Any% speedrunning – completing games as quickly as possible using any means necessary. It represents gaming skill and creativity pushed to the very edge. I‘ve been hooked on speedrunning for years, and any% runs blow my mind every time with their unrestricted insanity. Let‘s dive deep on the origins of any% runs, their growth into a spectator sport, and what makes them such athrilling category.
The Wild West Days of Speedrunning
Speedrunning originated all the way back in the 1970s. The first known speedrun game was Drag Race by Kee Games in 1977 for the Atari 2600. This simple drag racing title challenged players to finish a race as fast as possible. Activision‘s Dragster in 1980 took this concept further with a sense of competitive leaderboards.
But the organized speedrun community we know today started taking shape in the 1990s. The launch of Nightmare Speed Demos by Nolan Pflug in 1996 was a landmark moment. This site provided a central place to share speedruns and times for Quake. Soon sites like Speed Demos Archive and SpeedRunsLive emerged as hubs for the speedrunning community.
According to veteran speedrunner Deckard Cain, "Those early sites brought together runners from around the world. We went from isolated pockets of players to a connected community virtually overnight." This kicked off rapid growth and competition within speedrunning.
By the early 2000s, speedrunning was firmly established as a community. Now let‘s explore the different categories that emerged.
The Main Flavors of Speedruns
While the general concept of completing games quickly remained consistent, distinct categories emerged within speedrunning to add structure and focus. Some key categories include:
-
Any% – Complete the game as fast as possible with no restrictions. The purest form of speedrunning.
-
100% – Fully complete the game in all respects by collecting all items, finishing all levels, etc.
-
Low% – Finish the game with the lowest completion percentage possible.
-
Glitchless – Complete the game without using major glitches or skips.
Of all these categories, any% became one of the most popular for both runners and spectators. By removing restrictions and embraces any techniques, any% distills speedrunning to its raw essence – completing games with pure skill and creativity.
Now let‘s explore some iconic games with legendary any% speedrunning scenes.
Iconic Games That Pushed Any% To The Limit
Super Mario Bros.
This quintessential platformer has perhaps the most iconic any% speedrunning scene. The current record sits at 4:54 set by Kosmicd12 in April 2022. This run utilizes tricks like flagpole glitches, wall clips, and wrong warps to blow through the game faster than seemed possible.
Previous legend Darbian held this coveted record for years prior at 4:55.739 before Kosmicd12‘s recent triumph. The improvement of milliseconds represents endless grinding and optimization. According to Darbian, "Mario any% will always be the old-school benchmark that all speedrunners respect."
The Legend of Zelda
The original NES Zelda also has an iconic any% record of 28:10 set by Runnerguy2489 in July 2021. This run employs screen wrapping, wrong warps, and edge glitches to warp Link directly to the end after the first dungeon.
The record has dropped from over 40 minutes originally to under 30 today. ZFG held this record for ages prior to Runnerguy2489‘s run. According to ZFG, "Routing a complex game like Zelda for any% forced us to break free from conventional thinking."
Minecraft
As a randomly generated open world, Minecraft presents unique challenges for any% runs. Runs generally focus on entering the Nether dimension and defeating the Ender Dragon boss. The current record is an incredible [14:05] held by Feinberg_(https://www.speedrun.com/mcje) since January 2022.
This run relies heavily on throwing Ender Pearls for teleportation and glitching through walls with beds. Previous legend Illumina held this coveted record for nearly 2 years from 2019 to 2021, showing his creative mastery of Minecraft‘s systems. According to Feinberg, "Routing any% for Minecraft is a constant journey of exploration and reacting on the fly."
These games represent just a sample of the countless titles with thrilling any% speedrunning scenes. This category enables each game‘s community to uncover the most extreme possible methods of completion.
Analysing the Evolution of Any% Records
To better understand the endless optimization of any% runs, let‘s analyze the progression of a few world records over time:
| Game | Year | Time | Runner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Super Mario Bros. | 1990 | 5:57 | Darbian |
| 2000 | 5:13 | Kosmic | |
| 2010 | 4:58 | MitchFlowerPower | |
| 2022 | 4:54 | Kosmicd12 |
| The Legend of Zelda | 1998 | 45:53 | Skater82297 |
| | 2005 | 38:14 | Runnerguy2489 |
| | 2015 | 29:31 | ZFG |
| | 2021 | 28:10 | Runnerguy2489 |
| Portal | 2008 | 19:36 | DemonStrate |
| | 2011 | 9:15 | Pokeguide |
| | 2016 | 8:58 | Blizik |
| | 2022 | 8:56 | Blizik |
This small sample of games shows how records are constantly pushed forward by minutes or even mere seconds thanks to new discoveries. Speedrunner Pokeguide told me, "Any% runs represent a living history that builds upon itself. Learning and iterating is integral."
Now let‘s break down some key tricks that enable these faster times.
Key Tricks That Define Any% Runs
With no restrictions on techniques, any% runners have become incredibly creative in manipulating games to their limits. Here are some key tricks used extensively in any% runs across titles:
Glitches
Glitches take advantage of coding oversights or quirks in game logic to break from intended sequences. Examples include:
- Wall Clipping – Passing through solid objects.
- Wrong Warps – Forcing unintended level transitions through memory manipulation.
- Item Duplication – Manipulating inventory to duplicate key items.
Skips
Skips allow runners to bypass large sections of levels or games in unintended ways. Examples include:
- Reverse Boss Order – Defeating late bosses first to enable sequence breaking.
- Oversights – Skipping events due to developer oversights in triggers or flags.
- Door Skips – Bypassing doors/transitions through precise movement or quitouts.
Pixel Perfect Tricks
Any% runners grind endlessly to nail down tricks that demand perfect timing and movement precision. Examples include:
- Frame Perfect Jumps – Jumping or glitching in a single frame window.
- Manipulating Invincibility – Perfectly using i-frames and invincibility states to avoid damage.
- Ledge Grabs – Grabbing ledges or ladders at the absolute last possible pixel.
By mastering these myriad techniques, top any% runners demonstrate impeccable creativity and control. According to speedrunner Feinberg, "Any% provides immense freedom to experiment and break expectations."
Profile of An Any% Speedrunning Legend
To understand the mastery required for world record any% runs, let‘s profile one of the all-time greatest – Darbian.
Background:
Darbian has been playing games competitively since 2008 but focused on speedrunning starting in 2011. He has held major any% records in classics like Super Mario Bros, Mega Man, and Castlevania.
Training Regimen:
Darbian analyzes his gameplay frame-by-frame to grind out improvements. He focuses on consistency and often trains difficult tricks hundreds or even thousands of times in a row. The aim is perfection.
Mindset:
According to Darbian: "For short games like SMB, every frame matters. I‘ve replayed sections thousands of times to shave off milliseconds. My approach is constant, calm, focused repetition."
Legacy:
Fellow runner PokemonMasterrace said this about Darbian‘s impact: "His dedication to mastering classics like Mario set a standard for precision and consistency that carries through to all parts of speedrunning today."
Darbian‘s sustained excellence over a decade cements his status as an any% legend. He embodies the tireless skill and creativity needed to set world records.
Speedrunning As A Spectator Sport
In addition to attracting skilled players, speedrunning has exploded into a popular spectator sport over the past decade.
Major Events
Premier marathons like Games Done Quick and European Speedrunner Assembly attract millions of viewers on Twitch and raise huge amounts for charity. These events bring together top speedrun talents to showcase their skills live. Many attempt world record runs in the moment, adding to the excitement.
Streaming Platforms
Sites like Twitch and YouTube Gaming have enabled speedrunners to build huge viewerships. Darbian, Cheese, Skater82297 and other legends stream attempts at world records regularly, explaining their routes as they play. This gives fans a windows into the precision and decision making required.
Official Leaderboards
Databases like speedrun.com centralize world record rankings across games and categories. This provides easy tracking of the competitive landscape. Users can drill down by game, category, and platform to analyze times and records.
Thanks to this growth as an esport, speedrunning now represents a potential career for the very best players. Sponsors like Red Bull provide funding, brands commission speedrunners for content, and Twitch partnership opens revenue streams. While niche, speedrunning‘s audience scales continue to expand.
Tips For Getting Started With Any%
Want to dip your toes into the world of any% speedrunning? Here are my top tips as an experienced runner:
Pick The Right Game
Choose a game you enjoy and know comprehensively. Your favorite retro console title is often a great starting point. Having existing mastery will make the long hours of practice more rewarding.
Study Top Strategies
Watch world record vod‘s and take notes on routes, tricks, and techniques utilized by the best runners. Many share their knowledge openly on sites like speedrun.com. Join Discord groups to learn directly from top players.
Use Speedrun Timers
Time your runs using specialized timer overlays. This allows you to precisely track splits and segment times to analyze areas for optimization.
Practice Consistency
Work on nailing difficult tricks consecutively before going for full run attempts. Consistency is vital before pushing for new personal best times.
Analyze Your Play
Review your attempts to spot small mistakes and find places to save seconds. Top players watch their footage frame-by-frame to drill down their play.
Embrace Iteration
Remember that speedrunning requires endless, gradual refinement. Shaving off seconds takes months or years of practice. Enjoy the journey of consistent, measurable self-improvement.
Quotes From The Legends of Any% Speedrunning
Let‘s close out with some thoughts on the magic of any% speedrunning from all-time greats:
"Any% represents speedrunning at its most alive – completely unrestricted creativity and technique." – LilAggy
"Watching the any% records get pushed lower and lower captures the competitive spirit of speedrunning at its finest." – BubblesDelFuego
"The sheer skill and precision required for any% runs blows my mind every time. It represents the peak of human gaming ability." – Skater82297
"Any% runs distill speedrunning to its core essence – completing games as quickly and creatively as humanly possible." – ZFG
Conclusion
Any% speedrunning emerged from the pure desire of early gamers to complete titles as fast as possible. It represents gaming dexterity and creativity pushed to the absolute limit.
Through endless refinement, top runners reveal that the perceived boundaries in classic games are mere illusions. With masterful execution, even the most familiar titles can be warped and broken in dazzling new ways.
Any% runs remind us that play itself is art. By digging deepest into beloved games, speedrunners uncover new ways to reframe and reimagine the very act of play itself.
