Friday Night Funkin'

Last updated

Friday Night Funkin'
FNF-Logo.svg
Developer(s) The Funkin' Crew Inc.
Director(s) PhantomArcade [1]
Designer(s) PhantomArcade
Programmer(s)
  • ninjamuffin99
  • EliteMasterEric [2]
Artist(s)
  • PhantomArcade
  • evilsk8r
Writer(s) PhantomArcade
Engine HaxeFlixel (OpenFL, Haxe)

Friday Night Funkin' is an upcomingrhythm video game developed by Funkin' Crew Inc. and released on Newgrounds in 2020. [3] The game is developed by a small group called The Funkin' Crew Inc., which consists primarily of Cameron "ninjamuffin99" Taylor, David "PhantomArcade" Brown, Isaac "Kawai Sprite" Garcia, and evilsk8r. The game is also open-source. [lower-alpha 1] It shares some gameplay features with Dance Dance Revolution , PaRappa the Rapper , and the "Dance Contest" minigame from Club Penguin , and borrows aesthetic influences from Flash games. [4] The game has been credited with driving users back to Newgrounds, a site that rose in popularity in the early 2000s.

Contents

The game revolves around the player character, Boyfriend, who must defeat a variety of opponents in singing and rapping contests in order to continue dating his love interest, Girlfriend. Gameplay involves hitting notes with timed inputs while avoiding running out of health for the duration of the song. [5] [6]

The game was initially created for the Ludum Dare 47 game jam on October 5, 2020. [7] An expanded demo was released on November 1, 2020, with updates continually released in the following months. A full version of the game backed by Kickstarter, titled Friday Night Funkin': The Full Ass Game, is in development. [8]

Gameplay

The game's main playable character, Boyfriend Boyfriend-2.png
The game's main playable character, Boyfriend

Friday Night Funkin' is a rhythm game in which the player controls a character called Boyfriend, who must defeat a series of opponents in order to continue dating his significant other, Girlfriend. The player must pass multiple levels, referred to as "weeks" in-game, containing three songs each. Each week, the player faces a different opponent, though some deviate in structure from this via the inclusion of multiple opponents. During gameplay, the opponent will sing a pattern of notes (represented as arrows) which the player must then mirror by using the arrow keys (, , , ) or the W, A, S, and D keys. Some songs introduce more complicated patterns, with the player's pattern sometimes varying from the opponent's or both singers engaging in a duet.

For each week, the player has the option to select one of three difficulties: Easy, Normal, or Hard. As the difficulty increases, the speed of incoming arrows increases, and the patterns of arrows become more complex. The player's high score for each week on each difficulty is tracked and shown in the top corner of the week selection screen. [9] [5] The game contains two different modes of play: a story campaign in which songs are played linearly, and a "free play" mode which allows for free selection of any of the game's music tracks. [5] Selected songs also have harder remixes under the "Erect" and "Nightmare" difficulties.

Development

The logo used for the Ludum Dare Prototype version of the game Friday Night Funkin' Ludum Dare Prototype logo.svg
The logo used for the Ludum Dare Prototype version of the game

In October 2020, game programmer ninjamuffin99 began work on a game for the Ludum Dare 47 game jam. He asked artists evilsk8r and PhantomArcade to help him with the project, as both had experience in game development as well. A composer known as Kawai Sprite was also added to the team in order to create the songs featured in the game. The game was quickly assembled using a pre-made flash-to-haxe pipeline.

The prototype contained only a handful of music tracks and lacked menus. Despite its rudimentary design, the prototype received unexpected success, leading to many requests for a full game. In response, ninjamuffin99 stated that he had plans to expand the game. [7]

The team would later update this demo on November 1, 2020, which added several additional menus and options as well as Week 2, a new level. Interest in the game increased, with it quickly growing in notoriety on Newgrounds as it had received significant attention via platforms such as YouTube, Twitter, TikTok, and Twitch.

Week 7 was released as a timed exclusive on Newgrounds. [10] Due to the increase in traffic on Newgrounds, the site crashed. [11] After Week 7, the developers shifted focus on the full game, titled Friday Night Funkin': The Full Ass Game. [12] Its soundtrack has been made available on Bandcamp and Spotify. [13]

In May 2024, a new week, titled "Weekend 1" was released. This was the biggest major update the game had seen since April 2021, when Week 7 was released. It features characters from the Pico's School series: Pico, Nene, and Darnell. [14]

Kickstarter

In April 2021, the developers announced plans to launch a Kickstarter project later in the month to turn the demo into a full game. [8] On April 18, a Kickstarter project for the full version of the game was released under the name Friday Night Funkin': The Full Ass Game and reached its goal of $60,000 within hours. [15] The Kickstarter ultimately raised over $2 million. [16] In February 2022, IGN reported that Friday Night Funkin': The Full Ass Game was one of the most funded Kickstarter projects of 2021. [17] The full game is planned to include a mobile version for Android [18] and iOS, remixes of the songs intended to be more difficult to play, online multiplayer, and multiple new levels. [19]

Reception

Modding

Friday Night Funkin' has an active modding community due to its open-source release, allowing for the implementation of fan-made content. [4] [20] [21] As a result, the full game will receive mod support using the Polymod framework. [22] [23] [24]

Notes

  1. Friday Night Funkin' is licensed under the Apache License 2.0, per the game's license file. The repository's readme file used to state, "IF YOU MAKE A MOD AND DISTRIBUTE A MODIFIED / RECOMPILED VERSION, YOU MUST OPEN SOURCE YOUR MOD AS WELL", implying a copyleft requirement. From May to August 2021, the license file simply stated "if u make mods, open source them, lol!"; the Apache License 2.0 was used prior to May. In a tweet, ninjamuffin99 stated that it gets "iffy" when non-code assets are used commercially. From January 2023 to April 2024, the license file simply read "SORTING OUT LICENSE STUFF!!! BRB LOL!". In May 2024, the license was changed back to the Apache License 2.0, with the assets under a separate, closed license.

Related Research Articles

Newgrounds is a company and entertainment website founded by Tom Fulp in 1995. It hosts user-generated content such as games, films, audio, and artwork. Fulp produces in-house content at the headquarters and offices in Glenside, Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whitey (musician)</span> Musical artist

Nathan Joseph White, known by his stage name Whitey, is an English songwriter, musician, multi-instrumentalist and soundtrack composer. He works primarily in the alternative pop field, bringing in elements of pop, rock, classical and electronic; with influences from many other genres and mediums, for example, Charleston, swing, psychedelia, metal, acid house, cut-up poetry and found sounds. His sounds has been described to contain various styles of music such as alternative rock, bedroom pop, electronic, electronica, carnival, synthpop, indie rock, post-punk revival, neo-psychedelia, new wave and alternative dance. Tracks by Whitey have also featured in episodes of The Sopranos and Breaking Bad.

<i>Galcon</i> 2008 video game

Galcon is a series of real-time strategy video games for Android, iPhone, webOS, Windows, Linux, Mac OS X and Flash, which were developed by Phil Hassey. It is set in space and involves maneuvering fleets of ships to capture enemy planets.

Crate Entertainment is an American independent video game developer based in Massachusetts. The company was publicly announced on February 18, 2008 by former members of Iron Lore Entertainment.

Ludum Dare is a game jam competition. It was founded by Geoff Howland and was first held in April 2002. It is currently run by Mike Kasprzak, who has been part of the team since the beginning. Participants are required to create a video game that fits within a given theme in two or three days. Participants often release a time-lapse video of the development of their game.

<i>Canabalt</i> 2009 video game

Canabalt is a one-button endless runner designed by Adam Saltsman for the Experimental Gameplay Project in 2009. The 2D side-scrolling video game was originally written as a Flash game, then ported to iOS, Android, PlayStation Portable, Ouya, and HTML5. An authorized version for the Commodore 64 was released on cartridge. Canabalt has been credited with popularizing the endless runner subgenre.

<i>Super Smash Flash</i> Browser game series

Super Smash Flash is a series of fighting browser games published by McLeodGaming, led by Gregory McLeod under the alias Cleod9. It is based on the Super Smash Bros series. The original Super Smash Flash is based specifically on Super Smash Bros. Melee. Its follow-up, also considered a reboot, is Super Smash Flash 2. The developer is currently working on an original crossover fighting game, Fraymakers.

FNF or FnF may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arin Hanson</span> American YouTuber (born 1987)

Arin Joseph Hanson, also known by the pseudonym Egoraptor, is an American YouTuber, actor, rapper, and former animator. He is well known for his Flash cartoons, as well as being the co-founder and co-star of the popular YouTube Let's Play series Game Grumps.

<i>Titan Souls</i> 2015 action-adventure game

Titan Souls is a 2015 action-adventure game developed by Acid Nerve and published by Devolver Digital. It was released for Windows, OS X, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and Android. Titan Souls received generally positive reviews and has been cited as an early example of a Soulslike, a game genre directly inspired by the Dark Souls series.

<i>Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night</i> 2019 video game

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is a 2019 action role-playing game developed by Japanese indie studio ArtPlay and published by 505 Games. The game's development was led by former Castlevania series producer Koji Igarashi and is considered a spiritual successor to the series. The game was released for PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, in June 2019, for Amazon Luna in October 2020, for Android and iOS in December 2020, and for Stadia in July 2021.

<i>Gran Turismo Sport</i> 2017 video game

Gran Turismo Sport is a 2017 racing video game developed by Polyphony Digital and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4. It is the twelfth game in the Gran Turismo series, the seventh game in the main series.

<i>Friday the 13th: The Game</i> 2017 video game

Friday the 13th: The Game is a 2017 asymmetrical survival horror game developed by IllFonic and published by Gun Media. It is based on the Friday the 13th franchise. The game was released on May 26, 2017 as a digital release and later released on October 13, 2017, as a physical release for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. A Nintendo Switch version was released on August 13, 2019.

Parkitect is a construction and management simulation video game developed and published by Texel Raptor. After a successful Kickstarter campaign and a two-year-long early access beta period, the game was released on November 29, 2018. Parkitect simulates amusement park management, similar to the RollerCoaster Tycoon series.

<i>Hollow Knight</i> 2017 video game

Hollow Knight is a 2017 Metroidvania video game developed and published by independent developer Team Cherry. This is the first and only game by Team Cherry. The player controls the Knight, an insectoid warrior exploring Hallownest, a fallen kingdom plagued by a supernatural disease. The game is set in diverse subterranean locations, featuring friendly and hostile insectoid characters and numerous bosses. Players have the opportunity to unlock abilities as they explore, along with pieces of lore and flavour text that are spread throughout the kingdom.

<i>The Binding of Isaac: Four Souls</i> Card game in the universe of The Binding of Isaac

The Binding of Isaac: Four Souls is a card game designed by Edmund McMillen, with additional designs by Danielle McMillen and Tyler Glaiel. Based on the indie video game The Binding of Isaac, players control one of several characters - Isaac, Judas, Maggy, or Cain - as they defeat bosses to collect Lost Souls. Each character has abilities that impact either them or other players, and players may work cooperatively to defeat bosses and enemies. The first player to acquire four souls wins. A Kickstarter campaign launched on June 27, 2018, and broke its funding goal of $50,000 within the first 1.5 hours.

<i>Last Epoch</i> Video game in the ARPG genre

Last Epoch is a hack and slash action role-playing game developed and published by Eleventh Hour Games (EHG).

<i>Loop Hero</i> 2021 video game

Loop Hero is a 2021 roguelike video game developed by Russian studio Four Quarters and published by Devolver Digital. The game takes place in a randomly generated world where the player changes the world by placing cards instead of directly controlling a character. The game was initially released in March 2021 for Linux, macOS, and Windows.

<i>Terra Nil</i> 2023 strategy videogame

Terra Nil is a strategy video game developed by Free Lives and published by Devolver Digital. The game was released for Windows, iOS and Android on March 28, 2023; the mobile port was released as part of the Netflix subscription service. Ports for macOS, Linux, and the Nintendo Switch were released later in 2023.

<i>Picos School</i> 1999 Flash game

Pico's School is a 1999 Flash game developed by Tom Fulp for his website Newgrounds. At the time of its release, it was "one of the most sophisticated" browser games, exhibiting "a complexity of design and polish in presentation that [was] virtually unseen in amateur Flash game development". It has been widely credited with kickstarting the Flash games scene and helping launch Newgrounds "as a public force".

References

  1. "WEEK OF 2023/03/06: FONKING..." Funkin.me. March 6, 2023.
  2. "WEEK OF 2024/02/23 - Charting a Course From Frustration to Delight". Funkin.me. February 3, 2024.
  3. Watts, Rachel (July 15, 2021). "Friday Night Funkin' is the DDR beatboxing game driving players back to Newgrounds". PC Gamer.
  4. 1 2 Wery, Jackson (January 29, 2021). "Friday Night Funkin' Fondly Recalls Flash Games". TechRaptor. Archived from the original on February 3, 2021. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 Cheeda, Saim (April 27, 2021). "10 Things You Need To Know Before Starting Friday Night Funkin'". Game Rant .
  6. Williams, Leah J. (May 13, 2021). "Friday Night Funkin' Is The Internet's Latest Toe-Tapping Obsession". Kotaku Australia. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  7. 1 2 "Friday Night Funkin". ldjam.com. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  8. 1 2 Davies, Patrick (April 2, 2021). "Kickstarter launched for Friday Night Funkin'". 100 Mile House Free Press . Black Press. Archived from the original on April 2, 2021. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  9. Knight, Kyle (April 19, 2021). "How To Play Week 7 Of Friday Night Funkin' – FNF Guide". Dual Shockers. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  10. Cohen, Skylar (April 19, 2021). "Friday Night Funkin' Week 7 Reveal Crashes Newgrounds". Game Rant. Archived from the original on April 25, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
  11. Ranta, Chris (April 22, 2021). "When is Friday Night Funkin Week 8?". The Click. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  12. Castillo, Alejandro (March 4, 2021). "Friday Night Funkin: cómo jugar y descargar gratis en PC el juego musical de moda". MeriStation (in Spanish). Archived from the original on March 4, 2021. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  13. @FNF_Developers (May 1, 2024). "FIRST UPDATE OF NEW RETURN" (Tweet). Retrieved April 20, 2024 via Twitter.
  14. Wery, Jackson (April 18, 2021). "Friday Night Funkin' Drops Week 7". TechRaptor. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  15. Barnewall, Chris (May 18, 2021). "Newgrounds Demo 'Friday Night Funkin' Raised $2 Million On Kickstarter". UPROXX. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  16. Dinsdale, Ryan (February 24, 2022). "Kickstarter Funded a Record Number of Games Projects in 2021". IGN. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  17. ninja_muffin99 (February 16, 2021). FNF MOBILE? via Twitch.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  18. Davies, Patrick (February 2, 2022). "100 Mile House developer, 22, raises millions for Friday Night Funkin' video game". Vancouver Island Free Daily.
  19. Davies, Patrick (November 21, 2020). "South Cariboo game designer reaps success". 100 Mile House Free Press . Black Press. Archived from the original on November 27, 2020. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
  20. Holland, Naquan (February 26, 2021). "Iconic PaRappa the Rapper Level Modded Into Friday Night Funkin'". Game Rant. Archived from the original on March 3, 2021. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
  21. Allen, Joseph (April 8, 2021). "Friday Night Funkin' Is Getting Polymod Support Soon". TechRaptor. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  22. Lee, Julia (January 8, 2021). "TikTok's algorithm led me to an amazing rhythm game". Polygon . Archived from the original on March 3, 2021. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
  23. Costa, Thomas Schulze (February 26, 2021). "Conheça Friday Night Funkin', jogo de música que virou febre!" [Discover Friday Night Funkin', a music game that has become a rage!]. TecMundo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on February 27, 2021. Retrieved February 28, 2021.