In 2020, Fall Guys‘ wholesome, rollicking diversion provided a much-needed escape from reality and allowed us to connect and share moments with many friends and family that we otherwise could not. While its time on the throne of the internet was short-lived, it provided millions of gamers with many memorable moments defined by bursts of laughter and audible gasps. There weren’t many feelings in 2020 better than winning your first crown in Fall Guys, and that’s a big part of the reason why it’s one of our games of the year.
Fall Guys, especially at launch, suffered from a shallow level of content that eventually snowballed into repetition, and thus many people stopped playing it regularly. That, and Among Us. However, just because it couldn’t cultivate any staying power doesn’t detract from the hours that so many people were all simultaneously putting into the game because it’s all anyone could talk about. As a “Games As A Service” experience, Fall Guys comes up short, but it’s a testament to the game and its core experience that so many were chomping at the bit for more.
Videos by ComicBook.com
On the surface level, Fall Guys might seem like just another battle royale game that exists purely because of the massive success of games like Fortnite and PUBG, but Fall Guys isn’t just your run-of-the-mill battle royale game. While developer Mediatonic didn’t reinvent the wheel with Fall Guys, it did provide a refreshing and original take on the genre by combining its patented and winning formula with obstacle course-based game shows. It’s been described by many as equal parts battle royale and Wipeout, but it’s actually more reminiscent of Japanese game show, Most Extreme Elimination Challenge. Not only is it over-the-top levels of silly, but it’s accessible. Its straightforward premise and usage of rudimentary controls means just about anyone can pick it up. And more importantly, it’s just as fun to watch as it is to play.
While Fall Guys is easy to learn, it’s hard to master. And just like getting your first Victory Royale in Fortnite, earning your first crown in Fall Guys is a potent dosage of euphoria. That said, while it’s the chase for crowns that keeps you playing way longer than you should, it’s the contestants themselves that provide the initial allure. Fall Guys are adorable little jellybeans with wobbly physics that are reminiscent of games like Gang Beasts. The design itself is pretty simple, but sometimes simple is effective. If you didn’t spend an interminable time dressing up your adorable little Fall Guy, then you didn’t truly experience 2020.
Fall Guys’ adorable factor is a big reason why it works. When you combine weighty, imprecise controls with over-the-top, unforgiving obstacles, and the unpredictability of other players you sometimes get distilled chaos that can leave you steamed and shattered. However, the game’s character and visual presentation are so endearing that these moments of indignation never last very long.
Years from now, when we look back at the games of 2020, we will almost certainly remember Animal Crossing: New Horizons and how it saved so many during the early days of the pandemic. We’ll remember The Last of Us Part II as a technical masterpiece that somehow is simultaneously one of the highest-rated games of the generation and one of the most controversial. We’ll remember Among Us, even if it didn’t come out this year. And we’ll remember Fall Guys. Not everyone will remember it fondly, but everyone will remember the loveable game and its equally loveable contestants.
