About WikiRun

WikiRun is a free online game where players race through Wikipedia articles to reach a target page as quickly as possible. Starting from one article, you navigate exclusively by clicking hyperlinks within the text to reach your destination. The fewer clicks and less time you take, the better your score.

Wikipedia speedrunning has been a popular internet challenge for years, but WikiRun brings it to the next level with competitive ranked matchmaking, an ELO rating system, and a global leaderboard. Whether you are a casual player looking for a fun brain exercise or a competitive speedrunner aiming for the top ranks, WikiRun has something for you.

Every game begins with two Wikipedia articles: a starting article and a target article. Your goal is to navigate from the start to the target by clicking links within each article. You cannot use the browser's search function, back button, or any external tools — only the links on the page.

WikiRun offers two game modes. In Training Mode, you can practice at your own pace with three difficulty levels. In Ranked Mode, you compete head-to-head against another player on the same route. The player who reaches the target article first wins ELO points, while the loser loses points. Your ELO rating determines your rank on the global leaderboard.

WikiRun uses an ELO rating system, the same system used in chess and other competitive games. Every new player starts at 1000 ELO. Winning ranked matches earns you points, while losing costs you points. The amount gained or lost depends on the relative skill difference between you and your opponent — beating a higher-rated player rewards more points than beating a lower-rated one.

As your rating changes, you progress through seven competitive tiers:

Wikipedia is the largest encyclopedia ever created, with over 6.8 million articles in English alone. Every article is connected to thousands of others through hyperlinks, forming an enormous web of human knowledge. Navigating this web efficiently requires a combination of general knowledge, pattern recognition, and strategic thinking.

Wikipedia speedrunning is not just a game — it is a way to explore and learn. Every run exposes you to new topics, historical events, scientific concepts, and cultural connections you might never have discovered otherwise. The competitive element adds motivation and excitement, turning passive reading into an active, engaging experience.

WikiRun makes this experience accessible to everyone. No downloads, no installations, no cost. Just open the site, pick a mode, and start running.

WikiRun is designed to be fair for all players. The game uses active timing, which means only the time you spend reading and clicking counts toward your score. Time spent waiting for pages to load is not counted against you, so players with slower internet connections are not disadvantaged.

In ranked matches, both players receive the exact same route, ensuring a level playing field. The browser's find-in-page function is disabled during gameplay to prevent shortcuts, and all navigation must happen through article links.