Defying gravity. Does it get any better? Sure, the developers might want players to solve a puzzle or take the long way around a gaping pit, but the discerning gamer will always look for a way to take to the skies, preferably in a way that leaves the intended path in shambles.
These games offer a fast track to the stratosphere. From shooters to RPGs, the following titles let players break the rules and soar like an eagle. Some are famous exploits, while others require a surgeon’s precision. All of them, however, are worth the ride.
Super Mario 64
The Backwards Long Jump
Super Mario 64
- Released
- September 26, 1996
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E for Everyone
- Genre(s)
- 3D Platformer
If speedrunning had a Hall of Fame, the Backwards Long Jump (BLJ) would be its Michael Jordan. The BLJ turns Super Mario 64’s physics against itself to such an extent that it feels like witchcraft. By executing a series of long jumps up a staircase or incline while holding the stick in the opposite direction, Mario builds up negative momentum - speed that the game’s collision code simply cannot handle. Instead of slowing down, Mario accelerates backwards at an insane velocity, phasing through walls and entire segments of Peach’s castle.
Mario will hilariously flail and somersault in reverse as he teleports through the space-time continuum. The BLJ isn’t just for shortcuts, either. With some practice, players can launch the Italian plumber into otherwise inaccessible areas, bypassing half the game’s content. Nintendo may have patched it out in later re-releases, but for purists, nothing feels quite as good as breaking the intended experience with a well-timed BLJ.
Grand Theft Auto 4
The Swing Set Launcher
Grand Theft Auto 4
- Released
- April 29, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
When fans are in the mood for some chaos, GTA 4’s Liberty City is one of the best playgrounds, illustrated perfectly by its famous swing set launcher. On paper, the swing sets in Broker’s Firefly Projects are innocent background props…until players drive a car (or, better, a motorcycle) into them at the right angle. Suddenly, the vehicle is catapulted into the sky with the force of a small nuclear bomb. The bug is quintessential Euphoria physics madness.
As the swing attempts to return to its rest position, it stores up enough energy to override the game’s collision system, sending anything touching it careening across the map. What better way is there to traverse Liberty City than launching oneself from Broker to Alderney in a single arc? Rockstar never fixed it, and honestly, they shouldn’t. The city needs its legends.
The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
Windbombing
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Released
- March 3, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
Breath of the Wild is already a great title for experimenting with physics, but speedrunners have squeezed every ounce of momentum from Hyrule’s engine. Case in point, Windbombing, which is a technique that allows Link to fly, sometimes halfway across the map, by detonating bombs in rapid succession. It works by performing a jump, pulling out the paraglider, then dropping two bombs, one round, one cube, in quick succession. Detonate the first bomb, then the second, while manipulating the camera and Link’s momentum.
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The overlapping explosions send Link hurtling through the air, conserving stamina and bypassing obstacles. Veteran windbombers can adjust their trajectory mid-flight and steer it like a jet. Certain players can defeat bosses and other challenges by using nothing but windbombs. Nintendo’s open-ended design enables such ridiculousness.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
Those Giants...
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Released
- November 11, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
Players who’ve been punted into orbit by a giant’s club already understand Skyrim’s unique relationship with gravity. Bethesda’s games have been a consistent breeding ground for physics-related oddities. One is the previously mentioned giant launch, where a single swipe from a giant propels the player character hundreds of feet into the air, ragdolling practically to Sovngarde. But the game’s flight exploits go deeper. By stacking various speed-boosting effects, e.g., Whirlwind Sprint, potions, and certain glitched animations, fans can reach a velocity that lets them skim across Skyrim like a maglev train.
Modders have gotten in on the fun, too: the Ultimate Dodge Mod and TK Dodge can be combined with physics exploits for midair acrobatics that basically turn the Dragonborn into a superhero.
Quake
Rocket Jumping
Quake
- Released
- May 22, 1996
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Violence
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter
No list of aerial exploits would be complete without rocket jumping. Born in id Software’s Doom, this technique is a nifty tactical tool. Fire a rocket at your feet while jumping, and the combined forces of the explosion and your upward momentum will send players soaring to vertigo-inducing heights.
Masters can string together multiple jumps and pogo off of walls. The tradeoff? Players lose health with every jump, so a continual balance between speed and survival must be maintained. Later games (Team Fortress Classic, Quake 3 Arena) refined the technique, but the Quake version still feels the most raw.
The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time
Bomb Hovering
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
- Released
- November 21, 1998
WHERE TO PLAY
With the right tools, Ocarina of Time’s boundaries can be broken, namely by bomb hovering. The exploit relies on the Infinite Sword glitch, which prevents Link from falling off edges, combined with shielding in midair from a bomb explosion. Link will find himself in a perpetual state of hovering. By repeatedly triggering the glitch, players can hover through the air, stacking minuscule vertical gains until Link floats over obstacles, gaps, or potentially the final boss room.
It’s tedious, but with practice, a skilled bomber can bypass dungeons and access areas meant to be out of reach. Speedrunners abuse bomb hovering to cut the game’s runtime to a fraction of its normal length, but it’s also just fun to see what the engine will tolerate before it breaks.
The Halo Series
Physics Exploits Run Amok
Halo: Combat Evolved
- Released
- November 15, 2001
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Violence
- Genre(s)
- FPS
Longtime fans know how to milk the physics of the Halo franchise, with every entry coming with its own set of shenanigans. Combat Evolved had Warthog launching, which involves piling a bunch of explosives under a vehicle, parking it right, and detonating. The vehicle (and its unlucky occupants) will soar, bypassing half the map in the process. Later games expanded on the theme.
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In Halo 3, the grav lift equipment turns any surface into a launchpad. There’s also Banshee boosting, grenade stacking, and the Ghost jump. Multiplayer, as such, becomes a circus. Bungie and 343 Industries have tried to patch the most egregious abuses, but players somehow manage to find a way.
Honorable Mentions
These titles also allow players to achieve unintended flight by taking a sledgehammer to their respective game engines:
- Red Dead Redemption
- Half-Life
- Assassin's Creed 4
- Destiny & Destiny 2
- Portal 2
- Mirror's Edge
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