This Spelunky run avoids all gold and pick-ups, and basically masters the game

I'll no doubt be proven wrong within days, but it feels like Spelunky is a thoroughly beaten videogame nowadays. The high level speedruns are mindblowing, the no gold challenges feats of impeccable spelunkmanship. It's gotten to the point where seemingly arbitrary challenges are the only way forward, and the run embedded above seems virtually insurmountable: it completes the whole game (all hidden levels included) without collecting a single piece of gold, and without using any items other than the bombs and ropes the spelunker starts with.

It's the work of speedrunner Kinnijup, who also holds the record for fastest playthrough with all secrets at a lightning speed 2:32. That 'no items' rule extends to everything: no shotguns, no jetpacks, no teleporters, though rocks, fallen trap arrows and the corpses of enemies are allowed, as is the Ankh, which is needed to access secret levels.

While Spelunky's secret Hell level is necessary to beat the true game, Kinnijup's run also extends to completely superfluous secret levels, including the Worm and the Haunted Castle. Watching Kinnijup navigate the narrow paths of the Worm, completely avoiding gold, with nothing but a lowly whip and single bomb to his name, is as anxiety inducing as it is impressive.

I found this run via the MossRanking Twitter account, which belongs to the 'Spelunky addicts community' and regularly posts ridiculous runs. I think we can all agree that Spelunky is spent: bring on Spelunky 2.

Shaun Prescott is the Australian editor of PC Gamer. With over ten years experience covering the games industry, his work has appeared on GamesRadar+, TechRadar, The Guardian, PLAY Magazine, the Sydney Morning Herald, and more. Specific interests include indie games, obscure Metroidvanias, speedrunning, experimental games and FPSs. He thinks Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed is an all-time classic that will receive its due critical reappraisal one day.