It may be as infuriating as Flappy Bird…but it’s way funnier to watch.

Remember Flappy Bird? Remember how we all lost our minds trying to get that stupid big-lipped bird over and between that annoying series of pipes? Remember how most of us couldn’t make it past three seconds? Remember how we almost threw our phones out the window after dying when we barely touched that one pipe for the fifth time in a row?

Yeah, thank goodness that’s over.

Except now there’s a new smartphone game to infuriate you: Trap Adventure 2. Like Flappy Bird, it appears to be designed solely to drive the player insane, but it’s built a bit more like Super Mario and requires a bit more strategy and technique, which in some ways makes it even more aggravating. You play as a little man running through what looks like underground areas, and you have to jump over and around obstacles to avoid dying. But the difference between this and Super Mario is that in Super Mario, there are at least patterns to the gameplay, and you can build up an understanding of how the game works.

But for Trap Adventure 2, that’s not the case. In fact, it’s probably best if you go into the game, or into each level of the game, or really into each move you make in the game, with no expectations whatsoever, except that you’re probably going to die.

▼ It was created by Japanese Twitter user Hiroyoshi Oshiba. “I’m working on this game. It’s awful, I don’t recommend it.”

Let’s look at this sample video generously provided by Mr. Oshiba. It looks simple enough: you have to avoid the spikes by jumping across platforms to the other side. There is nothing like a Koopa or a Bullet Bill, not even a Goomba, so no enemies to worry about. Easy, just jump across and you’re good. Except SPIKES just appear out of NOWHERE on the third platform!

▼ Aaand you’re dead.

Okay, no problem. Let’s take another swing at it, now that we know that will happen. Just jump back and wait for the spikes to retreat….that’s what happens in other games, right? But not in Trap Adventure 2. Those spikes are coming for you.

▼ Aaaand you’re dead again.

Alright. It’s cool. This time, we’re not going to let it get us. We can avoid it…the spikes bounce down to the bottom platform, but if we just get back to where we started we’ll figure it out. Wrong! There is no time to think. The ceiling falls down and smashes our poor little guy.

▼ Aaand (surprise!) we’re dead again.

But wait! You CAN get past it if you just persist…but you’ll never guess what’s waiting for you on the other side (hint: it involves more spikes):

This game, which is available in the iTunes Store and on Google Play, is blowing up not only in Japan but across the world because of its unexpected (and unpleasant) surprises, and the really quite funny, sadistic genius needed to create it. The game gained its popularity on Twitter, and in the last few days quite a few Trap Adventure 2 reaction videos have popped up on YouTube.

▼ Purely in the name of journalism, I watched a few, and enjoyed this one the most.

Needless to say this is a ridiculously sadistic game, but people can’t seem to stop playing it, including Japanese netizens. Most tweet that it’s infuriatingly difficult, and some say that it’s so difficult it’s actually funny. Many are wondering what kind of evil jerk would make such a game. Some have even come to revere it for its insane level of difficulty. I suspect that they may have Stockholm Syndrome.

“A little bit more and I was going to throw my phone against the wall.”
“It’s hilarious to watch, but I think if I played it I would get really mad.”
“I give up! I have never seen a game so funny.”
“I can feel my blood pressure rising just by watching the videos.”
“I really want to try this, but I’m pretty sure that once I download it I will not be able to do anything else…”
“This is as evil as Lucifer!! Is there no way to cheat?”

Yeah – I, personally, am going to go ahead and stay the heck away from this game. It reminds me of the modded Super Mario World levels, and I can barely get through regular Super Mario World without wanting to throw our precious SNES controllers at the TV. But I will gleefully watch and laugh as the sadists around the world try to beat it. Good luck to those guys!

Source, images: Twitter/@hirobikkuri2
[ Read in Japanese ]