Friday Night Funkin’ quickly became an indie hit, enjoyed by millions of people and in different ways. Many people love playing Friday Night Funkin’, but it feels like the game’s original soundtrack is inescapable.
It didn’t take long for the game’s funky music to make its way to social media platforms, including YouTube and TikTok. It feels like Friday Night Funkin’s tasty tunes have been everywhere since its soundtrack was released for free on Bandcamp.
Friday Night Funkin’s momentum is just as much a part of its story as the game itself though. It may currently be one of the biggest indie games but like Minecraft, there was a time when FNF was virtually unheard of.
The Story of Friday Night Funkin’
FNF began life as a prototype at Ludum Dare, a game jam competition where participants create a game in just 48 hours. And it can’t just be any game either; the games created must also fit a specific theme, which is determined beforehand.
Creativity can lead to some inspiring ideas in a short amount of time. Without time to question every idea, our minds can just run. Games made in a short time can’t not be interesting either. There’s little time for bloated maps and waypoints. Instead developers are often focused on the gameplay hook itself.
Ludum Dare October 2020 is where Friday Night Funkin’ was born. The game was developed and brought to life by four Newgrounds users: Cameron “Ninjamuffin99” Taylor, David “PhantomArcade” Brown, Isaac “kawaisprite” Garcia, and evilsk8r.
And together, the four of them developed one of the biggest indie games of all time.
Friday Night Funkin’ was a more basic game at Ludum Dare 47 but the heart was there — and the core gameplay loop. The game was simple in its premise.
It follows a character named Boyfriend, who must defeat a gauntlet of opponents in singing rap battles. It’s not to save the world or anything noble either. It’s for something much cooler. Boyfriend would like a kiss, and to date Girlfriend.
Girlfriend’s Dad isn’t just a dad though. He’s a demon daddy. The game begins with Boyfriend battling it out against Girlfriend’s otherworldly, demonic father to win her love— and that’s just the beginning.
Friday Night Funkin’ would later make a public appearance in November 2020. This was after the game jam was finished and the team was able to update it further, adding a Main Menu and later even new, free content.
Released on itch.io and Newgrounds for free, Friday Night Funkin’ climbed to the top thanks to its open source code, distinct visual style, rad soundtrack, and addictive “just one more” gameplay.
New content from the developer brought more characters, songs, and bits of story, which only led to fans wanting even more. Friday Night Funkin’ has a story in the details, which makes it all the more easier to continue replaying it.
Listening to the game’s soundtrack while piecing together the story is a good time too. Friday Night Funkin’ has also bubbled up outside of the games space to a degree as well. It feels like there are just as many people interested in Friday Night Funkin’s story, characters, and songs as there are playing it.
Videos dissecting the game’s details are all over YouTube and other social media, with many interested in learning more. The game’s momentum has largely remained as we approach the upcoming release of its full, paid release as well.
Friday Night Funkin: The Full Ass Game was successfully funded on Kickstarter — and it’s scheduled to release in 2022. This version of the game is referred to as the complete version of Friday Night Funkin’ on the Kickstarter page, and it’s easy to see why.
The Full Ass Version will contain 60 new songs, additional mechanics, cutscenes, online leaderboards, and much more. Friday Night Funkin’: The Full Ass Version is also focusing on what made it successful by making it even easier to use mods.
It’s hard to imagine how big FNF will grow with even smoother mod integration. It’s a smart decision that should keep the game and its community of funky fans rapping, singing, modding, and dancing for years to come.
Don’t forget to check out our How to Get Started Guide. It’s easy to play and enjoy once you start grooving. You can even play an in-browser version on Itch if your computer is funky, but you should be able to run it without issue. Friday Night Funkin’ is a very light game and doesn’t much resources.
Once you finish what’s currently available from the developer, you can download mods and change how the game looks, plays, and sounds! The ideas and creativity of the modding community are virtually endless so there’s no reason to ever stop playing.
Related: How to Play Friday Night Funkin’ – The Indie Rhythm Battler Sensation
