Speedrun/Glossary

The following page is a glossary of commonly used terms in the speedrunning community, particularly that of the Zelda series. For even further information on glitches, guides, knowledge, terminology, and more on Zelda speedruns, visit ZeldaSpeedRuns, also known as ZSR.

100%
In a 100% speedrun, the goal is to achieve 100% Completion as quickly as possible according to the requirements decided upon by the specific game's speedrunning community. Often referred to as "hundo".

All Dungeons (AD)
In an All Dungeons speedrun, the goal is to complete the game after completing every dungeon.

Any%
In an Any% speedrun, the goal is simply to complete the game as quickly as possible, without additional requirements.

Arbitrary Code Execution (ACE)

 * See ZeldaSpeedRuns's page on Stale Reference Manipulation and Arbitrary Code Execution

Back in Time (BiT)
Back in Time (BiT) is a glitch that can be performed in, , and SS undefined. It involves resetting the game on a specific frame while voiding out, resulting in being respawned on the title screen with control over Link. This serves little to no use in due to the limits of the title screen taking place at Outset Island, however it has large applications in, and even greater applications in SS -.

In, the title screen takes place in a developmental save file that the game uses to make the title sequence. When savewarping from the BiT state, the attributes of this file are applied to the main game, resulting in Link obtaining the Hero's Clothes, Ordon Sword, and Hylian Shield early, as well as having Epona tamed, thus gaining early access to the Iron Boots. Dying and reloading from the BiT state can also be used to gain quick access to the first King Bulblin fight, and subsequently Kakariko Village. There is also a variant of the glitch known as Back in Time Equipped (BiTE) that allows Link to keep his current equipment going into BiT, which allows for activating the "Early Boss Flag" (EBF), which makes it possible to skip rescuing the first four monkeys in the Forest Temple, as well as enter the Deku Toad fight early for the Clawshot.

In SS -, save files can be manipulated at the same time as controlling Link around Skyloft. The Bird Statues on Skyloft are accessible and fully functional in this state, which has great implications as save files can be copied, saved over, loaded, or deleted as Link performs different tasks that are associated with flags, or toggles in the game's memory that determine story progress. This allows a multitude of large skips in the game to be possible, especially with a trick known as Reverse BiT Magic (RBM), which involves loading a file, then performing a task within BiT during the small window of time between when the flag in the memory changes and when the file is loaded after a fadeout, which bypasses the flag being automatically reset to the game file's state that is being loaded upon loading said file.

Barrier Skip
Barrier Skip typically refers to skipping the large barrier near Hyrule Castle in and gaining access to Ganon's Tower early without having to first complete the Triforce and fully restore the power to the Master Sword. For many years it was theorized and attempted, but its possibility was unknown until it was discovered that it could be skipped in using Item Sliding at a very precise angle and spot. Some time afterward, a method for skipping the barrier in the GameCube version was discovered, which involved overloading the game's memory via arrow duping and unloading the actor for the barrier, soon to be followed by a faster and more streamlined method involving placing Link at a precise position and angle, then performing a frame-perfect bomb drop, which continues to be used now.

Barrier Skip is also a theoretical concept for, in which it is commonly referred to as Early Hyrule Castle (EHC). The concept refers to skipping the barrier formed in front of Hyrule Castle to gain early access to the final dungeon of the game. This, however, has not yet been found to be possible, due to the limiting factors of the area that the barrier resides in, such as Link being unable to use any items while in Castle Town.

Blumber
A mix between the words Bomb and Slumber. In, certain bosses may "slumber" away from Link's bombs. It's debatable whether seeding the RNG to prevent a Blumber saves or adds extra time.

Bomb Impact Launch (BIL)
Also popularly known as a Windbomb, a BIL is a trick in that allows Link to launch quickly in most any direction by going into bullet time, lining up both a circular and a square bomb behind him properly, then detonating one bomb, which causes the other bomb to launch directly into Link, "pushing" him and making him launch incredibly fast.

Bottle Adventure (BA)

 * See ZeldaSpeedRuns's page on Bottle Adventure

Bow Lift Smuggling Slide (BLSS)
A glitch in that allows Link to travel through the air at high speeds horizontally. The trick involves picking up any item over Link's head (often a square Remote Bomb) in a specific manner that causes him to also hold a Bow over his head simultaneously, then jumping and quickly unequipping his Shield, drawing the Bow, and walking over any step that would result in Link's "step-climbing" animation while holding sprint. This results in Link hovering in the air towards the opposite direction of what is being held on the control stick. If the control stick is inputted side-to-side very quickly, Link's speed will dramatically increase. If the control stick ever at any point reaches its neutral position, the glitch is undone and Link will fall back down to the ground.

Bug Limit (BL)
A category similar to Glitchless that often has a slightly less restrictive ruleset, but can vary depending on a specific game's speedrunning community.

Clipping
The act of clipping refers to performing any glitch that results in Link ending up out of bounds.

Damage Boost
The act of purposefully taking damage in order to save time or perform a skip. For example, blowing Link up with a Bomb in order to gain extra distance or height.

Deathwarp
The act of purposefully dying in order to reload Link in a more desirable location.

Dry Storage

 * See Storage

Early Master Sword (EMS)
This refers to the act of obtaining the Master Sword earlier than intended in the game, which is possible in several titles. More often than not, EMS saves a large amount of time in speedruns.

Extended SuperSlide (ESS)
Originally used to refer to the trick that allows very fast travel speed in, the term "ESS" usually now refers to the position on the control stick that must be held for it to work, which actually has uses for almost every 3D Zelda title. ESS position involves holding toward any direction with the control stick a very small amount, at just the point where Link starts to shuffle or turn in place. It can be used for many tricks in and, to maintain and prolong superswim speed in , to item slide and superswim in , to "brakeslide" (run backwards while maintaining speed) in , and to slide with great speed through quicksand in SS undefined.

Ganonless
An speedrun category in which the game must be completed without fighting Ganon. This is accomplished by Wrong Warping or using Arbitrary Code Execution (ACE) to warp straight to the end credits.

Ganon Source Requirement (GSR)
A category in that requires defeating Ganon after first completing all of the tasks that are normally required to reach and fight him, being obtaining Magic, Zelda's Lullaby, the Quiver, the Shadow and Spirit Medallions, and the Light Arrows.

Glitchless
A category that aims to complete the game without the use of glitches. What counts as a glitch can vary depending on a specific game's speedrunning community.

Gold Split
A gold split, otherwise known as a best segment or gold, refers to a segment of a run completed by a runner that was done faster than any previous time the runner has done that segment.

Item Slide
Item Sliding is a trick that can be performed in. It allows Link to travel at exponentially increasing speeds and even superswim by holding an item such as the Grappling Hook or the Hookshot in first-person view, walking forward, pausing the game, holding the ESS position downward, then unpausing. This can skip many portions of the game, and can also crash the game if done incorrectly.

Low%
In a Low% speedrun, the goal is to beat the game with as few items as possible, in as little time as possible. If a run is faster than another, but obtains more items, then the slower run takes priority due to the lower amount of items. What counts as an "item" is decided upon by the specific game's speedrunning community.

Medallions, Stones, & Trials
A category in that requires defeating Ganon after first obtaining every Spiritual Stone and Sage Medallion, as well as dispelling the barrier in Ganon's Castle by completing all six trials.

New Game Plus (NG+)
New Game Plus (NG+) is a glitch used in. It is combined with a glitch called Bottle Adventure, which manipulates the player's B button to have an item other than the sword. When in a Bottle Adventure, the NG+ glitch can be performed by quitting to the title screen while either riding a horse or fishing. Upon starting a new file, the player will have the same item on B as in the Bottle Adventure.

This glitch has various speedrunning benefits depending on the item placed on B. Having Farore's Wind on B will allow the runner to Wrong Warp into the credits, thus ending the run.

NG+ allows for the fastest Any% runs. However, "Any% NG+" is considered a distinct speedrunning category from regular Any%.

Quickspin
The act of making Link perform a Spin Attack quickly by spinning the control stick and pressing B. In, , and SS undefined, a jump attack or a backflip can be followed up by an automatic quickspin by spinning the control stick (or shaking the Nunchuk/left Joy-Con in SS -) mid-jump with Link's sword unsheathed.

Real Time Attack (RTA)
A run completed in real time in one sitting. Savewarping is typically allowed.

Reverse Bottle Adventure (RBA)

 * See ZeldaSpeedRuns's page on Reverse Bottle Adventure

RNG
RNG refers to luck. The full meaning of the abbreviation is "Random Number Generation", which refers to how a program, such as a game, uses random numbers to recreate the effect of luck or chance.

Savewarp
Consists of saving and resetting the game to "warp" back to a checkpoint, such as a dungeon entrance.

Single-Segment (SS)
A run completed in one sitting without resetting the game.

Split
A segment, or specified portion, of the run being performed as indicated by timing software.

Stale Reference Manipulation (SRM)

 * See ZeldaSpeedRuns's page on Stale Reference Manipulation and Arbitrary Code Execution

Storage
Storage is a glitch in that is done by pulling out the Wind Waker at the same time the Forest Water expires or, more commonly, by cancelling the Wind Waker conducting exactly 3 frames before landing from a Wind Waker Dive. The latter method is dubbed "Dry Storage." The glitch "stores" the next cutscene or text encountered. This has various effects on gameplay depending on what was "stored." Effects of storage include, among others, walking up walls, clipping through doors, and superswimming.

Superslide
A glitch that can be performed in and  by rolling into a bomb as it explodes, targeting, and holding ESS position, resulting in Link moving backwards at a very high speed.

Superswim
A glitch that can be performed in and  that allows Link to travel at incredibly high speeds across the ocean. In, this can be done using Dry Storage or by manually inputting the required back-and-forth analog stick directions (Manual Superswim, or MSS). In, it can be done using Item Sliding or with MSS.

Time Attack (TA)
TA refers to performing a run in segments, rather than being in one sitting. It is less common than RTA and is usually seen with longer runs.

Tool Assisted Speedrun (TAS)
A Tool-Assisted Speedrun is a speedrun on a rerecording emulator made with savestates, slowdown, and frame advance in order to create the most optimal time possible, or to demonstrate a concept, idea, or challenge.

Twitch
The most common livestreaming platform that speedrunners use to broadcast their runs.

Windbomb

 * See Bomb Impact Launch (BIL)

Wind Waker Dive
A trick in that allows Link to fall as he uses the Wind Waker (Item), which can be done by climbing up certain terrain or ledges and pulling out the Wind Waker on the final frame of the climbing animation. This trick can be used to clip underneath the bounds of an area for certain skips, as well as lead into Dry Storage.

Wrong Warp
A glitch in and  which manipulates the game's internal entrance table and allows Link to be transported to an entirely different location in the game, including the end credits. There are several ways to perform the trick, such as using Stale Reference Manipulation (SRM) or Farore's Wind, for example.

Zombie Hover
Zombie Hovering is a trick that can be performed in. If Link has his Sword out and dies in such a way that he is first knocked down, there is a short period of time between when he gets back up and when he dies that the death can be interrupted by a jump attack. This jump attack is very short and quickly results in Link hitting the ground again and dying. However, if the B button is mashed repeatedly quickly enough, Link will continue to perform short jump attacks in quick succession, making him gain vertical height. This essentially allows Link to fly, with the condition that he must be able to regain any amount of health somehow before he lands on solid ground again. This can be done either by landing on a heart, a fairy, or using the Tingle Tuner to give Link health mid-hover.