It may be a new year but many of us are still reeling from 2020. And now there’s a video game that captures the hot mess that was last year.
Developed by Max Garkavvy over six months, the ‘2020 game’ kicks off in 2019 with a blue sky and lush green grass.
But when 2020 hits, your player is sent into the inferno better known as Australia’s summer bushfires.
Fires rage either side of the screen as you dodge falling trees and attempt to save a stranded koala.
Before you know it, COVID-19 appears from thin air and your player is literally jumping over shoppers to hoard toilet paper at the peak of panic buying.
The pain of Zoom calls has been captured by the 2020 game. Source: 2020 game
A nod to conspiracy theorists, you duck for cover as a 5g tower spews out COVID-19.
Your player dons a mask and tries to stay out of the virus’ way, suffering through zoom calls and quarantine before racing Donald Trump and Joe Biden for the US election.
In true 2020 fashion, the game keeps dealing out surprises until the bitter end.
The free game is available on mobile and via the web. It's reminiscent of Super Mario and takes around 10 minutes to finish.
The game also features a reference to George Floyd, the African American man killed by US police. Source: 2020 game
Even for non-gamers, the game is easy to get a hang of, with just three commands: backwards, forwards and jump.
It’s been such a hit that developer, Max Garkavvy, has raised more than $34,000 in donations since releasing the game on January 1.
On his donation page, he wrote: “I currently work at a boring office job in a big corporation and every day I wonder if I should take the plunge and quit my job to pursue making games."
US President Joe Biden and former US President Donald Trump have also been included in the game. Source: 2020 game
“2020 Game is the attempt to prove to myself that I can pay the bills with my games, so the fact that you want to support me means a world to me!”
Who would’ve thought it’d be so much fun to relive the shambolic year that was 2020?
