A Reddit user, brightyh360, shared an incredible project on the r/excel subreddit: a top-down version of Elden Ring, painstakingly recreated in Microsoft Excel. This feat of programming took approximately 40 hours – 20 hours for coding and another 20 for testing and debugging. The creator stated the result was well worth the effort.
This impressive Excel game boasts:
- A 90,000-cell map
- 60+ weapons
- 50+ enemies
- Character and weapon upgrade systems
- Three character classes (tank, mage, assassin) with distinct playstyles
- 25+ armor sets
- Six NPCs with associated quests
- Four different game endings
While completely free to play, users control the game via keyboard shortcuts: CTRL + WASD for movement and CTRL + E for interaction. Reddit moderators have verified the file's safety, but users are advised to exercise caution due to the extensive use of macros.
Interestingly, some Elden Ring fans have noted the resemblance of the game's Erdtree to a Christmas tree, prompting speculation about its real-world inspiration. User Independent-Design17 suggests the Australian Christmas tree, Nuytsia floribunda, as a possible model, pointing out the striking similarity between the in-game Small Erdtrees and this species. Further comparisons highlight the game's catacombs located at the Erdtree's roots, mirroring the Aboriginal Australian cultural view of Nuytsia as a "spirit tree," where the souls of the departed reside, symbolized by its flowering branches and connection to the sunset.
