Speedrunning—the art of completing a game as quickly as possible—has evolved into a vibrant subculture within the gaming community. While titles like Super Mario 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and Celeste dominate the leaderboards, there’s a growing interest in games with smaller, dedicated speedrunning communities. These games often offer unique mechanics, challenging gameplay, and a sense of camaraderie among a select group of players. In this article, we’ll explore some of these lesser-known speedrun games, delve into the dynamics of their communities, and answer frequently asked questions about speedrunning in niche games.
Understanding Speedrunning in Niche Games
Speedrunning in niche games differs from mainstream titles in several ways:
- Smaller Communities: These games typically have fewer players, leading to tight-knit communities where players often know each other by name.
- Unique Challenges: Many niche games offer unconventional mechanics or design choices that present unique challenges for speedrunners.
- Limited Resources: With fewer players, there are often fewer guides, tutorials, and resources available, making self-discovery a significant part of the experience.
Despite these challenges, speedrunners in these communities often form strong bonds and share a deep appreciation for the intricacies of their chosen games.
The Appeal of Niche Speedrun Games
Several factors contribute to the allure of speedrunning in niche games:
- Unique Gameplay Mechanics: Many niche games introduce innovative mechanics that challenge players to think creatively and develop new strategies.
- Tight-Knit Communities: With fewer players, communities tend to be more supportive and collaborative, fostering a sense of belonging.
Personal Achievement: Achieving a personal best or world record in a lesser-known game can be incredibly rewarding, as it often requires a deep understanding of the game’s mechanics and design.
Notable Niche Speedrun Games Worth Checking Out
1. Remnants of Naezith
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Genre: Precision Platformer
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Developer: Tolga Ay
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Player Count: Low, with a loyal speedrunning base
Using fast-paced grappling mechanics, Remnants of Naezith offers challenging physics and movement-based gameplay that demands mastery. The game’s level-based system and in-game leaderboards support time trials and make it speedrunner-friendly. Despite being technically brilliant, it remains under the radar.
“It’s like Celeste meets Spider-Man—but for true movement nerds.” – Community runner
2. SEUM: Speedrunners from Hell
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Genre: First-person platformer
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Developer: Pine Studio
This heavy metal-inspired game is essentially Quake meets Super Meat Boy. Levels are short, brutal, and fast-paced, making them ideal for quick resets and time-based optimization. The game’s internal timer and speedrun mode support a competitive edge, but with a smaller player base, there’s a lot of potential for new speedrunners to leave their mark.
3. Lemnis Gate (Now defunct but still studied)
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Genre: Tactical FPS / Turn-Based Shooter
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Developer: Ratloop Games
Although servers shut down in 2023, Lemnis Gate made waves with its time-loop mechanics. Players in its brief lifespan explored speedrunning concepts related to movement optimization, shot timing, and turn planning. Though it’s no longer playable in its original form, community-led discussions and archived footage continue to inspire design in time-based games.
4. Lorn’s Lure
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Genre: First-person narrative platformer
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Developer: Rubeki
A mesmerizing descent into a glitchy, digital world, Lorn’s Lure uses narrative and atmosphere alongside parkour-style platforming. The game encourages both speedrunning and slow exploration, and offers a built-in timer, making it accessible for casual runners. Its unique story and surreal visuals make runs feel like an art project.
5. Clustertruck
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Genre: Physics-based platformer
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Developer: Landfall Games
Though more popular than others on this list, Clustertruck still maintains a relatively small, dedicated speedrun community. It involves jumping across moving trucks, with high replayability and room for creativity in routing.
6. Refunct
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Genre: Minimalist platformer
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Developer: Dominique Grieshofer
This peaceful, low-poly game can be completed in under 5 minutes, but that hasn’t stopped players from pushing its limits. Its speedrun category is short but sweet, perfect for newcomers to try their first speedrun.
Common Challenges in Niche Speedrunning
1. Lack of Documentation
Most lesser-known games lack detailed guides, route breakdowns, or glitch documentation. Speedrunners often have to discover everything themselves, from fastest paths to how timers function.
2. Abandoned Leaderboards
Some games with very low player counts don’t have active moderators on Speedrun.com. This means new runs may not get verified quickly, and sometimes players create their own tracking systems via Discord or spreadsheets.
3. Fewer Viewers
Streaming a niche game might mean fewer viewers compared to mainstream speedrun titles. However, this can also be a blessing—it lets runners focus on self-improvement and deeper community engagement without pressure.
Conclusion
Speedrunning in niche games offers a unique and rewarding experience for players seeking new challenges and a sense of community. While these games may not have the widespread recognition of mainstream titles, they provide opportunities for personal growth, mastery, and connection with like-minded individuals. Whether you’re drawn to the precision of Remnants of Naezith, the strategic depth of Lemnis Gate, or the fast-paced action of SEUM: Speedrunners from Hell, there’s a niche speedrun game waiting for you to explore.
FAQs
1. Is it worth speedrunning games no one plays?
Absolutely, yes. While mainstream speedrun games come with massive leaderboards and intense competition, niche games offer a vastly different experience—often more personal, impactful, and creatively fulfilling.
Speedrunning a lesser-known game allows you to:
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Discover your own routes instead of following established meta.
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Set world records more easily, especially when you’re among the first few runners.
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Help build a community, writing guides or creating tutorials for future players.
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Feel like a pioneer, exploring the game’s mechanics, glitches, or optimal paths in ways no one has done before.
Many speedrunners in niche communities say that the satisfaction of refining their time or teaching others outweighs the lack of mainstream attention.
2. How do I find new niche speedrun games?
There are several ways to discover under-the-radar games that are ripe for speedrunning:
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Itch.io: This platform is a goldmine for indie and experimental games. Many developers design with speedrunning in mind or are receptive to feedback from speedrunners.
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Steam Tags: Use tags like “Speedrun,” “Fast-Paced,” “Parkour,” or “Time Attack” in Steam’s advanced search. Filter by release date or user reviews to find hidden gems.
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Speedrun Marathons: Events like Break the Record Live, Calithon, No Glitches Allowed, and smaller Twitch marathons often feature unique or niche games. Watching these can introduce you to games you’ve never heard of.
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Social Media & Discords: Niche speedrun communities often share new discoveries in Discord servers, subreddits like r/speedrun, or on Twitter.
3. Are niche speedruns accepted at marathons like GDQ?
Yes—but with conditions. While the majority of GDQ (Games Done Quick) and other major marathons focus on well-known games to attract viewers, niche speedruns do occasionally make the cut, especially when:
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The run has entertaining gameplay or unique mechanics.
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The runner provides excellent commentary and showcases deep knowledge of the game.
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There’s a strong narrative or story element that adds interest.
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The game is visually impressive, quirky, or innovative.
If you’re planning to submit a niche game to a marathon:
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Record a polished demonstration run.
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Provide context about the game’s mechanics, history, and appeal.
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Prepare to explain why this game deserves a spotlight, even if it’s not widely played.
Bonus tip: Online-only marathons or themed events (like indie-only marathons) are more receptive to obscure game submissions than GDQ itself.
4. Do I need special equipment to start speedrunning niche games?
Nope! Starting out in speedrunning—especially with niche games—is easier and more affordable than you might think. Here’s what you need:
Basic Setup:
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A PC or console that runs the game you want to speedrun.
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OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) or another free screen recorder for capturing your runs.
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LiveSplit, the most widely-used timer in speedrunning, for tracking splits and personal bests.
Optional but Helpful Tools:
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Gamepad or custom keybindings for precision and comfort.
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Practice tools or save file editors, if the game supports them.
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Video editing software (even free ones like Shotcut or DaVinci Resolve) to trim or highlight runs.
Even with just a basic setup, you can start submitting runs, streaming on Twitch, or uploading to YouTube. The key is consistency and curiosity, not expensive gear.
5. What are the challenges and benefits of speedrunning niche games?
Challenges:
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Fewer Guides & Resources: You’ll likely need to discover strategies and routes yourself. This can be daunting but also very rewarding.
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Limited Community Support: There may be only a few active runners—or none at all—which means less immediate feedback.
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Low Visibility: Fewer people may watch your runs or recognize your records compared to popular games.
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Inactive Moderation: Sometimes, Speedrun.com pages for niche games have inactive mods, delaying run verification or updates.
Benefits:
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Creative Freedom: You’re not bound by rigid metas. You can experiment with unconventional strategies.
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Historical Impact: You could be the first person to write a guide, route the game, or submit a leaderboard run.
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Closer Community: Smaller groups are often more welcoming, collaborative, and eager to support new members.
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Personal Growth: Without the pressure of competition, you’re free to focus on improving your own skills and understanding of game mechanics.