Iconic browser game Happy Wheels hits Steam with 5 million user levels
Happy Wheels was once the biggest game on YouTube, yet over a decade later the once-browser based game has finally made its way to Steam, with many diving back into the fun.
Not every game needs a massive open world or heart-wrenching narrative like GTA 6, as fun is often one of the most important factors at play for most gamers — and that's really where Happy Wheels shines.
It might make you feel old to discover that there are 16-year-olds out there that weren't even born when Happy Wheels first launched on browsers back in June 2010, and there's a good chance that millions of gamers missed out on the chaotic fun that took over the internet for the years following its release.
The game has now received a surprise release on PC via Steam, however, reviving the once-free obstacle course experience into a fully fledged game — and many gamers simply can't wait to play it.
Happy Wheels officially launches on Steam
Launching on Monday, September 21, Happy Wheels made its official debut on Steam to great success, earning overwhelmingly positive reviews despite little actually changing from the original release.
Advert
If you've never played the game before, it sees you choose from a number of 'inadequately prepared racers' to take on various obstacle courses with often-gruesome results.
Not only can you play through more than 5 million levels created by users over the years, but you can also make up your own if you fancy flexing your creative muscles.
While the game itself earned over 750,000 wishlists before release, and people flocked to social media to share how excited they were for the Steam launch, Happy Wheels has 'only' managed to garner a peak concurrent player count of 3,193, although it does sit 14th on the global top-sellers list.
Some gamers aren't happy with the price
One factor that has stuck out among many prospective players, however, is the small price tag that you have to pay to play Happy Wheels on Steam. While it 'only' costs $4.99, that's still a sore spot for people who have played for years, and something they might not be able to get over.
"I don't see why you would buy this," writes one commenter on Reddit, calling it a 'botched release' that's merely a port of the browser version — but there are a number of reasons why you might want to 'double dip' with a purchase.
Among the new features exclusive to the Steam version are support for controllers, achievements, downloads for offline play, and a complete lack of ads, which could genuinely be a deciding factor for many.
Another thing that people have pointed out is the need to support games like these in a new home amid the end of Adobe Flash, as many other similar browser games have been lost forever after support was ceased in January 2021.
"A chunk of those old browser games are just gone now," wrote another commenter. "Five bucks to keep Happy Wheels playable on a store that'll outlive the next Chrome update is a decent trade."