There’s something deeply satisfying about leaving the laws of physics in the dust. Mostopen-world gamesgive players cars, bikes, or even horses to get around, but these games throw all that out the window and just let players gofast. We’re talking about sprinting up buildings, dashing across cities in seconds, and making even the fastest sports cars look like they’re standing still.
Super speed isn’t just about getting from point A to point B—it’s about the thrill of feeling unstoppable, the sheer joy of breaking the world’s movement systems in the best way possible. Some of these games make super speed a core part of their identity, while others let players unlock it as they become more powerful.
5Crackdown 2
Orb-Hunting at the Speed of Chaos
Back in the Xbox 360 days,Crackdown 2was the ultimate “jump in and cause mayhem” kind of game. Players took control of a genetically enhanced super-agent tasked with cleaning up Pacific City by any means necessary. That usually meant kicking cars across the street, throwing enemies into buildings, and most importantly, running faster than any human should ever be able to.
Super speed inCrackdown 2wasn’t something players had from the start. Instead, it was something they earned, bit by bit, by collecting agility orbs scattered across the city. The more orbs players grabbed, the faster their agent could run, to the point where vehicles became completely useless. When fully upgraded, running up walls, leaping across rooftops, and zooming through the streets felt better than any car chase could ever hope to be.
Of course, the game wasn’t just about moving fast—it was about using that speed to turn enemies into human bowling pins. Running at full speed and delivering a melee attack sent enemies flying, and dodging incoming rockets felt like somethingstraight out of a superhero movie.Pacific City may have been a mess, but at least players got to clean it up while moving at Mach speed.
IfPrototypehad a speedometer, it would have broken within the first five minutes. Alex Mercer wasn’t just fast—he wasinhumanlyfast. Set in a virus-ridden version of New York City, the game gave players complete freedom to sprint up skyscrapers, leap over entire buildings, and barrel through city streets like a human wrecking ball.
Super speed inPrototypewas a weapon. Mercer could hit full speed in an instant, bulldozing through cars, civilians, and even armored tanks like they were made of paper. And when players combined that speed with Mercer’sshape-shiftingabilities, things got even more ridiculous—running straight up a building, launching into the sky, and then dive-bombing an enemy base never got old.
Unlike some other games on this list, speed wasn’t something players had to unlock or level up—it was there from the start, and it only got better. Whether it was escaping military choppers or hunting down infected monstrosities, moving fast inPrototypewas a constant reminder that Mercer wasn’t just some ordinary guy—he was a full-blown biological weapon, and the city had no idea how to handle him.
For a game about superheroes,Infamous: Second Sonmade sure that movement felt just as incredible as the powers themselves. Players took control of Delsin Rowe, a rebellious conduit who could absorb powers from other conduits, and among the best of them was Neon. While the game had other traversal methods, nothing compared to the sheer speed and style of dashing across Seattle in a glowing, neon blur.
Neon speed wasn’t something Delsin had from the start, but once players unlocked it, the city opened up in an entirely new way. With this power, Delsin could run faster than cars, scale entire buildings in seconds, and leave a stunning trail of bright light behind him as he dashed through the streets. The best part? No stamina bar, no cooldowns—just pure, unfiltered speed.
Beyond just looking cool, super speed was a huge advantagein combat. Delsin could use it to dodge bullets, zip around enemies, and even fire precision laser shots while moving at high speeds. The Neon power was stylish, fluid, and arguably the best way to experience the open-world freedom thatSecond Sonhad to offer.
Sonic has been about speed since the very beginning, butSonic Frontiersfinally gave him an open world worthy of his abilities. Instead of the traditional linear levels, the game let players tear across massive islands at breakneck speeds, using Sonic’s signature boost ability tozoom across landscapeswithout a second thought.
What madeSonic Frontiersstand out wasn’t just the speed itself—it was how the game designed the world around it. Open zones were packed with grind rails, ramps, and loop-de-loops, all encouraging players tonever stop moving. Sonic could run up mountains, chain together mid-air tricks, and hit speeds that made fast travel completely pointless.
Unlike previous Sonic games that struggled to balance speed with control,Frontiersnailed the feeling of momentum. Whether Sonic was weaving through enemy attacks in Cyber Space levels or launching himself off cliffs into a perfect homing attack, everything about the movement felt like a natural extension of his character. For players who ever wished they could run as fast as Sonic in a fully explorable world,Frontiersfinally made that dream come true.
WhenSaints Row4decided to give players superpowers, it didn’t just dip a toe in—it went all out. The moment players unlockedsuper speed, Steelport turned into a personal playground. Who needed cars when you could run faster than any vehicle? Who needed roads when you could sprint straight up the side of a skyscraper?
What madeSaints Row4’s super speed so ridiculous was just how overpowered it was. Players could run up walls, leap across entire city blocks, and even send enemies flying just by runningintothem. The game didn’t even pretend to care about realism—if it made movement more fun, it was in.
And the best part? Super speed workedwiththe rest of the game’s absurdity. Whether it was outrunning an alien invasion, drop-kicking enemies at highway speeds, or launching into the air to deliver a superhero landing, every second of movement felt like breaking the rules in the best way possible.
At the end of the day,Saints Row4wasn’t about balance or realism. It was about giving players a world where they could be the ultimate super-powered chaos machine. And when it came to running faster than the speed of sound? No game did it better.
