Embark on a high-speed journey through the world of gaming with our selection of the top 10 speedrunning games. Speedrunning has become a popular pastime among gamers, challenging players to complete games as quickly as possible using various strategies, glitches, and optimizations. Whether you’re a seasoned speedrunner or a newcomer to the scene, these games offer thrilling experiences and endless opportunities for mastery. Join us as we explore the best of the best in speedrunning, where every second counts and precision is key.
Super Mario 64
Super Mario 64, released in 1996 for the Nintendo 64, is a classic platformer that has become a staple in the speedrunning community. With its open-ended level design and multitude of glitches and tricks, Super Mario 64 offers speedrunners a wide variety of routes and strategies to explore. From the iconic ‘BLJ’ (Backwards Long Jump) to the elusive ‘MIPS clip,’ speedrunners continue to discover new ways to shave seconds off their time and push the limits of what’s possible in this beloved game.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, released in 1998 for the Nintendo 64, is another iconic game that has captured the imagination of speedrunners around the world. With its expansive world, intricate dungeons, and complex glitches, Ocarina of Time offers a rich tapestry of challenges for speedrunners to conquer. From the infamous ‘Door of Time skip’ to the precise execution of ‘Ocarina Items’, speedrunners must master a wide array of techniques to achieve their fastest times in this legendary game.
Super Metroid
Super Metroid, released in 1994 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), is a classic action-adventure game that has become a favorite among speedrunners for its tight controls, non-linear level design, and sequence-breaking potential. With its abundance of glitches and tricks, Super Metroid offers speedrunners countless opportunities to exploit the game’s mechanics and complete it in record time. From the iconic ‘mockball’ to the game-breaking ‘X-ray climb,’ speedrunners must utilize every tool at their disposal to achieve the fastest possible completion.
Dark Souls
Dark Souls, released in 2011 for various platforms, is a challenging action RPG known for its punishing difficulty and intricate level design. Despite its reputation for being a tough game, Dark Souls has attracted a dedicated community of speedrunners who strive to complete the game in the shortest time possible. With its tight combat mechanics and intricate level layouts, Dark Souls offers speedrunners a unique blend of precision, strategy, and execution as they navigate its treacherous world and face off against its formidable bosses.
Celeste
Celeste, released in 2018 for various platforms, is a critically acclaimed platformer known for its challenging gameplay, tight controls, and heartfelt story. While not as glitch-heavy as some other speedrunning games, Celeste offers speedrunners a different kind of challenge, focusing on precise platforming, advanced techniques, and efficient routing. With its wide variety of levels, collectibles, and challenges, Celeste offers speedrunners endless opportunities for optimization and mastery as they strive to achieve the fastest times possible.
Portal
Portal, released in 2007 as part of The Orange Box compilation, is a groundbreaking puzzle game known for its innovative mechanics and mind-bending puzzles. Despite its relatively short length, Portal has become a popular choice for speedrunners due to its intricate level design and abundance of glitches and exploits. From the iconic ‘save glitch’ to the precise execution of ‘portal bumps,’ speedrunners must utilize every trick in the book to navigate the game’s obstacles and complete it in record time.
Doom
Doom, released in 1993 for various platforms, is a seminal first-person shooter that has left an indelible mark on the gaming industry. With its fast-paced gameplay, labyrinthine levels, and hordes of enemies, Doom offers speedrunners a thrilling challenge as they race through its levels and annihilate demons with speed and precision. From the iconic ‘rocket jumps’ to the precise execution of ‘strafe-running,’ speedrunners must master a wide array of techniques to achieve the fastest times in this legendary game.
Bloodborne
Bloodborne, released in 2015 exclusively for the PlayStation 4, is an action RPG known for its punishing difficulty, gothic atmosphere, and intricate level design. Despite its challenging nature, Bloodborne has attracted a dedicated community of speedrunners who seek to conquer its dark and twisted world in the shortest time possible. With its fast-paced combat, intricate boss fights, and sprawling environments, Bloodborne offers speedrunners a thrilling challenge as they navigate its treacherous world and face off against its nightmarish creatures.
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime, released in 2002 for the Nintendo GameCube, is a critically acclaimed first-person adventure game that has become a favorite among speedrunners for its immersive world, intricate level design, and sequence-breaking potential. With its tight controls, expansive environments, and abundance of glitches and exploits, Metroid Prime offers speedrunners a wide variety of strategies to explore as they navigate its alien landscapes and uncover its secrets. From the iconic ‘space jump first’ to the precise execution of ‘L-jumps’ speedrunners must utilize every tool at their disposal to achieve the fastest possible completion.
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog, released in 1991 for the Sega Genesis, is a classic platformer known for its blazing speed and iconic blue protagonist. With its tight controls, colorful environments, and adrenaline-pumping gameplay, Sonic the Hedgehog offers speedrunners a thrilling challenge as they race through its levels and collect rings with lightning-fast precision. From the iconic ‘spin dash’ to the precise execution of ‘Sonic jumps’, speedrunners must master a wide array of techniques to achieve the fastest times in this beloved game.