Here’s Americlap, an intentionally stupid video game

An indie developer has purposefully built a game that makes its players behave like idiots. It’s Americlap, in which one must clap to keep the United States flag flying.

The game uses the computer’s microphone to detect the sound of clapping, which is the only thing keeping Old Glory from touching the ground. As any Boy Scout knows, that’s a no-no. Failure to keep the flag high results in a game over message accusing the player of hating freedom.

Eurogamer found Americlap, and spoke to its author, Chris Bulch of the UK. He confessed to creating it in order to make people embarrass themselves, and also likened it to that other titan of idiot gaming, Desert Bus.

Americlap even has two modes: “Marathon” which is “like a patriotic Desert Bus, clap until you can clap no more.” And “Survival,” which is “short and stupid, clap faster and faster, embarrassing yourself in the name of Old Glory.”

It just released an update to improve the game’s sound detection; evidently some America-hating cheaters had been speaking into the microphone to keep the flag aloft, instead of clapping like good citizens.