10 Best Games With Built-in Speedrun Achievements

Engaging in speedrunning is an excellent method to enhance the enjoyment you derive from your favorite games, while earning all the achievements also adds to the fun. Therefore, combining these two activities is like finding the perfect pairing for games that promote a complete playthrough experience.

Regrettably, many games seem ideal for speedrunning, have been intentionally crafted with this in mind, yet fail to offer any recognition or incentive for playing quickly. Take Celeste, for instance.

Fortunately, there are numerous games featuring speedrunning accomplishments that offer enjoyable movement, captivating gameplay mechanics, and a difficulty level suitable for swift completion, resulting in highly rewarding experiences.

I plan to examine speed-based video games and evaluate them according to their level of satisfaction and the fairness of the challenges presented as you race through without pause.

10. Sonic X Shadow Generations

Falling A Little Short

In contrast to Sonic’s reputation for speed throughout the series, it’s notable that there aren’t many challenging speedrunning accomplishments to complete an entire game. However, at least today’s versions of the game offer ranking achievements instead.

Specifically within Sonic X Shadow Generations, there are accomplishments assigned to achieving an S rank on each level. This method of unlocking achievements suits speedrunning well since every S rank relies solely on timing.

Speeding like Sonic or Shadow might get you there swiftly, but let me tell you, the task isn’t particularly challenging for me. In fact, it seems that avoiding death is more frequently the key aspect, as opposed to strategically planning routes or minimizing minor errors.

The idea is impressive, and the system could effectively encourage speed over collecting items and precision if it were made a bit harder. However, I must admit that I find the challenge enjoyable, and I’m grateful for the time and creativity put into helping me improve my gaming skills.

9. A Hat in Time

Jumping Through Hoops

As a gamer diving into A Hat in Time, I find it quite peculiar that despite having numerous possibilities tailored for speedrunners, the game subtly hides its speedrunning achievements. There are minor feats like completing Ship Shape without causing trouble for the captain or tackling Train Rush without any time bonuses, but it’s Death Wish where the real action lies.

Achieving a perfect score in Death Wish is exceptionally challenging and demanding, with numerous objectives being time-constrained speed runs requiring rapid completion of entire levels.

In order to receive top marks, one must go above and beyond for individuals who may not be well-versed in all technological aspects. I find this situation intriguing, despite sometimes wishing there were rewards for swiftly mastering the entire system.

In the game Hat in Time, you’ll find some exceptional movement mechanics within a 3D platformer, along with levels meticulously designed for smooth transitions. Navigating through this game is an enjoyable experience, and it appears that Death Wish agrees!

8. Halo 2

A Little Too Brutal

It might be stretching things a bit too far if we expect gamers to complete an entire game within a few hours. However, requiring them not only to excel at the game but also to beat every Legendary mission in Halo 2 within just 3 hours is asking for an extraordinary feat.

To earn the 30 gamerscore associated with this achievement, follow these steps:

1. Launch the Master Chief Collection.
2. Focus and prepare yourself for intense competition.
3. Outperform approximately 99.7% of all other players or, if necessary, seek out a detailed 20-part tutorial to help you optimize your gameplay skills.

In addition to requiring expertise in movement techniques and strategic paths among adversaries, Legendary mode adds a charming twist by having you succumb to unseen bullets at times, which is simply part of the exciting challenge this game presents.

The experience seems closer to a game of stealth, where you’re frequently hiding and leaping as enemies stir when doors open, often causing panic. The thrill of finishing is undeniably satisfying, but it’s advisable to avoid attempting such situations.

7. Antonblast

Teeny Tiny Pieces

I really appreciate the challenging nature of most levels in this game. It takes exceptional skill to beat them and achieve better-than-average times, as the developers clearly did not make it easy for players to excel.

To conquer these levels effectively, it’s essential to repeatedly practice them, master every detail, and persistently move ahead whenever you recharge your shoulder bash. This procedure can be both fulfilling and demanding.

I quite enjoy the idea, actually. Time trials are generally less challenging compared to completing a whole game, making them more accessible for many. Although it might not be what one typically associates with speedrunning, I find Individual Level (IL) runs particularly appealing, hence my fondness for this approach as well.

Periodically working on it, discovering efficient routes, and swiftly navigating through each area without being held back by adversaries can be challenging, yet having the freedom to resume playing at any time significantly reduces the pressure.

6. Spelunky

Cave Crashing

You might be familiar with Spelunky, a fast-paced roguelike game where you’re dropped into a mine, tasked with descending quickly while detonating various items along the way. The Speedlunky achievement is all about embodying this frenetic speed and explosive action.

In a casual setting, this game typically lasts between 20 and 30 minutes. However, due to the time constraint of only 8 minutes, you find yourself playing at an accelerated pace, rushing through everything as if on a frenzy.

I’m really fond of this game because I often enjoy exploring open-ended, randomly generated titles, and I play them in a manner that’s ideal for speedrunning. It satisfies my urge to collect as many items as possible and wreak havoc on the environment, ultimately leading me to plummet down into the game world.

Playing it feels incredibly rewarding, much like a fast-paced game, and once you get hooked, you can’t help but want to replay it repeatedly to beat your own record, even though you might end up exploding due to carelessly tossing bombs around.

5. Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove

Fun in Four Ways

Regardless of which one of the four games you’re playing, Shovel Knight consistently pushes you to complete the entire game within 1 hour and 30 minutes. This can be quite challenging, yet it never seems unattainable.

Upon another playthrough of the game, it becomes quite attainable since much of the content is optional and provides a gratifying experience when tackled all at once, especially after getting accustomed to the level designs.

As a gamer, I can’t express enough how thrilled I am to have nailed that speedrun. The sheer amount of swift scythe swipes needed to obliterate the lamps and mow down adversaries with ease is just what makes this game so addictive for me. I absolutely love its fast-paced gameplay!

These four trophies require significant talent and are accomplished during a full-speed run of the game, which is why I admire and appreciate them so much. They offer a sense of fulfillment, are achievable, and give an amazing feeling of accomplishment upon completion.

4. Hollow Knight

Void of Speed Tech

Although many of Hollow Knight’s accomplishments seem to grant rewards for minimal advancement in the game, which is a practice I dislike, the toughest few achievements, particularly the Speedrun achievements, are exceptional and exceptionally challenging.

Among all options, Speedrun 1 appears to be the least challenging as it requires completing the game within 10 hours. This is quite feasible given that you essentially need to focus on three main aspects, allowing for a quick pace throughout.

In simpler terms, Speedrun 2 involves completing the game within a span of 5 hours. While the current fastest speedrun (NMG Any%) takes only 30 minutes, don’t be deceived by this, as Hollow Knight is tricky and it’s relatively simple to exceed the time limit due to its complexity.

The most challenging among them is definitely Speed Completion, which requires you to accomplish 100% within 20 hours, and locating each grub or mask fragment can be quite a hassle. Finding room for all the teachings of Zote in such a short span seems almost impossible.

3. Super Meat Boy

We’ve Got Beef

The overall sensation when playing Super Meat Boy is thrilling, and each level rewards you with an accomplishment, showcasing your true skill level if you aim for speed.

As a gamer, I’m constantly on the hunt for strategies that let me conquer worlds quickly. That translates into zipping through lengthy stages, acing short ones flawlessly, and avoiding even the slightest mistake in every step of the journey.

This task is best navigated with a guide to avoid spending excessive time sorting it out independently. However, let me tell you, accomplishing it is incredibly gratifying! Working on one aspect at a time maintains the challenge level, but it never becomes overwhelming.

You’ll likely need a guide to help you through this task without wasting hours figuring things out on your own. But trust me, completing it is incredibly rewarding! Tackling one part at a time keeps the difficulty manageable yet engaging, and never becomes too challenging.

The exceptional control of the Super Meat Boy game implies that any errors are solely attributable to you, as its meticulously designed structure ensures an engaging experience, leaving you consistently annoyed by your own lack of skill rather than the game itself.

2. Neon White

Made For Speedrunning

Among the games listed, it appears that Neon White is primarily designed for speedrunners, as its mechanics encourage quick play. It features rankings and leaderboards that allow you to compete against friends, making you feel either ordinary or extraordinary based on your performance compared to them.

Your accomplishments consistently earn you the highest positions that the creators envisioned across all levels; a feat that’s rarely simple and continually encourages you to enhance your strategies, choose optimal paths, and uncover shortcuts that bypass nearly half of the level.

Additionally, you’ll encounter ‘survival bursts’ where you can progress through numerous stages without losing a life, each stage having its individual rankings. This feature further boosts your dominance among your friends.

As a dedicated enthusiast, the challenge is invigorating, the sense of accomplishment is profound, and maybe I’ve invested more time than I should in striving for greatness. It’s undeniably captivating, pushing me to strive for speedrunning feats, and even more so, it encourages me by recognizing my best efforts.

1. Pizza Tower

Papa Pepperoni, Please

Similar to Antonblast and Sonic, Pizza Tower emphasizes on individual stages and assesses your performance, creating highly accurate route challenges that cater to those aiming to achieve the coveted P rank.

For your convenience, an S rank is a level just beneath a P rank, and at times, it can seem unattainable. Mastering the movement, which feels similar to steering a truck coated in silicon oil, is crucial for navigating through every obstacle without losing grip even once.

This game is surprisingly hard to resist, as if I’m gliding through a water park filled with tantalizingly aromatic pizza everywhere, and I find myself yearning for more.

Diving into speedruns of this game is like a thrilling rollercoaster ride for me! I can’t help but be awestruck as I watch players zip around with their dashes, ground slams, and snatching collectibles left and right at speeds that leave me scratching my head in wonder. It’s utterly captivating!

2025-04-18 16:10