Top 10 Biggest Skips in Speedrunning History: A Deep Dive

Alright speedrunners and gaming enthusiasts, buckle up! We're diving deep into the glorious, game-breaking world of skips. These aren't just little shortcuts; we're talking about massive sequence breaks, clever glitches, and insane strat twists that have not only shaved seconds but *minutes* off world records. Ever wondered how some runs bypass entire sections of a game? That's the magic of a good skip. In this list, we're counting down the Top 10 Biggest Skips in Speedrunning History, the ones that made the community gasp, re-evaluate strategies, and set new benchmarks.

What are Game Skips?

In the realm of speedrunning, a "skip" refers to any technique, glitch, or exploit that allows a player to bypass a significant portion of a game. This could mean skipping entire levels, bosses, cutscenes, or even key objectives. The goal is always to shave off precious time, and the most impactful skips often become the cornerstone of new Any% or Category strategies. They are the holy grail for many runners, pushing the boundaries of what players thought was possible in a game.

Mastering these skips requires immense dedication, precise execution, and often a deep understanding of the game's engine. Some skips are easy to perform once learned, while others demand pixel-perfect timing and frame-perfect inputs. The community's ingenuity in discovering and refining these skips is what keeps the speedrun scene so vibrant and ever-evolving.

#10: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Forest Temple Skip

Ocarina of Time is a speedrunning titan, and its skips are legendary. The Forest Temple skip, often achieved through a complex challenge run technique involving bomb hovers and precise positioning, allows runners to bypass a significant portion of this iconic dungeon. It's a prime example of how a seemingly simple mechanic can be exploited for massive time savings.

In my runs, nailing the timing on this skip felt like a huge accomplishment, opening up so many possibilities for a better time.

#9: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Hyrule Castle Skip

Breath of the Wild's open world offers numerous opportunities for skips. The Hyrule Castle skip, which allows players to bypass the conventional approach to the castle, is a testament to the community's ability to break the game's intended progression. This strat often involves clever use of physics, updrafts, and sometimes even shield surfing to reach key areas much earlier than anticipated.

#8: Super Mario 64 - Bob-omb Battlefield Infinite

Super Mario 64 is the birthplace of many speedrunning techniques. While not a traditional "skip" in the sense of bypassing a level, the Bob-omb Battlefield Infinite (often involving collecting 8 red coins in a specific way) showcases how players found ways to manipulate game mechanics for ultra-fast completions in certain categories. It's a classic example of finding unintended shortcuts.

#7: Metroid Prime - Frigate Orpheon Skip

Metroid Prime is known for its intricate level design and, consequently, its complex speedrun strats. The Frigate Orpheon skip is a critical sequence break that allows players to avoid fighting certain bosses or navigating specific sections of the ship. It relies on precise beam usage and movement to clip through or bypass intended pathways, demonstrating the deep technical knowledge speedrunners possess.

#6: Elden Ring - Stormveil Castle Early Access

FromSoftware games are notoriously difficult, and Elden Ring is no exception. However, the speedrunning community quickly discovered ways to skip large parts of Stormveil Castle. This often involves clever jumps, enemy manipulation, or even using specific Ashes of War to bypass areas that would normally require defeating powerful bosses like Margit. It’s a testament to the community’s desire to conquer challenges as quickly as possible.

#5: Portal 2 - GLaDOS Escape Skip

Portal 2's ingenious puzzle design lends itself to creative solutions. The GLaDOS escape skip is a prime example of players using portal mechanics in unintended ways to bypass large sections of the game's final act. This skip requires a deep understanding of portal physics and precise placement, often leading to jaw-dropping moments.

Seeing players pull off these complex portal skips in Portal 2 is always mind-blowing. It's like they speak the game's engine fluently.

#4: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night - Merman Skip

Symphony of the Night is a classic for a reason, and its speedrun is full of ingenious tricks. The Merman skip, achieved by using a specific sequence of movements and abilities to bypass a challenging enemy encounter early in the game, is a foundational skip for many runs. It demonstrates how understanding enemy AI and player movement can lead to significant time gains.

#3: Half-Life 2 - Fast Loading Skips

While not a skip in the traditional sense of bypassing gameplay, the "fast loading" or "map load" skips in Half-Life 2 are crucial for top-tier runs. These techniques involve exploiting how the game loads new areas to trigger map changes faster than intended, saving precious seconds during transitions. It’s a more subtle but equally important form of optimization.

#2: Super Mario Sunshine - Isle Delfino Gate Skip

Super Mario Sunshine's speedrun is characterized by its highly technical movement and tricks. The Isle Delfino Gate skip is a prime example of this, allowing runners to bypass the initial introductory sequence and gate, jumping straight into the gameplay. It requires precise platforming and often utilizes FLUDD mechanics in creative ways.

#1: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask - Stone Tower Temple Skip

At the pinnacle of game-breaking skips, the Majora's Mask Stone Tower Temple skip is arguably one of the most famous and impactful. This incredibly complex strat allows runners to bypass the entire temple, including its unique inverted mechanics, by using a series of precise jumps, glitches, and potentially wrong warps. It fundamentally changed the Any% category for this game and remains a legendary feat of speedrunning.

The Impact of Skips on Speedrunning

Skips are more than just glitches; they are catalysts for innovation in the speedrunning community. They:

  • Redefine Categories: Major skips often lead to new route discoveries and sometimes even the creation of new speedrun categories (e.g., Any% vs. Glitchless).
  • Push Boundaries: They force runners to master incredibly difficult execution, showcasing peak gaming skill.
  • Extend Game Lifespans: Discovering new skips breathes new life into older games, keeping them relevant in the speedrunning scene for years.
  • Community Collaboration: The discovery and refinement of skips are often collaborative efforts, highlighting the power of community engagement.

From the early days of console gaming to the modern era of PC titles, the pursuit of the fastest time has always led players to probe the limits of game design. The skips listed here represent some of the most significant breaks from intended gameplay, forever etched in speedrunning history. They are a testament to player ingenuity and the endless possibilities that emerge when players truly master a game.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What's the difference between a skip and a glitch?
A1: While often intertwined, a skip is the outcome (bypassing a section), and a glitch is often the method used to achieve that outcome (an unintended behavior of the game engine).

Q2: Are skips considered cheating in speedrunning?
A2: No, in most speedrunning communities, any glitch or exploit that can be performed within the game's mechanics is allowed, especially in categories like Any%. Specific categories (like Glitchless) exist to avoid these.

Q3: How are new skips discovered?
A3: New skips are typically found through dedicated practice, experimentation, random discoveries during gameplay, and analysis of the game's code or physics engine by the community.

Q4: Do all speedruns use skips?
A4: Not necessarily. It depends on the game and the specific speedrun category. Some categories explicitly prohibit glitches and skips.

We hope you enjoyed this deep dive into the most epic skips in speedrunning! What are your favorite game-breaking moments? Let us know in the comments below, or join our Discord server to discuss strats and share your own runs!