Trees Hate You is a platformer where every tree wants you dead. They punch, shoot, teleport, and trap you at any moment. A "tree-hating" forest sounds amusing, but playing it will make you want to cry.
Is the whole world going crazy because of… trees?
If you've been browsing TikTok or YouTube recently, you've probably seen this scene: someone sitting in front of the screen, face red, screaming because of a… tree. Not a real tree. However, a tree appears in the game Trees Hate You.
The trees in this game aren't as harmless as real ones. The trees in this game possess fists, guns, and even the ability to teleport. You're a hiker, just wanting to get home after a picnic. You thought there were only a few trees. Turns out, they hate you.
Trees are the enemy
The game Trees Hate You appears to be a typical 2D platformer. But the difference lies in that "normal" word: the easier you think it is, the faster you die.
Each tree in the game has a “detection zone". Entering that zone will cause the tree to attack. Some trees punch. Some trees kick. Some trees… pull out guns. Some trees teleport you back to the starting line just when you think you’re about to pass. This isn’t an entertaining game; it’s a minefield.
Rage Bait Mechanism: Deliberately Harassed
"Trees Hate You" belongs to the "rage bait" genre, which means it intentionally creates difficulty and surprise to stimulate intense emotions.
Unpredictable Traps: A tree might look harmless until it pulls out a gun. You never know what a tree will do.
Psychological Warfare: The game features “false checkpoints", fake save points that make you think you’re safe but you’re still going to die. There’s also “troll physics", a deceptive type of physics that causes the character to slide uncontrollably, leading to unexpected and often humorous outcomes that contribute to the game's challenge and entertainment value.
Widespread Appeal: These frustrating but hilarious failures are cut into short clips, posted on TikTok and YouTube, and attract millions of views.
Die, remember, and die again
The core of Trees Hate You is the “Trial and Death” mechanism. You can’t win on the first try, because you don’t know what the tree will do. But each time you die, you learn something: “Ah, this tree has a gun” or “Oh, this checkpoint is fake.”
How to play Trees Hate You: Just remember three steps
You can play Trees Hate You right in your browser at https://wackysteps.io, no download required. Objective: reach the end of the forest.
Game controls
- Move left/right: A/D or arrow keys
- Jump: Spacebar or W
- Restart after death: R
- Flash (backward): Shift
Three survival steps
- Bait first. Walk slowly toward the tree, wait for it to prepare to attack, then back off immediately. Let the tree miss.
- Jump over when it cools down. After a tree misses, there's a brief period where it can't attack again. That's your chance to jump over or dash away.
- Always look up. Not all dangers are on the ground. There are falling branches and crossfire from above.
Two more things to remember:
- Checkpoints. Look at the small markers along the way. They track your progress. But be wary of fake checkpoints.
- Red leaves. Trees with red or dark leaves are extremely dangerous areas. Approach those trees as if they're carrying grenades.
Are you ready to face the whole forest?
In Trees Hate You, every death teaches you a lesson. But that lesson is often, "That tree has a gun. " That tree will punch you!... This is not a game to relax after work. It's a game to prove your mettle or to get your face smashed in with anger. Begin the “final” stroll of your life. And remember to be careful with trees that have red leaves.
