What is a challenge run?
A challenge run is a playthrough with rules you set yourself: no healing items, pistols only, never leave the starting island. Players use them to get more out of favorite games, to make content for streams and videos, and to rediscover mechanics they normally ignore.
Challenges tagged Any game work in almost everything. Pick a game type to add genre-specific rules on top.
Choosing a difficulty
| Difficulty | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Easy | A fun twist for a single session. Good for trying a game in a new way. |
| Medium | Changes how you play across a whole playthrough. |
| Hard | For games you know inside out. Expect frustration, and bragging rights. |
Making challenges more fun
- Stack two easy challenges instead of one hard one. The combination is often funnier than either alone.
- Race a friend. Take the same challenge in the same game and compare times or deaths.
- Let chat reroll. Streamers can let viewers generate the next rule at every checkpoint.
- Set stakes. Agree on a small forfeit for breaking the rule, like restarting the level.
Organizing a game jam instead? The Random Theme Generator has themes made for building games, not just playing them.
Frequently asked questions
Do these challenges work with any game?
The “Any game” challenges do. Genre challenges assume features common to that genre, like parties in RPGs or brakes in racing games. Skip any that don't fit your game.
Which challenge should I try first?
Pick Easy and your favorite game type. Easy challenges change one habit for one session, which is a gentle way to find out whether challenge runs are for you.
Can I suggest a challenge?
Yes. Send it through the contact page and we'll consider it for the next update.
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