If you want to take your video games to the next level, speed racing is a great way to do it. The hobby is what it sounds like; The idea is to complete a game as fast as possible.
Even if you don't want to try speedrunning, you can watch other people's speedruns. Not only will you enjoy the experience, but you'll also learn essential tips from the best sprinters in the world. We've selected seven of the best speedruns for you to check out.
Before you start, you should know a little about speedrunning and its jargon so you don't feel lost while watching these races.
For more information, including the history of the craft, check out our full overview of speedrunning culture. Speedrunning Culture:The Future of the Single Player Game. A certain level or stage in a game, or the entire game itself, as quickly as possible. Read more.
As mentioned above, the goal of a speedrun is to complete a game as quickly as possible. What this implies depends on the category of execution. The two most common are Some% and 100% :
There are other categories for specific games. For example, there could be an All Levels category similar to Any%, but you must beat all levels. These can drastically change the course of a race, so keep an eye out for them.
During the videos below you will hear some terms around. These include:
See the SpeedRunsLive glossary for more terms.
Speedrunning has grown from a niche community to one with many participants and fans. The most famous speedrunning event happens twice a year, with Awesome Games Made Quick (AGDQ) in the winter and Summer Games Done Quick (SGDQ) during the summer.
Each of these events is a 24-hour marathon of speed racing to raise money for charity. While you'll rarely see world records set at a GDQ event, we've chosen to link to GDQ racing here. That's because they usually contain great feedback, either from the runner or the other sprinters on the couch behind them.
You will notice that hosts read donations during downtime in games, which is normal. If any of these races hit you, check out their dedicated communities to hit the ground running.
We start with a great versatile speedrun. Super Monkey Ball is a platform game where you guide a monkey in a ball to the end of a dangerous stage by tilting your controller. It's a great speedrun game thanks to its low RNG.
It's also a great first race to watch. Monkey Ball is fast and the strategies to clear some of the levels in just seconds are amazing. Geoff is personable and offers interesting commentary throughout, so there is little dead air.
Shovel Knight is a retro style 2D platformer built with modern conventions. It's one of the best Kickstarter success stories, a top-tier platformer. Top 20 Platform Games Of All Time Top 20 Platform Games Of All Time With thousands of video games, where do you start when you want to play your best? Here's our ultimate guide to the top 20 platformers of all time. Read More
What makes this run special is that the developers of Shovel Knight connect via Skype to comment on the run. Listening to their reactions to the racer's tricks is a joy, and they also provide behind-the-scenes feedback.
It's also relatively glitch-free, so if you enjoy more skill-based racing, this is one to check out.
The newest game represented here, Cuphead, is a run-and-gun boss race inspired by 1930s animation. Using a glitch in an earlier version of the game, you can defeat bosses much faster than intended. , which makes for an interesting speedrun.
The standout of this is TheMexicanRunner itself. He's full of energy throughout the run, even providing goofy voices for some of the dialogue. It's great to see a runner so comfortable in front of a crowd.
Are sprints too long for you? Check out this one from the classic skateboarding series 5 Of The Best Skateboarding Games Ever Made 5 Of The Best Skateboarding Games Ever Made Skateboarding games are truly amazing. These five, despite their age, are some of the best out there. Grab a controller and start shredding! Read more . George completes all the objectives in the game's main mode, as well as winning gold medals in all competitions, in under nine minutes. A new player would probably take longer to complete the first level!
It's amazing to see the optimization of movements from him, and this run even set a world record at the time.
Ocarina of Time is one of the most loved games of all time, and it is also a popular speedrun game with various categories. If you are a fan of Zelda The Ultimate Guide to All Games in the Legend of Zelda Series The Ultimate Guide to All Games in the Legend of Zelda Series The Legend of Zelda series is one of the most successful franchises in gaming. Join us in taking a survey of all the mainline games to find out what makes them so special. Read More
While the world record time has dropped significantly since this run was recorded, this is a watch not to be missed thanks to Cosmo's commentary. Cosmo is arguably one of the best sprinters to grace the scene, and he started sprinting around the time many of Ocarina of Time's major gimmicks were discovered.
So this run is steeped in the history of Ocarina of Time's speedrun development, which makes it fascinating to hear how much this game has evolved over the years. Anyone interested in speedrunning culture should check this out.
Super Mario 64 was a revolutionary title that paved the way for 3D game design as we know it today. Its open nature with the multiple stars in each level makes it ideal for optimizing routes, so it's no wonder it's popular for speedruns.
Along with Cosmo, Siglemic is one of the most prolific sprinters of all time. He introduced many people to speedrunning, though he has since retired from the scene. His 120 star (100%) run here is astounding, with his movement so precise you'd swear he was a TAS at times.
Because of his style, he doesn't get much feedback, so we don't recommend him for his first speedrun. But it does show how an expert can optimize a game to extreme levels, and it's incredibly entertaining.
Punch out!! is a classic Nintendo franchise where you control the losing boxer Little Mac as he battles a series of fierce opponents on his way to becoming the champion. Rather than a boxing game, it also has some puzzle elements as you learn the weak points of each fighter.
Looking at the title of this video, you might think that it contains two races in a row. But you would be wrong. This race actually has Zallard playing both games at the same time using a modded custom controller.
If normal speedruns don't excite you, this one will. Zallard has to juggle two games that share tickets at the same time as he tries to eliminate them as quickly as possible. Coupled with solid feedback from the couch, this is one wild ride.
Cousin: If you like this race, check out Sinister1's blindfolded race from Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!
Speedrunning is certainly not for everyone. But even if you don't want to run fast, you can still get a lot out of watching these races (and many more).
Whether you're having fun seeing what the best players in the world are capable of, watching your favorite childhood games get utterly destroyed, or learning strategies to improve your own game, sprint racing is awesome. We'd love to hear about your favorites below.
Have you decided you're not interested in speedruns? Why not check out the best video game music for studying The 20 best video game soundtracks for studying or relaxing The 20 best video game soundtracks for studying or relaxing Video game music is designed to promote focus with pleasant soundtracks. background. If you need some music to study or relax, look no further. Read more instead?
