Speedrunners bypass new sprint mechanic in Zelda remake via glitched jumps

Key points

• Aonuma added a sprint ability to the remake to address players using the dodge-roll for faster movement in the original.
• Speedrunners have confirmed that the dodge-roll is still faster than the new sprint, and a front hop followed by a roll is even faster.
• The addition of jumping has enabled new glitches, such as 'actor jumping,' which allows Link to reach impossible heights using items like the hookshot.
• Other discovered exploits include infinite hover boots, early item acquisition via magic bean jumps, and skipping the Deku Tree dungeon.
• Nintendo has not announced a patch to fix these glitches as of November 11, 2026.

Background

The remake launched on November 5, 2026, featuring modernized controls, voice acting, and a microphone feature for playing ocarina melodies. Aonuma previously removed fast-travel to preserve exploration, but the new sprint and jump mechanics have introduced new traversal shortcuts.

How outlets are covering it

Kotaku highlights that Aonuma explicitly cited the original game's roll-spamming as a reason for adding sprint, but speedrunners have already proven rolling is faster. Polygon and Foro3D focus on the 'actor jumping' glitch, which uses aimable tools to achieve super jumps. DualShockers provides a broader list of seven glitches, including infinite hover boots and early item acquisition, emphasizing the community's rapid exploitation of the new mechanics. All sources agree that Nintendo has not patched these issues yet.

Why it matters

The rapid discovery of glitches in the remake highlights the tension between modernizing classic games and preserving their original design intent. It also demonstrates the speedrunning community's ability to quickly identify and exploit new mechanics, potentially undermining the intended gameplay experience.

What to watch

Nintendo may release a patch to address the discovered glitches, particularly the actor jumping and infinite hover boots. Speedrunners will likely continue to find new exploits and set records using these methods.