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 ==

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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'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 on [[Steam (service)|Steam]], Itch.io, and [[Game Jolt]].<ref name=":7" /> [[Teaser trailer|Teased]] in April 2021, ''Baldi's Basics Classic Remastered'' was released onin October 21, 2022;, also for [[Steam (service)|Steam]], Itch.io, and [[Game Jolt]]. theThe 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'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>

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=== Critical reception ===

The original game was well receviedreceived from critics. Jesse Grodman from both [[DreadXP]] and [[Dread Central]], priasedpraised Gameplay, noting game's derivativnessderivativeness reminisceningreminiscing a [[Educational video game|educational video game genre]] of low-quality [[flash games]] from browsers like [[Cool Math Games|CoolMath games]]. AlongwithAlong with praise whenwent to it'sits visuals been intentionally bad, wherealso theynoting 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 exprirenceexperience 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 ===