
| Nightmare Busters | SNES | C | |||||||||||
| Ninja Gaiden | NES | C | |||||||||||
| Nintendo World Championships 1990 |
NES | C | |||||||||||
| *NSYNC: Get to the Show | GBC | C | C | ||||||||||
| Othello World | GB | C | |||||||||||
| Pac-Man Championship Edition |
PC | ||||||||||||
| Pepsi Invaders | A2600 | C | |||||||||||
| Perfect Bowling | FC | C | |||||||||||
| Pokémon Blue | GB | C | C | ||||||||||
| Pokémon Fire Red | GBA | C | |||||||||||
| Power Piggs of the Dark Age | SNES | C | |||||||||||
| Project S-11 | GBC | C | |||||||||||
| Puggsy | GEN | ||||||||||||
| Ray Thunder | GB | C | |||||||||||
| River Raid | A2600 | C | |||||||||||
| Robot Wars: Extreme Destruction |
GBA | C | |||||||||||
| Rockman X3 | GEN | C | |||||||||||
| Ronald in the Magical World | GG | ||||||||||||
| Rugrats: Search for Reptar | PS1 | ||||||||||||
| Running Battle | MS | C | |||||||||||
| Sailor Moon S: Kurukkurin | SFC | C | |||||||||||
| Shadow Squadron | 32X | C | |||||||||||
| Shamu's Deep Sea Adventures | GBA | C | |||||||||||
| Shao-lin's Road | ARC | ||||||||||||
| Shovel Knight | PC | ||||||||||||
| Sky Blazer | SNES | C | |||||||||||
| Snow White in Happily Ever After |
SNES | C | |||||||||||
| Sonic Jam | GCOM | ||||||||||||
| Sonic Pinball Party | GBA | C | |||||||||||
| Sonic Pocket Adventure | NGPC | ||||||||||||
| Sonic Spinball | GG | C | |||||||||||
| Sonic the Hedgehog: Genesis | GBA | C | |||||||||||
| Sonic the Hedgehog | GEN | C | |||||||||||
| Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | GEN | C | |||||||||||
| Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | GEN | C | |||||||||||
| Sonic 3 & Knuckles | GEN | ||||||||||||
| Sonic Blast | GG | C | |||||||||||
| Spot: The Cool Adventure | GB | ||||||||||||
| Spot Goes to Hollywood | GEN | X | |||||||||||
| Spyro the Dragon | PS1 | C | C | ||||||||||
| Star Fox | SNES | ||||||||||||
| Star Fox 64 | N64 | ||||||||||||
| Sunset Riders | SNES | C | |||||||||||
| Super Bowling | N64 | C | |||||||||||
| Super Mario Bros. | NES | C | C | C | C | C | |||||||
| Super Mario Bros. 2 | NES | ||||||||||||
| Super Mario Bros. 3 | NES | C | C | ||||||||||
| Super Mario Bros. 35 | NS | ||||||||||||
| Super Mario 64 | N64 | C | |||||||||||
| Super Mario Kart | SNES | C | |||||||||||
| Super Mario Land | GB | ||||||||||||
| Super Mario Maker | WIIU | ||||||||||||
| Super Mario Maker 2 | NS | ||||||||||||
| Super Mario World | SNES | C | |||||||||||
| Super Mario World 64 | GEN | ||||||||||||
| Super Nova | SNES | C | |||||||||||
| Super Off Road | SNES | ||||||||||||
| Suzuki Alstare EX Racing | GBC | C | |||||||||||
| Taboo: The Sixth Sense | NES | C | |||||||||||
| Tail 'Gator | GB | ||||||||||||
| Taz-Mania | GG | C | C | ||||||||||
| Terminator, The | NES | C | |||||||||||
| Tetris | NES | C | |||||||||||
| Tetris & Dr. Mario | SNES | C | |||||||||||
| Texas Trivia | TT | C | |||||||||||
| Thunder Alley | GBA | C | |||||||||||
| Toobin' | NES | C | |||||||||||
| Trick Trap 1771 | ARC | ||||||||||||
| Twisted Edge Snowboarding | N64 | C | |||||||||||
| Twisted Metal III | PS1 | ||||||||||||
| Twisted Metal 4 | PS1 | ||||||||||||
| Twitch Sings | PC | ||||||||||||
| Ultimate Brain Games | GBA | C | C | ||||||||||
| Ultimate Puzzle Games | GBA | C | |||||||||||
| Urban Yeti! | GBA | C | |||||||||||
| Tyrian 2000 | PC | ||||||||||||
| Vectorman | GEN | ||||||||||||
| Video Checkers | A2600 | C | |||||||||||
| Video Chess | A2600 | C | |||||||||||
| Vigilante 8: 2nd Offense | PS1 | X | |||||||||||
| Virtua Racing Deluxe | 32X | ||||||||||||
| Virtual League Baseball | VB | C | |||||||||||
| Wacky Races | NES | ||||||||||||
| Wayne Gretzky's 3D Hockey 64 | N64 | C | |||||||||||
| Where's Waldo? | NES | C | |||||||||||
| Wonderful End of the World, The |
PC | ||||||||||||
| Xena: Warrior Princess | N64 | C | |||||||||||
| Yoshi's Story | N64 | ||||||||||||
| Yukkuri no Meikyu | X360 | ||||||||||||
| Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel | SNES | C | |||||||||||
| Zoop | GEN | C |
* 2017's Extra Life marathon was cancelled due to Hurricane Harvey.
Trivia
- Total games featured: 218
- Most money raised in one marathon: $2,646 (2022)
- Most games in one marathon: 57 (2020)
- Most challenges in one marathon: 35 (2021)
- Most featured game: M.C. Kids, Super Off Road (10)