In the world of superheroes, there's a singular character that comes to just about everyone's mind when talking about sheer speed; the one and only Barry Allen, a.k.a. The Flash. While there are a few different characters in the DC universe that have inherited the power of superhuman speed, Barry Allen is one of the most notable characters that took the famous title of The Flash.
While The Flash may be hoarding all the high-speed records to himself in his own universe, one can't help wonder if he'd remain unmatched in the realm of video games. Here are some of the most notable video game characters that would stand their own when up against The Flash in a one-on-one race (with assistance or not).
8 Tracer - Overwatch
Tracer, the poster girl for Overwatch, is known for her incredible speed. Her superhuman levels of speed are both a blessing and a curse. After being subjected to the failed test flight of the Slipstream, a teleporting aircraft, Tracer (real name Lena) was then unsynchronized from the natural flow of time and suffered from chronal dissociation.
Thanks to the help of gorilla scientist and good friend, Winston, Tracer was able to be properly anchored in the present while being able to zip through time and space on her own accord thanks to the invention of the chronal accelerator she now wears at all times.
With the assistance of her chronal accelerator, Tracer can travel superhuman levels of speed with the use of her blinks that allow her to unleash a burst of movement in the blink of an eye.
7 Sonic - Sonic The Hedgehog
The famous Sonic the Hedgehog is quite possibly one of the most prolific characters of all time when it comes to sheer speed. This titular blue blur isn't just all talk, whether it be in his video games, his television series, or his films, he's moving faster than the speed of light.
Sonic has always been known to be a bit of a hothead when it comes to waiting for others or just about anything else that seems slow to him. Perhaps rather than seeing one another as rivals, if Sonic ever met The Flash, they'd end up as good friends as Sonic may be pleased to finally meet someone that can keep up with him.
6 Goku - Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot
Goku is very often hailed as one of the most powerful (if not the most powerful) characters among both anime and gaming. However, Goku's speed isn't nearly as well known in comparison to his levels of strength. Earth's greatest protector, Goku, does have the title as the most powerful, but it's worth noting that it's Goku's speed that aids his overall strength.
Even with discounting his ability to fly, Dragon Ball fights are always full of its signature "faster than the eye can see" combat sequences where characters throw punches just as fast as they're blocking them.
5 Captain Falcon - F-Zero
Captain Falcon, one of the most famous bounty hunters in the galaxy, is no stranger to going through life at the highest speeds. While originally from the F-Zero series, his character in Super Smash Brothers was to be the fastest character in the roster, but in the end came second to Sonic the Hedgehog.
Captain Falcon is so invested in the fast life of racing that he even has a different racetrack on each of his home islands. Captain Falcon may be speedy on his own, but with the help of his signature ride, the Blue Falcon, he's next to unstoppable.
4 Foxy - Five Nights At Freddy's
Anyone that has ever dipped their toes into the intricate universe that is known as Five Nights At Freddy's knows exactly who Foxy is and exactly how fast he is. Foxy is one of the many animatronics that resides within Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria. While Bonnie and Chica are both eager to make an appearance on the very first night to introduce themselves to the player right away, Foxy is a bit different.
Foxy is only active later in the game and is the main reason players can't stop themselves from keeping the doors locked (even though it drains tons of electricity). While the other animatronics will only move when not under surveillance, Foxy isn't shy to make a mad dash toward the finish line (aka the player's office).
Considering how Foxy can go from running in the halls to poking his head into the surveillance room in the blink of an eye, it's no question that he'd give The Flash a run for his money.
3 Rock Lee - Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4
Rock Lee is a speed demon; however, it's worth noting that he wasn't born with his talents. While rival, Sasuke, was a natural-born fighter, Rock Lee had to train all his life in order to be as powerful as he is today. Rock Lee lacked many of the necessary skills to learn ninjutsu and genjutsu, forcing him not just to learn taijutsu but to master it.
Even the powerful Gaara couldn't keep up with Lee's speed upon his first encounter with the shinobi, losing sight of him in seconds. Lee of course is as fast as light normally but the moment he takes his weights off, he's effectively doubled (perhaps tripled) his top speed!
2 Gray Fox & Raiden - Metal Gear Solid
The two most famous ninjas of the Metal Gear Solid series have definitely earned their place as some of the fastest characters in gaming history. Both Gray Fox and Raiden have shown off their lightning-fast speeds, as being a ninja naturally requires agility to take out any enemy without them even realizing they're in danger.
Raiden's first spin-off from the Metal Gear Solid series, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Raiden finally has the spotlight all to himself and can truly show off how lightning-fast he is both on his feet and with his sword.
1 Isaac Clarke - Dead Space
While Isaac doesn't really come to mind when it comes to fast gaming characters, he has a trick up his sleeve. In the original Dead Space, Isaac was even notorious for having clunky, slow, tank-like controls, but it's within his signature RIG where he keeps the secret weapon that would allow him to keep up with the superhuman speeds of The Flash.
Sure, many may consider this cheating but, Isaac could potentially win in a race against The Flash with the use of his stasis module. Isaac's stasis module allows him to slow down any of his enemies (usually a terrifying necromorph) in order to carefully aim and detach their many mutated limbs.
While his stasis module would help Isaac keep up with The Flash, it all depends on if Isaac can successfully point and shoot his module at The Flash in the first place!
[BONUS] Cheetah - Mario Paint
Who could have thought there would be a speedster present in a drawing game?
In the SNES Mario Paint game, there is a section in the settings that allows the player to adjust the mouse speeds to be more accommodating to each player's preferences. While the slowest movement speed is represented by a turtle and the medium speed is represented by a cute little rabbit, the fastest speed is represented by an agile cheetah.
Going by the Mario Paint standards, the three-star cheetah is the fastest of all, the pinnacle of speed. There's no question which mouse speed setting Barry Allen would choose.