The Runner is the main character and starting character of the Run series, appearing in all three games. In Run 3, her goal is to thoroughly explore the tunnels, marking each one on the Galaxy Map. She doesn't need to be unlocked, as the Runner is always one of the default characters in the games.
Gameplay
In Run 1
In Run 2
In Run 3
The Runner has no special abilities, yet her run speed, jump height, and maneuverability are all slightly above average. If you are stuck on a particular level, you can have a try with her. You may receive some surprises from her.
She can beat almost any level when used correctly.
Personality
The Runner is very kind and has great leadership skills. She is also a good leader and can work together with others such as the Skater and the Student to explore. She loves to map out and explore new places and wants to see everything the place has to offer when she can. The Runner doesn't like people to doodle on her map but doesn't offend her friends by erasing their doodles.
The Runner and the Angel have had a bit of a rivalry together. The Angel wants to lead the others home and be a hero, while the Runner wants to keep exploring the tunnels. The Runner also refused to give the Angel her map and also refused to follow the Angel. The Runner dislikes the fact that the Angel has a big ego.
Costumes
The Runner has two unlockable costumes, a winter costume, and a Halloween costume.
The Skier
"She found a box full of ski gear and grabbed the items that fit. Hopefully the original owner won't mind."-In game description (old)
"Listen, ANYONE would have trouble staying in control on frictionless skis."-In game description (new)
The Runner's winter costume is unlocked by beating the Winter Games. Alternatively, it can be bought in the shop for 500 power cells. When the winter costume is equipped, the Runner wears a red bobble hat with a white pompom, red skis, and holds silver ski poles. She is officially known as the Skier when wearing her winter costume. When this costume is equipped, the Skier will keep accelerating as long she is on the ground. Her top speed is equal to the Skater's.
The Jack-O-Lantern
"Well, I guess that's one idea for a costume. Isn't it heavy, though?"-In game description
The Runner's Halloween costume is unlocked by beating the Low-Power Tunnel. Alternatively, it can be bought in the shop for 750 power cells. When the Halloween costume is equipped, the Runner wears a large carved pumpkin that covers most of her body. She is officially known as the Jack-O-Lantern when wearing her Halloween costume. She will jump very high when she has the Halloween Costume. However, the jump height is still slightly lower than the Lizard's. Though, this is already more than enough for most situations.
Abilities
Physical Abilities
Respawning: Every time she falls into holes and gaps, she can respawn in the level, granting her the ability to use the trial-and-error method to figure out how to beat the level and go over the obstacle in front of her. However, this ability is seen in all characters in Run 3, and it is unknown how this can be achieved.
Modest Running Skills: Her skills of running is notably great, able to run at a relatively fast speed than other characters like the Student and the Lizard. Although she is slow in comparison to Skater, that is probably because that he is skating with his skates, while Runner is actually running with her bare feet. Her maneuverability is high enough to surprise you, and she is so versatile that she can fit in and beat most of the levels in the game without much problem.
Enhanced Leap: She can jump relatively high, able to reach about 4.5 m in terms of height, while her height is only about 1 m tall! Even better, she can control her jump distance, ranging from a small hop to a large leap, letting her to be able to get past most gaps except the largest ones.
Superb Stamina: She can keep running in a relatively high speed, and won't get tired like the Lizard. She hasn't been spotted to feel tired in the game.
Enhanced Running Speed: She can run in relatively fast speed, with her top speed reaching about 13 m/s, which is pretty fast, when it is known that her legs are short and her height is only about 1 m.
Modest Maneuverability: Her maneuverability is notably high, as her strafing speed is about 13.5 m/s, and that she can beat most levels with ease. Even spiral levels can't really make her give up, and she is probably the only person who can run against a Conveyor tile.
Invincibility: She doesn't seem to get hurt by any means in the game. Even if she hits a box while running at full speed, she simply stops, and won't get hurt. Also, since she can respawn, even falling into space won't kill her, and will send her back at the starting point instead.
Pain suppression: She is able to hit a Box with her head and let it speed away in space, seen during the Bridge Building minigame. From the impact, it should be understood that she was also hit in the head by the Box. However, she doesn't seem to mind the effect.
Other Abilities
Expert Cartographic Skills: As the Cartographer in the Planet, she should have a high degree of mapping skills, as well as cartographic skills, since even other characters found her in order to get her draw maps for them, for instance, Dancer. She is so famed that almost all characters know her in the Planet.
Experienced Artist: She is seen to have some skills in drawing when she draws on her map. Not only she can mark the locations of different places accurately (presumably), as seen in the Galaxy Map, she is also able to draw shapes and pictures like the Planet on her map.
Experienced Constructor: It is known that she supervised the construction of the City, and several smaller cities. Therefore, it is assumed that she has some degree of constructing skills.
Statistics
| Ability rating | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed | 3/5 | ||
| Jump length | 4/5 | ||
| Jump height | 2.5/5 | ||
| Maneuverability | 4/5 | ||
| Special ability | 0/5 | ||
| General | 4/5 | ||
| Ability rating | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed | 5/5 | ||
| Jump length | 4/5 | ||
| Jump height | 2.5/5 | ||
| Maneuverability | 3.5/5 | ||
| Special ability | 3/5 | ||
| General | 4.5/5 | ||
| Ability rating | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed | 2.5/5 | ||
| Jump length | 4.5/5 | ||
| Jump height | 4.3/5 | ||
| Maneuverability | 3.5/5 | ||
| Special ability | 2/5 | ||
| General | 3.5/5 | ||
Explanation
The Runner is a very simple character that is easy to use. She accelerates on the ground, meaning staying on the ground speeds here up. Her jumping abilities are extremely helpful. Her strafing is great as well, making travelling the tunnels a breeze.
Overall, the Runner is a very easy character to use, and is helpful in almost all situations.
The Skier on the other hand, is focused much more on speed. Similarly to The Runner, she speeds up on the ground, however, she can reach speeds as high as the Skater! The rest of her stats are the same, except for the fact she maneuvers better on ice. She is the one of the best characters for infinite mode, due to her extreme ease of speeding up and slowing down.
The Jack O Lantern, is slow and jumps high. Basically a modified Lizard. This costume is extremely useful as it combines the high jumping of the Lizard, and the accessibility of the Runner. It is also useful in levels such as I-5.
Achievements
Coming Full Circle - As the Runner, travel all the way around Level 35.
Dodge the Squares - As the Runner, complete Level 4 without jumping or dislodging tiles.
Frictionless - As the Skier, reach the conveyors in Level N-7. Make sure to keep your skis fully inside the tunnel.
Cutscenes
The Runner appears in 17 of the 65 cutscenes (65 is the total number of cutscenes if including all of the hidden and optional ones). Here is a full list of her appearances throughout the story, in chronological order.
- Coming Through
- Nice to Meet You
- Insanity
- Socratic Method
- Teapot
- Planet Stolen
- Orbits
- Naming
- Wormhole in Sight
- My Turn
- The Gap
- Tell a Friend
- Lightning Strikes Twice
- Leave It Here
- Protip
- Crossing the Gap
- Fame
Infinite Mode Trivia
- Who needs flashy special abilities when you have precision and agility?
- The Runner’s philosophy: you can’t plan for everything. Instead, plan for the fact that you can’t plan for everything.
- Both the Runner and the Angel have leadership skills, but you wouldn't know it from listening to the Angel.
- True to her name, the Runner performs best on the ground, where she can move and change directions faster.
- As the oldest one here, the Runner naturally has the best strength and agility.
- The Runner may not like people doodling on her map, but she doesn't want to offend them by erasing their work.
- Her map only stores 1GB, but the Runner has never even come close to running out. She doesn't see what the fuss is over 8GB paper.
- Quickly release the jump button for a low jump. The sooner you land, the more time you have to prepare the next jump!
- The Runner supervised the construction of the City, and several smaller cities.
Other Trivia
- When the Runner first met the Angel, she introduced herself as "the Runner, also known as the Cartographer."
- On the Angel's list for going home, she is referred to as the "The Annoyance", and later, "The Know-it-All".
- In the Bridge-Building mini-game, it is shown that the Runner wants someone who acts like a grade-school bully and has done more in his life than hers to fail at whatever he's doing. (It seems to point at the Angel who acts like a bully, and that the Runner wants to see the Angel fail at locating the Planet.)
Gallery
The Runner shares some sprites with the Student, and some sprites that are for specifically the Student appear in the Runner's sheet.
The sprite next to her current selected one is similar to her old one, but is unused. Her sitting is also unused.