Speedrunning

At its core, speedrunning involves finishing a game in the shortest possible time, but the practice is subdivided into distinct categories that define what counts as a completion. The most common is Any%, where the goal is simply to reach the end credits by any means necessary, often exploiting glitches or sequence breaks. Other major categories include 100%, requiring full completion of all objectives, and Low%, which imposes a minimum of item or power-up acquisitions. ¹

Time is measured either through real-time or in-game time, with the choice often depending on the game's internal timer and whether load times are consistent. Runs are frequently performed on the original hardware or via emulators, and communities typically establish a leaderboard that verifies submissions through video evidence. This formalized structure has been crucial in making speedrunning a legitimate and respected discipline within gaming.

Successful speedruns demand an extraordinary level of skill, combining precise input execution with deep knowledge of a game's mechanics and underlying code. Core techniques include sequence breaking, where players bypass intended obstacles to reach areas early, and glitch exploitation, using collisions, memory manipulation, or other quirks to skip large portions of the game.

Beyond technical exploits, speedrunners also rely on optimal routes that map out the fastest path through a game, considering enemy placements, item collection, and room transitions. Perfecting movement, such as maintaining momentum or performing frame-perfect jumps, is often crucial. Modern speedrunning heavily utilizes tool-assisted speedruns (TAS), which use emulators to craft theoretically perfect runs, and these TAS discoveries frequently trickle down to inform humanly-possible strategies. ²

The speedrunning community is highly organized and global, with its cultural centerpiece being the Games Done Quick (GDQ) marathons, which have raised millions for charities like Doctors Without Borders and the Prevent Cancer Foundation since 2011. ³ These events showcase world-class runs with live commentary, serving as both a competitive arena and a celebration of gaming history.

Independent of large-scale events, communities coalesce on platforms like Twitch and Discord, with dedicated websites such as Speedrun.com serving as the de facto hub for leaderboards and resources. The importance of shared knowledge cannot be overstated; runners often spend hundreds of hours discovering and refining strategies, which are then documented in detailed forums and guides. This collaborative spirit is a defining feature, as the goal is as much about advancing the collective understanding of a game as it is about individual glory.

Beyond the headline categories, the speedrunning world is filled with niche and often overlooked disciplines. Racing, for instance, pits runners against each other in real-time to see who can finish first, adding a competitive layer distinct from personal bests. Relay races, where players take turns on the same game, are a staple of community events. There is also the obscure practice of "Unofficial" or "Challenge" runs, such as finishing a game blindfolded or without using your hands, which test extreme memorization and input control.

The history of speedrunning predates modern streaming; early documented runs appeared in the 1990s on bulletin board systems and early internet hosts, with the famous Doom and Quake communities laying early groundwork. Even more surprising is the field of computer chess speedrun analogies, where players attempt to reach checkmate in the fewest moves, demonstrating that the logic of optimization extends beyond action games. Furthermore, the "acetone" trick, involving cooling a console to remove lag, has been used experimentally in competitive speedruns, showing the lengths to which runners will go to shave off seconds. ⁴

Any%

A speedrun category where the sole objective is to complete the game as quickly as possible, with no restrictions on item or power-up collection.

Low%

A speedrun category that requires the player to finish the game while collecting the minimum possible number of items or upgrades.

TAS

Tool-Assisted Speedrun; a speedrun created using emulator features like savestates and frame advance to achieve theoretically perfect play, often guiding human strategies.

Sequence break

A technique where a player bypasses intended progression to reach a later part of the game earlier than normally possible.

Games Done Quick (GDQ)

A series of charity speedrunning marathons, often featuring blindfolded runs and world-record attempts, that have raised over 50 million dollars for humanitarian causes.