When happy wheels first launched in June 2010 as a free browser game, it felt unlike almost anything else online. Created by Jim Bonacci, the game threw players into side-scrolling obstacle courses filled with spikes, wrecking balls, mines, and other deadly traps. What made it special was the realistic (and hilariously exaggerated) ragdoll physics. Characters didn’t just fail — they exploded into chaotic, cartoonish pieces. Combined with a cast of bizarre characters like Wheelchair Guy, Irresponsible Dad, Effective Shopper, and Business Guy, Happy Wheels quickly became an internet phenomenon, especially through Let’s Play videos.