Timing starts when you select Continue on a run file (see below for info on how to set up a run file), and timing ends when the criteria for the category you're running has been met on that same run file. Loading any file other than the one selected at the start of the run footage invalidates the run, unless otherwise indicated.
To set up a run file, watch the intro of the game and then go back to the main menu. This will give you a file that skips the intro every time you do a run.
To verify that your run file is valid, load the file from the "Load Game" menu. If, after the loading screen has passed, Samus is in the Artaria "Basement" with 99 energy, zero Power Bombs, 30 (Rookie) or 15 (Normal, Hard, Dread) missiles, no bosses beaten, no major upgrades collected, and no doors opened, your run file is considered valid for leaderboard purposes. (See this pic for reference.)
Note: if using the honor system (see "Still Image Proof" below), you do not need to submit a screenshot of Samus in the starting area.
In all cases, you must submit some sort of proof that you achieved the time you did in order for your run to be accepted to the leaderboards. However, we often allow lower-ranking runners to submit proof on the "honor system" by submitting a still image with their In-Game Time (IGT) displayed as proof. Please see the "Video Proof Thresholds" table below to see if you are eligible to submit still image proof.
The only acceptable image host for IGT proof is "Proof", our community-managed image host. This service can be found at https://proof.hijumpboots.com. Use of any service other than this one will result in your run being rejected.
Please see the following list for the IGT proof you need:
Note: the screenshots listed above are the only screenshots that need to be submitted. Other still images ("proof of run file", "proof of starting location") are not necessary.
The only acceptable image host for IGT proof is "Proof", our community-managed image host. This service can be found at https://proof.hijumpboots.com. Use of any service other than this one will result in your run being rejected.
If you are required to submit video proof, all video proof must have complete, contiguous game footage with no audio or video dropouts of any kind, and energy and ammo counts visible for the entirety of the run. Specific requirements for different challenges on the leaderboards are as follows:
| Route | Video Proof Required? |
|---|---|
| Any% | Higher than 30th place AND faster than 1h 30m 00s |
| 100% | Higher than 15th place AND faster than 2h 00m 00s |
| All Bosses | Higher than 15th place AND faster than 1h 45m 00s |
| Minimalist Routes | Always |
| Category Extensions | Always |
| Boss Rush | Faster than 8 minutes |
| Individual Levels | Always |
If your run has audio or video dropouts and it is an exceptional case (for example, your run achieved a top 3 time in a challenging category and you lost two seconds or less of A/V footage over the course of the entire run), please consult a Community Manager in the Discord or send an SRC direct message to a Super Moderator for further instructions.
If the verifier team decides to proceed, you should expect your run to be subjected to a rigorous and detailed analysis during which the verifier team will collect circumstantial evidence that supports the case that your run is genuinely contiguous and should be verified in spite of missing footage. This process is significantly more in-depth than normal verification, and may take several days longer than the normal lead time for a run to be verified, since a volunteer needs to handle the case and collect evidence.
Note: The verification team does not guarantee that we will verify your run if it has A/V dropouts, but we might be able to work with what you have if your run pushes the envelope in some way and you are only missing a few moments of footage in one or two spots.
For more information on which specific controllers are leaderboard legal, check the Controllers page.
Exploits are defined as unintended behavior performed using the intended mechanics of the game. Unlike with glitches, there is no malfunction; everything is functioning as intended, just being used in unintended ways.
For example, Water Space Jump (gaining height underwater with Space Jump) is an exploit, not a glitch. Space Jump giving the player more height when rubbing against underwater collision is an intended mechanic built into the game, in order to make Space Jumping across gaps more lenient. Speedrunners can exploit this to continuously gain height up the same wall, sequence breaking the game.
As another example, Water Bomb Jump is considered a glitch. Normally, bomb jumping in the air underwater is only allowed after bomb jumping from the ground. However, when unmorphing after a bomb jump before touching the ground, the game doesn't reset the flag that allows the player to bomb jump in the air underwater, since it only exists on Samus when she's in her morph ball form, not when she's standing. Despite bomb jumping underwater being an intended mechanic, a programming oversight allows the player to carry this flag around after unmorphing.
Beat the game as fast as possible.
For runs that use Pre-Skew, timing starts the first time you select Continue on any file in the File Selection screen.
Starting a run while already in the Axis Skew state is permitted, as well as achieving an Axis Skew state mid-run by loading a save file, achieving the state, and continuing on with your original save file. However, you may not use the Boss Rush mode to achieve an Axis Skew state.
Beat the game without using certain restricted glitches. This is defined as follows:
Any glitch that either (a) allows Samus to move entirely into collision or (b) results in Samus's rotation suffering a lasting displacement is disallowed.
Instances of collision updating, failing to update, or respawning do not invalidate a glitch. It is possible to die with pseudo waves and ledge warps this way, but they do not allow you to directly clip out of bounds (OoB).
You can easily check what is considered an OoB collision by seeing if it's possible for Samus to die in it.
Beat the game without using any glitches.