Horse racing is a centuries-long sport, beloved by crowds all over the world.
And with technology now adding a new and exciting dimension to so many beloved activities, fans of this popular event can now also flock to virtual racetracks to get a kick - and earn some money while at it.
Today, we'll be introducing you to Zed Run, arguably the most exciting digital horse racing game you’ll find these days, and we’ll guide you through all you need to know about purchasing digital horses, breeding them, and taking them for racing.
What Is Zed Run?
Zed Run is a blockchain-based horse racing simulator that lets you purchase horses as NFTs (non-fungible tokens.) The horses are divided into four particular bloodlines ranging from the Buterin being the most common to the fabled (and most expensive), Nakamoto.
Competing with your horse pits you in a race against other digital horses where your horse's bloodline, characteristics, and genotype are taken into accord, ultimately placing you in a particular position by the end of the race. Achieving one of the first six positions nets you points, which ultimately translates to you winning crypto.
Unlike other games, which randomize your winning conditions by a significant margin, Zed Run focuses on your horse's genotype, bloodline, and characteristics to ultimately decide the victor in any race.
Moreover, you don't need to race to make money in the game. Instead, you can opt to breed rare horses creating even faster, more agile horses. Once bred, you can sell these horses to other players across the game's thriving ecosystem.
Rewards are also credited to your in-game wallet instantly (as soon as you win a race or sell your Zed Run horses) and can be transferred to your actual crypto wallet immediately.
How Does Zed Run Work?
Zed Run is essentially a horse racing game that lets you purchase horses as NFTs using crypto with each having its unique attributes and name. Depending on these attributes, you'll be able to win or lose ranked paid races.
Once you purchase your first horse, you'll be able to pay a small entry fee to have a chance to compete in a race, based on your horse's class. If you place in the first six positions, you'll win a share of the total prize pool, depending on your placement.
You can also breed and sell racehorses. The game has a complex set of mechanics which we've detailed down below, that dictate your horse's value which is primarily contingent on its racing performance.
The game prides itself on not relying on chance. Instead, it uses a series of complex algorithms to determine which race horse deserves the pole position in any particular race.
Zed Run Horses Guide
Zed Run races are not based on chance. There's a lot of thought that goes into whether you win or lose a particular race. Therefore, knowing how to breed the best horses helps ensure you keep earning more money.
Each horse's genetic profile, and by extension, their prowess, is based on four particular traits and a few other characteristics:
Ancestry
Every race horse you breed in Zed Run has a chance of passing down its genetic traits to other generations down the line. Any ancestor, even through multiple generations, can pass down its traits to offspring. However, direct parents have the highest chance of passing down their traits, with the chances diminishing the further we go from them.
Bloodline
Bloodline is an extremely important part of breeding and selling horses in Zed Run. In essence, the rarest breed types in the game are the ones that have the highest chances of inheriting genes in the most effective manner.
The four bloodlines in Zed Run, from rarest to most common, are:
- Nakamoto
- Szabo
- Finney
- Buterin
To add, the bloodline has a significant impact on a horse's price too, with it contributing to 80% of the overall weighing factor when setting the minimum base breeding fee. The Nakamoto has a weighing factor of 180%, while the Buterin, the lowest on the list is set at 15%.
Genotype
When you play Zed Run, an integral part of knowing how to breed horses is to be aware of their genotype. For instance, two pure-bred horses of the genotype Z1, when breeding, will produce offspring of the genotype Z2.
So, genotype refers to the addition of the suffix of the number found after Z for both the male horse and mare. So, if horses of the genotype Z36 bred with a horse of the genotype Z39, you'd end up with a genotype of 75 (39 + 36).
Contrary to popular belief, genotype does not affect your horse's ability to perform in a race. However, it is a great metric to identify a purebred horse. From what we've seen, there's no correlation between a horse having greater chances to inherit a certain trait simply based on their genotype.
Moreover, it is impossible to have offspring with a Z1 genotype. This is because one horse must at least have a Z1 genotype. When added for both parents, this accumulates to Z2 for the offspring.
If you want to get an idea of a horse's family tree, the genotype of both the male horse and female horse play an important role.
Breed Type
Breed type is used to bifurcate between different horses found within the same bloodline. When you play Zed Run, breed type is perhaps the most important attribute you'll have to take into account if you plan to be winning races. Currently, there are six different breed types in Zed Run, they are:
- Genesis
- Legendary
- Exclusive
- Elite
- Cross
- Pacer
The rarest of these breeds are Genesis horses. They've been produced in a limited quantity (about 38,000), by the developers of the games themselves. Nowadays, with the rapid expansion of the game, Genesis horses play a vital role in the marketplace as they're pivotal for breeding great offspring.
In terms of minimum breed pricing, breed type accounts for about 20% of the total weightage assigned. The Genesis breed type has the highest value at 180%, with the lowest being the Pacer at 60%.
Moreover, depending on your horse's performance on the racetrack, its ancestry, breed type, and offspring, you'll have the chance to breed a Champion race horse. These horses are the creme de la creme of the stud farm and have greater chances of winning horse races.
Genesis Type
Genesis horses have a few unique characteristics that differentiate them from the rest. As we've mentioned, there's only a set number of them have been released by the developers. So, they aren't subject to breeding decay. So, their bloodline is preserved.
Moreover, they are the only breed type that can create Legendary race horses in Zed Run. So, they're almost exclusively priced the highest in the stud marketplace due to their rarity.
The coat color in horse breeding is not meant to quantify a horse's performance. It is strictly meant for aesthetic purposes. When playing Zed Run, it is not just racing stride that you should take into accord. This is because having rarer coat colors can greatly increase the value of your horse if you plan to sell it.
For instance, the game divides its color patterns into seven distinct categories, they are:
- Neptune
- Earth
- Wild
- Moon
- Fiery
- Classic
- Mystical
Amongst these color types are particular coat colors that are rarer. For example, the Honeydew from the Earth Color group is the rarest of the bunch, with the Sienna being the least rare.
The coat color of Zed Run horses is determined by the following formula:
Breeding Pairs (bp) x Breeding Rarity (br) = Offspring Coat Colour
So, depending on what two horses you are breeding, you'll be able to get a particular coat color, with the rarity being randomized for each instance. Because of this, rarer coat colors are more valued in the market compared to other coat types, both for their aesthetics and their intrinsic rarity.
The rarest coat in Zed Run is a Super Coat. This is where at least one offspring is born with the same coat color as the mother and father. Producing a Super Coat is extremely difficult and as the name implies, is super rare too. However, the more you breed horses in Zed Run, the greater your chances of getting one.
Gender
You can either own a male horse or a female horse in Zed Run. Both of them have their set of properties that differentiate them from one another. From what we've seen, a horse's gender does not affect its racing capability. So, the only difference you'll be seeing in terms of gender is your horse's breeding patterns.
Currently, female mares can breed once every month, while male stallions can breed once every three months. On the other hand, owners of the female mare get to keep the offspring, while male stallions make do with a breeding fee paid by the owner of the mare instead. As soon as you breed a horse, you'll be able to give it a unique name. Choosing the right name can further enhance the value of your horse and its overall collectability.
We've been quite happy with how the Zed Run Discord channel and its sea of experienced players were able to provide us with useful tips and tricks on breeding to get us up to speed quickly!
Where Do You Buy Zed Run Horses?
There are two places where you can buy horses for Zed Run. They are the OpenSea and Hawku. Other channels, such as private sales through other various NFT marketplaces, do exist. But, we do not recommend using them as there's a risk of being scammed.
Even when using OpenSea or Hawku, ensure that you are purchasing from an official Zed Run contact; you can find out if you are doing so by looking at the verified tick below the profile picture.
Depending on what platform you purchase your horse from, both Zed Run and the platform in question may charge a minor fee.
How to Buy a Horse in Zed Run?
Now that we've gotten the hang of the variation in horses and where we can actually purchase them from, here's how you can go about purchasing your first horse in the game, which is a pivotal part of how to play Zed Run.
Create a MetaMask Wallet
- Head to MetaMask
- After doing so, install the extension for your browser. (We found Chrome to be the most stable.)
- Now, access the extension and create a new account
- Set up a strong password consisting of alphanumeric and special characters
- After doing so, you'll be redirected to your MetaMask wallet
Transfer ETH To MetaMask Wallet
Now that you've logged into your MetaMask wallet, you'll need to transfer ETH into it to purchase Zed Run horses. Here's how you can do so:
- Head to your account's dashboard and select Buy
- After doing so, you'll be redirected to a few options:
- You can choose any of the methods to deposit ETH into your account. We recommend using Coinbase Pay or directly depositing from your ETH account, as both methods are the most convenient.
- Once you have some funds in your MetaMask account, you will now be able to use those to eventually buy your first race horse.
Create Your Zed Run Account
Now that we've topped up with some ETH, it's time to get our Zed Run account up and running. Here's how:
- Go to Zed Run's website
- Once there, click on Sign Up and select MetaMask
- Select the account you wish to use on Zed Run (the one you just topped up with ETH.)
- After selecting your account, carefully view your details and click on Sign
Now, go through Zed Run's on-screen instructions and agree to the Terms of Service
After doing so, you'll be welcomed into Zed Run and will now be able to play the game and purchase horses.
Wrap your ETH
Now that we have connected our MetaMask account to Zed Run, we recommend converting your ETH to Zed Balance (WETH) as you'll need it for breeding. However, purchasing your horse does not require WETH.
To do so, click on the upper-right corner of your dashboard on ZED. You'll now be prompted to Top Up your account with WETH using ETH. That'll help you in the long run as breeding is an important nuance of Zed Run.
Purchase your Horses
Now that we have our wallet up and ready, it's time to purchase some horses! You can either head to OpenSea or Hawku as we've mentioned prior. However, we'll be using OpenSea for this example.
- Head to the website of your choice and select a new horse you'd like to purchase.
- If you've set your eye on a horse, click on Add to cart and then select MetaMask
- You'll then be prompted to sign into OpenSea using your MetaMask wallet
- If you have the funds, you'll be able to purchase the horse. If you don't, you'll be asked to top up instead.
As soon as you've purchased your first race horse, you'll now be able to enter races in Zed Run. Moreover, your new NFT will immediately be added to the game as well.
How to Play Zed Run
Now that we've got the hang of how the game operates, let's learn how to race digital horses!
Enter Your First Race
Your first race is the start of your long journey on the Zed Run platform. And, setting the record straight at the beginning is always a good sign. If the horse hasn't raced prior, it'll need to go through a Griffin race first.
So, head to the Griffin race category in Zed Run to be able to enter races with your newly acquired horse. After your first Griffin race, you'll need to run nine additional Discovery races which will lead to your horse's rating and class being assigned.
As of yet, horses are divided into six different classes. They are:
- Discovery (Griffin)
- Class 6
- Class 5
- Class 4
- Class 3
- Class 2
- Class 1
Class 6 is the lowest, with horses rated 0-1379 being placed there. Whereas Class 1 has horses that are rated 1620 or higher. Your horse will be moving up and down classes depending on its placements in races.
In general, the better the class your horse is in, the better its racing prowess. Moreover, as you move up in classes, you'll be able to access better-ranked paid races. Winning those races leads to you making more money as they always have a better prize pool.
Check the Time of your Race
Races in Zed Run start at variable times. While some are instant, others are booked hours or even days in advance. So, checking your time is of pivotal importance as you wouldn't want to miss watching your horse winning races!
Generally, you are able to see the time of a race by clicking on it and then looking at the Jumps In heading.
Watch The Incredible Race in 3D
Ah yes, perhaps our favorite part. As soon as the race starts, you are able to watch the race go down live in 3D and watch your horse griffin class horse try and make its merits in the arena.
How Can You Play And Earn In Zed Run
Zed Run gives players three primary ways of making money. Both of them are slightly dependent on each other. But, you can choose to do one or the other depending on which one you find more interesting (or profitable!)
- Breeding and Selling Racehorses: Breeding strong horses and bloodlines allows you to produce offspring that is both rare in terms of coat color and performs well in races. These horses are extremely treasured and can sell for a lot in marketplaces.
- Winning Races: If you have a horse you are confident in, the prize pool that is offered in Class 1 races is nothing to shy at. If you end up taking pole positions, you can earn a lot of money just from a single race.
- Stud Farm: If you have a strong horse that you aren't in the mood to sell or race with, you can place them in the Stud Farm. There, if someone uses your stallion to produce offspring, you'll receive 40-56% of the breeding fee set depending on how long you've kept your stud in the farm.
Conclusion
Zed Run is an exciting horse racing game that sets itself apart from other crypto games. By incorporating the element of skill into the mix and creating a thriving marketplace with exciting 3D visuals when it comes to racing, it's no wonder that the game has seen a plethora of success.
So, what are you waiting for? Download Zed Run and start racing, today!
