Adventure, management and life sim are the cornerstones of pretty much every horse game. It’s easy to see why—for many Horse Girls, such as myself, gaming was a way to get the horse fix we so desperately craved. Showing up to the barn every day, rain or shine, is a small sacrifice if it means fulfilling your greatest childhood dream. However, for many players, that wasn’t enough. No longer satisfied to gallivant around looking for the next quest mark, they turned their focus to the world of stable management. Booking guests, training and selling horses, winning competitions and balancing the check book all became familiar tasks—with varying degrees of success.
Unfortunately, the genre did little to grow up alongside its target audience, held down by the lack of resources and poor creative vision—and that’s exactly what lone developer Daniëlle has set out to change. Exclusively for readers of The Bridle Paths, allow me to introduce you to Giddy Up!
GIDDY UP: BUILD THE STABLES OF YOUR DREAMS
Giddy Up introduces itself with a setup that might sound quite familiar. You have finally managed to buy your own land, and it’s up to you to turn it into a thriving estate. However, that’s where most of the similarities end, as you’ll soon discover that the place has been on the market for a long time indeed—but why? Whether you want to dive right into the mystery or take your time exploring the land, meeting the villagers and caring for your horses, Giddy Up may just be what you were looking for in a modern horse sim!
- Manage the estate your way, choosing which tasks to prioritize from day to day
- Compete in Show Jumping, Dressage and Cross Country, and train horses with their own, unique personalities
- Tailor the game to your needs, without annoying or repetitive tasks to hinder your progress
- Customize your own stable, choosing between three different styles
- Embark on an adventure and solve quests to unearth a lifelong secret
Developed in Unreal Engine, Giddy Up promises some spectacular visuals.
© Giddy Up: The Game
AN OVERVIEW OF PROGRESS
During my talk with Alice Ruppert, last September, we both agreed the horse game niche remains an untapped market with loads of potential, especially for developers committed to deliver on both quality and authenticity. At that time, for me that meant Windstorm: The Legend of Khiimori, which ended up raising more than half a million euros on its Kickstarter campaign. This March, Ruppert also announced her involvement with Equinox: Homecoming. This mystery MMO is truly something unprecedented in the genre, focusing on the adult population of Horse Girls who struggled to find a game that could grow up with them. Indeed, it seems the adventure genre is ready for a second Golden Age. But what about their cousins, the management and life sim? Well, I’m glad you asked, because this is where Daniëlle comes in!
Daniëlle got in touch with me in March, just as I was drowning in deadlines, to present me her dream game project: a simulation title about building the stable you always wished for. Striving for a realistic look and solid gameplay, Giddy Up wants to set a new bar for the genre by combining the adventuring and quest-taking mechanics with an in-depth management structure. Taking care of your barn is a year-long effort, where balance is the key. Daniëlle put great care in ensuring the gameplay remains fun and hassle-free. Management games often struggle with building momentum, relying on a fabricated sense of urgency. To prevent that, it’s up to you to decide when and how to engage with the narrative. Player choice is of utmost importance, and the core of her approach to Giddy Up.
I have been waiting since Secrets of the Ranch to fall in love with another ‘horsey’ town like Béléou!
© Giddy Up: The Game
THE ROAD (MAP) GOES ON
As the kid who spent a good chunk of her school days drawing stable maps on every scrap of paper, I was immensely delighted to learn about Giddy Up. It was about time that someone brought the genre to the next level, and I’m glad that Daniëlle rose up to the challenge. That goes further than ‘just’ making a realistic horse simulator, though! Reading the roadmap for the game, it’s evident how every detail has been painstakingly planned for. A title of this size is certainly a tall order for a lone indie developer, that much is true. However, all you need to do is browse Daniëlle’s Patreon to see some stunning improvement from its inception, including a radical engine change.
Giddy Up has been in active development since 2023 and is currently transitioning from asset creation to coding. While that may not seem much, Daniëlle’s commitment to the task is undeniable, and something we will explore further very, very soon! Stay tuned and, as always, happy trails!
Giddy Up is available to be wishlisted on Steam. You can discover more about this project on the official website and Instagram account, as well as supporting Daniëlle on her Patreon.
