Speedrunning has grown from a niche pastime into a widespread gaming subculture, with communities forming around the goal of completing video games as quickly as possible. Speedrunners meticulously optimize their strategies, exploiting glitches, mastering mechanics, and often collaborating to discover new routes. Below are some of the most popular games with thriving speedrunning communities today, each boasting dedicated runners, active forums, and regular events.
1. Super Mario 64
Nintendo’s classic platformer, Super Mario 64, is one of the most iconic games in speedrunning history. Released in 1996, its precise platforming and open-world design allow for a variety of categories, such as “16-star,” “70-star,” and “120-star” runs, each defining how much of the game must be completed. The game’s mechanics, like precise jumps, backward long jumps, and glitch exploitation, provide endless opportunities for runners to push the boundaries of what is possible. The Super Mario 64 speedrunning community has continued to thrive thanks to consistent innovation and an ongoing rivalry among top runners for world records.
2. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Another Nintendo 64 staple, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, is renowned for its complex mechanics and various glitches, which have kept speedrunners captivated for years. One of the most famous categories is “Any%”—which allows players to finish Nhà cái cwin the game with minimal completion—where runners manipulate game data to achieve game-breaking glitches, such as skipping large portions of the game or warping to the final boss. Other categories, like “100% completion” or “glitchless,” offer different challenges for runners. The game’s intricate strategies, combined with its nostalgic appeal, have ensured its popularity in the speedrunning world for decades.
3. Minecraft
Minecraft offers a unique environment for speedrunning due to its procedural generation, meaning every run can present a new challenge. The most popular categories include “Any%” runs, where players aim to defeat the Ender Dragon as fast as possible. Minecraft speedrunners must adapt to different world seeds and rely heavily on RNG (random number generation), making each run unpredictable and adding an extra layer of excitement. The game’s accessibility and continuous updates have contributed to its robust speedrunning community, with active participation in speedrun.com and regular competitions.
4. Celeste
An indie darling, Celeste has quickly become one of the most beloved games in the speedrunning scene. The platformer’s tight, responsive controls and challenging level design make it a perfect candidate for optimization and quick execution. The game’s community focuses on various categories, including “Any%” and “100%,” where runners must master not only the main game but also hidden rooms, secret strawberries, and extra challenges. Celeste’s inclusive and welcoming community, combined with its fast-paced gameplay, has solidified its place as a modern speedrunning classic.
5. Dark Souls Series
The Dark Souls series, known for its punishing difficulty, has a dedicated speedrunning community that thrives on completing these notoriously challenging games as quickly as possible. Categories like “Any%” and “All Bosses” are popular among runners, who use glitches like “zip” or “wrong warp” to bypass difficult sections. The games’ unforgiving mechanics demand perfection, making speedruns both thrilling and incredibly rewarding for viewers and players alike. With new strategies still being developed, Dark Souls speedrunning remains a dynamic and exciting subculture.
6. Doom (1993)
As one of the oldest speedrunning games, Doom continues to attract runners even decades after its release. The fast-paced first-person shooter is well-known for its use of glitches, strafe-running mechanics, and intricate level design. Doom speedrunners often tackle categories like “Ultra-Violence” (the hardest difficulty), adding to the challenge. New techniques are still being discovered, and competitions between runners are as fierce as ever, showcasing how timeless the game’s appeal is within the community.
7. Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight, a beautifully designed Metroidvania game, has a rapidly growing speedrunning community. Players attempt to finish the game using various categories, from “Any%” to “100%” and more specific ones like “Low%,” where runners aim to collect as few items as possible. The game’s non-linear design offers multiple routes and strategies, and its complex combat system rewards skillful execution. Hollow Knight speedrunners continuously find new ways to shave time off their runs, ensuring the game’s ongoing popularity.
Conclusion
Speedrunning continues to grow, with communities forming around games both old and new. These games, from classic titles like Super Mario 64 and Doom to indie hits like Celeste and Hollow Knight, have cultivated passionate groups of players. With frequent updates, evolving strategies, and events like Games Done Quick bringing the scene to a global audience, the speedrunning community is more vibrant than ever. Each of these games offers unique challenges, and their active communities ensure that speedrunning will remain a thriving subculture in the gaming world for years to come.
