TAS
/tiː eɪ ɛs/
UncommonTool-Assisted Speedrun: a recorded playthrough created frame-by-frame using emulator tools to produce a theoretically perfect run.
TASes are a form of art and research in the speedrunning community, not cheating. They show what is theoretically possible and often reveal new tricks that human runners later attempt to replicate.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | the TAS for this game is under 8 minutes but the human world record is 22. that gap shows how much of it is rng | The huge difference between TAS and human times reveals how much of the game relies on luck. | |
| 02 | that movement looks like a TAS bro. there is no way a human does that consistently | The player's inputs are so precise they seem computer-generated. | twitch, 2024 |
| 03 | TASes from 2010 are getting obsoleted because people figured out even faster routes. wild | Previously 'perfect' machine runs are now being beaten by newer tool-assisted research. | youtube, 2023 |
| 04 | making a TAS is less about playing fast and more about solving a puzzle frame by frame | Creating a TAS is an analytical challenge more than a gaming one. |
Use it when
- Referring to a run that was created using emulator tools and frame advance.
- Describing something done with machine-like precision or perfection.
- Distinguishing computer-optimized play from human real-time runs.
Do not use it when
- You mean a bot or hack that affects online multiplayer.
- You mean using cheat codes.
Variations and related forms
Origin and context
Originated in emulation communities where players used frame-advance and input recording tools to create superhuman playthroughs. The term and practice were formalized through sites like TASVideos.
- First seen
- early-2000s
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/tasUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0