In one version called "Hot Lava Monster", sometimes referred to as "Skies in the Ringuss", usually played on playgrounds, players must stay off the ground (sand, rubber, woodchips, etc.)
The "monster" must navigate across structures such as across playground slides, monkey bars, ropes courses, etc.
A 2018 preprint on Social Science Research Network suggested the game originates from a rise of living rooms populated with furniture during late 1930s.
Spontaneously called by Abed Nadir (Danny Pudi) in honor of Troy Barnes' (Donald Glover) departure from the show at the end of the episode, the characters compete in the game to win a comic book worth $50,000.
In 2020, Netflix released a TV show based on the game called Floor Is Lava, in which three teams compete to win $10,000 in different challenges.