10 Best Games To Speedrun That You Should Know Update 04/2024

best games to speedrun

Is there a better way to show off to my gaming friends than to finish one of their favourite games in record time? There is almost always at least one recorded speed run in every game, whether it is a complex RPG, a frame-perfect platformer, or a RNG-based rouge-lite.

But which are the easiest for new people to get into at the start of the game? They say people should start with a game they already like, but running through the same thing over and over again is bound to get old. These titles, on the other hand, should be good places to start for people who want to get into speedrunning or just want to impress their friends.

The King’s Bird

The King's Bird

This platform game from Serenity Forge may not be on the minds of many people, but it is still a great choice for speedrunning. In this side-scrolling game, the moves are smooth and the controls are easy to use, which makes it feel like a less violent version of Sonic.

Players will run, fly, and glide through a variety of lush, silhouetted places. They will use a dash move as their main weapon and mode of transportation. The King’s Bird doesn’t have many hazards or baddies, making it a good choice for a speedrun at first. Instead, the game emphasises speed, momentum, and precision as the best way to get through each area. This thrilling ride is getting more and more difficult, but it has a lot of quick tries so you can learn from your mistakes.

Streets Of Rage

If you’re new to speedrunning, Streets of Rage is a good game to start with because it is short and easy to play. The game isn’t easy, but it’s more forgiving than other games in the series. It also has a limited set of moves that are easy to learn.

Even though its recent sequel has given it a run for its money, this 1991 game is still one of the most well-known beat-’em-ups.

Undertale

Undertale

This role-player has a lot of depth, but it’s also very simple in terms of both art and gameplay. The game has a retro turn-based fighting style like EarthBound and old Dragon Quest, but the game’s developer, Toby Fox, comes up with new ideas like timing-based combat and unconventional mechanics.

While the main campaign can last about seven hours, some speedrunners have completed this colourful journey in less than an hour, making this game even more fun to play. Since its release in 2015, Undertale has quickly become a favourite of gamers because of its unique style and crazy battle system.

Super Mario Odyssey

People who are “completionists” know that this big Mario game isn’t small. It has a lot of dense places to go through and a lot of Power Moons to get. Mario games that were in 3D before this one are a lot easier to get through the core campaign than the games that came before them.

It’s easy for players to finish the game in just a few hours or less thanks to powerful powerups, shortcuts, and the ability to buy a lot of Power Moons. It also helps that the open worlds make it easy for players to hit a lot of Moons at once, cutting down on loading screens and navigating the world. Collectibles can be found by people who know where to look. They’ll be able to play through the game a lot faster. People love this game because of these things.

Donkey Kong Country

Donkey Kong Country 3

If you play the Donkey Kong Country games made by Rare and Retro, simple, beginner-friendly speedrunning isn’t going to work. Yet, when it comes to the game that started it all, it’s a very different story. Also, there are a lot of barrels and other secret things that can help you move faster.

If you’re new to speedrunning, Donkey Kong Country is a good choice. It has solid mechanics, few collectibles (yes, this was Rare in the early days), and a smooth flow and pace to the game.

Super Mario Maker 2

This game looks like it’s for kids at first, but it’s just as hard as any other Mario game. It doesn’t matter if you want to become a speedrunner. You just need to learn some of the basics of each game mode instead of some of the more complicated glitches that are found in speedruns for other games. Guides for people who want to speedrun the story mode are even out there.

Taking records on a custom level is where some of the fun really starts. PangeaPanga and LilKirbs fight over world records all the time. A simple click makes it easy to show off the speedruns that you’ve done.

Limbo

Limbo

Limbo is an indie game that was a big hit back in 2010. It’s a dark, trippy game that will test your puzzle-solving skills as well as your platforming skills. During the first run, it only takes two or three hours to get through this great platformer. Even amateur speedrunners can finish this game in less than an hour.

Limbo is available on Steam for a few dollars and can run on even the most basic PCs. It’s easy to get started and easy to figure out how to improve your runs. It shouldn’t take long to learn how to do this and post a good time.

Portal

If you’re good at puzzle-solving, you can finish Valve’s beautiful puzzler/shooter in a couple of hours. But did you ever think it could be done in just under seven minutes?

This record is held by CantEven, who lives in Ohio and has a lead of just over a second over the next person.

To get the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device, CantEven had to break the game from the start. He had to clip out-of-bounds to get the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device (AKA: Portal Gun). As a next step, they used its main portal-shooting feature from outside the game’s borders to skip every level.

Super Meat Boy

Super Meat Boy

For speedrunning, platform games have always been popular.

For some reason, the timer on Super Mario’s levels is there for a reason.

If you think you’re good at platforming, you might want to try to break Matte’s record for finishing Super Meat Boy in 00:17:27.

There are a lot of levels, and you’ll have to go through them all again until your fingers are able to figure out the best way through each one with your eyes closed.

Instead, you could try to break Matte’s record of 01:10:16 for making 106 percent progress in the game.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a lot of fun because you have to try to clear the courses faster every time you play.

It makes sense to try to speedrun the whole thing.

To set a new record, Kusaan from Japan has driven his 150cc car through all 48 tracks of the game’s 12 cups in less than two hours.

If you play Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the Switch, you’re going to have a lot of competition. But for a speedrunner, nothing is more exciting than a little competition.