Game Reviews

Finger Derpy

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Finger Derpy
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| Finger Derpy

Horse racing is a controversial sport, and for good reason. Horses that win repeatedly are retired to stud, horses that are chronic losers or become injured suffer a less idyllic fate.

If you're made uneasy by the tribulations racehorses suffer, it might help to take in a game or two of Finger Derpy, a physics-based racing game by Mommy's Best Games.

It's a fun bit of silliness that's good for a few races. And, if you like, you can pretend the thoroughbreds within are less-than-stellar Kentucky Derby competitors that received a gentler retirement than the industry's norm.

Sport of Kings

If you've ever agonized over the physics-based racing game QWOP, then you have an idea of what to expect from Finger Derpy. The horses you hold the reins to aren't the best or brightest, and they swing wildly from side to side when they have a mind to.

There are two horseshoe-shaped icons at the bottom of the screen, which is where you put your fingers. If you hold both icons at the same time, your horse charges ahead. You turn by holding just one icon or the other. The object of the game is to stay ahead of the ever-creeping Finish Line.

Though running in a straight line sounds easy enough, the racetrack is littered with foliage, barrels, and other good stuff that will impede your progress. So you end up spinning wildly in place more often than not, as your poor demented horse appears to try and catch its own tail.

The track is also covered in roses (presumably pity-roses thrown by onlookers), which you can use to trigger power-ups like a short burst of speed. Gold roses pop up occasionally, which can go back into permanent power-ups like magnets that draw roses closer to you.

Horse meet

If the lipstick-wearing horse in the game's icon wasn't enough of an indication, Finger Derpy is pretty nutty. Surprisingly, it offers more fun than QWOP since it really is possible to progress with a bit of practise, a few upgrades, and some luck.

It's not exactly Game of the Year material, but Finger Derpy will make you grin as you push forward, and that's good enough for a grey Tuesday.

Finger Derpy

Finger Derpy strives to be the silliest horse racing game on the digital marketplace, and it pretty much succeeds
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