iZBOT Speedrun Guide – Tips, Routes & Tricks

I designed iZBOT, which means I know exactly where the time is being lost in most runs — and where the fastest routes diverge from the path most players take. This guide covers the fundamentals of speedrunning iZBOT: what the movement system allows, how to think about routing, and the mindset that separates consistent speedruns from lucky ones.

Understanding the Movement System

What the engine actually allows

Before optimising routes, you need to fully understand what iZBOT's movement system lets you do. Most casual players use a fraction of it.

Coyote time: iZBOT includes coyote time — a brief window after walking off a ledge during which you can still jump. Most players discover this accidentally. Speedrunners exploit it deliberately. Any horizontal movement toward a jump can be initiated slightly after the platform ends, saving the time it would take to stop and jump precisely at the edge.

Variable jump height: Holding jump gives a higher arc; tapping it gives a shorter one. Fast movement through a level requires selecting the correct jump height for each obstacle rather than defaulting to maximum height every time. Short obstacles should get short jumps — anything else wastes time in the air.

Horizontal momentum: iZBOT conserves horizontal momentum into jumps. Running at full speed into a jump carries that speed into the air. Stopping before a jump bleeds that momentum. The fastest routes are designed to keep you moving continuously — every stop is a time loss.

Landing recovery: There is effectively no landing recovery in iZBOT. You can jump immediately after landing. Chaining jumps without pausing between them is the foundation of fast movement through multi-platform sections.

Routing Principles

How to find the fastest path through a level

The intended path through each level is not always the fastest. iZBOT's level design leaves room for routing choices — and finding the optimal line through a level is most of what speedrun optimisation involves.

Look for skippable platforms: Many levels have platforms that exist to guide players through a safe route. Speedrunners look for whether a section of platforms can be skipped by taking a riskier jump directly to the exit side. If the jump is possible at all, it's worth learning — the time saved by cutting even two platforms compounds over a full run.

Consider death cost: A risky line might save 3 seconds if executed — but if you die attempting it once per 10 runs, the expected time cost exceeds the gain. Good speedrun routing balances time saved with execution consistency. A slightly slower safe line often produces better average times than an optimal-but-inconsistent route.

Find the fastest safe line first: Before chasing the fastest possible route, find the fastest consistently-executable route. This gives you a baseline time and a run you can complete reliably. Then optimise individual sections from there as your consistency improves.

Movement Techniques

What separates fast runs from average ones

Never stop moving horizontally. The single biggest time waste in casual iZBOT play is stopping. Every time a player stops before a jump to line up their position, they're losing time. Fast runs keep horizontal movement continuous — you're always in motion, using the movement system to adjust trajectory rather than stopping to recalculate.

Minimise airtime. Time spent in the air is time you're not moving toward the exit at full ground speed. Jump only as high as the obstacle requires. Cut jump arcs short wherever possible by releasing jump early. The difference between maximum-height and minimum-height jumps on short obstacles is measurable over a full run.

Use coyote time aggressively. Don't wait until you're exactly at the platform edge to jump. Initiate jumps as late as possible — coyote time will catch you. This removes hesitation from your movement and keeps momentum continuous.

Read patterns early. For levels with moving obstacles, initiate movement before the pattern opens rather than waiting for clearance. Moving obstacles in iZBOT are on fixed cycles. Memorising cycle timing lets you move through them without stopping to wait — the gap will arrive exactly when you reach it if you've timed your approach correctly.

Mindset for Consistent Runs

What actually produces good times over a session

The gap between a speedrunner's best run and their average run is mostly mental, not technical. Physical execution is important, but decision-making under pressure is what kills runs.

The most common run-killer is the "hero attempt" after an early save: you're ahead of pace through the first half, and you start taking riskier lines than you normally would, chasing a great time. Most hero attempts end in death on sections you complete reliably 95% of the time under normal circumstances. A consistent good time beats a rare perfect time with ten failed attempts in between.

Develop a reset discipline. If you die in a way that puts you clearly behind your target pace, reset immediately. A run you're emotionally invested in continuing is a run you'll finish slower. The willingness to reset freely — without frustration — is what lets top speedrunners accumulate attempts efficiently.

Finally: know your hardest sections. Every run has a section that kills you more than others. Identify it. Practice it in isolation until it's consistent. The bottleneck in most runners' improvement is one or two sections that end a disproportionate number of runs. Fix those specifically rather than grinding full attempts hoping they'll come together on their own.

iZBOT vs iZBOT 2 Speedrunning

How the sequel changes the routing picture

iZBOT 2 is harder than the original, which has a direct effect on speedrunning: the gap between safe routes and optimal routes is larger, because the optimal routes through harder levels are riskier. If you're new to speedrunning iZBOT, start with the original — the fundamentals are the same, and the lower base difficulty makes it easier to practice routing without dying on every other attempt.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you speedrun iZBOT?

Speedrunning iZBOT requires mastering the movement system — particularly jump timing, momentum conservation, and coyote time. The fastest routes often skip visual paths in favour of riskier lines that trim seconds. Consistent execution across all levels matters more than perfecting any single section.

What is the iZBOT world record?

World record times for iZBOT are tracked by the speedrunning community. Check speedrun.com for current records, category rules, and leaderboards.

Is iZBOT good for speedrunning?

Yes. iZBOT's instant respawn, short level structure, and tight movement system make it well-suited to speedrunning. The gap between casual play and optimal play is significant, giving runners meaningful room to improve.