Foddian
Seventh week of my Video Game Genres Guides!
Logo by my friend!
Foddian! Named after developer Bennett Foddy, Foddian games are a broad style of game built around unfair punishments to an unpredictable extent. One mistake in these games can either be a tiny setback to all the way back to the start of the whole game. The term "Foddian" was coined by popular streamer Ludwig Ahgren, who used it to describe the games featured in his "God Gamer Gauntlet" speedrunning challenge.
Here’s what that would look like on a Genre Tree!
In terms of top level genres, Foddian is a style of Rage Game and Action [Dexterity], meaning Foddian games are very skill based, however extremely unfair at the same time.
Here’s 5 Foddian games (in no particular order) and how I would categorize, or “tag”, them in pink!
Foddian, Fumblecore, 2D Platformer
Number 1 is Getting Over It! The first game in the "God Gamer Gauntlet", this is probably the perfect example of a Foddian game and showcases just how cruel these games can be. Foddian games are often influenced by Fumblecore, and this game showcases that perfectly with its crazy controls leading to many rage inducing moments.
Foddian, Fumblecore, 2D Platformer
Number 2 is Pogostuck! The second game in the "God Gamer Gauntlet", this takes the basic premise of Getting Over It but changes the silly controls to that of a pogo stick (reminiscent of the pogo controls from happy wheels). This one includes a mechanic where the further down you fall, you have a chance to save it as the inertia is stored in your pogo allowing you the possibility to jump back up!
Foddian, Vertical Platformer, Single-Screen Platformer
Number 3 is Jump King! The third and final game in the "God Gamer Gauntlet", this game forgoes the Fumblecore elements, but still keeps odd movement mechanics, such as the weird aiming of jumps this game uses. It also where the Foddian staple of unfair slopes originates from, where falling onto slopes brings you even further down than you already would have fallen.
Foddian, Single-Screen Platformer // Vertical Platformer
Number 4 is Bread & Fred! Here's a 2-Player Foddian for you and a friend, partner, or worst enemy! Or at least they might become your worst enemy after playing, as co-operative rage games tend to do. Aesthetically however, this game looks super cute and if you and whoever can deal with the rage of it, I'm sure its super fun!
Foddian, 3D Platformer
Number 5 is Only Up!! The latest game to explode in the genre, this game feels like an anomaly. With accusations of being made by AI, being removed off steam for stealing assets, to even promoting NFTs, this game is not without controversies, which is super weird for a mostly indie genre of rage games. I suppose someone had to capitalize off it at some point. It's hard not to include this one due to it's popularity with streamers, however for a better 3D Foddian game, I would recommend Eraser by Ringating.
That concludes my seventh Video Game Genres Guide! Thank you for reading!
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I played scratch Getting Over it, and I’m not angry, just really fucking sad. I couldn’t help but watch from the sidelines of my own mind as my mask of indifference ever so slowly slid. I nearly fucking cried playing Getting Over It
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