10 Awesome Video Game Mechanics (That Are Impossible To Pull Off)
2. The Controls - Getting Over It With Bennett Foddy
Browser-based physics-nightmare QWOP was a sensation because of just how different it was to the mainstream gaming space in 2008. On the cusp of the indie game revolution, it was a simple yet wildly addictive puzzle and test of tolerance.
Developer Bennett Foddy went viral again in 2017 when he dropped Getting Over It that seemed like an extension of the same core concepts. Instead of trying to alternate four keys to make a sprinter actually run (rather than face plant at the start line), Getting Over It asks players to climb a mountain with only a sledgehammer.
As such, the controls for the game are really the only mechanic it has. Lining up that hammer to propel yourself forward, hoping to high heaven with each movement that it won’t backfire.
The controls for Getting Over It are, of course, intentionally tough and you’ll know within minutes if this game is for you. You’ll either quit out immediately, or prepare yourself for the long haul of toughing it out to the end.
The highs are overcoming a spot you've been stuck in for 15 minutes are unmatched, but the game will not make it easy for you. With no checkpoint system, mistakes can be so bad that even the chillest gamers will find out what “ragequit” really means.