History Main / ChallengeRun

* Custom Mode of ''VideoGame/SlayTheSpire'' allows for the player to mix-and-match a variety of game modifiers. Many of the game modifiers are a mixture of good and bad, while a few of them are bad without any redeeming qualities.

* ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts'' series:

* In ''VideoGame/CrashTeamRacingNitroFueled'', the Grand Prix includes tasks such as winning on certain tracks either without using the boost pads lying on the track[[note]]These challenges are not present for tracks where avoiding boost pads is impossible.[[/note]], or without using any power-ups. One more unique challenge requires the player to win a race while driving backwards for the entire last lap, which slows the kart to a crawl, forces the player to avoid any source of boost, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking has "Wrong Way!" flashing on screen the entire time.]]

* ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive5'' and its "[[CapcomSequelStagnation updates]]" have various challenges to unlock titles as well secret costumes for some characters, various of them almost impossible for an average/casual player, like playing with a character 1000 times or executing 15+ hits in a single combo. The costume unlock applies to Tina Armstrong, Christie and Lisa Hamilton[=/=]La Mariposa, having special and ''very reveleaing'' costumes that only can be unlocked on Legend difficulty in Solo modes for Arcade, Time Attack and Survival respectively.

** ''Autolog'' introduced from ''Hot Pursuit'' 2010 onwards can count as one against other people.

** VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted introduced the "Challenge Series", a set of pre-conditioned events separate from the main story for the player to complete. A total of 70 events exists, one of which is unlocked with a cheat code and the other being a bonus exclusive to the 'Black edition' version of the game. Completion of [[LOL69 "69"]] events unlocks two extra cars and special performance parts for use outside of the story mode.

** VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted introduced the "Challenge Series", a set of pre-conditioned events separate from the main story for the player to complete. A total of 70 events exists, one of which is unlocked with a cheat code and the other being a bonus exclusive to the 'Black edition' version of the game. Completion of ''Trope/LOL69'' events unlocks two extra cars and special performance parts for use outside of the story mode.

** VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted introduced the "Challenge Series", a set of pre-conditioned events separate from the main story for the player to complete. A total of 70 events exists, one of which is unlocked with a cheat code and the other being a bonus exclusive to the 'Black edition' version of the game. Completion of 69 events unlocks two extra cars and special performance parts for use outside of the story mode.

** ''Undercover'' and ''The Run'' also include the ''Challenge Series'' within the game and as additional DLC, but otherwise provide no rewards to players upon completion.
** ''Autolog'' introduced from ''Hot Pursuit (2010)'' onwards can count as one.

* In ''VideoGame/CrashTeamRacingNitroFueled'', the Grand Prix includes tasks such as winning on certain tracks either without using the boost pads lying on the track[[note]]These challenges are not present for track where it's actually impossible to avoid a boost pad at any point.[[/note]], or without using any power-ups. One more unique challenge requires the player to win a race while driving backwards for the entire last lap, which slows the kart to a crawl, forces the player to avoid any source of boost, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking has "Wrong Way!" flashing on screen the entire time.]]

** This tradition continued with the developer's more-refined spinoff series "VideoGame/ProjectGothamRacing".
* Need For Speed

* "Need For Speed"
** "VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted" introduced the "Challenge Series", a set of events that provide the players with goals set up with specific criteria. A total of 70 events exists, one of which is unlocked with a cheat code and the other being a bonus exclusive to the 'Black edition' version of the game. Completion of 69 events unlocks two extra cars and special performance parts for use outside of the story mode.
** "Carbon" refined the "Challenge Series".
** Undercover
** The Run

!!Examples:

* ''VideoGame/KingdomOfLoathing'' offers a whole slew of special modes that impose challenging rules, and grant special rewards to those who beat the game under these conditions. These range from preventing the use of certain foods and drinks, to granting you a special class with its own unique play style.

* ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot3Warped'': When you re-enter a level after you collected its Crystal, there'll be a floating clock near the start. Pick it up to activate TimeTrial mode where a timer starts ticking. Some of the crates are changed to "time crates", which, when broken, will stop the timer for a few seconds (depending on the crate's number). As you'll be put right at the start if you die in a Time Trial, taking the trial would thus be not just a SpeedRun but a NoDamageRun as well. The rewards for finishing quickly are Time Relics, which comes in grades (in order): Sapphire, Gold and Platinum. These are required for 100PercentCompletion.

Examples:

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[[AC:Fighting Games]]

[[AC:First-Person Shooters]]

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[[AC:Roguelikes]]

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[[AC:Strategy Games]]

[[AC:Survival Horror]]

** ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys4'' includes two difficulties from previous games: Nightmare Mode and 4-20 mode. The DLC introduces a new difficulty called Blind Mode, in which you are not allowed to use the flashlight.

** ''VideoGame/Left4Dead2'''s Mutation gamemode adds different mechanics for players to tackle. Challenges include the whole team being forced to use swords only (Four Swordsmen), doing a solo run with the Magnum only (Lone Gunman), playing a VS game where all special infected are buffed up Jockeys (Riding My Survivor), and many others. With the Workshop also allowing for mutation add-ons, you have a whole gamut of options.

** The original concept for ''Left 4 Dead'' was for [[WhoForgotTheLights the scenery to be pitch black]] and the flashlight.

[[AC:Fighting Games]]

To a ChallengeGamer, merely beating a game is not enough. They'll want to play on [[HarderThanHard the highest difficulty level]] and beat the BonusBoss while imposing all sorts of strict limits upon themselves.

Game developers know this, and may choose to suggest players a Challenge Run. This can range from an EasterEgg or VideoGameAchievements for those who beat a game while respecting certain conditions, to entire game modes that the player must pick at the start of the game, which automatically enforce the rules of the challenge. If the game allows the player to select which level they want to play, it may be possible to fulfill the Challenge Run on each level one at a time; if not, the player may have to play through the whole game under these rules.

* ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry 3'' and ''4'' encouraged players to take on self-imposed challenges in the form of getting the "S" and "SS" after-mission rankings in order to [[CosmeticAward collect bonus artwork]] completely unnecessary for gameplay. In 3, the most difficult-to-get one required a NoDamageRun on top of making the time limit, collecting enough "Red Orb" currency, getting enough "style" points and using no items.
* ''VideoGame/FateExtellaLink'' has the "Bond Challenges", where you accept challenges from up to 5 of your Servants in order to [[LevelUpAtIntimacy5 increase their bond points]]; the challenges here are various, from "taking over a number of sectors under certain seconds" to "scoring enough numbers of K.O" to "keeping your HP over certain percentage for certain seconds".

* ''VideoGame/CaveStory:''

* In most of the ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' games, you have the option to turn on various "skulls" for the campaign mode (in some games you have to find them before you can use them, in some games not) which effect the gameplay in various ways. There's one that causes your shields to recharge only upon meleeing an enemy, one that causes every enemy's health to double, one that removes your entire first-person HUD ''and arms'', leaving you with ''no way to tell what gun you're currently using'' unless you fire it or tediously look at its shape with your own shadow, one that causes you to restart the whole level if you die on solo or revert to the last checkpoint if ANY player dies on co-op, and those are just a few. Some skulls are actually helpful (though those are mostly just in ''Videogame/{{Halo 2}}'' and ''[[VideoGame/HaloCombatEvolved Combat Evolved]] Anniversary''), but in most cases, they greatly increase the games' difficulty in many unique ways.

** The original concept for ''Left 4 Dead'' was for [[WhoForgotTheLights the scenery to be pitch black]] and the flashlight

* ''Videogame/{{Dofus}}'' has been adding more and more challenges like this, and two in particular have become ubiquitous - every dungeon includes a success for beating them:

* ''VideoGame/KingdomOfLoathing'' offers a whole slew of special modes that impose challenging rules, and grant special rewards to those who beat the game under these conditions. These range from preventing the use of certain foods and drinks, to granting you a special class with its own unique playstyle.

* ''VideoGame/{{Celeste}}:'' Collecting the 200th strawberry requires you to complete the first chapter without dashing at all, which requires plenty of skill and knowledge of advanced movement techniques like spike-dashing that [[GuideDangit the game never directly teaches you]]. Of course, getting this 200th strawberry is completely optional; you only need 150 strawberries to get the game's best ending.

* In VideoGame/CrashTeamRacingNitroFueled, the Grand Prix includes tasks such as winning on certain tracks either without using the boost pads lying on the track[[note]]These challenges are not present for track where it's actually impossible to avoid a boost pad at any point.[[/note]], or without using any power-ups. One more unique challenge requires the player to win a race while driving backwards for the entire last lap, which slows the kart to a crawl, forces the player to avoid any source of boost, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking has "Wrong Way!" flashing on screen the entire time.]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'' actually acknowledges the player doing certain challenge runs - you get a special message if you manage to complete the game under a certain restriction. These are: no saving, no using healing items, finish the game wearing the Bandage (the weakest armour, which turns into a healing item when removed, meaning you can't re-equip it), finishing the game at level 1 (easier than it sounds, as killing enemies to gain EXP is actively discouraged in this game for spoiler-intensive reasons) and finishing the game with a Snowman Piece in your inventory (a healing item that you can get early in the game that heals 45 HP, in a game where if you play "normally" (i.e. as you would a standard RPG) you'd have about 35 HP by the time you fight the pre-final boss). You can turn it UpToEleven by doing many or all of them at once; Doing "No Healing Items", "Bandage", and "Level 1" all at once even gets its own message saying [[LampshadeHanging "You really like to challenge yourself, huh?"]]

** ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys4'' includes two difficulties from previous games: Nightmare Mode and 4-20 mode. The DLC intruduces a new difficulty called Blind Mode, in which you are not allowed to use the flashlight.