Friday Night Funkin' is a free-to-play rhythm game with a focus on past Newgrounds content, keyboard-testing gameplay, and a vibrant modding scene. In its early days, Friday Night Funkin' was a simple, if promising, result of a game jam that was released to the public on Newgrounds in late 2020. While lacking the option at first, fan-made engines later introduced the option for players to edit the game's keybinds to their liking.
As is often the case with rhythm games; Guitar Hero's successor Clone Hero for example, Friday Night Funkin's modding scene has introduced a significant difficulty spike. While there are more relaxed choices such as "Garcello" that can be completed without much issue, skill tests like "Antipathy" can punish unprepared players with backloaded difficulty and additional mechanics. While success ultimately comes down to skill, players can find an advantage by finding keybinds that fit their playstyle, whether it's to tackle a new mechanic or simply be more comfortable while doing so.
8 A S ↑ →
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While not the favorite of many, Friday Night Funkin's default keybinds have settled into the muscle memory of veterans and "I'll get used to it" gamers alike. The wide spacing between the keys allows for a relaxed posture, and the unique shapes of the arrow keys and A-adjacent Caps Lock make this position easy to return to.
The uneven positioning of the Up and Down keys, however, can make this position feel... well, uneven, and users of this positioning may find themselves naturally resting with the more awkward Down and Right keys.
7 WASD
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The first and most obvious benefit of WASD is that most gamers have strong muscle memory attributed to WASD. It's the basis for countless game genres and is contested only by the arrow keys and the occasional ESDF user.
WASD is best used with one hand, leaving another free for the mouse, accessing other keys for typing mini-games à la "Hypno's Lullaby", or grabbing snacks. However, only using one hand for more difficult charts makes for unnecessary difficulty, so WASD should be left for more casual play where possible.
6 ← ↑ → ↓
More of an honorable mention compared to the mainstream choices, the humble arrow keys still deserve their place among Friday Night Funkin's best keybinds. Unlike WASD, the arrow keys are focused on the right hand over the left, allowing the right hand to control Right and Up while the left controls Left and Down.
What gives the arrow keys the biggest edge over the competition, however, is the ease of return. They're dedicated to their own spot on the keyboard, making them a breeze to return to. However, users may find themselves returning to the arrow keys more than other bindings, given their isolation from other keys such as the space bar.
5 DFJK
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The natural choice for touch typers and anyone well-versed with their keyboard. The home keys are designed to be found without looking, assisted by F and J's small bumps on most keyboards, making them easy to return to regardless of the situation.
Although, those not trained in touch typing may naturally default to using their middle and ring fingers, which can be cramped and awkward to use; even when using the middle and index fingers as intended, this feeling can persist. The F and J keys' bumps can also feel distracting for some players, though this is unlikely to apply to everyone.
4 ASKL
This is one of the more popular choices for Friday Night Funkin' veterans, and for good reason. ASKL allows for massive flexibility, being easy to return to, spacious regardless of fingers used, and still being on the home row.
Some gamers may find the KL keys difficult to return to, however, in which case AS:" (or AS'# for UK readers) is a suitable alternative. Some mods assume the usage of ASKL due to its popularity, so gamers are encouraged to keep this in mind for future funkin'.
3 ZX,.
One of the most common keys utilized by Friday Night Funkin' modders is the space bar and ZX,. makes the usage of it much easier. As something of an alternative to ASKL, ZX,. is lower on the keyboard, allowing players to use the space bar with either their thumb or forefinger.
Although, this style does recommend the usage of the middle and ring finger, which some players may find uncomfortable. Using the index and middle finger is still possible, but it may be difficult to use for players with larger hands.
2 QWOP
This main alternative to ASKL offers more spaciousness at the cost of no longer resting on the home row. As with all keybinds, the difference between ASKL and QWOP comes down almost entirely to player preference, with players with larger hands likely preferring QWOP due to its wider resting position.
Caps Lock's protrusion over tab makes QWOP easier to find as well, allowing the ring finger to rest between Tab and Caps Lock to find the right position; a benefit ASKL lacks. It also has the notable benefit of being more fun to say. Kwop. Q-wop.
1 Honorable Mention: ZX23
Friday Night Funkin' and its mods operate on a series of engines, each with their own benefits and restrictions, including usage of the Numpad. Due to this, ZX23 is rare to see, despite its potential as a very underrated set of keybinds.
While the right hand has a long distance to travel for typing mini-games, the left has easy access to the space bar, and the resting position is very wide and relaxed; too wide for some, but perfect for others. For gamers who enjoy the positioning of ZX,., ZX23 could be an upgrade, engine-permitting.
Friday Night Funkin' is currently available on PC, web browsers, and Android devices.