How to Beat QWOP

QWOP… seemingly as simple as its title, this game is one of the most challenging you will encounter, at least in the world of browser games. Your only job is to control the body of a runner and run as far as you can, but that is easier said than done.

You will understand how complicated the evolution of human movement is when you get frustrated just by controlling your athlete’s legs. It’s just pressing Q and W for moving the thighs and OP for calves, but good luck with fighting gravity!

So, when you start pulling your hair out enraged by moving just a few meters at best, you may look for some help on how to beat QWOP. That’s where this guide kicks in and saves the day!

How to Beat QWOP

We take walking and running for granted every day and don’t realize how complicated it actually is. Even in video games, everything is simplified to the point where you just need to hold one key and your character will move automatically. But when you need to take care of the intricate movements of calves and thighs and time everything correctly to prevent collapsing to the ground as a rag doll, things get complicated.

First of all, you need to understand the keys and related movements. Q controls the right thigh and moves it forward while moving the left thigh back and W does the opposite. On the other hand, P moves the right calf backward, and O does the same for the left calf.

To beat QWOP, you will have to simplify how you see the controls. Start off by pressing O just for a moment to lean slightly forward—you will have to be subtle about it. Then, you will want to keep hitting WO and QP alternately but considering the timing, which is the tricky part. If you observe how athletes run in slow motion, you will see that you need to move one leg forward and start moving the other to take its place even before the first leg touches the ground.

Even with clarifying the strategy, you will probably need to spend some time practicing this. However, don’t give up—you will be beating personal records in no time if you persist. Good luck with all the running, and if you’re looking for more fun, check out our recommendations for the best survival games for iOS or the best iOS and Android games with high-quality graphics.