QWOP, the notoriously difficult, yet oddly charming running simulator has now come to Android devices for 99 cents, and offers players a new way to get hopelessly frustrated trying to get the man onscreen to move.
The game, originally brought to browsers by Bennett Foddy, has been ported to mobile devices by developer Noodlecake, who has the original creator's blessing. The game took off when word spread of the game's difficulty, and soon hundreds of YouTube videos began springing up of users trying to complete the 100 meter dash of the game.
The difficulty of the game came with trying to control the runner, as the user must use the Q,W,O, and P keys to move separate muscles in the runners legs. Without a proper rhythm, the runner quickly tips over. Players can literally spend hours on end trying to get the virtual running going, only to have him flail about and fall backward spectacularly.
The Android versions of the game switches this control scheme, with users having to control the arms and legs of the runner now, through moving their thumbs in circles around the screen. In addition, users will have to tilt the device to make the runner lean the appropriate way. The Android version of the game will come with five modes: 100m, Hurdles, Long Jump, Steeplechase, and 50km Walk. The game will also boast leaderboards and improved graphics. Anyone interested in downloading the game can find it here.
While the game may seem impossible to master to many gamers, over time, many have been able to figure out ways to get through it, so that 50km walk may not as daunting as it first seems. It will be interesting to see if users of the mobile game are able to master the mechanics of QWOP faster than players of the original.