TikTok fave Bread & Fred is this year’s viral co-op game

You can also find out more about the following: Bread & Fred, you’re tied to another penguin by a very short rope, and you’ll need some serious teamwork to make the climb. Ana (Nicole), and I are going to share our opinions as a group. Think of this story as the rope tying us together to bring you our thoughts on the game’s chaotic platforming. We’re each writing a paragraph and then letting the other take over; Ana’s paragraphs will be in italics.

Bread & FredSandCastles Studio is a trio of indie developers who released the game in May. It has since been very popular on TikTok. It’s a game that’s perfect for the internet in the same ways Fall GuyYou can also find out more about OvercookedThe game requires skill but, even the most inept players will be rewarded by slapstick animated penguins, squished and falling.

I can only take a step or two until the rope goes taught, and I’m stuck in place until my partner makes progress on their end. The latency of the stream and voice chat can sometimes make it difficult to perform simple jumps. We are always in contact. It’s all for a few measly meter climb.

SandCastles Studio/Apogee Entertainment

It’s hard. Platforming appears to be simple but is deceptively difficult. The short rope complicates what appears to be a simple jump over gaps. Thankfully, Bread & Fred does have several options to make the game more approachable — one crucial example is a checkpoint system that you can turn on in the options menu. You can place a flag on the ground that will act as a spawn if you have a disastrous fall. As we began to climb the mountain, there were many of these. Bread & FredThe game also includes a countdown clock, which is essential to precise and coordinated jumps. We developed a system to handle areas where one person had to be anchored on the platform, while the second swinging wildly was required to generate enough force to propel both penguins forward.

We don’t ascend the mountain very quickly, but the game slowly begins to click. Our penguins move together in perfect harmony, until they look like shadows of each other. The anchor penguin must be able to jump a long distance with precision. This climb is not for the faint-hearted! This swinging motion will propel us to the cave wall. My penguin partner is swinging to the opposite side while I am holding on to the cave wall. The penguins have completed a difficult series of jumps. They give each other the thumbs-up and proudly place a flag to mark their progress.

SandCastles Studio/Apogee Entertainment

It’s super satisfying to get to those points and to celebrate, but Bread & Fred is almost even more fun to watch someone else play — you get to luxuriate in someone else’s mistakes. The game is popular on TikTok, and many other social media platforms. You get to see all the silly mistakes without having to fall down face-first. Some people joke that the game can ruin friendships. It’s similar to Mario Party. It’s fun to watch or play, create moments that allow you to poke fun at friends and enjoy your wins.

Bread & FredSteam allows you to play the game on Windows PC. It’s got online multiplayer and remote play, as well as a single-player mode.