What is Temple Run?
Temple Run is an endless runner created by Imangi Studios where you sprint away from pursuing demon monkeys after taking an ancient idol. Your character continuously charges down stone pathways, requiring quick reflexes to turn corners, clear pits, and duck beneath flaming traps. The experience runs free in any web browser without needing file downloads or installation.
Key features
- Continuous sprint: Dodge broken pathways, fiery obstacles, and tree roots that appear without pause.
- Relentless pursuit: Monster apes chase your adventurer, closing the gap whenever you stumble.
- Coin pickups: Grab gold tokens along the stone trails to spend on character enhancements.
- Temporary boosts: Pick up protective barriers, speed enhancements, and coin bonuses during your escape.
- Bonus tasks: Complete specific goals during runs to gain extra coins for upgrades.
- Hardware flexibility: Runs smoothly across desktop setups as well as phones and tablets.
How to play
- Flee the temple complex with the stolen relic while monstrous primates follow close behind.
- Steer across branching stone bridges and pathways using direction inputs.
- Leap across wide crevices and duck beneath fallen trees or burning obstacles.
- Collect trails of gold scattered across the route to accumulate funds.
- Trigger acquired abilities like protective shields to push past dangerous choke points.
- Keep running until a fatal misstep ends the sprint, then launch a fresh attempt.
Controls
| Action | Keyboard |
|---|---|
| Jump | Spacebar, Up arrow, or W |
| Slide | Down arrow or S |
| Turn left | Left arrow or A |
| Turn right | Right arrow or D |
Upgrades and enhancements
Coins gathered along your route fund valuable upgrades that improve your chances on subsequent sprints. Accomplishing optional milestones provides extra coin rewards, allowing you to strengthen abilities more rapidly.
| Ability | Effect |
|---|---|
| Protective shield | Temporarily protects your adventurer against collision damage |
| Speed boost | Rushes your runner forward at high velocity |
| Coin boost | Increases the amount of currency gathered along the path |
Tips and strategy
- Focus your gaze ahead: Watching the horizon rather than your character helps you spot upcoming chasms and sharp corners early.
- Ignore risky coins: Straining to collect distant currency near fatal drops often cuts an otherwise great sprint short.
- Slide early for low obstacles: Initiating your slide ahead of tree trunks guarantees your character stays low throughout the hazard.
- Pursue active challenges: Focusing on objective tasks yields substantial payouts to upgrade your protective gear faster.
- Maintain center positioning: Running along the middle of wide trails leaves equal leeway to react when unexpected turns arrive.
Similar games
If you like fast-paced reflex challenges, check out these related titles on this site:
- Iron Snout: A fast brawler demanding rapid reactions against waves of attacking enemies.
- Double Panda: A puzzle platformer where agile movement helps navigate tricky obstacles.
- Stickman Dragon Fight: An action fighter centered on swift timing and combat maneuvers.
Players looking for further adventures in this franchise can also explore follow-ups like Temple Run 2, along with special versions including Spooky Summit and Jungle Fall.
Developer and history
Temple Run was created by Imangi Studios. The browser edition arrived on 2024-11-14, making the classic endless chase available instantly on desktop computers and mobile devices.



