Fall Guys Guide

Fall Guys Guide

Beginner’s Guide

Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout (often shortened to Fall Guys) is a multiplayer online obstacle course game inspired by the popular Japanese show Takeshi’s Castle. You play as a bean-like character trying to survive a series of challenges for as long as possible. Your character seems a bit clumsy to control and bounces around like a ragdoll when hit, thanks to the game’s wacky physics. As you compete to be the last challenger standing, the game includes aspects of the battle royale genre. Unlike other battle royale games such as Fortnite or PUBG, you don’t aim to eliminate individual opponents and take their resources to increase your own chances of winning. The game was released for PC and PlayStation 4 on August 4, 2020. It is currently not available on any other platform.

System Requirements

  • Intel Core i5 CPU or AMD equivalent
  • 8 GB RAM
  • 2048 MB dedicated video RAM
  • 64-bit Windows 10 operating system
  • At least an NVIDIA GTX 660 or AMD Radeon HD 7950 graphics card
  • Pixel Shader 5.0
  • 2 GB of disk space

Gameplay

When you first start Fall Guys, you’ll get a short lesson on how to play. The controls are simple: you can move your character and the camera, and you can jump, dive and grab other players.

On the main screen, select Play to join the match queue. Each match starts with 60 players and gradually reduces their number by eliminating them through a series of mini-games. Your goal is to win the final mini-game and be the last player standing. There are five rounds of games in each match. If you are eliminated at any point, you can stay and watch who wins, or exit and try again for first place. You’ll also earn credits during play that you can exchange for cosmetic items. By winning, you get Crowns, which you can use to buy various items in the store.

Momentum is a big part of the game’s physics. Your Fall Guy is a stout little fellow with short stubby legs and a chubby belly. The poor little guy doesn’t get much air, and for what it’s worth, the PhysX engine will apply your existing momentum to your jump. There is, however, a little trick you can use. You can gain some height and change the direction of your jump by jumping and then diving in a different direction.

Shortcuts aren’t always the fast track to number 1 you might expect. Depending on your timing or how many people are crammed into a space, it may be better to simply take the longer route. The most obvious example is the spinning fan on Dizzy Heights. While you may believe it will give you more running time, you’re more likely to be launched and thrown into the ocean. Choosing one of the other two options will almost always result in failure.

Diving, like jumping, is another fundamental skill that is often overlooked. Its most obvious use is going for that photo-finish moment as you run across the finish line ahead of your competitors. Dives can also be used to leap over swarms of people to gain an advantage in levels like Door Dash, or to quickly get away from bitter competitors trying to ruin your day. To get ahead, combine jumping with diving. The diving tactic is great for hitting the giant football and scoring those vital points in games like Fall Ball and Rock ‘N’ Roll.

Many hands make light work. For better or worse, Fall Guys includes more than half a dozen team games in which you’ll be split into different groups by color and forced to work together to progress. It’s much smarter to work as a pack and coordinate together for this level, rather than betraying each other before the next round, however tempting it may be to go lone wolf.

Character Customization

In the game menu, you have the option to customize your character to your liking: character color, pattern, face and emotes. There is even the option to customize the upper and lower halves of your character. This makes for some very colorful and unique character looks and can be quite visually stimulating, especially since the game itself puts an emphasis on bright, beautiful colors.

You can buy these cosmetics using real money and in-game currency (Kudos or Crowns) in the game’s store. While regular items last 24 hours in the store, featured items last 72 hours before being replaced by a new set of items. The in-game currency, Kudos, can be earned or purchased.

However, not every cosmetic item can be bought with Kudos or real-life currency. Some items can only be bought with Crowns, which can only be earned by winning games and through seasonal rewards.

Character customizations can also be unlocked by season, with each season bringing a whole range of new customization options and skins. As you play throughout the season, you earn Fame, a special experience point system that in turn unlocks new colors, outfits, patterns and faces. These items usually become unavailable at the end of the season.

Maps and Levels

Fall Guys has 43 different levels divided into four categories: Race, Survival, Team and Final. Depending on the number of players, each game (in the main playlist) starts with a Race level before moving on to other Race, Survival or Team games. The last round is always one of the Final games, in which only one individual can be crowned champion.

In Race levels, the rules are simple: everyone competes to be the first to cross the finish line. To advance, you’ll need to finish near the front of the pack. Most Race games are big, so they’re usually used at the start of the game when many people are still playing.

In Survival modes, you have to stay alive as the challenge becomes more and more dangerous. The round ends when a set amount of time has passed or a certain number of players have been eliminated.

In Team games, you’ll be split into groups and work together. At the end of the round, everyone on the last-placed team is eliminated. They can appear with a large number of players or just a few, depending on the size of the team game.

If you make it to the last round of the game, marked as Final, only one round separates you from winning a game of Fall Guys. Just keep calm now, because these rounds have only one winner.

Mini-Games

With more than 20 different mini-games and many more to come, Fall Guys has too many to cover individually here. Instead, we’ll go over some of the most popular mini-games and give you some pointers on how to succeed.

See Saw

In this mini-game, the number of people ahead of you will have a significant impact on your experience on the seesaw. The further behind you are, the harder it will be to keep the bridge balanced, as most people will pile up on one side, making it impassable. If you stay one step ahead of everyone else, it will be easy for you. Only jump onto a tilted platform if it isn’t too far away. In most cases, doing so will make you slowly slide to your doom. Measure your jumps carefully!

The best way to predict which way the seesaw will tilt is to assume the crowd will move in a left/right/left/right pattern, and so on. If you’re stuck at the back, you’ll be able to time your jump to match the other side. As long as you don’t fall too far behind, you should be able to jump onto the seesaw.

Block Party

You’ll need to stand toward the front so you can see what’s coming. Avoid getting trapped at the far edges, as you’ll struggle to make it in time if an opening appears at the other end.

The path will turn into a solid block with small gaps passing through as the countdown nears its end. Other players, as usual at this point, will be the biggest threat to your existence. When a tunnel becomes available, make sure you don’t get trapped by the crowd. If at all possible, jump straight over the horde. When you notice different block shapes approaching, rush forward or back to make sure you have enough room to clear them without getting swept away. Also, watch out for the cage blocks!

Tip Toe

This is one map where a certain amount of skill is needed to qualify. Since the qualifying group is usually made up of ten people, you’ll need to cross the finish line quickly once everyone realizes they’re on the right path. A typical Tip Toe game usually follows a similar pattern. At first, everyone will rush forward, throwing themselves onto the first block in front of them. Usually, everyone will die quickly, and only a few access points will be revealed. People will start hugging the path so they don’t get pushed off. Scuffles will almost always push the losers onto the wobbly tiles. As a result, the path will gradually be revealed through the blood of reckless players.

The key to getting through is to always stay at the front of the crowd, not in the middle. Keep a safe distance from the scuffles, as players will usually discover the path and run to the finish about two-thirds of the way through the game. You don’t want to get caught napping in the starting zone and lose the game. Instead, stay one tile behind the mob so they don’t notice you, and then another tile behind as they find the route for you. Run forward as soon as you see an opening. The only thing you’ll have to deal with is the stampede of other players also trying to reach it.

You’ll qualify as long as you’re quick on the spot, because there usually aren’t enough people in the crowd rushing across the tiles to knock you out right away; you’ll also have a split second to get there.

Tail Tag

Remember that it doesn’t matter how long you hold a tail by the end of the round; all that matters is that you have one when the timer hits zero. This means that, if you really want to, you can just relax and mess around for the first two-thirds of the game.

Your main goal once you get a tail will be to keep it. The only way to do this safely is to stay away from everyone without a tail. You can stay in the middle and hope the spinning hammers keep everyone away, or you can travel to the farthest corners of the map. While the former is undoubtedly easier, it leaves you vulnerable to someone sneaking into the zone and taking your tail.

Dizzy Heights

Stay on the outside of the wheels and keep a safe distance from large groups of people as they spin. This reduces the chance of colliding with someone and getting knocked down. Don’t try to move against the current; instead, follow the arrows.

Do your best to avoid getting caught between huge clusters of bodies and a ball, as the crush of players will almost certainly result in both of you getting flattened. If staying out of the way means spending time in the safe zones, don’t stress about it. You have time on your side!

Don’t forget to use the balls to jump off the ramp onto the third stage; otherwise, you’ll fall into the gap and lose valuable seconds! Go with the flow of the directional floors and avoid the RNG of the balls, as mentioned earlier; if you get knocked down, the floor will likely hold you back a few more seconds.

Hit Parade

The number of players running alongside you determines the first obstacle of spinning cylinders. You’ll be catapulted if one rogue player jumps at the wrong time. But don’t worry! You won’t lose much time, and a fall will only cost you 3-4 seconds on average. To avoid it, make sure you’re the only one on your rotating platform, or let the others go first.

Don’t stop when pushing toward the rotating doors, despite what many people tell you. Lean into them, following the flow of the large group of players.

This will get you through much faster than usual, and it will also reduce the chance of running into a door swinging open from the other side. It’s far easier to pick one of the sides than to try to get through the middle when there’s a pile of players all trying to do the same thing.

The pendulums aren’t hard to avoid, and they usually only get you if you’re caught and suicidally pulled into their path. Simply plan your route based on the shadow cast by the pendulum.

Since no moving object can touch you on the last hill, all you need to do is stay to the side. Alternatively, if you need a boost, try going back a little and bumping into the directional pillars, which will push you a few meters forward.

Perfect Match

There will be two fruits in the first set, four in the second and five in the third. Just keep track of the current set and you’ll be fine. This one is easy because you can always rely on it. Also, try not to get knocked off by other players on the same square.

Tips and Tricks

Don’t Rush

Now, I know this sounds counterintuitive, especially when you actually want to be the first across the finish line. Waiting behind the first wave of players is probably the smartest move you can make.

In Fall Guys, many obstacle courses are trial and error. On one course, you may need to walk on tiles to see which ones collapse, while on another you may need to jump into doors to see which ones open to reveal the way forward. Falling through a collapsed tile or banging your head on a closed door wastes valuable seconds. Letting others do the work for you is what you want to do. Stay behind to figure out where people go wrong.

For example, a key way to win at Big Fans is to take your time, especially at the start when the crowd is very dense. It’s possible to rush around the central spoke or jump from platform to platform on the same fan, but it’s often easier to just wait and go with the rotation. Just watch out for other players trying to push you off. It’s easiest to focus on simply jumping over the bar when it comes to the spinning beams, but if you’re feeling confident, you can clear it and switch platforms.

Don’t Get Too Close to Other Players

We understand this is easier said than done. With 60 players in a small space, things can get a little hectic, so while the weak are eliminated one by one, the first few courses are always chaotic. You’ll fall or get knocked back if you collide with other players. This is something you should try to prevent, so keep a safe distance from other players.

If you get too close, players can grab you and stop you from moving forward, which is something you don’t want to happen.

Don’t Get Too Comfortable in the Lead

It’s something you’ll hear in practically every competitive game or sport, but I’ll repeat it: don’t get complacent. By getting too complacent on the approach to the finish line, the greatest of the greats have seen their leads evaporate. I’ve had several matches in Fall Guys where I had a comfortable lead over the other players and then made a series of silly mistakes near the end of the course. Keep your head in the game, because this could easily lead to your elimination.

Watch Your Jumps

It’s easy to get caught up in the rush to reach your goal, but there are alternative options you shouldn’t overlook. The first one is the jump. A well-timed jump can help you get ahead of the crowd, get away from a straggler in front of you, or get you there a moment before you would otherwise have been eliminated.

Don’t Forget to Grab

If you want to climb over barriers or onto ramps, you’ll need to learn the grab move. The timing can be tricky, but if you keep trying, you’ll get it. You can even grab other players’ footballs to stop them from snatching yours (or take their tail in some game modes).

Bonus: If you “hug” another player while they’re grabbing you, you’ll earn a reward.

Know When to Dive

This game’s wacky physics are hilarious. You’ll notice that you can pick up speed quickly, which can make it harder to get through some obstacles. That’s where diving comes in handy. According to WIRED photo editor Phuc Pham, the game should be called Dive Guys. If there’s one maneuver you need in your repertoire, it’s the dive that saves your life.

Diving is also useful for avoiding obstacles like swinging axes or fan blades. You can throw your body forward if you time it just right, narrowly missing the element that would have sent you into oblivion. Diving also speeds up your descent down slime-covered hills. Go ahead, dive!

Falling Can Also Be Useful

A well-planned fall or dive can sometimes get you closer to the finish than running could. This is especially true in mini-games that involve racing. Falling is inevitable, but if you do it on purpose, the game’s elements can push you so far that you end up well ahead of where you meant to be. If in doubt, try falling.

Go with the Flow

Not sure where to go? Trying out a new game? In these situations, it’s a good idea to stick with the others. It’s safe to do what they’re doing, or at least to check it out if everyone seems to be running the same way. Going rogue may not be a good idea if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing.

However, You Should Also Slow Down

It’s easy to get caught up in the hectic pace of other players in games like Fall Guys. This is how you get stuck in a loop, where you keep running into the same problems and your chances of qualifying drop by the second. Try to slow down.

Some other useful tips are:

  • Combine jumps with forward dives. This combination will help you clear bigger gaps in various scenarios.
  • By watching other players, you can learn new techniques or movement combos. Even if you’re eliminated, the Spectate option is always available after you finish a round.
  • In some games, you should try letting other players figure out how to reach the finish. In race rounds, leading the group isn’t always a good option.
  • In team games, try to divide roles and responsibilities. This kind of task management can be easier to achieve if you start playing with your friends and talk often.