Variant Mode

A save file using Variant Mode

Variant Mode is a game mode similar to Assist Mode and becomes a toggle-able setting after finishing 8C or after unlocking Cheat Mode on any save file. It allows to modify parts of the game to make it more challenging. Variant Mode also lets you use the "assists" you can find in Assist Mode. A save file with Variant Mode on will have a banner on the save file select menu.

Variants

These are all values you can change to modify gameplay using Variant Mode.

Game Speed

Allows you to change the game's speed to any multiple of 10% between 50-160%.

A slower speed will give the player more reaction time, while a faster speed will make the game more difficult.

Some physics change with different game speeds. For example, a speed of less than 100% causes 5-jumps to clear 6 tiles.

This feature can be found in Assist Mode, however, you can only lower the speed.

Mirror Mode

Flips the whole map to appear mirrored, but does not affect the game's controls. Some particle effects, like the points you get from strawberries, are also flipped.

360 Dashing

Allows the player to dash at any angle instead of the eight directions normally. This can help when trying to pull off a specific move, and in some cases make tricks much easier. 360 dashing mainly affects people who play with controllers and does not noticeably change keyboard controls.

Invisible Motion

When moving, Madeline will become completely invisible, making it hard to keep track of where you are.

No Grabbing

Completely disables Madeline's grab move, disallowing the player to hold onto walls. You can, however, still perform walljumps like normal. This makes many sections harder and causes some sections to require neutral jumps.

Grab can still be used to trigger blocks that react to grabs.

Low Friction

All surfaces you can stand on become more "slippery", making it harder to slow down and speed up. It also applies mid-air.

Super Dashing

Causes all dashes to last substantially longer, making smaller and more precise movement far more difficult. However, in some cases, it can open up sequence breaks and skip entire rooms.

A Super Dash can be "steered" with directional buttons, allowing for more accurate moves.

Hiccups

Causes Madeline to hiccup every few seconds, bouncing you into the air slightly. If the player is grabbing onto a wall or block during a hiccup, they will lose grip and bounce off of it. Hiccups can be used to their advantage if timed correctly, allowing the player to stay in the air slightly longer/higher. Hiccups will still happen if the player is either inside Bubbles or Dream Blocks, causing their trajectory to tilt up slightly.

Other Self

Causes Madeline's appearance to look like Badeline. This is a purely cosmetic effect and does not change gameplay.

Assists

Main article: Assist Mode

Enabling Variant Mode also allows the player to use the same "assists" found in Assist Mode.

Infinite stamina

Grants the player unlimited stamina, allowing them to grab and jump off walls indefinitely. This makes climbing challenges easier.

Air Dashes

Changes the number of dashes the player has: Default, 2, or Infinite. Default will use the number of dashes the player would normally have in the level. 2 will set it to two dashes permanently. Infinite will allow unlimited dashes without needing to refill them or touch the ground, however, Madeline is still constrained to one dash every ten frames. In Infinite mode, Madeline's hair is permanently pink (turning white during dashes).

Dash Assist

Whenever the player holds the dash button, the game freezes and allows them to alter the dash direction, stopping once the key/button is released. It is useful for getting used to the dashing mechanics and improving dash precision.

Invincibility

Renders Madeline immune to most obstacles and hazards, allowing her to freely move through otherwise dangerous obstacles. If you fall off the bottom of the screen, you will bounce out, and holding the Jump button causes the player to jump out higher. If the player would be crushed by a moving block, the block disappears instead until the player moves out of the way. You also don't die from hitting a solid object at the end of a dream block, instead, you just bounce back. Invincibility does not protect you from getting crushed by Heart Gates, and this is the only way to die with Invincibility except by retrying.

Trivia

• Despite Variant Mode allowing the player to use assists, the assist skip option to skip chapters is unavailable.
• Before the 1.3.0.0 release, enabling Variant Mode would enable a purple stamp on the file card. After Farewell came out, it was replaced with the bird stamp awarded after finishing Chapter 9. Variant Mode now appears as a purple badge on the side of the file card.
• Variant Mode was originally added in version 1.2.5.0 as a beta. Before it, completing every C-Side yielded no reward.
  • The Badeline variant was also inaccessible without editing the game's config file, as some animation frames were missing and it could crash the game.
• The Extended Variant Mode mod introduces lots of new and unique variants to the game. They include modifying gravity, jump height and count, spawning Badeline Chasers or Theo crystals in every room, and much more.