Line #175 VideoGame/BaldisBasicsInEducationAndLearning


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/baldi.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350: Education, learning, fun and [[BreadMilkEggsSquick unadulterated horror]] all in [[RhymesOnADime one]]!]]
3
4	->''Welcome to Baldi's Basics in Education and Learning! That's me!''
5	-->-- '''Baldi''', upon starting the game.
6
7	''Baldi's Basics in Education and Learning'' (often shortened to ''Baldi's Basics'') is an indie horror game that made its initial debut in 2018 as part of the annual itch.io Meta Game Jam contest. The original version made for the competition was hurriedly slapped together in a couple of days, and it shows. But despite this, the game exploded in popularity upon its release, won second place in the contest, and almost immediately gained a cult following for uniquely utilizing an [[StylisticSuck intentionally terrible]] yet [[{{Retraux}} nostalgic]] theme lampooning low-budget ‘90s edutainment games as well as the general tropes of indie horror titles. After receiving a ColbertBump from several famous YoutubeLetsPlayers, it wasn’t long before fans of other cult indie horror titles latched onto the game as well, further skyrocketing its popularity to viral levels. In response, game creator Micah [="Mystman12"=] [=McGonigal=] greatly expanded upon it with a content update.
8
9	The premise of the game is rather simple: the player is a student at Baldi's Schoolhouse, and their goal is to collect and fill out seven notebooks scattered about the campus (with each notebook containing 3 math problems). They need to collect these notebooks for their friend, who left them in the school and cannot retrieve them himself due to "eating practice". The only problem is that a few questions are unsolvable BlackSpeech ([[EverybodyHatesMathematics like in real life]] but genuinely impossible to solve), and Baldi gets so mad over failing students that [[DisproportionateRetribution he feels the need to hunt them down like the survival horror monster he really is with]] [[DontMakeMeTakeMyBeltOff a ruler in hand with your butt's name on it]]. Meanwhile, there are other entities in the school that try to hinder your progress, such as a jump-roping girl (Playtime), the school's principal (Principal of the Thing), a giant talking broom (Gotta Sweep), a bully (It's a Bully), a sock-puppet (Arts and Crafters), a hug-loving {{Cyborg}} on wheels (1st Prize), a cloud creature (Cloudy Copter), a chalk drawing (Chalkles), a boy who loves bubblegum (Beans), a head in a shoe (Mrs. Pomp), a creep in black (The Test), and a reflex-testing doctor (Doctor Reflex). The game can be downloaded [[https://mystman12.itch.io/baldis-basics from here]].
10
11	In July 2018, [=Mystman12=] [[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/193364415/baldis-basics-in-education-and-learning-full-game began a Kickstarter]] to fund and create a full retail version of ''Baldi's Basics'', which would tentatively include new features such as new characters and items, randomly generated levels with new rooms featuring new mechanics, random in-game events to change up the gameplay, and "field trip" bonus rounds to unlock buffs in the main game. A proof-of-concept demo of the camping bonus round can be found [[https://mystman12.itch.io/baldis-basics-camping here]]. The Kickstarter was successful, with a total of $61,375 raised for the project.
12
13	In April 2019, an update to the original game titled ''Baldi's Basics: 1 Year Birthday Bash'' was released. It adds some new elements to fit the birthday aesthetic, but more importantly adds a new ending. August 2019 saw the release of the full game's first demo, which includes one level and features many features that are planned to be included in the final game, with a second Kickstart backer-exclusive demo to come later on November 2nd, 2019. The public demo can be found [[https://mystman12.itch.io/baldis-basics-full-game-demo here]].
14
15	The full game, called ''Baldi's Basics Plus'', entered early access on Platform/{{Steam}}, Itch.io, and Game Jolt on June 12th, 2020.
16
17	On October 21st, 2022, a [[VideoGameRemake remake]] of the original, titled ''Baldi's Basics Classic Remastered'', was released. It implements the quality-of-life features introduced in ''Plus'' such as the Baldicator and redesigned staminometer. A "Party Style" mode is also included, which replicates ''1 Year Birthday Bash'', and a "Demo Style" mode that incorporates elements from ''Plus'' into the original map.
18
19	----
20	!!Oh, hi! Welcome to my trope page. Now it's time for everybody's favorite subject: Tropes!
21	* AbnormalAmmo: During [[spoiler:the boss fight with Null]] in ''Classic Remastered'', [[spoiler:you have to throw objects at him ranging from chairs to potted plants to ''bananas'']].
22	* AngryItemTapping: When you [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption inevitably get a math problem wrong]], Baldi gives you a DeathGlare and he begins to slap his ruler against his hand as he chases you throughout the game.
23	* AnimateInanimateObject: The janitor, Gotta Sweep, is a giant talking broom.
24	* AntagonistTitle: Baldi is clearly the main villain, and his name is in the title.
25	* AntiFrustrationFeatures:
26	** The 1.2 update to the Kickstarter demo introduces a map system into the game. Not only does this make navigating the school floors and knowing where the player has already been easier, but it will also show which room Mrs. Pomp will be in should the player bump into her. This saves the player the trouble of having to blindly guess which room she went to before her imposed time limit expires.
27	** In ''Classic Remastered'', when the player has the "Lights Out" Fun Setting enabled, the Principal of the Thing always emits a bright glow around him, so it's easier to see where he's coming from and when to avoid breaking rules when he sees you.
28	** As of an update to both ''Classic Remastered'' and ''Plus'', when you're playing Playtime's jumprope minigame, each jump can move you in a given direction slightly, meaning you're no longer completely helpless against anything else. If enough distance is cut from her (which will most likely happen if you missed a few jumps), the minigame will end prematurely as if something else interrupted it.
29	* AntiVillain: [[spoiler:Null, while well meaning and wanting to ensure no-one else meets the same fate he did, is more than willing to use unsavoury means to make the player stop playing Baldi's Basics, even having his own dedicated mode where he chases the player and fights a BossBattle against them at the end of the mode just to make them leave. [[HoistByHisOwnPetard This unfortunately means that doing too much and not keeping his cool causes him to be wiped out of the game]], [[RetGone never to be seen again under normal circumstances]].]]
30	* AppleForTeacher: An apple is an item introduced in the first demo for the full game. They can only be found in either the playground (the grappling hook is required to bring it down from a tree) or in the principal's office during a party event. The apple is meant to be used when around Baldi, and when used, Baldi will stop, happily take the apple and eat it for ten seconds; buying the player some time to get away from him.
31	* ArcNumber: 99. All of the blue doors are labeled "99", a hidden chalkboard has lots of 99s around the text "THIS PROGRAM IS CANCER," and it appears yet again on a tree in the camping field trip. [[spoiler:A cropped 99 also appears rarely when you die in place of a random object, where it will jumpscare the player and crash the game after a few seconds.]]
32	* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: There is a poster listing the school rules[[note]]With only "no being in school after hours" (exclusive to the Stealthy Challenge said to be after school has ended when any of the copies of the Principal spot the player) and "no looking in other people's lockers" (a previously cut line about searching for hidden items reworked to be about being caught hiding in blue lockers) not on the sign[[/note]] meant to clue new players in on what the Principal will put you (or It’s A Bully) into detention for[[note]]He will ignore the player if they break rules in an outdoor area such as the playground[[/note]]:
33	-->When you follow the school rules:
34	-->No running
35	-->No entering faculty[[note]]Entering or exiting the school faculty-only rooms, with the Principal knocking on the door before entering[[/note]]
36	-->No bullying
37	-->No drinking[[note]]Using the [=BSoda=] when the Principal is nearby to see it[[/note]]
38	-->No escaping detention[[note]]If he catches the player outside his office while they still have a detention to serve[[/note]]
39	-->[[BreakingTheFourthWall No fourth wall breaks]][[note]]The rule is only "broken" in the Field Trip Demo used to introduce the Kickstarter for ''Plus'', by phasing through [[VisualPun four black walls]] that insist on being where the demo ends, and [[EasterEgg finding an inactive Principal who scolds them for breaking the fourth wall]][[/note]]
40	* ArtEvolution:
41	** The first demo for the full game features [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/baldis-basics-in-education-and-learning/images/0/03/Baldis_Basics_-_Full_Game_Public_Demo_in_Basically_Games_website.png/revision/latest?cb=20190927185159 an updated title screen]] with cleaner and sharper graphics. Even Baldi's waving animation is improved - despite looking choppy due to a low framerate and poorly-made model, the motion is slightly more realistic than it was before.
42	** ''Baldi's Basics Plus'' includes more varied and slightly sharper textures for the school interiors.
43	* TheArtifact: Zigzagged; the whole "edutainment parody" aspect was not present in the first version of the full version demo: the notebooks no longer pose math problems, which means that Baldi [[IncrediblyLamePun basically]] wants to kill you [[ForTheEvulz just for kicks]] (mainly as part of a game of Hide and Seek) and leaving the only remnants of the original game's parody aspects with the schoolhouse setting and the StylisticSuck. The March 2020 update to the demo, however, introduced the "Math Machine" rooms wherein the player once again must solve a math problem in order to receive a notebook, albeit, the math problems are no longer the unsolveable problems from the old version.
44	* BaldOfEvil: [[MeaningfulName Baldi]] only has a single strand of hair on his head, meant to represent an "[[IdiotHair ahoge]]".
45	* BananaPeel: The aptly-named 'Nana Peel item in "Plus" sends characters who step on it (including you!) flying.
46	* BerserkButton:
47	** Whatever you do, do not fail any of Baldi's math lessons, or he'll get angry and attack you.
48	--->'''Baldi:''' I GET ANGRIER FOR EVERY PROBLEM YOU GET WRONG (when you get one or two questions wrong)\
49	'''Baldi:''' I HEAR MATH THAT BAD (when you get all 3 questions wrong)
50	** Also, make sure you get to Mrs. Pomp's classes on time. She ''[[{{Jumpscare}} really]]'' hates it when you don't attend.
51	* BigBad: The titular Baldi is an EvilTeacher who chases after the player with a ruler for [[DisproportionateRetribution getting a math problem wrong]] ([[ForTheEvulz just for kicks as part of Hide and Seek in the demo]]) and is the main obstacle in getting all the 7 notebooks needed to escape the school (in the old version, newer versions instead have the amount of notebooks vary and the player takes an elevator to advance through the building).
52	* BirthdayEpisode: The "1 Year Birthday Bash" update, released on the game's actual birthday, adds birthday party elements to the game. The characters now wear party hats, there are floating balloons in some rooms, items now come in birthday presents, etc.
53	* BlackSpeech: Baldi is frequently accompanied by blaring static, which is also his jumpscare sound. Arts and Crafters also has this.
54	* BlackoutBasement: In ''Plus'', The Test does this to the entire school if you don't escape their line of vision after five seconds.
55	* BlatantLies: [[EverybodyHatesMathematics "Now it's time for everybody's favorite subject: Math!"]]
56	* BrokenBridge: In the first game, the doors in the first part early on won't open before getting two notebooks, keeping the player in the friendly entrance area until [[spoiler:the first wrong answer, at which point the door disappears completely as the school's layout changes]]. Any time they try to open the door before then, Baldi's voice speaks from the door to tell them this. If the player answers a question wrong ''before'' they have the second notebook (which contains the first unsolveable question), it keeps all the other characters out of your way until then as well.
57	-->'''Baldi:''' You need to collect two notebooks before you can use these doors.
58	* BrutalBonusLevel:
59	** The unlockable [[spoiler:Glitch Style]] in ''Classic Remastered'' involves [[spoiler:[=FileName2=]/NULL relentlessly pursuing the player throughout the empty schoolhouse, even blocking off their final exit and forcing them to engage him in a surprise BossBattle where there's no room for error.]]
60	** The secret [[spoiler:Chaos Mode]] from the same game ramps up the difficulty of a game way more than if all the Fun Settings are enabled, [[spoiler:due to every character getting cloned per notebook, making it near-impossible to win a game until it's switched off. In fact, it was made without any intention of being possible in the first place.]]
61	* ButThouMust: From the second notebook and onward in the first game, the last math question will always be impossible to answer correctly, forcing you to get it wrong and further anger Baldi.
62	* CanonDiscontinuity: [[spoiler:The notebook from [=mystman12=] in the DeveloperRoom following NULL/Glitch mode]] reveals that the versions of the game prior to the 1.0 version of ''Plus'' will not be canon to the final version of the game, due to the story of the prior versions of the game being "too unruly" to reconcile with the story that the final game will tell. [[spoiler:However, the story that started with the first version of the original ''Baldi's Basics'' does still get a proper conclusion with [=Filename2=]/NULL being defeated once and for all and the game being freed from his influence.]]
63	* ChallengeRun: April 2020 saw the release of an update that introduces three of these; the first one is "Speedy" (no other characters aside from Baldi are present, but both he and the player move extremely fast and the player must collect 25 notebooks), Stealthy (the premise is that the player is sneaking into the school after hours to collect 7 notebooks and must avoid being seen by multiple Principals or else lose instantly, as Baldi is waiting in detention), and Grapple (the player must collect 7 notebooks, with the catch that they can only move via an infinite use grappling hook, as well as deal with Gotta Sweep, It's A Bully, and Mrs. Pomp).
64	* ChekhovsGun:
65	** The title screen depicts a smiling Baldi holding a ruler up to a chalkboard like a pointer. Later on in the game, Baldi does use that ruler... as a weapon.
66	** One of the odd things the player can find during the ''Birthday Bash'' version's [[spoiler:GainaxEnding]] is [[spoiler:a deformed floating Baldi head that deals no harm to the player]]. This turned out to be [[spoiler:the head of The Test, a new character introduced in ''Plus''.]]
67	* ContentWarnings: Right when you boot up the game:
68	-->WARNING! In case you haven't figure [sic] it out yet, this game is intended to be a horror game. As such, it has loud noises, flashing images, and is overall pretty spoopy. (Well, at least it's supposed to be...) If you downloaded this thinking it would be great edutainment for your kid or something, don't let them play it! Unless, of course, they enjoy horror games. [[Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED]]
69	* ControllableHelplessness: In the first release of the game, there was a corner of the detention room where Baldi wouldn't be able to reach you; he'll just stand there smacking his ruler. However, you have no way out--as soon as you budge from that corner, you've lost.
70	** Getting caught by Playtime, being gummed up by Beans or being late for Mrs. Pomp's class when Baldi's right around the corner. Without safety scissors on hand (for Playtime and Beans) or another character like Gotta Sweep or First Prize nearby to bail you out, [[YouAreAlreadyDead you're pretty much a dead man walking]] (or jumping in Playtime's case).
71	* CorporalPunishment: In this horror game, the monster is a school teacher who just wants to kill you for getting his math questions wrong (or just for kicks).
72	* CrapsaccharineWorld: The game's art style and presentation is supposed to mimic 90s edutainment games, with chipper voice acting, zany character designs, and bouncy background music. It's still a horror game through and through, however.
73	* CreepyChild: Playtime and Beans are both fellow students who are seen as creepy due to their deformed art styles.
74	* DarkHumor: The game revolves extensively around having humorous moments interspersed into the scary atmosphere of dread that comes from Baldi pursuing the player.
75	* DarknessEqualsDeath: Featured in the camping minigame demo; if you allow the campfire to go out, an angry Baldi will immediately reappear and run you down.
76	* DeathGlare: If/[[ForegoneConclusion when]] you get a math problem wrong, Baldi's smiling face on the screen slowly turns into an angry glare.
77	* DevelopersForesight:
78	** Principal of the Thing can put It's a Bully in detention, which is useful for the player.
79	** In ''Classic Remastered'', it's impossible to access the secret endings [[NoFairCheating if Debug Mode is used in a mode]].
80	*** An update also locked the Debug Mode code behind beating [[spoiler:[[BrutalBonusLevel NULL Style]]]]. If you try putting the code in at any point earlier, a message says "Find all the secrets first!"
81	** Before finishing [[spoiler:NULL Style]], the credits for its BossBattle theme, [[spoiler:"Schoolhouse Trouble"]], are left scrambled aside from the name of its composer.
82	** If an enraged Dr. Reflex is locked in a certain area with no current way back to his office (the Field Trip area, for example), he’ll manifest his hammer automatically.
83	* DevelopersRoom: [[spoiler:The player can find the office of [=Mystman12=] after successfully surviving the onslaught of [=FileName2=]/NULL, complete with a note from him as commemoration for them beating the challenge.]]
84	* DisguisedHorrorStory: The entire point. It looks like a cute 90s edutainment game, but it's in fact a terrifying survival horror title. That said, the surprise is mitigated by the game's opening screen which states outright that it's a horror game, not a real educational game.
85	* DisproportionateRetribution: In ''Baldi's Basics Classic'', Baldi hunts you down throughout the entire school with the intention of beating you to death with a ruler... because you got a math question wrong.
86	** The Principal of the Thing will inevitably throw you into detention if you [[FelonyMisdemeanor run, use a [=BSoda=], enter a faculty-only room, or hide in a locker]] in his presence.
87	* DontMakeMeTakeMyBeltOff: Whenever Baldi is nearby, you can recognise his approach by the sound of him hitting his ruler against his open hand. It's pretty clear what he intends to use it for.
88	* EasterEgg:
89	** Randomly, on the loading screen [[HaveANiceDeath shown after death,]] a small rectangle with what appears to be eyes will appear, before it turns red and then gives you a JumpScare before crashing the game.
90	** Also, on the launcher, the only graphic option is "1999".
91	** Certain Kickstarter backers have donated enough money that posters based on them can be found in the game, one of which is [[WebVideo/RandomEncounters the Beard]].
92	* EdutainmentGame: The game puts on a facade of being an educational kid's game, but [[PlayedForHorror it's actually a horror game]]. You do have to do math problems, but they're either simple addition / subtraction or completely unsolvable, so they hardly teach you anything.
93	* EndlessGame: The update added a self-explanatory "Endless Mode". In this version of the game, Baldi gets faster over time instead of getting faster for every wrong answer.
94	* {{Engrish}}: This game appears to have some outright nonsensical or badly-spoken sentences at times.
95	-->'''Baldi:''' WOW! YOU EXIST!
96	* EverybodyHatesMathematics: In this world, math isn't so much hard as it is ''literally unsolvable'', the last question being a jumble of numbers mashed together, but getting even a single problem wrong sics a terrifying monstrous teacher on you.
97	* EverythingTryingToKillYou: Played with. Only Baldi can kill you, but there are other characters trying to hinder your progress.
98	* EvilTeacher: If you get even a ''[[DisproportionateRetribution single]] question wrong'', Baldi ''WILL'' (or at least try to) kill you (in the demo, you don't even need to do that, he will just hunt you as part of Hide and Seek).
99	* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: 1st Prize is apparently a science fair project that won first prize.
100	* ExcusePlot:
101	** The premise of the game is about as basic as you’d expect from any real low-budget edutainment game: school is out but the player's friend left his notebooks in all the classrooms. He can't fetch them himself since he's stuck in "eating practice", so it's up to the player.[[note]]It's never explained ''why'' the notebooks have BlackSpeech in them, or, heck, why you need to answer the problems in the first place, but there you go.[[/note]]
102	** The full-version demo drops even this tiny pretense: now Baldi just wants to play hide-and-seek (though, of course, his version is decidedly more deadly). It's not even explained why you're hunting for notebooks anymore.
103	* FailureIsTheOnlyOption: In ''Classic'', every notebook except the first one comes with a single problem that's unsolvable gibberish, forcing the player to anger Baldi more and more.
104	-->'''Baldi:''' Problem three! [[HellIsThatNoise loud static noise]] plus [[HellIsThatNoise loud static noise]] times [[RuleOfThree loud static noise]] equals...
105	* FauxAffablyEvil: Baldi initially acts like a friendly CoolTeacher... but immediately turns AxCrazy once you give a wrong answer.
106	* FriendOrFoe: Beans' gum wad can hit Baldi and slow him down, buying you some time. If you're cornered by Beans with Baldi closing in, this trick is useful for escaping. Be careful, though; the gum orb has a janky hitbox and will [[HoistByHisOwnPetard still slow you down like normal if it hits.]]
107	* GainaxEnding:
108	** The Secret Ending: [[spoiler:If you escape the school after getting ''every'' problem wrong, rather than cutting to the usual AWinnerIsYou ending, it cuts to a screen showing Baldi frowning and the message: "You Won! But there's room for improvement, though...Go see Baldi in his office for some tips!". At this point, though, you still have control of your character. If you turn around from the message, you can see a door labeled: "Baldi's Office". If you go in, you'll find a skewed and distorted Baldi in the middle of the room, and a strange distorted image of a man T-posing behind Baldi's desk. If you get close enough to the desk, speaking in extremely low-quality distorted audio full of scratches and beeps, the man very awkwardly [[BreakingTheFourthWall implores the player to destroy the game]], passive aggressively insists through SuspiciouslySpecificDenial that the game didn't [[TrappedInTVLand suck him into it]], and that it ended up "[[GameBreakingBug corrupting]]" him upon doing so. He continues to incoherently blather on in a comedically stilted way about how the player needs to destroy the game before the game abruptly crashes.]]
109	** The 1 Year Birthday Bash ending blows the original version's Secret Ending out of the water: When you get all seven notebooks and try to escape the school, all of a sudden you end up in the cafeteria in front of the giant birthday cake while surrounded by Baldi and the rest of the characters, who seem to have thrown a surprise party for you. Baldi invites you to blow out the candle at the top of the cake. If you take the lift up to the candle and blow it out...[[spoiler:suddenly the building goes dark and the characters float up to the ceiling, and things get ''[[MindScrew weird]]'' with a capital W. A hallway appears in the wall. If you "walk" from the lift across thin air to it, you'll find [[MinusWorld a completely screwed up version of the school]] with things in places they shouldn't be, deformed and almost zombie-like Baldi clones floating around like balloons (along with clones of some of the other characters), and a bizarre (yet harmless) ''thing'' that looks like a hideously deformed version of Baldi's head roaming the halls. If you wander around long enough, you'll find a room encouraging you to count the "balloons" (i.e., the floating miscolored Baldis) along with two more notebooks that serve no real purpose (but have distorted Baldi voices playing over them). If and when you put the amounts of the balloons in correctly, a new room opens up, containing a bunch of desk chairs and a chalkboard reading: "Whoa, you are smart!". Then a bunch of red distorted Baldi clones that seem to be made up of corrupted Baldi faces begin spawning in the school and homing in on you, and continuously do so until you can no longer move, at which point the screen fades to a deranged "Thank You!" screen with equally deranged versions of the cast on it.]] If you [[spoiler:find [=Filename2=] during this sequence]], he once again bunglingly rambles to the player through extremely compressed audio about how [[spoiler:not destroying the original game when you had the chance per his warning from the original version]] [[MindScrewdriver resulted in this all happening]], but still, just...''what?''
110	* GameMod: There are several, such as Madden's Basics in Football and Memes, which changes characters, and Baldi's BRUTAL Basics in Education and Learning, which makes the game a lot harder, and adds more problems.
111	* GlacierWaif: Baldi is really skinny, but he's also really slow (at first). Don't let this fool you into thinking he can't instantly end your game.
112	* GrapplingHookPistol: A new item in the first demo; using it can quickly pull you down hallways away from characters and obstacles. Useful for getting away from Baldi or Playtime in a pinch, but can easily end up breaking if not used properly.
113	* GuideDangIt: The BrutalBonusLevel of ''Classic Remastered'' really lives up to its name. [[spoiler:While there aren't any math problems to solve this time, you've got [=FileName2=] constantly on your trail, who, initially, moves like Baldi, but without making a sound other than occasionally taunting the player or opening doors he passes by, and can even smash through windows to cut the player off. And if he succeeds in catching you, he'll not only tear the world around you apart, but force-close the game for good measure. This escalates further for the BossBattle, with him getting faster on every hit, blocking off corridors with random objects and the only way to hurt him is throwing floating furniture at him. Needless to say, it's very difficult to beat this, so much so that even [=Mystman12=] admits in the DevelopersRoom that it was the stupidest challenge he made yet. It'll be likely one will resort to trying to use Debug Mode just to help beat the fight. [[NoFairCheating But that isn't a good idea...]]]]
114	* HellIsThatNoise:
115	** Baldi's presence is heralded by him menacingly smacking his ruler against his palm. The static sound when he catches you counts as well.
116	** Baldi: ''Congratulations! You found all seven notebooks! Now all you have to do is '''GETOUTWHILEYOUSTILLCAAAAAAAN!!!''''' '''[[EvilLaugh HUHUHUH]]'''
117	** The weird noise Baldi makes in place of actual numbers in notebook 2 also serve as this.
118	--->'''Baldi:''' Problem three! [[SensoryAbuse loud static noise]] plus [[HellIsThatNoise loud static noise]] times [[RuleOfThree loud static noise]] equals...
119	** The noise Arts and Crafters makes when it attacks, which sounds a bit like amplifier feedback.
120	** Some of 1st Prize's lines may count, especially given his Stephen Hawking-esque deadpan computer voice.
121	--->'''1st Prize:''' I am programmed to desire your image.
122	** The glitchy, static-y noises made by [[spoiler:the red Baldi "balloons" that bum-rush you during the ending of]] the 1 Year Birthday Bash version, as well as the buzzing noise made by [[spoiler:the giant floating Baldi head]] and [[spoiler:the corrupted Baldi voice clips playing over the three Think Pad sequences]].
123	* HoistByHisOwnPetard: Baldi's gift of a nice shiny quarter can be used to purchase a [=BSoda=], which will probably save the player from him at some point in the run.
124	* HongKongDub: Baldi speaks in an intentionally bad lip sync when you open the "You Can Think Pad". [[AvertedTrope Averted]] for the [=YCTPs=] in ''Classic Remastered'', where his lip sync is much better.
125	* HypocriticalHumor: The final rule on the list of rules is "No Breaking the Fourth Wall" which is, in and of itself, a fourth wall break.
126	* IdiotHair: While otherwise completely {{bald\| of evil}}, Baldi does have a single hair on his head that serves as an ahoge.
127	* ImprovisedWeapon: [=BSoda=] creates a moving wall of sorts that pushes away anyone in the way, perfect to get some breathing room between you and Baldi.
128	* InterfaceScrew:
129	** One of the events in the demo is the school getting covered in fog.
130	--->''Baldi's fog machine malfunctioned again! Ack! Hack!''
131	** Demo Mode of ''Classic Remastered'' distorts the math problem on the second Math Machine the player goes to in order to maintain consistency with how the second question in the other modes is distorted.
132	* JumpScare: When you're caught by Baldi.
133	* LargeHam: Gotta Sweep sure is enthusiastic about his job.
134	-->'''Gotta Sweep:''' [[NoIndoorVoice Gotta SWEEP SWEEP SWEEP!]]
135	* {{Leitmotif}}: As of the update, Playtime's is an OminousMusicBoxTune.
136	* LightningBruiser:
137	** Baldi starts off as a MightyGlacier, but he gradually becomes faster and faster with every incorrect answer. In the original version, six wrong answers is the point he's straight up faster than the player, and 12 (technically 11 as long as one of the right answers was the first question in a book) was enough for him to go into hyperspeed[[labelnote: Explanation]]This was because Baldi's speed was based on a delay between short bursts of movement, with wrong answers reducing the delay. At higher counts of wrong answers, the delay would become below 0 seconds, resulting in insane movement speed.[[/labelnote]].
138	** Since an update added an ending that required 21 wrong answers, his speed was nerfed to the point where six answers had him outrun you walking, but not running, and while he'll gain a burst of speed after picking up a book, he'll slow down after a short period, but he'll still outrun your running speed with higher counts of wrong answers.[[labelnote: Explanation]]To be more specific, the speed boost from [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption impossible]] questions are permanent, but the penalty from regular questions decays over time.[[/labelnote]]
139	* MeaningfulName:
140	** Gotta Sweep is a broom that "sweeps" you and the enemies.
141	** Playtime forces you to play jump-rope with her.
142	** Baldi [[BaldOfEvil has but one hair on his head.]]
143	** It's A Bully is TheBully to his fellow students, blocking the hall in exchange for an item from your inventory.
144	* MediumBlending: Some characters are intentionally terrible 3D models, others are flat MS paint drawings, and one's even a (unmoving).GIF of a real person's choppy render.
145	* MightyGlacier: Baldi is extremely slow [[TurnsRed (though gets faster and faster for every problem you get wrong)]], but only needs [[OneHitKill to touch you once to kill you.]]
146	* MoodWhiplash: Given the [[StylisticSuck type of game this is,]] it's bound to show up sooner or later.
147	* MookBouncer:
148	** Arts and Crafters can teleport you to where you started, but in ''Classic'', it can also teleport ''Baldi'' as well. It only attacks when every notebook is collected, though.
149	** Gotta Sweep is an example, too, though he physically escorts you (and enemies) around the school.
150	** 1st Prize pushes you around similarly to Gotta Sweep, but he actively targets you in exchange for moving about the school more slowly.
151	* MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate: Doctor Reflex roams around the school giving reflex tests but runs around with a hammer if the player walks away. However, he seems to believe his tests are for the player's own good, and once he hits them with his hammer, he's content to leave them alone.
152	* MultipleEndings:
153	** An inclusion of the update. The player beating the game normally equates to the infamous default ending. To get the Secret Ending, they must intentionally provoke Baldi into going maximum speed by getting ALL 21 problems wrong.
154	** There's multiple more to obtain in ''Classic Remastered'', three of which are required to access the BrutalBonusLevel.
155	* NoFairCheating: If Debug Mode is used in the BrutalBonusLevel of ''Classic Remastered'', [[spoiler:not only will NULL call the player out for it, [[NonStandardGameOver but he'll also immediately catch the player as punishment]]. After NULL's downfall, while the Baldloon still calls the player out for cheating, albeit in a more goofy manner, it doesn't kill the player, instead preventing them from collecting the notebooks needed to proceed.]]
156	* NonIndicativeName: Even though it's Baldi's Schoolhouse, he's not the principal.
157	* NothingIsScarier: When you're solving the math problems, at first Baldi's face appears on a little screen near the bottom instructing you on what to do. But once you get a problem wrong, [[MusicalSpoiler the music suddenly cuts out]], and every time after that, Baldi won't be there, it'll just be a black screen. Not to mention the complete lack of music for most of the game. The only thing heard after failing for the first time is Baldi smacking his ruler...
158	* ObviousRulePatch:
159	** Baldi's "I HEAR MATH THAT BAD" mechanic: Since answering math questions takes time, the player could be tempted to intentionally fail all the questions in order to just collect the notebook and move on as fast as possible. Patch 1.3 introduced the ability for Baldi to hear when you fail all three questions, which will result in him going straight to the classroom you were in, meaning the player has an incentive to at least try and answer one question correct.
160	** Baldi originally gained a linear speed boost with each question the player got wrong, which results in him becoming literally unavoidable from the fourth notebook onward if the player deliberately got everything wrong due to him [[LudicrousSpeed running so fast that the sound of his ruler slapping glitches out]]. The formula for Baldi's speed and anger was eventually reworked to make an all-wrong-answer run possible, namely by making his speed boost from the player failing possible questions wear off over time; he still gets a permanent boost from the impossible questions, though.
161	* OminousMusicBoxTune: Playtime's {{Leitmotif}} as of the update.
162	* OneHitPointWonder: The only enemy in the game that can kill the player is Baldi, and it's a kill-on-touch.
163	* PowerUp: The "Energy Flavored Zesty Bars" refill the player's stamina, with the added bonus of giving them double their maximum stamina until either that expires or they collect a notebook.
164	* PressXToDie: There's nothing stopping you from getting every question wrong on the notebooks, much like there's nothing stopping Baldi from immediately bum-rushing you back to the title screen. [[spoiler:On the other hand, getting all the questions wrong is the only way to reach the secret ending.]]
165	* PunchClockVillain: Some of the characters are this. The Principal is just there to enforce the rules, Gotta Sweep just cleans the hallways, and the only reason why It's a Bully attends Here School is because "[[NecessarilyEvil every good school needs a good bully]]."
166	* PunnyName: The school is called "Here School". What does Baldi do to find you, and what do you need to do to locate most characters? Hear.
167	* {{Retcon}}: Baldi screaming “GET OUT WHILE YOU STILL CAN!!!” after collecting all 7 notebooks (or the 8 notebooks in ''Plus'''s Full Game Public Demo) is altered in ''Classic Remastered'' to where [[spoiler:it’s actually NULL saying the line. After defeating Null in his boss fight, it’s revealed that what Baldi actually says is “Find a way out before I catch you!”, and when ''Plus'' finally added Baldi shouting to the player in version 0.4, it went with the latter voice line as an indication that Null is nowhere to be found in the game.]]
168	* {{Retraux}}: Its entire art style is ripped straight from a low-quality 90s 3D school computer game.
169	* SchoolSettingSimulation: The game takes place entirely within a schoolhouse full of freakish and bizarre characters. It might look like a educational game, but you'll soon find out that it is very, very scary...
170	* ScoldedForNotBuying: Johnny will make condescending remarks at the player if they don't buy anything in his store.
171	* SelfDeprecation: The game is drenched with a lot of negative self-aware jabs poking fun at the fact that in the end, it's just another silly horror game with low-quality graphics AND text.
172	* SensoryAbuse: Loud static sounds are used in the game's jumpscares à la ''VideoGame/{{Slender}}''.
173	* ShoutOut:
174	** Parodied. In one room, the chalkboard says "Look! A WebAnimation/HomestarRunner reference!" (Another chalkboard actually does have a Homestar Runner reference, with a "g" described as "healthy".)
175	** It's A Bully's echo-y voice is most likely a reference to Creator/{{Pilotredsun}}'s infamous [[https://youtu.be/hy32A2NoCVw "Preschool Bully"]] video. He even says "I'm gonna take your candy" in the exact same way.
176	** The Principal's whistling is sampled from the episode "[[Recap/TheAmazingWorldOfGumballS2E6TheBanana The Banana]]" of ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'', which was itself a reference to ''Film/KillBill''.
177	** The Kickstarter demo's [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/baldis-basics-in-education-and-learning/images/e/ea/BaldiPiratedKickstarterScreen.png/revision/latest?cb=20200118062301 anti-piracy screen]] appears to be a reference to the infamously eerie CopyProtection screens of the ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'' games and other games from that era.
178	* StalkedByTheBell: In the Kickstarter demo, if the player takes too long to complete the corn maze at the Farm field trip (350 seconds, specifically), a giant version of Gotta Sweep will appear and begin to sweep the entire maze away. Shortly afterwards, Baldi appears as well and rushes you down. The corn stalks will also begin to gradually grow taller before then, making finding the flag that completes the minigame more difficult.
179	* TheStinger: [[spoiler:NULL is erased from the game for good after clearing Null Mode, but should a rare crash screen be encountered, it triggers a rare cutscene. It appears to be a lake, where NULL then emerges, flickering and flashing different layers of himself; whether it's showing how he got trapped or if he's not really dead is unknown.]]
180	* StockSoundEffects: The current version of the farm minigame uses stock sounds taken from the Creator/WarnerBros sound library, most notably the scream used for the angry farmer in the minigame (which was once a placeholder for Mario's voice in an early build of ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'').
181	* StylisticSuck: The game looks ''terrible'', with badly-made CGI and weird, misshapen models, (complete with [[{{Engrish}} nonsensical dialogue at times]]) but only to induce a specific kind of nostalgia.
182	* SubvertedKidsShow: It faithfully starts out like a normal albeit poorly-made edutainment game for kids, but takes a nightmarish turn only minutes in.
183	* SuddenlyShouting:
184	** A terrifying, [[SensoryAbuse rather loud]] example. Subverted in the Remaster after beating [[spoiler:NULL, where he simply says "Find a way out before I catch you!" without any yelling.]]
185	--->'''Baldi:''' Congratulations! You found all seven notebooks! Now all you need to do is... '''''GET OUT WHILE YOU STILL CAN!!!''''' [[MoodWhiplash Hahaaa!]]
186	** Arts and Crafters does this as well when he attacks you for having more notebooks than him.
187	** "GOTTA SWEEP SWEEP SWEEP!"
188	** Another terrifying example from Mrs. Pomp:
189	--->'''Mrs. Pomp:''' '''WHY WEREN'T YOU AT MY''' '''''CLASS?!'''''
190	* SuperSenses: Baldi has "incredible hearing abilities", as he can hear any door that the player opens. Baldi's AI has this ability, as when a door is opened, he instantly heads to that door, unless the tape or phone is used, or the door has [=WD-NoSquee=] applied to it.
191	-->'''Baldi:''' I HEAR EVERY DOOR YOU OPEN.
192	* TakeThat: In the Full Game Early Access Demo and the Challenges Demo, Baldi remarks on the main menu screen on the possibility that, for all he knows, the final game could be a free-to-play MatchThreeGame with in-app purchases, a dig at games like ''VideoGame/{{Gardenscapes}}'' infamous for their VeryFalseAdvertising of the actual game.
193	* TastesLikePurple: "Energy Flavored Zesty Bars" are an item you can find in game, [[ShapedLikeItself which taste like energy.]]
194	* ThatMakesMeFeelAngry: When you cut Playtime's jump rope.
195	-->'''Playtime:''' Oh! That makes me sad!
196	* TheCakeIsALie: One of the first things Baldi says that getting all the questions right might result in something good, and even gives you "A shiny quarter!" for doing the first notebook with no errors. Of course, that's as far as the façade can go.
197	* TranquilFury: In ''Classic Remastered'', [[spoiler:[=FileName2=]/NULL undergoes this at the final part of his exclusive mode, engaging the player in a surprise BossBattle and relentlessly chasing them throughout the schoolhouse until he finally falls. His hatred towards the player, however, [[HoistByHisOwnPetard ends up being his undoing]].]]
198	* TriviallyObvious: When you get all problems right in the 1st notebook, the YCTP says "WOW! YOU EXIST!"
199	* TurnsRed: Every problem you get wrong (so basically every notebook you collect aside from the first one, at least in Story Mode) makes Baldi get faster. This literally happens to the entire schoolhouse once you collect all the notebooks and trigger the first fake exit.
200	* UnexpectedGameplayChange: [[spoiler:In the hidden BrutalBonusLevel, [=Filename2=] will close the last door, preventing you from winning. However, you also gain the ability to pick up certain objects and throw them right at him and [=Filename2=] is provoked into chasing you, resulting in the first ever boss fight in the series. Your and [=Filename2's=] speed will increase for every hit [=Filename2=] receives, forcing you to react quickly]].
201	* {{Unwinnable}}: Whether by mistake, design, or insanity varies from case-to-case, but it's possible for It's A Bully, who won't budge without being given an item (so he's insurmountable if your inventory is empty), to trap you between him and Baldi, at which point you might as well just restart on your own and save yourself the SensoryAbuse from being caught. If you're especially lucky, Principal of the Thing might rescue you by driving away It's a Bully, but this is very unlikely.
202	* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: It is unknown if the Principal knows that forcing you into detention will likely get you killed by one of his teachers. Regardless, he strolls through the halls clearly seeing Baldi chasing you with a ruler, so maybe he ''does'' know; he just doesn't care. On the other hand, he does protect you from the bully, which suggests that he might care about the player.
203	* WhamLine: A few from Baldi.
204	** "I HEAR EVERY DOOR YOU OPEN."
205	** "I GET ANGRIER FOR EVERY PROBLEM YOU GET WRONG."
206	** "Congratulations! You found all seven notebooks! Now all you need to do is... '''''GET OUT WHILE YOU STILL CAN!!!''''' Hahahaaaah!"
207	** [[spoiler:Null's dialogue from the hidden ending]]:
208	--->[[spoiler:'''Null:''' Oh jeepers, you found me. Good job, I'm glad you found me, because I have something kind of important to say. beep It's about th-the game... Don't, beep Uh, Eh. Don't beep Don't, just, [[LaughingMad laughter]] this is... This is probably looking pretty ridiculous. beep Don't tell anyone about this game. You wanna... don't - don't bring attention to yourself. Destroy it, destroy the game. Destroy the game. Before it's too late. beep What i'm saying is... is [[CallBack get out of this, while you still can]]- beep Just, don't... don't know that you probably know [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial I'm not saying that I'm trapped inside the game, no that would be ridiculous]]. No I'm... beep I can't... this is... I'm not... the game was... kind of... beep [[AndIMustScream I got really corrupted]]. Yeah, I... beep I don't know what to say. Just... Just trust me. We gonna... beep This isn't... This seems... I me-I mean it seems...ohh. beep* They'd know I... They intentionally... that's... I guess... I can't- They can't tell you, and some... stuff is classified. I can't say it. beep I wish I could say more. I can't talk normally. I-it's corrupted. There's... beep.. Yeah... beep Just... close the program. Destroy it. Never come back. long beep]]
209	* WhamShot:
210	** At the end of the 1 Year Birthday Bash version, Baldi and the others throw a surprise birthday party for you, giving off the impression that the game will end with the characters [[GoKartingWithBowser burying the hatchet with you long enough to celebrate the game's anniversary]]. Then you blow out the candle, and [[spoiler:Baldi and the others suddenly float up to the ceiling and a new hallway appears in the wall. It turns out the game isn't quite over yet...]]
211	** [[spoiler:[=Filename2=]/NULL suddenly closing the last exit in Glitch Mode can also count.]]
212	* WhatTheHellPlayer: If the player visits Johnny's store and chooses not to buy an item, Johnny will have some choice words for them. Among them being:
213	--->'''Johnny''': I didn't really want food today anyways.
214	* AWinnerIsYou:
215	** When you get all the notebooks and exit the school, you get a screen which contains a slightly-altered picture from the title screen with text reading "Congratulations!!!! You won!". Back to the title screen. Considering the [[StylisticSuck nature]] of the game, odds are this was on purpose.
216	** As of the update, this is the normal ending, and the image is accompanied by "Wow, great job. Stuttered buzzing Please try and do worse though I need to-" followed by a long beeping sound.
217	** Subverted with the secret ending. [[spoiler: If you get all of the math questions wrong then finish the game, you are greeted with a screen telling you to go to Baldi's office for some tips to help you improve, except you still have control of your character, and you can enter Baldi's office behind you. Entering his office will lead to [=Null=] rather clumsily and passive-aggressively telling you to delete the game and never play it again before it crashes.]]
218	** The Kickstarter demo lacks a proper ending when completed; when completed, you are taken to an empty black room with only Baldi and a message to the player's left reading: "Some day, you will get the satisfying, canonical, and exciting ending that you deserve. Today is not that day." Baldi then dabs to [[SensoryAbuse a very loud noise]] and the game closes. If completed in Free Run mode, the game simply takes you back to the title screen.
219	* WordSaladHorror: When you get all three questions right in the first notebook, the response is "Wow! You exist!" This is probably the first hint you get of the game's true nature.
220	* WouldHurtAChild: The player is presumably a child.
221	* ZergRush: [[spoiler:What happens at the end of the 1 Year Birthday Bash ending if you don't find Null beforehand; if you enter the correct number of "balloons" in the balloon room and open the secret classroom, you get swarmed by red "Baldloons" and the game ends. In Classic Remastered, however, they just float on their own accord, destroying any chunks they collide with.]]
222	----
223	-->''Congraaatulations! You've read every last trope! Now all you need to do is '''GET OUT WHILE YOU STILL CAAAAAAN!''' Hahahaaaah!''

Context VideoGame / BaldisBasicsInEducationAndLearning