Speedrunning is the act of playing games as fast as possible… But what if instead of trying to finish quickly, we tried to complete the story doing as little as possible? Enter Lowest%, one of the most curious and peculiar speedrunning subgenres.
Normally, runners charge through levels, skip cut scenes, and abuse glitches to reach the end credits, whereas in a Lowest% run, the aim is reversed: they must do just enough to complete the game, like the least amount of tasks, collecting the fewest amount of objects, or activating the earliest ending.
The result? Some of the most bizarre, creative, and downright ridiculous speedruns you’ll ever see. If you’re feeling inspired, you can use it to earn real money online casino by playing with your buddies on the weekends!
What Exactly Is Lowest%?
At its core, Lowest% is about minimal completion. The rules change depending on the game, but the idea is always the same: do as little as possible while still technically “beating” the game.
How Does It Work?
In many games, the definition of “completion” is flexible. Some games have many endings, while others let players skip huge chunks of content. Lowest% runners exploit these quirks to finish games in the most absurd ways possible.
For example:
- In The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, a normal run involves collecting items, defeating bosses, and completing dungeons. But in Lowest%, runners trigger the ending with just 3 heart pieces and no sword.
- In Super Mario 64, players usually collect 70 stars to fight Bowser. In Lowest%, they use glitches to beat the game with only 1 star.
- Dark Souls Lowest% runs involve defeating just two bosses, far fewer than the usual dozen required.
The Most Insane Lowest% Runs
Some games have become legendary in the Lowest% community for how broken they are. Here are a few standout examples.
1. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Normally, Breath of the Wild requires defeating four Divine Beasts and then fighting Ganon. But in Lowest%, runners skip every major quest and head straight to the final boss.
The catch? Without any upgrades, Link is incredibly weak. Skilled participants dodge every attack and chip away at Ganon’s health for over 30 minutes in a brutal war of attrition.
2. Pokémon Red/Blue
A typical Pokémon playthrough involves catching monsters, earning badges, and defeating the Elite Four. But in Lowest%, runners skip almost all of that.
By exploiting glitches, they can:
- Warp straight to the Hall of Fame
- “Catch” a Pokémon without battling
- Finish the game in under 2 minutes
It’s so broken that the game barely functions… but it still counts as a “win.”
3. Super Metroid
In a normal run, Samus collects upgrades like missiles and energy tanks. In Lowest%, she finishes the game with almost nothing.
Runners use precise movement and glitches to:
- Skip major bosses
- Avoid collecting power-ups
- Trigger the ending with less than 10% of items
It’s a masterclass in sequence breaking.
Why Do People Do It?
You might wonder: Why would anyone do this? The answer lies in the creativity and challenge.
Lowest% runs are all about pushing limits, as they force participants to think outside the box, finding unintended ways to “beat” a game. The restrictions make it even harder than regular speedruns in some cases.
A Different Kind of Skill
While traditional speedrunning focuses on execution and routing, Lowest% requires deep knowledge of game mechanics. Runners must understand:
- Glitches that skip content
- Minimum requirements for endings
- How to survive with almost no resources
Want to Try It Yourself?
If you’re curious, check out communities like Speedrun.com or watch runs on YouTube and Twitch, and you might just discover a new obsession with breaking games in the weirdest ways possible.