Speedrunning has always been on my gamer mind. I remember wondering as a kid how fast one could possibly beat Sonic 2. Jump to today and speedrunning has its own section under the broad umbrella of gaming culture, thanks a lot to the efforts of those behind Games Done Quick. Now anyone has the resources they need to start speedrunning any game they like.
Every game has its own community of speedrunners creating content to help new runners and they all have their own discord chats to talk about techniques and strategies. Every year, they earn higher sums in donations for charity all from putting on events that showcase these great gamers and games. Gamers raise money for charity by loving a game so much that they want to find the most efficient way to beat it. That’s beautiful.
Speedrunning is such a thing now that I bet every gamer has thought about it at some point. Whether they’re thinking of speedrunning their favorite games or just watching people destroy those games in like an hour. There are even people who don’t speedrun but they go glitch-hunting so they can help the speedrunners out. Speedrunning is fundamental to gaming culture at this point. Which is kind of weird right? People don’t watch movies on fast-forward. Well, some do and I assume they’re insane.
You should try speedrunning, Tidus agrees
What’s the appeal of finishing a game quickly? It’s because games require skill and with skill comes competition. When I’ve had to conjure the dormant rage within my heart to beat some stupidly hard game, it’s not only inspiring but refreshing to watch someone else smash through it in no time at all. These people are some of the best gamers in the world but speedrunning is not limited to their domain. There are benefits to speedrunning for every gamer. Though not everyone will be a world record holder, I still think every gamer should dabble in speedrunning.
My Speedrun Journey So Far
In the last year or two, I’ve been dipping my toe a bit into speedrunning. I haven’t shared anything yet, I don’t really feel a need to. The reason I’ve been speedrunning is more because these are games that I get insane cravings to play through every few months. I want to know how to beat them quickly so I can overcome those cravings and get on with my life. These games are, of course, Final Fantasy X and Jak and Daxter. Two of the best games to ever exist. I’m not biased because they happened to be released during my formative years, who told you that?
There are plenty of games I tend to replay from this era: the Metal Gear Solid games, the PSX Final Fantasys, all the Resident Evils, etc. But none give me cravings as palpable as Jak and FFX. Rehab centers should keep demo discs next to the methadone.
Jak’s electric about you trying speedrunning
I started with FFX because there’s no way I can get bored of a single moment in that game. The Besaid Island music will be playing during my funeral. I got my time to around four hours with the cutscene remover on. I would’ve kept going but a new skip was discovered that lets you bypass all of Mushroom Rock Road – the least interesting part of the game – and I never got around to learning it. That’s when I jumped over to Jak and Daxter which I still try to get a run in every week. My best time is around two hours but that’s with using save states on the harder bits like a cheater. I still consider myself practicing so it’s cool.
So Why Do I Do This?
Before I started practicing speedruns, I thought they might ruin the magic of these games. The connection I feel to them is based mostly on the nostalgia I feel for them. So if I were to over-play them, wouldn’t that kill the spark? Only after actually learning the runs, did I realize how bad of an argument that was. Whatever connection I had to these games before is only heightened now.
You get to learn little nuances that you never knew were there. Like how if you spin in the air with Jak, he loses all his forward momentum but if you do a punching uppercut as he’s walking off of a ledge, the momentum carries on giving you a super jump boost. An entire mechanic that I just never knew about that opens the game up so much more than it already is.
It also maintains the vigor you have for each section of the game. After playing through it a thousand times, I used to just shut my brain off when I played it. “Oh yeah, this level again, go collect the stuff”. But when speedrunning, I’m thinking the whole time. Can I make this jump better? Is this route faster? It doesn’t dull your interest in the game, it sharpens it.
You also get to see what games look like when you’re out of bounds
Reinvigorated Stakes
With FFX it’s different again because it’s more about memorization. Every item you get is important in some way, so you have to remember where they are and where to get them. You need to remember the precise order of attacks for each boss or else they’ll demolish you. And if you don’t get the drops you need for the run you’re going for, you need to think of how to course correct on the fly. After playing through these games so many times, it’s easy to grow the feeling that your actions don’t matter. You know what you’re doing, just go through the motions until the credits roll. When you speedrun, your actions matter once again.
You can actually lose in a speedrun. Not just by falling short on the time you want, but by missing something vital that invalidates the run. There are stakes again, similar to the ones I felt when I first played these games. Only through speedrunning was I able to find a form of nostalgia closer to the original feeling. Playing through casually over and over can dull your connection to a game simply by stripping it of any challenge. Speedrunning keeps that connection alive by keeping the challenge alive.
Actual photo of me pulling you into trying speedrunning
The Skills Are Transferable
Most skills acquired in video games are transferable. It’s obvious in games of the same genre but also in games of similar genres. Like fast-paced shooters, souls-likes, and fighting games. The common link is reaction time, the better you get at reacting to your opponents, the better you’ll be at any game within these genres. Similarly, the skills you gain while speedrunning translate to all other games, especially if you’re looking to speedrun multiple titles. A lot of the runners in GDQ run multiple games. They upload videos of them learning to speedrun a completely new game from scratch all the time.
To speedrun a game, you have to boil it down to its core mechanics and then get so good at them that they become second nature. And a lot of these core mechanics are in most games. Like movement for example. Every game has you moving some character around, and it’s easy to take for granted. Running Jak has made me so much more engaged with how to move through the world. Where I used to just run everywhere and only really think about jumping when I reach a platforming section, now I’m constantly thinking, “Would it be quicker to use a punch or a roll jump here?”
This guy’s wondering when you’re gonna try speedrunning
You Can’t Just Shut Your Brain Off
Speedrunning encourages you to give the games you love the attention they deserve. I know a lot of people just play games to relax, I’m one of them. I’ve grown a bit too used to treating gaming as a secondary thing while I watch videos. Which I don’t like very much. It’s relaxing, sure. But it doesn’t help you become a better gamer. You can learn how to strum a few chords on guitar and it’ll be enough to play a lot of songs out there, but is that all you would want out of learning guitar? If you wanna learn the licks and the solos and all the fun stuff, you gotta pay attention and challenge yourself.
Speedrunning is the ultimate challenge of any game. Sure, some games can be glitched and cheesed for a quick credit roll. I’m less of a fan of those runs. But speedrunning is the true test to see how far you’re willing to push yourself as a gamer. It’s worth it to try and exceed your expectations. To grow a deeper understanding of not only your favorite games but gaming as a whole. Most games are designed to be approachable by anyone. Veteran gamers and newbies alike. Speedrunning is a way to unlock the level above all intended difficulty ratings.
Even the super happy precursor guy wants you to try speedrunning
A Great Opportunity
Speedrunners are in a class of their own and they got there by proper practice. Not just by playing. That may sound daunting to people who have an aversion to practice but they should see this as an opportunity. Games are the easiest thing in the world to practice. They’re made specifically to be fun. They don’t stop being fun as you get better at them, it’s actually the opposite. If you practice getting better at games, maybe it will be easier to practice other things in your life. But, of course, there’s no correct way to play games. Play what you want to play in however way you feel like playing. But if you want to step it up, give speedrunning a go.
