SpeedRunners

Speed, hook and an ever-shrinking screen are what the SpeedRunners is built on. This is a 2D platform race where up to four players run from left to right, cling to the ceiling and walls with a cat, jump over obstacles and try not to fly off the frame. Anyone who falls behind and leaves the visible zone is eliminated, so the race turns into a constant fight for a place in the top three. Competition here is taken to the limit: in addition to speed, rockets, bombs, darts and simple blows are used, which send the opponent on a short flight. Experienced players save ammo until the right moment, while newbies throw it around uselessly and get left behind. You need to jump accurately: a mistake on one ledge can cost the entire race. In addition to online matches, there are rating matches, a mode with bots, and workshop support, from where custom maps come into the game. Over time, the community has come up with dozens of tricks and routes to shorten the distance, and this has made the game truly deep: while seemingly simple, it has remained a competitive platform for years. The characters differ only in appearance, so the result depends solely on the hands and knowledge of the tracks. Unlockable cosmetics, hats, costumes and skins are a nice bonus for those who spend a lot of time in races, but they do not affect the balance. Between races it’s convenient to install bots of varying difficulty: they don’t play like real people, but they help you learn the level and not spoil your rating. SpeedRunners was fully released in 2016 after a long early access period and is still one of the best games for company on a single screen or online. Short runs, shouting, disappointing losses in the last meter - that's exactly how it works.