10 Games Like Getting Over It (Rage Games)
Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy is the 2017 climb-em-up that Foddy released on PC — a man in a cauldron, a sledgehammer, and a mountain of garbage you ascend by pulling yourself up rock by rock. Fall once and you can lose 30 minutes of progress. It’s the rage-game template made deliberate art, narrated by Foddy himself musing on failure. Getting Over It doesn’t have a browser version, but Foddy’s earlier work does — along with a whole genre of browser rage games that share its DNA. Here are ten to try in a tab.
Key takeaways
- Getting Over It is not browser-playable; Bennett Foddy’s earlier games on his website (foddy.net) are.
- Browser rage games tend to use awkward physics controls — mouse drag, single-button input, gravity-heavy momentum.
- This list mixes Foddy’s own browser catalog with thematic descendants that capture the punishing-physics feel.
- The genre is defined by intentional difficulty and the comedy of failure, not by mechanical complexity.
1. QWOP (browser at foddy.net)
Bennett Foddy’s 2008 sprinting game — the one that made his name. You control a runner’s quadriceps and calves with four keys (Q, W, O, P) and try to make him run. Most people topple within ten feet. The mechanical conceit — turning a simple goal into a physics nightmare via control mapping — is the same template Getting Over It uses. Free at foddy.net. Essential play if you’ve never tried it.
2. GIRP (browser at foddy.net)
Foddy’s 2011 climbing game and the most direct precursor to Getting Over It. You play a rock climber gripping handholds by pressing the corresponding letter keys, with arm tension scaling by mouse movement. Falling means losing height; the cliff face is long. The “one hand at a time, careful or fall” tension is exactly what Getting Over It would refine six years later. Free in browser.
3. CLOP (browser at foddy.net)
Foddy’s unicorn-walking game. You control each of the four legs separately with keys. The unicorn falls over almost immediately the first dozen times. The pattern is clear by now: Foddy makes you re-learn how to do something simple by giving you bad controls. Free in browser.
4. Pole Riders (browser at foddy.net)
Foddy’s two-player pole-vaulting soccer game. Two players, each on a pole-vaulting pole, try to hit a ball into the opposing goal. The physics are deliberately absurd. Local multiplayer; free in browser. Excellent for two-player rage-laugh sessions.
5. Stair Fall (browser via portals)
A simpler rage game where you guide a ragdoll character down (or up) a flight of stairs while physics fights you. Less artful than Foddy’s work, but in the same comic-pain tradition. Free on browser portal sites.
6. Happy Wheels (browser)
Jim Bonacci’s 2010 physics platformer is the most-played browser rage game ever made. You pilot various vehicles (segway, wheelchair, pogo stick) through obstacle courses, dying in elaborate dismembering ways. The cruelty is more cartoon than cathartic, but the “try again, fail more spectacularly, laugh” loop is the rage-game template. Free in browser.
7. Pogostuck (browser cloud demo)
An explicit Getting Over It homage by an indie studio. You play a guy on a pogo stick climbing a mountain. Fall and lose progress. Multiplayer ghost mode adds spectacle. The full game is paid on Steam, but browser cloud demos exist on a few promotional embeds. Worth a try.
8. Jump King Web Demo (browser)
Nexile’s 2019 jumping rage game has a browser web demo on certain promotional sites. The full game is paid, but the demo gives you the core experience: charge a jump, release, hope, land or fall. The genre kinship to Getting Over It is direct. Free demo where available.
9. Sift Heads Climb (browser via portals)
A vertical climbing browser game where one wrong move sends you tumbling back to the start. Less philosophical than Foddy, more arcade rage. The “30 minutes of progress can vanish in two seconds” mechanic is intact. Free in browser.
10. Stair Slammer (browser at foddy.net)
Another Foddy entry — head-butt a guy down stairs as far as possible. Single-button rage game distilled to its essence. Less of a climb, more of a fall, but the Foddy comedy-of-physics aesthetic is in full effect. Free.
Which one should you start with?
If you’ve never played any Foddy, start with QWOP — it’s the cleanest expression of his design idea. For the closest mechanical precursor to Getting Over It, GIRP. For a more accessible rage experience, Happy Wheels. For multiplayer chaos, Pole Riders.
The honest caveat
None of these are Getting Over It. Foddy’s specific combination of climb mechanics, philosophical narration, and seven-year-development polish is irreplicable. The browser space gives you Foddy’s earlier sketches and a few thematic descendants, but the full Getting Over It experience requires the Steam, mobile, or console version (about $8 on Steam, and worth every cent if you have the disposition for it).
For more on Foddy’s design philosophy, his own writing and lectures are available online; the Wikipedia article on Getting Over It traces the development and reception. For when you need to recover from a frustration spike, the Chrome Dino game at the top of this site offers the opposite of rage — predictable physics, instant respawn, and zero progress to lose.
How they compare
| Game | Control style | Setting | Foddy? |
|---|---|---|---|
| QWOP | 4-key | Sprint track | Yes |
| GIRP | Letter keys + mouse | Cliff face | Yes |
| CLOP | 4-key | Open ground | Yes |
| Pole Riders | 2-key per player | Soccer field | Yes |
| Stair Fall | Physics | Stairs | No |
| Happy Wheels | Arrow keys | Obstacle course | No |
| Pogostuck | Mouse | Mountain | No (homage) |
| Jump King Demo | Charge-and-release | Vertical tower | No (homage) |
| Sift Heads Climb | Arrow keys | Cliff | No |
| Stair Slammer | 1-key | Stairs | Yes |
Frequently asked questions
Can I play Getting Over It in a browser?
No. Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy is a paid download on Steam, mobile, and select consoles. There is no browser version, official or unofficial.
What is the closest browser game to Getting Over It?
GIRP, Foddy’s own 2011 climbing game on foddy.net, is the closest direct precursor and shares the most mechanics. Pogostuck and the Jump King web demo are also explicit homages.
Who is Bennett Foddy?
Bennett Foddy is an Australian philosopher and game designer, now teaching at NYU’s Game Center. His browser catalog (QWOP, GIRP, CLOP, Pole Riders, Stair Slammer) at foddy.net predates Getting Over It and helped define the rage-game genre.
Are rage games supposed to be fun?
Yes, in a specific way — the comedy of failure and the eventual triumph after many attempts. The genre is defined by intentional difficulty, not poor design. The frustration is the point, and the catharsis when you succeed is calibrated against the difficulty.
Is QWOP still playable?
Yes. QWOP runs in any modern browser at foddy.net and has been kept current despite being originally a Flash game. Foddy maintains the site personally.
The bottom line
Games like Getting Over It in browser exist mainly through Bennett Foddy’s own earlier catalog — QWOP, GIRP, CLOP, and friends are still free and still playable. For homages and descendants, the rage-game shelf is shallow but distinguished. The genre rewards patience and a sense of humor about your own frustration.
