Baldi's Basics in Education and Learning: Difference between revisions

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'''''Baldi's Basics in Education and Learning'''''{{Efn|Also known as ''Baldi's Basics Classic''}} is a 2018 [[Puzzle video game|puzzle]] [[horror game]] developed and published by Micah McGonigal. Disguised as an [[educational game]], it [[Parody|parodies]] 1990s educational games by [[Deconstruction|deconstructing]] their elements into [[metafiction]]al horror. The game is set in a schoolhouse, where the objective is to locate and collect notebooks and escape the school to take them to player's friend who lost them, while avoiding being caught by Baldi. The game features many game modes that changes gameplay subtly or drastically.

'''''Baldi's Basics in Education and Learning'''''{{Efn|Also known as ''Baldi's Basics Classic''}} is a 2018 [[Puzzle video game|puzzle]] [[horror game]] developed and published by Micah McGonigal. Disguised as an [[educational game]], it [[Parody|parodies]] 1990s educational games by [[Deconstruction|deconstructing]] their elements into [[metafiction]]al horror. The game is set in a schoolhouse, where the objective is to locate and collect notebooks and, escape the school to take them to the player's friend who lost them, whileand avoidingavoid being caught by Baldi. The game features many game modes that changeschange gameplay subtly or drastically.

It was developed for the [[Metagame|Meta]]-[[Game jam|GameJam]] in 2018, and released on [[Itch.io]]. The game's main source of inspiration during its development was ''[[Sonic's Schoolhouse]]'' (1996). It was positively received upon release. Following its success, the game was expanded upon in the form of successors such as '''''Baldi's Basics Plus''''' in 2020 and '''''Baldi's Basics Classic Remastered''''' in 2022.

It was developed for the [[Metagame|Meta]]-[[Game jam|GameJamJam]] in 2018, and released on [[Itch.io]]. The game's main source of inspiration during its development was ''[[Sonic's Schoolhouse]]'' (1996). It was positively received upon release. Following its success, the game was expanded upon in the form of successors such as '''''Baldi's Basics Plus''''' in 2020 and '''''Baldi's Basics Classic Remastered''''' in 2022.

== Gameplay ==

[[File:ClassicRemastered1.png|thumb|A screenshot of the beginning of the [[Video game remaster|remastered edition]]. Baldi, the game's titular antagonist, stands in the distance.|left]]

''Baldi's Basics'' is a [[3D computer graphics|3D]] puzzle horror game that satirizes 1990s [[educational game]]s.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=2022-10-24 |title=Basically Games Announces Baldi’sBaldi's Basics Classic Remastered is Available now, October 21, With a New Trailer |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/press-release/basically-games-announces-baldis-basics-classic-remastered-is-available-now-october-21-with-a-new-trailer |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240118173124/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/press-release/basically-games-announces-baldis-basics-classic-remastered-is-available-now-october-21-with-a-new-trailer |archive-date=2024-01-18 |access-date=2025-07-31 |website=[[Game Developer (website)|Game Developer]] |language=en}}</ref> The player has to locate seven notebooks scattered around a school;<ref name="inquirer">{{cite news |date=April 9, 2019 |title=PC download charts: Why are 'Baldi's Basics' and 'Totally Accurate Battle Simulator' so popular again? |url=https://technology.inquirer.net/85223/pc-download-charts-why-are-baldis-basics-and-totally-accurate-battle-simulator-so-popular-again |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250221192227/https://technology.inquirer.net/85223/pc-download-charts-why-are-baldis-basics-and-totally-accurate-battle-simulator-so-popular-again |archive-date=February 21, 2025 |access-date=March 3, 2025 |newspaper=[[Philippine Daily Inquirer]] |agency=[[AFP-Relaxnews]]}}</ref> they belong to the [[player character]]'s friend, who cannot retrieve them to avoid being late for "eating practice".<ref>{{cite video game|title=Baldi's Basics in Education and Learning (2018)|developer=Micah McGonigal (mystman12)|platform=Windows, macOS, Linux|level=Menu (How to play)|quote="Oh noes!{{sic}} School is out, but your friend has a Problem!{{sic}} He left all of his notebooks in school, but doesn't have time to go get them, becasuse{{sic}} if he does he'll be late for eating practice. To help him out, you have to go back in school and find all his notebooks for him."}}</ref> Each notebook contains three arithmetic problems within the mathematics subject, but after the first notebook the third question becomes unsolvable. As the player continues to fail the questions, of which some are impossible, Baldi becomes more aggressive, moves faster and becomes harder to avoid.<ref name="kotaku12">{{cite news |last=Jackson |first=Gita |date=April 12, 2018 |title=A Free Game That Makes Math More Scary |url=https://kotaku.com/a-free-game-that-makes-math-scary-1825220750 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221012054112/https://kotaku.com/a-free-game-that-makes-math-scary-1825220750 |archive-date=October 12, 2022 |access-date=April 6, 2021 |work=[[Kotaku]] |language=en-US}}</ref> Baldi hears every sound that the player makes,<ref name=":4" /> and chases them with his wooden ruler. As he moves, he smacks the ruler, making a sound to alert the player as to the approximate ___location of Baldi.<ref name="kotaku12" /><ref name=":0" /> If the player gets caught by Baldi, they are [[Jump scare|jumpscared]], resulting in a [[game over]].<ref name="kotaku12" />

The player may encounter other characters that can be used to their advantage or should be avoided, such as [[Head teacher|Principal]], Bully, or Playtime. The Principal locks the player in [[School detention|detention]] for a short period of time, which increases with every visit, after breaking one of the school rules. Bully, a naughty student that will take one of the player's [[Item (game terminology)|items]] upon interationinteraction, and if they have none he will act as a human barrier, blocking a path. And Playtime forces player to [[Skipping rope|jump rope]] for a certain amount of time.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":7" /> Items are scattered around the facility, which the player can use to defend themself,<ref name=":1" /> like from Playtime using [[scissors]] to cut her rope.<ref name=":7" /> After collecting seven notebooks, the player has to find all four school exits to beat the game, without been caught by Baldi.<ref name="inquirer" /><ref name=":1" /> The original game features both a story mode and an [[Glossary of video game terms#endless mode|endless mode]]; in the latter, the player must keep collecting notebooks until Baldi catches them.<ref name=":4" /><ref name="pocket">{{cite news |last=Bald |first=Cameron |date=December 23, 2019 |title=Baldi's Basics Classic, a mobile version of the game, creeps onto Android and iOS |url=https://www.pocketgamer.com/articles/081813/baldis-basics-classic-a-mobile-version-of-the-cult-horror-game-creeps-onto-android-and-ios/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211005115213/https://www.pocketgamer.com/articles/081813/baldis-basics-classic-a-mobile-version-of-the-cult-horror-game-creeps-onto-android-and-ios/ |archive-date=October 5, 2021 |access-date=April 6, 2021 |website=[[Pocket Gamer]]}}</ref>

Other versions and releases of the game, such as ''Baldi's Basics Birthday Bash'' and ''Baldi's Basics Classic Remastered'', include additional features such as randomly-chosen items.<ref name="inquirer" /><ref name=":4" /> The latter game features a "Demo" mode, which blends the original with the elements from ''Baldi's Basics Plus''.<ref name=":4" />

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''Baldi's Basics'' was created by Micah McGonigal as an entry in the 2018 Meta-[[Game jam|GameJam]] released at March 31, on [[Itch.io]],<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Faribeault |first=Francois |date=2022-10-13 |title=Baldi's Basics in Education and Learning, le jeu qui mélange éducation et horreur |trans-title=Baldi's Basics in Education and Learning, the game that mixes education and horror |url=https://www.konbini.com/techno/baldis-basics-in-education-and-learning-le-jeu-qui-melange-education-et-horreur/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230830062323/https://www.konbini.com/techno/baldis-basics-in-education-and-learning-le-jeu-qui-melange-education-et-horreur/ |archive-date=2023-08-30 |access-date=2023-09-04 |website=Konbini |language=fr}}</ref><ref name="comedy">{{cite book |last=Zarzycka |first=Agata |editor-last1=Giappone |editor-first1=Krista Bonello Rutter |editor-last2=Majkowski |editor-first2=Tomasz Z. |editor-last3=Švelch |editor-first3=Jaroslav |title=Video Games and Comedy |chapter=Ridiculing the Player: Live-Action Visualisations of Game Experience in YouTube Parody Videos as an Ambivalent Strategy of Self-Fashioning |series=Palgrave Studies in Comedy |date=2022 |pages=226–230 |doi=10.1007/978-3-030-88338-6_11 |publisher=[[Palgrave Macmillan]]|isbn=978-3-030-88337-9 }}</ref><ref name=":3" /> where it placed in second.<ref name=":4" /> In interviews, McGonigal cited the 1996 video game ''Sonic's Schoolhouse'' as his main inspiration. While he never played it, he chose it due to unsettling [[Visual arts|visuals]] of the game, with its poor and inconsistent blend of [[3D computer graphics|3D]] and [[2D video game|2D]] elements.<ref>{{cite news |last=Couture |first=Joel |title=How ''Baldie's Basics'' taps into the real horror of '90s edutainment |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/324042/How_Baldis_Basics_taps_into_the_real_horror_of_90s_edutainment.php |date=August 13, 2018 |website=[[Gamasutra]] |access-date=April 6, 2021 |archive-date=May 3, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503073544/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/324042/How_Baldis_Basics_taps_into_the_real_horror_of_90s_edutainment.php |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Cameron |first=Phill |date=2018-08-13 |title=How Baldi's Basics taps into the real horror of '90s edutainment |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/how-i-baldi-s-basics-i-taps-into-the-real-horror-of-90s-edutainment |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827113714/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/how-i-baldi-s-basics-i-taps-into-the-real-horror-of-90s-edutainment |archive-date=2021-08-27 |access-date=2025-07-27 |work=[[Game Developer (website)|Game Developer]]}}</ref> Music for the game was produced using [[MIDI]].<ref name=":7">{{Cite news |last=Kurosawa |first=Yuki |date=2020-06-13 |title=サイコ90年代教育ゲーム風ホラー『Baldi's Basics Plus』Steamなどで早期アクセス配信開始。インターネット老人会を恐怖させるローポリ教師との鬼ごっこ |trans-title=Psychological 90s educational horror game "Baldi's Basics Plus" now available on Steam and other platforms. A low-poly teacher terrorizes the internet senior citizens' club. |url=https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/20200613-127215/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200614155700/https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/20200613-127215/ |archive-date=2020-06-14 |access-date=2025-08-02 |work=Automaton.com |language=Japanese}}</ref>

Following the game's popularity online and now that McGonigal was considering a job as a [[video game developer]] viable,<ref name=":8">{{Cite news |last=Truong |first=Momoka |date=2018-07-25 |title=Baldi's Basics becoming a larger, more complete game through Kickstarter campaign |url=https://www.relyonhorror.com/latest-news/baldis-basics-developer-launches-kickstarter-to-crowdfund-a-larger-version-of-the-game/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109023936/https://www.relyonhorror.com/latest-news/baldis-basics-developer-launches-kickstarter-to-crowdfund-a-larger-version-of-the-game/ |archive-date=2020-11-09 |access-date=2025-08-03 |work=Rely on Horror}}</ref> he launched a [[Kickstarter]] campaign on July 24, 2018, where he announced that a "full game," titled ''Baldi's Basics Plus'', would be released by August 23 with a funding goal of {{USD|50,000|link=y}}.<ref name=":8" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Deogracias |first=Elisha |date=2018-07-26 |title=No running in the halls! Baldi's Basics gets a Kickstarter campaign, aims for full release next year |url=https://gamingtrend.com/news/no-running-in-the-halls-baldis-basics-gets-a-kickstarter-campaign-aims-for-full-release-next-year/ |website=Gaming Trend |access-date=2025-07-30}}</ref> Alongside a demo titled ''Baldi's Basics: Field Trip'',<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Nguyen |first=Keoni |date=2018-07-25 |title=Baldi's Basics is becoming a full game and a brand new demo for it is out now. |url=https://kotaku.com/baldi-s-basics-is-becoming-a-full-game-and-a-brand-new-1827862293 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180726115125/https://kotaku.com/baldi-s-basics-is-becoming-a-full-game-and-a-brand-new-1827862293 |archive-date=2018-07-26 |access-date=2025-07-31 |website=[[Kotaku]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=AFP Relaxnews |date=2018-08-08 |title=Weekly PC download charts: 'No Man's Sky', 'Monster Hunter: World' depose 'PUBG' |url=https://technology.inquirer.net/78305/weekly-pc-download-charts-no-mans-sky-monster-hunter-world-depose-pubg |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250729182810/https://technology.inquirer.net/78305/weekly-pc-download-charts-no-mans-sky-monster-hunter-world-depose-pubg |archive-date=2025-07-29 |access-date=2025-07-31 |work=INQUIRER.net |language=en}}</ref> which is set in a [[field trip]] in the middle of a forest; Baldi tasks the player with keeping a campfire going by searching for firewood before a timer runs out. Failing results in Baldi chasing the player; a [[game over]] follows suit.<ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Nguyen |first=Keoni |date=2018-07-25 |title=Baldi’sBaldi's Basics is Becoming a Full Game |url=https://www.kotaku.co.uk/2018/07/25/baldis-basics-is-becoming-a-full-game |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503073555/https://www.kotaku.co.uk/2018/07/25/baldis-basics-is-becoming-a-full-game |archive-date=2019-05-03 |access-date=2025-08-02 |website=[[Kotaku]] UK |language=en-US}}</ref> The campaign succeeded, surpassing over half of its initial goal, by August 3.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Deogracias |first=Elisha |date=2018-08-03 |title=You call hamburgers steamed hams — Baldi's Basics in Education and Learning creator on development, burgers |url=https://gamingtrend.com/interviews/you-call-hamburgers-steamed-hams-baldis-basics-in-education-and-learning-creator-on-development-burgers/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250709055159/https://gamingtrend.com/interviews/you-call-hamburgers-steamed-hams-baldis-basics-in-education-and-learning-creator-on-development-burgers/ |archive-date=2025-07-09 |access-date=2025-07-30 |website=Gaming Trend |language=en}}</ref>

On April 1, 2019, for the first anniversary of the game, a birthday-themed version titled ''Baldi's Basics Birthday Bash'' was released. It added randomly-chosen items, two of which introduced in this version, as well as birthday decorations and costumes for the characters.<ref name="inquirer" /> Later that same year, the original game was ported to [[iOS]] and [[Android (operating system)|Android]] under the name ''Baldi's Basics Classic''.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Andre |date=2019-12-30 |title=Basically Games veröffentlicht Baldi's Basics Classic |trans-title=Basically Games publishes Baldi's Basics Classic |url=https://www.pixel-magazin.de/basically-games-veroeffentlicht-baldis-basics-classic/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230830062338/https://www.pixel-magazin.de/basically-games-veroeffentlicht-baldis-basics-classic/ |archive-date=2023-08-30 |access-date=2023-09-04 |website=[[Pixel (magazine)|Pixel]] |language=de-DE}}</ref><ref name="pocket" /> With a planned release date of December 2019,<ref name=":2" /> which later became early 2020,<ref name="pocket" /> ''Baldi's Basics Plus'' was eventually released as an [[early access]] title onin June 12 2020.<ref name=":7"on /><ref>{{Cite web[[Steam (service)|last=PearsonSteam]], |first=RyanItch.io, |date=2020-05-11and |title=Baldi's[[Game Basics Plus Enters Early Access June 12 |url=https://nichegamerJolt]].com/baldis-basics-plus-enters-early-access-june-12/<ref |url-statusname=live |archive-url=https"://web.archive.org/web/20221203234119/https://nichegamer.com/baldis-basics-plus-enters-early-access-june-12/7" |archive-date=2022-12-03 |access-date=2025-08-02 |website=Niche Gamer |language=en-US}}</ref> [[Teaser trailer|Teased]] in April 2021, ''Baldi’sBaldi's Basics Classic Remastered'' was released onin October 21, 2022;, thealso for [[Steam (service)|Steam]], Itch.io, and [[Game Jolt]]. The game [[Remaster|remakes]] both the original and the ''Birthday Bash'', and adds a mode that blends elements from the original with ''Baldi's Basics Plus''.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-24 |title="Basically Games Announces Baldi’sBaldi's Basics Classic Remastered is Available now, October 21, With a New Trailer" |url=https://www.gamespress.com/en-US/Basically-Games-Announces-Baldis-Basics-Classic-Remastered-is-Availabl |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221028005244/https://www.gamespress.com/en-US/Basically-Games-Announces-Baldis-Basics-Classic-Remastered-is-Availabl |archive-date=2022-10-28 |access-date=2025-07-31 |website=Games Press}}</ref>

In April 2025, Micah had mentioned about the plans for release of ''Baldi's Basics'' on consoles.<ref name=":10">{{Cite news |last=O'Reilly |first=PJ |date=2025-04-28 |title='Baldi's Basics' Creator Talks Switch Ports, Baldi In Smash & Learning To Code Via His 3DS |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2025/04/baldis-basics-creator-talks-switch-ports-baldi-in-smash-and-learning-to-code-via-his-3ds |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250428152545/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2025/04/baldis-basics-creator-talks-switch-ports-baldi-in-smash-and-learning-to-code-via-his-3ds |archive-date=2025-04-28 |access-date=2025-08-16 |work=[[Nintendo Life]] |language=en-GB}}</ref>

== Reception ==

{{section stub|date=August 2025}}

=== Critical reception ===

The original game was well received from critics. Jesse Grodman from both [[DreadXP]] and [[Dread Central]], praised Gameplay, noting game's derivativeness reminiscing a [[Educational video game|educational video game genre]] of low-quality [[flash games]] from browsers like [[Cool Math Games|CoolMath games]]. Along with praise went to its visuals been intentionally bad, also noting the merge many [[Style (visual arts)|artstyles]], from [[MS Paint]] and [[3D Maze|Windows 3D Maze Screensaver]] to assets from [[Unity (game engine)|Unity]], as well as [[Music]]. But criticism of the game went to it's [[Difficulty (video games)|difficulty]] and lack of [[Saved game|save system]], making experience frustrating.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Grodman |first=Jesse |date=2022-02-28 |title=Ultra-Indie Spotlight Sunday: Baldi's Basics |url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/ultra-indie-spotlight/486362/ultra-indie-spotlight-sunday-baldis-basics/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240824021322/https://www.dreadcentral.com/ultra-indie-spotlight/486362/ultra-indie-spotlight-sunday-baldis-basics/ |archive-date=2024-08-24 |access-date=2025-08-24 |website=[[Dread Central]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=G |first=Jesse |date=2022-02-27 |title=Ultra-Indie Spotlight Sunday: Baldi's Basics |url=https://www.dreadxp.com/ultra-indie-spotlight/ultra-indie-spotlight-sunday-baldis-basics/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250710103402/https://www.dreadxp.com/ultra-indie-spotlight/ultra-indie-spotlight-sunday-baldis-basics/ |archive-date=2025-07-10 |access-date=2025-08-24 |website=[[DreadXP]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Cultural impact ===

The game became an [[online phenomena]] and online success. Several [[Let's Play]] [[YouTuber]]s such as [[Markiplier]] and [[PewDiePie]] have made videos on the game reaching millions of [[Pageview|views]], gaining popularity on the [[Online video platform|video-sharing platform]], [[YouTube]].<ref name=":3">{{cite news |last=Wöbbeking |first=Jan |date=June 8, 2018 |title=Baldie's Basics in Education and Learning: Bizarrer Überlebenskampf in der Edutainment-Schule |language=de |website=[[4Players]] |url=https://www.4players.de/4players.php/spielinfonews/PC-CDROM/39758/2175571/Baldis_Basics_in_Education_and_Learning-Bizarrer_Ueberlebenskampf_in_der_Edutainment-Schule.html |url-status=live |access-date=April 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220710193246/https://www.4players.de/4players.php/spielinfonews/PC-CDROM/39758/2175571/Baldis_Basics_in_Education_and_Learning-Bizarrer_Ueberlebenskampf_in_der_Edutainment-Schule.html |archive-date=July 10, 2022}}</ref><ref name=":9">{{cite news |last=Nguyen |first=Keoni |date=June 25, 2018 |title=A Fake Edutainment Game Is Now A YouTube Hit |url=https://kotaku.com/a-fake-edutainment-game-is-now-a-youtube-hit-1827114239 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220711013558/https://kotaku.com/a-fake-edutainment-game-is-now-a-youtube-hit-1827114239 |archive-date=July 11, 2022 |access-date=April 6, 2021 |work=[[Kotaku]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last=Conville |first=Caitlyn |date=2018-05-15 |title=‘Baldi’s'Baldi's Basics’Basics' Brings Nostalgia for Millennial Gamers |url=https://studybreaks.com/culture/baldis-basics/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220228144633/https://studybreaks.com/culture/baldis-basics/ |archive-date=2022-02-28 |access-date=2025-08-03 |work=Study Breaks}}</ref> VariousFans otherof contentthe like [[Animation|Animateions]]game created byvarious content such as [[FandomAnimation|fansanimations]] of the game, includingand a song adaptation by video game musical group [[Random Encounter (band)|Random Encounters]].<ref name=":9" />

FanFans ofwere the game did also involedinvolved in [[Video game modding|modsmodifications]].,<ref name=":3" /> with [[JournalistVideo game journalism|Journalistsjournalists]] also noted othernoting video game media apperancesappearances of the game like in [[Roblox]] orand ''[[Minecraft]]'' as a [[Recreation|recreations]].,<ref name=":9" /> Asas well as [[Copyright infringement|unauthorised]]unauthorized [[mobile game]] [[Counterfeit consumer goods|knock-offs]], which McGonigal also had warned about around that time.<ref name=":3" /> All of themWhich further contributed to itsthe game’s popularity.<ref name="inquirer" /><ref name="comedy" /> The game's comedic [[Aesthetics|aesthetic]] and character's [[Catchphrase|catchphrases]] helped create multi-generational appeal of the game.<ref name=":9" /><ref name=":6" />

== Notes ==

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[[Category:Metafictional video games]]

[[Category:Retro-style video games]]

[[Category:Parody video games]]

[[Category:Single-player video games]]

[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]