Shortcut Runner drops you into a arcade challenge you can start in a couple of seconds. Think racing, parkour & running and escape — that is the shape of it. Everything runs client-side, so it starts fast even on a modest connection.
About Shortcut Runner
Race against opponents, and stack up all the floorboards you can pick up along the way! If you're clever enough, get out of the way and build bridges and take shortcuts to get to the finish line before everyone else! Cheating has never been so stylish! Enjoy Shortcut Runner!
How to play Shortcut Runner
There is no tutorial to sit through — the game explains itself. Keep a hand on the arrow keys / WASD; everything else is listed in the controls table. It is built tall rather than wide — comfortable one-handed on a phone, centred and uncropped on a monitor. Expect the first attempt to be a write-off; that is normal here.
Controls
| Input | Action |
|---|---|
| Arrow keys / WASD | Steer, accelerate and brake |
| Spacebar | Handbrake or nitro boost |
| R | Reset the car after a crash |
On mobile: Tap and swipe directly on the screen. The game is built for portrait, so you can play one-handed without rotating your phone.
Why it is worth playing
Shortcut Runner does one thing and does it properly. There is no bloat around the edges, which is exactly what you want from a arcade game in a browser tab. That is the whole pitch, and it is enough.
At a glance
- Free to play with no account required
- Runs in the browser — nothing to download or install
- Portrait layout, comfortable one-handed on mobile
- Keyboard and mouse on desktop, full touch support on mobile.
- Racing gameplay — Throttle down and take the first place
- Parkour & Running gameplay — Keep moving and never look down
- Escape gameplay — Find the clues, open the door
- Added to our catalogue from a 2022 release
Frequently asked questions
Is Shortcut Runner free to play?
It is free. There is no trial, no unlock and no sign-up wall on Shortcut Runner — the page you are on is the whole thing.
Do I need to download or install anything?
No download, no installer, no plugin. Shortcut Runner is HTML5, so the browser plays it directly.
Can I play Shortcut Runner on my phone?
Yes. Tap and swipe directly on the screen. The game is built for portrait, so you can play one-handed without rotating your phone.
What are the controls for Shortcut Runner?
Keyboard and mouse on desktop, full touch support on mobile. Arrow keys / WASD — steer, accelerate and brake; Spacebar — handbrake or nitro boost; R — reset the car after a crash.
Can I play Shortcut Runner fullscreen?
Yes. Use the fullscreen button in the top-right of the game player to expand it to the whole screen, and press Escape to come back out.
What kind of game is Shortcut Runner?
Shortcut Runner is a arcade game built around racing, parkour & running and escape. If that is the sort of thing you enjoy, the related games further down the page are picked using the same tags.
