Endless runner or infinite runner is a

subgenre Genre () is any form or type of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially-agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a Category of being, category of literature, ...

platform game A platform game (often simplified as platformer and sometimes called a jump 'n' run game) is a sub-genre of action video games in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform games are charac ...

in which the player character runs for an infinite amount of time while avoiding obstacles. The player's objective is to reach a

high score In games, score refers to an abstract quantity associated with a player or team. Score is usually measured in the abstract unit of points (except in game shows, where scores often are instead measured in units of currency), and events in the ...

by surviving for as long as possible. The method by which the

game level In video games, a level (also referred to as a map, stage, or round in some older games) is any space available to the player during the course of completion of an objective. Video game levels generally have progressively-increasing difficulty t ...

or environment appears to continuously spawn before the player is an example of

procedural generation In computing, procedural generation is a method of creating data algorithmically as opposed to manually, typically through a combination of human-generated assets and algorithms coupled with computer-generated randomness and processing power. In ...

. The genre exploded on mobile platforms following the success of ''

Temple Run ''Temple Run'' is a 3D endless running video game developed and published by Imangi Studios. The player controls an explorer who has obtained an ancient relic and runs from demonic monkey-like creatures chasing him. The game was initially rele ...

'', with ''

Jetpack Joyride ''Jetpack Joyride'' is a 2011 side-scrolling endless runner action video game created by Halfbrick Studios. It was released for iOS devices on the App Store on September 1, 2011 and has been ported to other systems. It was released online as a ...

'' and '' Canabalt'' being other popular examples. Its popularity is attributed to its simple gameplay that works well on

touchscreen A touchscreen or touch screen is the assembly of both an input ('touch panel') and output ('display') device. The touch panel is normally layered on the top of an electronic visual display of an information processing system. The display is often ...

devices.

Concepts

Endless runners can be side-scrolling, as in the genre's early titles, top-down, or 3D, but the player is placed in a neverending level in which the character automatically moves forward. The player's only form of control is to have the character dodge obstacles, either by moving them out of the way or using a specific button. Some form of points, currency, or other rewards are gained over time by maneuvering in the level or simply staying alive longer. The game progressively increases in difficulty as time goes on. The player has a game over if they are hindered enough by the obstacles that they are "caught" by whatever is chasing them and die.

History

Older games, such as the 1983 '' B.C.'s Quest for Tires'', featured similar designs to modern endless runner titles. However, while ''B.C.'s Quest'' was considered a commercial hit for its time, its design was not copied. The endless runner as a subgenre was only created following the release of ''Canabalt'', a 2009

indie game An indie game, short for independent video game, is a video game typically created by individuals or smaller development teams without the financial and technical support of a large game publisher, in contrast to most "AAA" (triple-A) games. ...

developed by Adam Saltsman in which a

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flees from a city being destroyed by giant

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s. It allows the character to leap and dodge obstacles when the screen is tapped, overcoming a design limitation caused by the simplicity of smartphone touchscreens.

Adult Swim Games Adult Swim Games (stylized as dult swim games'') is the video game publishing division of the Adult Swim brand of Cartoon Network. While Adult Swim had been publishing games since 2005, primarily based on their in-house franchises. In 2011, it be ...

soon asked Saltsman for permission to adapt ''Canabalt'''s design into their own title, and released ''

Robot Unicorn Attack ''Robot Unicorn Attack'' is an endless running video game released by Spritonin Media Games on February 4, 2010. In the first week after its release, the game garnered one million plays. Following Robot Unicorn Attack, Adult Swim released three ...

'' in 2010. It became an

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due to Adult Swim's larger audience and its quirky themes. After only a few months, the

App Store An App Store (or app marketplace) is a type of digital distribution platform for computer software called applications, often in a mobile context. Apps provide a specific set of functions which, by definition, do not include the running of the co ...

was full of endless runner

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. The genre was built upon with new ideas in the ensuing games, with ''Jetpack Joyride'' including vehicles and ''Temple Run'' introducing a 3D over-the-shoulder viewpoint. The ''Bit.Trip'' series added

rhythm game Rhythm game or rhythm action is a genre of music-themed action video game that challenges a player's sense of rhythm. Games in the genre typically focus on dance or the simulated performance of musical instruments, and require players to pres ...

elements. As time went on, numerous large franchises adapted their gameplay into endless runner mobile

spin-offs Spin-off may refer to: *Spin-off (media), a media work derived from an existing work *Corporate spin-off, a type of corporate action that forms a new company or entity * Government spin-off, civilian goods which are the result of military or gove ...

, including the 2013 ''

Sonic Dash ''Sonic Dash'' is a 2013 endless runner mobile game developed by Hardlight and published by Japanese game studio Sega. It is Hardlight's second ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' game, the first being 2012's ''Sonic Jump''. The game was released in March 2 ...

'' and the 2015 '' Lara Croft: Relic Run''.

References

{{Video game genre Video game genres