diff --git a/assets b/assets
index b2f8b6a78..5479e17b1 160000
--- a/assets
+++ b/assets
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit b2f8b6a780316959d0a79adc6dbf61f9e4ca675f
+Subproject commit 5479e17b1085f72e05f1c1f9e0a668ef832d3341
diff --git a/source/funkin/play/PlayState.hx b/source/funkin/play/PlayState.hx
index cc9debf13..763c05640 100644
--- a/source/funkin/play/PlayState.hx
+++ b/source/funkin/play/PlayState.hx
@@ -87,6 +87,12 @@ typedef PlayStateParams =
    * @default `bf`, or the first character in the song's character list.
    */
   ?targetCharacter:String,
+  /**
+   * The instrumental to play with.
+   * Significant if the `targetSong` supports alternate instrumentals.
+   * @default `null`
+   */
+  ?targetInstrumental:String,
   /**
    * Whether the song should start in Practice Mode.
    * @default `false`
@@ -448,7 +454,7 @@ class PlayState extends MusicBeatSubState
   function get_currentChart():SongDifficulty
   {
     if (currentSong == null || currentDifficulty == null) return null;
-    return currentSong.getDifficulty(currentDifficulty);
+    return currentSong.getDifficulty(currentDifficulty, currentPlayerId);
   }
 
   /**
@@ -2650,13 +2656,16 @@ class PlayState extends MusicBeatSubState
     {
       // Stop the music.
       FlxG.sound.music.pause();
-      vocals.stop();
+      if (vocals != null) vocals.stop();
     }
     else
     {
       FlxG.sound.music.pause();
-      vocals.pause();
-      remove(vocals);
+      if (vocals != null)
+      {
+        vocals.pause();
+        remove(vocals);
+      }
     }
 
     // Remove reference to stage and remove sprites from it to save memory.
diff --git a/source/funkin/play/song/Song.hx b/source/funkin/play/song/Song.hx
index 0434607f3..52a1ba6f8 100644
--- a/source/funkin/play/song/Song.hx
+++ b/source/funkin/play/song/Song.hx
@@ -184,7 +184,10 @@ class Song implements IPlayStateScriptedClass implements IRegistryEntry<SongMeta
 
         difficulty.characters = metadata.playData.characters;
 
-        difficulties.set(diffId, difficulty);
+        var variationSuffix = (metadata.variation != null
+          && metadata.variation != ''
+          && metadata.variation != Constants.DEFAULT_VARIATION) ? '-${metadata.variation}' : '';
+        difficulties.set('$diffId$variationSuffix', difficulty);
       }
     }
   }
@@ -224,7 +227,8 @@ class Song implements IPlayStateScriptedClass implements IRegistryEntry<SongMeta
         trace('Fabricated new difficulty for $diffId.');
         difficulty = new SongDifficulty(this, diffId, variation);
         var metadata = _metadata.get(variation);
-        difficulties.set(diffId, difficulty);
+        var variationSuffix = (variation != null && variation != '' && variation != Constants.DEFAULT_VARIATION) ? '-$variation' : '';
+        difficulties.set('$diffId$variationSuffix', difficulty);
 
         if (metadata != null)
         {
@@ -256,11 +260,14 @@ class Song implements IPlayStateScriptedClass implements IRegistryEntry<SongMeta
    * @param diffId The difficulty ID, such as `easy` or `hard`.
    * @return The difficulty data.
    */
-  public inline function getDifficulty(?diffId:String):Null<SongDifficulty>
+  public inline function getDifficulty(?diffId:String, ?variation:String):Null<SongDifficulty>
   {
     if (diffId == null) diffId = listDifficulties()[0];
 
-    return difficulties.get(diffId);
+    if (variation == null) variation = Constants.DEFAULT_VARIATION;
+    var variationSuffix = (variation != null && variation != '' && variation != Constants.DEFAULT_VARIATION) ? '-$variation' : '';
+
+    return difficulties.get('$diffId$variationSuffix');
   }
 
   /**
@@ -272,12 +279,16 @@ class Song implements IPlayStateScriptedClass implements IRegistryEntry<SongMeta
   {
     if (variationId == '') variationId = null;
 
-    var diffFiltered:Array<String> = difficulties.keys().array().filter(function(diffId:String):Bool {
-      if (variationId == null) return true;
+    // The difficulties array contains entries like 'normal', 'nightmare-erect', and 'normal-pico',
+    // so we have to map it to the actual difficulty names.
+    // We also filter out difficulties that don't match the variation or that don't exist.
+
+    var diffFiltered:Array<String> = difficulties.keys().array().map(function(diffId:String):Null<String> {
       var difficulty:Null<SongDifficulty> = difficulties.get(diffId);
-      if (difficulty == null) return false;
-      return difficulty.variation == variationId;
-    });
+      if (difficulty == null) return null;
+      if (variationId != null && difficulty.variation != variationId) return null;
+      return difficulty.difficulty;
+    }).nonNull().unique();
 
     diffFiltered.sort(SortUtil.defaultsThenAlphabetically.bind(Constants.DEFAULT_DIFFICULTY_LIST));
 
@@ -286,8 +297,9 @@ class Song implements IPlayStateScriptedClass implements IRegistryEntry<SongMeta
 
   public function hasDifficulty(diffId:String, ?variationId:String):Bool
   {
-    if (variationId == '') variationId = null;
-    var difficulty:Null<SongDifficulty> = difficulties.get(diffId);
+    if (variationId == '') variationId = Constants.DEFAULT_VARIATION;
+    var variationSuffix:String = (variationId == Constants.DEFAULT_VARIATION) ? '' : '-$variationId';
+    var difficulty:Null<SongDifficulty> = difficulties.get('$diffId$variationSuffix');
     return variationId == null ? (difficulty != null) : (difficulty != null && difficulty.variation == variationId);
   }
 
diff --git a/source/funkin/ui/freeplay/FreeplayState.hx b/source/funkin/ui/freeplay/FreeplayState.hx
index de6484fd3..f981357cf 100644
--- a/source/funkin/ui/freeplay/FreeplayState.hx
+++ b/source/funkin/ui/freeplay/FreeplayState.hx
@@ -54,6 +54,14 @@ import funkin.util.MathUtil;
 import lime.app.Future;
 import lime.utils.Assets;
 
+/**
+ * Parameters used to initialize the FreeplayState.
+ */
+typedef FreeplayStateParams =
+{
+  ?character:String;
+};
+
 class FreeplayState extends MusicBeatSubState
 {
   var songs:Array<Null<FreeplaySongData>> = [];
@@ -64,6 +72,9 @@ class FreeplayState extends MusicBeatSubState
   var curSelected:Int = 0;
   var currentDifficulty:String = Constants.DEFAULT_DIFFICULTY;
 
+  // Params
+  var currentCharacter:String;
+
   var fp:FreeplayScore;
   var txtCompletion:AtlasText;
   var lerpCompletion:Float = 0;
@@ -99,12 +110,13 @@ class FreeplayState extends MusicBeatSubState
 
   var stickerSubState:StickerSubState;
 
-  //
   static var rememberedDifficulty:Null<String> = Constants.DEFAULT_DIFFICULTY;
   static var rememberedSongId:Null<String> = null;
 
-  public function new(?stickers:StickerSubState = null)
+  public function new(?params:FreeplayParams, ?stickers:StickerSubState)
   {
+    currentCharacter = params?.character ?? Constants.DEFAULT_CHARACTER;
+
     if (stickers != null)
     {
       stickerSubState = stickers;
@@ -844,6 +856,13 @@ class FreeplayState extends MusicBeatSubState
       changeDiff(1);
     }
 
+    // TODO: DEBUG REMOVE THIS
+    if (FlxG.keys.justPressed.P)
+    {
+      currentCharacter = (currentCharacter == "bf") ? "pico" : "bf";
+      changeSelection(0);
+    }
+
     if (controls.BACK && !typing.hasFocus)
     {
       FlxTween.globalManager.clear();
diff --git a/source/funkin/util/tools/ArrayTools.hx b/source/funkin/util/tools/ArrayTools.hx
index 0209cfc19..caf8e8aab 100644
--- a/source/funkin/util/tools/ArrayTools.hx
+++ b/source/funkin/util/tools/ArrayTools.hx
@@ -23,6 +23,24 @@ class ArrayTools
     return result;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Returns a copy of the array with all `null` elements removed.
+   * @param array The array to remove `null` elements from.
+   * @return A copy of the array with all `null` elements removed.
+   */
+  public static function nonNull<T>(array:Array<Null<T>>):Array<T>
+  {
+    var result:Array<T> = [];
+    for (element in array)
+    {
+      if (element != null)
+      {
+        result.push(element);
+      }
+    }
+    return result;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Return the first element of the array that satisfies the predicate, or null if none do.
    * @param input The array to search