External links
- Wikipedia's Wikirace project page
- Wikipedia's Wiki Ladders project page
- Harrison, Stephen (26 September 2023). "The Art of Wikiracing". Slate . Retrieved 27 September 2023.
Wikiracing is a game in which players compete to navigate from one Wikipedia page to another (chosen manually or randomly) using only the internal links of the page. [1] [2] [3] External websites have been created to facilitate this game. [4]
In addition to being an enjoyable game, Wikiracing has proposed benefits as well. The Seattle Times has recommended it as a good educational pastime for children [5] and the Larchmont Gazette has said, "While I don't know any teenagers who would curl up with an encyclopedia for a good read, I hear that a lot are reading it in the process of playing the Wikipedia Game". [6]
The Amazing Wiki Race has been an event at the TechOlympics. [7]
The average number of links separating any English-language Wikipedia page from the United Kingdom page is 3.67. Thus, it has been occasionally banned in the game. Other common rules such as not using the United States page increase the game's difficulty. [8]
The rules of Wikiracing can be used as a method for studying aspects of Wikipedia. [9]
It has many different variations and names, including The Wikipedia Game, Wikipedia Maze, Wikispeedia, Wikiwars, Wikipedia Ball, Wikipedia Racing, and Wikipedia Speedrunning. [10]
Wikiracing has several variations such as:
Wikiracing can be used as an effective brain break in secondary classrooms, particularly during long class periods, as it helps refresh students’ focus and stimulate thinking without requiring prior preparation. This activity is based on an interactive and competitive task that involves navigating between Wikipedia articles using internal hyperlinks only, which encourages learners to develop research skills, make connections between concepts, and practice quick decision-making. Wikiracing can also increase student engagement and create a fun, motivating classroom atmosphere, while offering flexibility to be linked to curricular topics or used as a general activity to promote digital literacy and encyclopedic knowledge among learners. [14]
The appeal of Wikiracing stems not only from competition but also from a knowledge-based experience that taps into human curiosity and the innate desire to explore and connect ideas. Though seemingly simple, the game reveals a dense web of relationships linking different fields of human knowledge, turning navigation between articles into an intellectual adventure that combines wonder, enjoyment, and a sense of achievement. This feeling is reinforced by insights from neuroscience regarding the role of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with anticipation and reward, which leads the brain to take pleasure in the process of searching itself rather than merely in reaching the final result.
Kevin Payravi, the 2023 champion, explains: “Everyone enjoys going to Wikipedia, reading an article, clicking on interesting links, and going down that knowledge rabbit hole.” He adds that Wikiracing builds on this natural behavior, but channels it toward a clear objective within a competitive framework.
Annie Rauwerda, who placed third in the game in 2023, notes: “I think it’s exciting because you realize that almost everything in the world is connected.” The world is vast, and human knowledge is so extensive that it exceeds our ability to fully grasp it, yet it remains strikingly interconnected. [14]
