CICADAMATA speedrun guide: categories, leaderboards, and a smarter first route

Why CICADAMATA Is a Natural Speedrunning Game

Fast movement, a ticking clock, and a sandbox built for traversal make CICADAMATA an inviting time-attack target from the moment you enter CASCADE. That makes a CICADAMATA speedrun more than a race to the finish: route choice, category rules, and repeatable execution all matter. As of August 24, 2026, the CICADAMATA speedrun board is young but active, with 140 runs from 23 players while the captured full-game view shows no runs and level boards already display recent times.

The game released on August 21, 2026, making this an early snapshot of its competitive scene. The official Steam page for CICADAMATA presents it as a fast-paced first-person platformer and shooter with speedrunning at its core.

The official description also highlights FAWN-A2, a MATA maneuver sandbox, and ZONE TIME, a feature intended to improve traversal efficiency. Players can take on more than 15 freeform levels across six spheres, manage a clearance level, race against the clock, and compare records with other CICADAS.

Those features point toward a movement-first approach, but the supplied sources do not provide exact controls, timing rules, skips, or route instructions. The most reliable strategy is therefore to combine official game information with the current community leaderboard instead of guessing how a category works.

What the Current CICADAMATA Speedrun Leaderboard Actually Shows

The CICADAMATA leaderboard on Speedrun.com separates full-game and level boards. It also displays Sphere Rush categories, a Normal difficulty selection, and Unrestricted or Glitchless filters.

Community reports and player experience: The entries below are a dated leaderboard snapshot captured on August 24, 2026. The page showed relative timestamps such as “6 hours ago” and “7 hours ago,” so placements and times may already have changed.

The visible sample ranges from 20.983 seconds to 1:08.899. That spread is not a difficulty ranking because the entries represent different levels, objectives, and glitch settings. A 1-2 MANDALA Any% Unrestricted run should never be compared directly with a 4-2 HARE AllEnemies% Glitchless run.

The board also shows why category discipline matters. The captured full-game view reports no runs, but individual level boards already have submissions. Combining several level times may be useful for route planning, yet it does not create a legal full-game time unless the current rules confirm matching starts, stops, timing, and requirements.

Choose the Right Category for a CICADAMATA Speedrun

A successful CICADAMATA speedrun starts with a precise target. Speedrun.com lists several Sphere Rush categories, but the supplied page does not include the full rule text for each one. Category names identify the available boards; they do not replace the rules page.

For a first CICADAMATA speedrun, select one level-and-category pair rather than trying to learn every board at once. The visible 1-1 AENSLAND and 1-2 MANDALA Any% Unrestricted entries are useful examples of active level boards, but their presence does not prove that either level is easiest for beginners.

Runners who want a cleaner learning environment can begin with a Glitchless board. Players interested in exploring every permitted movement option can study Unrestricted instead. Neither choice is automatically better; the important rule is to keep the setting consistent and report the correct category.

The same principle applies to DMND%, 100%, AllEnemies%, and Low%. Because the supplied leaderboard extract does not show their definitions, avoid building a route around assumptions based only on a category name.

Build a First CICADAMATA Speedrun Route

Route planning should begin with a repeatable baseline, not an imagined perfect run. The official description’s emphasis on the MATA maneuver sandbox and ZONE TIME makes traversal a logical area to test first, but the available sources do not identify specific skips or button inputs.

Use the following practice loop for one selected level. These are runner recommendations, not official game rules.

A useful route card has three layers:

• Safety line: The sequence that gets you through the level consistently.
• Speed line: Movement choices that save time but still work reliably.
• Rules line: Any required encounters, restrictions, or category-specific conditions.

This approach prevents a common mistake: spending an entire session perfecting a shortcut that is either illegal for the selected board or too inconsistent to improve a complete run.

Movement and combat should also be tested separately. If a route becomes faster only when every action is executed perfectly, it may be valuable for high-level optimization but poor for establishing a first personal best. A slightly slower line that survives most attempts gives you a stronger foundation for later improvements.

Keep notes specific. Instead of writing “movement feels bad,” record “lost time at the second traversal decision” or “reset after missing the intended landing.” Specific notes turn frustration into a practice objective.

Make Every Attempt Repeatable

The early community entries show that some level targets are measured in seconds rather than long campaigns. On a 20.983-second board, one failed movement decision can represent a large portion of the total time. That does not mean every run requires a new trick; it means consistency deserves as much attention as route discovery.

Use a stable setup for practice. The official Steam listing gives the following Windows system requirements:

The recommended specifications are not a guaranteed time-saving advantage. The supplied sources do not provide frame-rate behavior, load-time rules, or performance-based category exceptions. Use a configuration that runs reliably, and test any recording or overlay software before an important attempt.

Before starting a session, check these details:

• Select the exact level or full-game board.
• Confirm the category, difficulty, and glitch setting.
• Read the current rules for timing and completion conditions.
• Use the same route notes and setup throughout the session.
• Record the reason for each reset instead of treating every failed attempt as wasted.
• Compare personal bests only with runs from the same board and ruleset.
• Recheck the live leaderboard before submitting, since the early community standings can change quickly.

A strong CICADAMATA speedrun is built from repeatable decisions. Once the route is stable, small gains from cleaner movement, safer transitions, and fewer resets become easier to identify.

CICADAMATA speedrun FAQ

Is there a full-game CICADAMATA speedrun record yet?

In the supplied August 24, 2026 snapshot, the Full game view on Speedrun.com says “No runs found.” Level leaderboards do contain entries, so the community is already recording individual sections. Check the live board before making a record claim because this status can change.

What is the best first CICADAMATA speedrun category?

There is no universally best starting category. Choose one level with a current leaderboard, read its rules completely, and decide between Unrestricted and Glitchless based on the style you want to practice. Any% Unrestricted appears in several visible level entries, but the category rules—not the label alone—determine what is legal.

Are the displayed 20.983-second and 1:08.899 times directly comparable?

No. They belong to different levels and different category settings. The 20.983-second entries are Any% Unrestricted examples, while the 1:08.899 entry is an AllEnemies% Glitchless run. Treat each board as its own competition and do not combine those times into a single ranking.

What should I track during a CICADAMATA speedrun?

Record the level, category, difficulty, glitch setting, total time, reset reason, and the movement or combat decision that caused a loss. Tracking both your best time and typical time helps distinguish a reliable improvement from one unusually fortunate attempt.