Speedruns: How They Defined A Generation – MKAU Gaming

Speedrunning, or blitzing through a game as fast as you possibly can, is something that began in arcade games during the 1980s. Players wanted to see how quickly they could complete the game, almost adding it as a new mechanic to enjoy. Originally, a lot of speedruns relied on glitches. They depended on developers making mistakes in games to allow faster progression. However, by the 2000s and 2010s speedruns had become a communal activity with people watching on platforms like Twitch. For many it was a curiosity to see how quickly their favorite games could be completed. Many were surprised to discover that games that had taken them 50 or 100 hours to play through could be done in just one or two.  Roots in the arcades As mentioned, speedrunning had its roots in the arcades. Many players tried to run through games like Super Mario Brothers and Pac-Man as quickly as they could. What was interesting was that many of them found glitches in the underlined. For example, Pac-Man had a kill screen at level 256 that a lot of players looked for ways to get around.  Interestingly, some game developers supported these speed run tactics. Many nudged people
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