diff --git a/common/CMakeLists.txt b/common/CMakeLists.txt
index b7d810777e..a2e7ac8ce4 100644
--- a/common/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/common/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -33,7 +33,9 @@ add_library(common
         dma/dma.cpp
         dma/gs.cpp
         formatter/formatter.cpp
+        formatter/formatting_rules.cpp
         formatter/formatter_tree.cpp
+        formatter/config/rule_config.cpp
         global_profiler/GlobalProfiler.cpp
         goos/Interpreter.cpp
         goos/Object.cpp
diff --git a/common/formatter/config/rule_config.cpp b/common/formatter/config/rule_config.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fe3cfed94c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/formatter/config/rule_config.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+#include "rule_config.h"
+
+namespace formatter {
+
+// TODO - these are eventually going to need a refactor too, my depth is based on the true
+// tree-depth, in reality we want it to be relative to the forms defined here because imagine
+// multiple `let`s in the same form, their depths will be different but you want them relatively
+// formatted the same
+
+// TODO - populate these more
+
+const std::unordered_map<std::string, std::vector<std::shared_ptr<FormattingRule>>> opengoal_rules =
+    {{"defun", {std::make_shared<InnerFormattingRule>(1)}}};
+}  // namespace formatter
diff --git a/common/formatter/config/rule_config.h b/common/formatter/config/rule_config.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..16f2c2a8a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/formatter/config/rule_config.h
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <memory>
+#include <string>
+#include <unordered_map>
+#include <vector>
+
+#include "common/formatter/formatting_rules.h"
+
+namespace formatter {
+extern const std::unordered_map<std::string, std::vector<std::shared_ptr<FormattingRule>>>
+    opengoal_rules;
+}
diff --git a/common/formatter/formatter.cpp b/common/formatter/formatter.cpp
index 079fc0fc55..03bb6f71a9 100644
--- a/common/formatter/formatter.cpp
+++ b/common/formatter/formatter.cpp
@@ -15,67 +15,72 @@ extern "C" {
 extern const TSLanguage* tree_sitter_opengoal();
 }
 
-std::string align_form(const std::string& form, int alignment_width) {
-  const auto lines = str_util::split(form);
-  std::string aligned_form = "";
-  for (int i = 0; i < lines.size(); i++) {
-    aligned_form += str_util::repeat(alignment_width, " ") + lines.at(i);
-    if (i != lines.size() - 1) {
-      aligned_form += "\n";
-    }
-  }
-  return aligned_form;
-}
+// TODO - incoporate some rules from zprint
+// https://github.com/kkinnear/zprint/blob/main/doc/types/classic.md
+// as well as maybe adjust the default rules to incorporate line length
+// https://github.com/kkinnear/zprint/blob/main/doc/options/indent.md
+// TODO - block comments seem to have an issue being parsed properly, also it basically needs the
+// code for flexibly wrapping a block of code in configurable symbols (parens, block comment braces,
+// etc)
 
-std::string apply_formatting(const FormatterTree::Node& curr_node,
+std::string apply_formatting(const FormatterTreeNode& curr_node,
                              std::string output,
                              int tree_depth = 0) {
   if (!curr_node.token && curr_node.refs.empty()) {
     return output;
   }
   std::string curr_form = "";
+  // Print the token
   if (curr_node.token) {
+    // TODO - perhaps unneeded
+    curr_node.get_formatting_rule(tree_depth, -1)
+        ->indent_token(curr_form, curr_node, curr_node, tree_depth, -1);
     curr_form += curr_node.token.value();
     return curr_form;
   }
+  // TODO - this might have some issues for non-list top level elements (ie. comments)
   if (!curr_node.metadata.is_root) {
     curr_form += "(";
   }
+  // Iterate the form
   for (int i = 0; i < curr_node.refs.size(); i++) {
     const auto& ref = curr_node.refs.at(i);
-    // TODO - abstract these into formatting rules
-    if (!curr_node.metadata.is_root && curr_node.metadata.multiple_elements_first_line) {
-      if (i > 1) {
-        // TODO - kinda unsafe
-        // Trim the current form before applying a new-line
-        curr_form = str_util::rtrim(curr_form) + "\n";
-        if (ref.token) {
-          curr_form += str_util::repeat(curr_node.refs.at(0).token.value().length() + 2, " ");
-        }
-      }
-    } else if (!curr_node.metadata.is_root) {
-      if (i > 0) {
-        // Trim the current form before applying a new-line
-        curr_form = str_util::rtrim(curr_form) + "\n";
-        curr_form += str_util::repeat(tree_depth, " ");
-      }
+    // Append a newline if relevant
+    if (!curr_node.metadata.is_root) {
+      curr_node.get_formatting_rule(tree_depth, i)
+          ->append_newline(curr_form, ref, curr_node, tree_depth, i);
     }
+    // Either print the element's token, or recursively format it as well
     if (ref.token) {
-      curr_form += ref.token.value() + " ";
-    } else {
-      if (!curr_node.metadata.is_root && curr_node.metadata.multiple_elements_first_line) {
-        // align returned form's lines with this forms lines
-        // TODO - kinda unsafe
-        curr_form += align_form(apply_formatting(ref, "", tree_depth + 1),
-                                curr_node.refs.at(0).token.value().length() + 2);
-      } else {
-        curr_form += apply_formatting(ref, "", tree_depth + 1);
+      curr_node.get_formatting_rule(tree_depth, i)
+          ->indent_token(curr_form, ref, curr_node, 1,
+                         i);  // TODO depth hard-coded to 1, i think this can be removed, since
+                              // forms are always done bottom-top recursively, they always act
+                              // independently as if it was the shallowest depth
+      curr_form += ref.token.value();
+      if (!curr_node.metadata.is_root) {
+        curr_form += " ";
       }
+    } else {
+      auto formatted_form = apply_formatting(ref, "", tree_depth + 1);
+      if (!curr_node.metadata.is_root) {
+        curr_node.get_formatting_rule(tree_depth, i)
+            ->align_form_lines(formatted_form, ref, curr_node);
+      }
+      curr_form += formatted_form;
     }
+    // Separate top-level elements with a new-line
+    // TODO - move this into a top-level rule
+    // TODO - temporary hack for top level comments, but need a better strategy for leaving them
+    // where they were originally
     if (curr_node.metadata.is_root && i < curr_node.refs.size() - 1) {
-      curr_form += "\n\n";
+      curr_form += "\n";
+      if (!ref.token || !str_util::starts_with(ref.token.value(), ";")) {
+        curr_form += "\n";
+      }
     }
   }
+  // TODO - similar fear to issues as above
   if (!curr_node.metadata.is_root) {
     curr_form = str_util::rtrim(curr_form) + ")";
   }
diff --git a/common/formatter/formatter.h b/common/formatter/formatter.h
index bb9e3aa0ba..58484cedc4 100644
--- a/common/formatter/formatter.h
+++ b/common/formatter/formatter.h
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include "tree_sitter/api.h"
 
 namespace formatter {
+
 struct TreeSitterParserDeleter {
   void operator()(TSParser* ptr) const { ts_parser_delete(ptr); }
 };
diff --git a/common/formatter/formatter_tree.cpp b/common/formatter/formatter_tree.cpp
index 054519310b..d8e7328e74 100644
--- a/common/formatter/formatter_tree.cpp
+++ b/common/formatter/formatter_tree.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,22 @@
 #include "formatter_tree.h"
 
+#include "common/util/string_util.h"
+
+#include "config/rule_config.h"
+
+namespace formatter {
+const std::shared_ptr<FormattingRule> default_rule = std::make_shared<FormattingRule>();
+}
+
+std::shared_ptr<FormattingRule> FormatterTreeNode::get_formatting_rule(const int depth,
+                                                                       const int index) const {
+  // TODO - really lazy for now
+  if (!rules.empty()) {
+    return rules.at(0);
+  }
+  return formatter::default_rule;
+}
+
 // Check if the original source only has whitespace up to a new-line after it's token
 bool node_followed_by_only_whitespace(const std::string& source, const TSNode& node) {
   uint32_t pos = ts_node_end_byte(node);
@@ -16,14 +33,23 @@ bool node_followed_by_only_whitespace(const std::string& source, const TSNode& n
   return true;
 }
 
+bool nodes_on_same_line(const std::string& source, const TSNode& n1, const TSNode& n2) {
+  // Get the source between the two lines, if there are any new-lines, the answer is NO
+  uint32_t start = ts_node_start_byte(n1);
+  uint32_t end = ts_node_end_byte(n2);
+  const auto code_between = source.substr(start, end - start);
+  return !str_util::contains(code_between, "\n");
+}
+
 std::string get_source_code(const std::string& source, const TSNode& node) {
   uint32_t start = ts_node_start_byte(node);
   uint32_t end = ts_node_end_byte(node);
-  return source.substr(start, end - start);
+  // TODO - comments end with a \n, this is likely a tree-sitter grammar problem
+  return str_util::rtrim(source.substr(start, end - start));
 }
 
 FormatterTree::FormatterTree(const std::string& source, const TSNode& root_node) {
-  root = FormatterTree::Node();
+  root = FormatterTreeNode();
   root.metadata.is_root = true;
   construct_formatter_tree_recursive(source, root_node, root);
 }
@@ -31,15 +57,15 @@ FormatterTree::FormatterTree(const std::string& source, const TSNode& root_node)
 // TODO make an imperative version eventually
 void FormatterTree::construct_formatter_tree_recursive(const std::string& source,
                                                        TSNode curr_node,
-                                                       Node& tree_node) {
+                                                       FormatterTreeNode& tree_node) {
   if (ts_node_child_count(curr_node) == 0) {
-    tree_node.refs.push_back(FormatterTree::Node(get_source_code(source, curr_node)));
+    tree_node.refs.push_back(FormatterTreeNode(get_source_code(source, curr_node)));
     return;
   }
   const std::string curr_node_type = ts_node_type(curr_node);
-  FormatterTree::Node list_node;
+  FormatterTreeNode list_node;
   if (curr_node_type == "list_lit") {
-    list_node = FormatterTree::Node();
+    list_node = FormatterTreeNode();
   }
   for (size_t i = 0; i < ts_node_child_count(curr_node); i++) {
     const auto child_node = ts_node_child(curr_node, i);
@@ -53,8 +79,16 @@ void FormatterTree::construct_formatter_tree_recursive(const std::string& source
       if (i == 1) {
         list_node.metadata.multiple_elements_first_line =
             !node_followed_by_only_whitespace(source, child_node);
+        // Peek at the first element of the list to determine formatting rules
+        if (formatter::opengoal_rules.find(contents) != formatter::opengoal_rules.end()) {
+          list_node.rules = formatter::opengoal_rules.at(contents);
+        }
       }
       construct_formatter_tree_recursive(source, child_node, list_node);
+      // Check if the node that was recursively added to the list was on the same line
+      auto& new_node = list_node.refs.at(list_node.refs.size() - 1);
+      new_node.metadata.was_on_first_line_of_form =
+          nodes_on_same_line(source, curr_node, child_node);
     } else {
       construct_formatter_tree_recursive(source, child_node, tree_node);
     }
diff --git a/common/formatter/formatter_tree.h b/common/formatter/formatter_tree.h
index ee9497d3bc..bc93c30bc5 100644
--- a/common/formatter/formatter_tree.h
+++ b/common/formatter/formatter_tree.h
@@ -1,11 +1,16 @@
 #pragma once
 
+#include <memory>
 #include <optional>
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
 
+#include "formatting_rules.h"
+
 #include "tree_sitter/api.h"
 
+class FormattingRule;
+
 // Treesitter is fantastic for validating and parsing our code into a structured tree format without
 // whitespace so we can do that ourselves (formatting) However, the treesitter AST is a bit too
 // detailed for purposes of formatting.
@@ -22,39 +27,50 @@
 // Pass 1 - convert the AST into a simplified FormatterTree
 // Pass 2 - use the simplified tree to output the final code
 
-// A FormatterTree has a very simple and crude tree structure where:
-// Nodes are essentially forms, which contain in-order tokens or references to nested forms
-// Nodes can have associated metadata, often related to their context in the original code
-class FormatterTree {
+namespace formatter {
+extern const std::shared_ptr<FormattingRule> default_rule;
+}
+
+class FormatterTreeNode {
  public:
-  struct NodeMetadata {
+  struct Metadata {
     bool is_root = false;
     // Whether the form had more than 1 element on the first line
     // (println
     //  "test")
     // vs
     // (println "test")
-    bool multiple_elements_first_line;
+    bool multiple_elements_first_line = false;
+    bool was_on_first_line_of_form = false;
   };
+  std::vector<FormatterTreeNode> refs;
+  Metadata metadata;
+  // The token is optional because list nodes do not contain a token, they just contain a bunch of
+  // eventually token node refs
+  std::optional<std::string> token;
+  std::vector<std::shared_ptr<FormattingRule>> rules = {};
 
-  class Node {
-   public:
-    std::vector<Node> refs;
-    NodeMetadata metadata;
-    // The token is optional because list nodes do not contain a token, they just contain a bunch of
-    // eventually token node refs
-    std::optional<std::string> token;
+  FormatterTreeNode() = default;
+  FormatterTreeNode(const std::string& _token) : token(_token){};
+  FormatterTreeNode(const Metadata& _metadata) : metadata(_metadata){};
 
-    Node() = default;
-    Node(const std::string& _token) : token(_token){};
-    Node(const NodeMetadata& _metadata) : metadata(_metadata){};
-  };
+  // Considers the input to determine the most relevant formatting rule for the given node
+  // if none are applicable, returns `formatter::default_rule`
+  std::shared_ptr<FormattingRule> get_formatting_rule(const int depth, const int index) const;
+};
 
+// A FormatterTree has a very simple and crude tree structure where:
+// - Nodes are essentially forms, which contain in-order tokens or references to nested forms
+// - Nodes can have associated metadata, often related to their context in the original code
+// - Nodes can also have multiple formatting rules associated with them.  Often this is the default
+// rule or based on pre-configured overrides due to the head of the form, ex. 'defun'
+class FormatterTree {
+ public:
   FormatterTree(const std::string& source, const TSNode& root_node);
-  Node root;
+  FormatterTreeNode root;
 
  private:
   void construct_formatter_tree_recursive(const std::string& source,
                                           TSNode curr_node,
-                                          Node& tree_node);
+                                          FormatterTreeNode& tree_node);
 };
diff --git a/common/formatter/formatting_rules.cpp b/common/formatter/formatting_rules.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..179bc1f055
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/formatter/formatting_rules.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+#include "formatting_rules.h"
+
+#include "common/util/string_util.h"
+
+void FormattingRule::append_newline(std::string& curr_text,
+                                    const FormatterTreeNode& node,
+                                    const FormatterTreeNode& containing_node,
+                                    const int depth,
+                                    const int index) {
+  if (index <= 0 && !containing_node.metadata.multiple_elements_first_line ||
+      index <= 1 && containing_node.metadata.multiple_elements_first_line) {
+    return;
+  }
+  curr_text = str_util::rtrim(curr_text) + "\n";
+}
+
+void FormattingRule::indent_token(std::string& curr_text,
+                                  const FormatterTreeNode& node,
+                                  const FormatterTreeNode& containing_node,
+                                  const int depth,
+                                  const int index) {
+  if (node.metadata.is_root) {
+    return;
+  }
+  if (containing_node.metadata.multiple_elements_first_line) {
+    if (index > 1) {
+      // Only apply indentation if we are about to print a normal text token
+      // TODO - unsafe
+      if (node.token.has_value()) {
+        curr_text += str_util::repeat(containing_node.refs.at(0).token.value().length() + 2, " ");
+      }
+    }
+  } else {
+    if (index > 0) {
+      curr_text += str_util::repeat(depth, " ");
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+void FormattingRule::align_form_lines(std::string& text,
+                                      const FormatterTreeNode& node,
+                                      const FormatterTreeNode& containing_node) {
+  const auto lines = str_util::split(text);
+  // TODO - unsafe (breaks on a list of lists)
+  int alignment_width = 1;
+  if (containing_node.metadata.multiple_elements_first_line) {
+    alignment_width = containing_node.refs.at(0).token.value().length() + 2;
+  }
+  std::string aligned_form = "";
+  for (int i = 0; i < lines.size(); i++) {
+    aligned_form += str_util::repeat(alignment_width, " ") + lines.at(i);
+    if (i != lines.size() - 1) {
+      aligned_form += "\n";
+    }
+  }
+  text = aligned_form;
+}
+
+void InnerFormattingRule::append_newline(std::string& curr_text,
+                                         const FormatterTreeNode& node,
+                                         const FormatterTreeNode& containing_node,
+                                         const int depth,
+                                         const int index) {
+  if (index < 1 || (m_depth != depth || m_index && m_index.value() != index)) {
+    return;
+  }
+  if (!node.metadata.was_on_first_line_of_form) {
+    curr_text = str_util::rtrim(curr_text) + "\n";
+  }
+}
+
+void InnerFormattingRule::indent_token(std::string& curr_text,
+                                       const FormatterTreeNode& node,
+                                       const FormatterTreeNode& containing_node,
+                                       const int depth,
+                                       const int index) {
+  if (index < 1 || (m_depth != depth || m_index && m_index.value() != index)) {
+    return;
+  }
+  // We only new-line elements if they were not originally on the first line
+  if (!node.metadata.was_on_first_line_of_form) {
+    curr_text += str_util::repeat(depth * 2, " ");
+  }
+}
+
+void InnerFormattingRule::align_form_lines(std::string& text,
+                                           const FormatterTreeNode& node,
+                                           const FormatterTreeNode& containing_node) {
+  if (node.metadata.was_on_first_line_of_form) {
+    return;
+  }
+  const auto lines = str_util::split(text);
+  // TODO - unsafe (breaks on a list of lists)
+  int alignment_width = 2;
+  std::string aligned_form = "";
+  for (int i = 0; i < lines.size(); i++) {
+    aligned_form += str_util::repeat(alignment_width, " ") + lines.at(i);
+    if (i != lines.size() - 1) {
+      aligned_form += "\n";
+    }
+  }
+  text = aligned_form;
+  return;
+}
diff --git a/common/formatter/formatting_rules.h b/common/formatter/formatting_rules.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0347ee01e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/formatter/formatting_rules.h
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <string>
+
+#include "formatter_tree.h"
+
+class FormatterTreeNode;
+
+// Indentation rules are heavily inspired by the descriptions here
+// https://github.com/weavejester/cljfmt/blob/master/docs/INDENTS.md
+//
+// This style of formatting assumes the code coming in is already reasonably formatted, aka was
+// written by an actual human and isn't just a single line of minified code
+//
+// If it _is_ though, the formatting rules will still be able to do a somewhat decent job, as
+// certain forms are configured to format a specific way, but it probably won't be broadly
+// consistent with code written normally
+//
+// cljfmt observations:
+// - a form that starts on the first line but spans multiple lines (it doesn't really handle this
+// well) ex. (println (hello
+//           world) ye) ;; you'd expect the 'ye' to be aligned with `(h...`
+// - vector lists are treated differently from paren lists (seems to leave them inline or default
+// indent them if they span multiple lines) ex. [hello world
+//  what]
+
+// The default rule that is used if no other rule applies to the given form
+//
+// For lists this will format like so:
+// - If the only element on the first line is the head of the form, every subsequent element is
+// indented with 1 space on a new line
+// (println   ; <= one or fewer elements on first line
+//  "hello"
+//  "world")
+// - otherwise, every element after the 2nd is on a new line and aligned to that 1st list arg.
+// (println "hello"   ; <= more than one element on first line
+//          "world")
+class FormattingRule {
+ public:
+  virtual void append_newline(std::string& curr_text,
+                              const FormatterTreeNode& node,
+                              const FormatterTreeNode& containing_node,
+                              const int depth,
+                              const int index);
+  virtual void indent_token(std::string& curr_text,
+                            const FormatterTreeNode& node,
+                            const FormatterTreeNode& containing_node,
+                            const int depth,
+                            const int index);
+  virtual void align_form_lines(std::string& text,
+                                const FormatterTreeNode& node,
+                                const FormatterTreeNode& containing_node);
+};
+
+// Inner indentation always indents by 2 spaces for every line after the first regardless of the
+// number of elements `depth` defines at what depth the rule should be applied, and optionally
+// `index` narrows this down further to a given index at that depth
+//
+// Some simple examples:
+// (defn greet [name]
+//   (println "Hello" name))
+//
+// (defn dismiss
+//   [name]
+//   (println "Goodbye" name))
+class InnerFormattingRule : public FormattingRule {
+ private:
+  int m_depth;
+  std::optional<int> m_index;
+
+ public:
+  InnerFormattingRule(int depth) : m_depth(depth){};
+  InnerFormattingRule(int depth, int index) : m_depth(depth), m_index(index){};
+  virtual void append_newline(std::string& curr_text,
+                              const FormatterTreeNode& node,
+                              const FormatterTreeNode& containing_node,
+                              const int depth,
+                              const int index) override;
+  virtual void indent_token(std::string& curr_text,
+                            const FormatterTreeNode& node,
+                            const FormatterTreeNode& containing_node,
+                            const int depth,
+                            const int index) override;
+  void align_form_lines(std::string& text,
+                        const FormatterTreeNode& node,
+                        const FormatterTreeNode& containing_node) override;
+};
diff --git a/common/util/string_util.cpp b/common/util/string_util.cpp
index dafddf6798..aa2a0e7a98 100644
--- a/common/util/string_util.cpp
+++ b/common/util/string_util.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ std::string ltrim(const std::string& s) {
   return (start == std::string::npos) ? "" : s.substr(start);
 }
 
+// TODO - used a lot in formatting, and its slow because i bet it iterates from the start and not
+// the end
 std::string rtrim(const std::string& s) {
   size_t end = s.find_last_not_of(WHITESPACE);
   return (end == std::string::npos) ? "" : s.substr(0, end + 1);
diff --git a/test/common/formatter/corpus/comments.test.gc b/test/common/formatter/corpus/comments.test.gc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..992ef3203e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/common/formatter/corpus/comments.test.gc
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+===
+Top-Level Comment
+===
+
+;; test
+(println "test")
+
+---
+
+;; test
+(println "test")
+
+===
+TODO - Inline Comment
+===
+
+(println "test") ;; test
+
+---
+
+(println "test")
+
+ ;; test
+
+===
+TODO - Block Comment
+===
+
+#|
+  block comment
+  test
+|#
+
+(println "test")
+
+---
+
+#|
+
+ |#
+
+(println "test")
+
+
diff --git a/test/common/formatter/corpus/default-intent.test.gc b/test/common/formatter/corpus/default.test.gc
similarity index 100%
rename from test/common/formatter/corpus/default-intent.test.gc
rename to test/common/formatter/corpus/default.test.gc
index 2da5ef353e..016bef6f33 100644
--- a/test/common/formatter/corpus/default-intent.test.gc
+++ b/test/common/formatter/corpus/default.test.gc
@@ -1,3 +1,15 @@
+===
+All Alignment
+===
+
+(println "hello" (println "world" "world2"))
+
+---
+
+(println "hello"
+         (println "world"
+                  "world2"))
+
 ===
 Multiple Top Level Forms
 ===
@@ -12,18 +24,6 @@ Multiple Top Level Forms
 (println "hello"
          "world")
 
-===
-All Alignment
-===
-
-(println "hello" (println "world" "world2"))
-
----
-
-(println "hello"
-         (println "world"
-                  "world2"))
-
 ===
 All Indented
 ===
diff --git a/test/common/formatter/corpus/inner.test.gc b/test/common/formatter/corpus/inner.test.gc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0f050963ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/common/formatter/corpus/inner.test.gc
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+===
+Basic Inner Indentation
+===
+
+(defun greet (name string)
+(println "Hello" name)
+      (println "Hello" name)
+ (println "Hello" name)
+)
+
+---
+
+(defun greet (name string)
+  (println "Hello"
+           name)
+  (println "Hello"
+           name)
+  (println "Hello"
+           name))
diff --git a/test/common/formatter/corpus/top-level.test.gc b/test/common/formatter/corpus/top-level.test.gc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ddde173a97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/common/formatter/corpus/top-level.test.gc
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+===
+Top Level Elements
+===
+
+(println "test")
+(println "test") (println "test")
+
+---
+
+(println "test")
+
+(println "test")
+
+(println "test")
diff --git a/test/common/formatter/test_formatter.cpp b/test/common/formatter/test_formatter.cpp
index a8742c0271..fc9f0ed372 100644
--- a/test/common/formatter/test_formatter.cpp
+++ b/test/common/formatter/test_formatter.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ EXPECTED OUTPUT
 
 #include "gtest/gtest.h"
 
+#include "third-party/fmt/color.h"
 #include "third-party/fmt/core.h"
 
 struct TestDefinition {
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ struct TestDefinition {
   std::string output;
 };
 
-bool run_tests(fs::path file_path) {
+bool run_tests(const fs::path& file_path, const bool only_important_tests) {
   // Read in the file, and run the test
   const auto contents = str_util::split(file_util::read_text_file(file_path));
   std::vector<TestDefinition> tests;
@@ -75,8 +76,12 @@ bool run_tests(fs::path file_path) {
   }
   // Run the tests, report successes and failures
   bool test_failed = false;
-  fmt::print("{}:\n", file_util::base_name(file_path.string()));
+  fmt::print("{}:\n", fmt::styled(file_util::base_name(file_path.string()),
+                                  fmt::emphasis::bold | fg(fmt::color::cyan)));
   for (const auto& test : tests) {
+    if (only_important_tests && !str_util::starts_with(test.name, "!")) {
+      continue;
+    }
     const auto formatted_result = formatter::format_code(test.input);
     if (!formatted_result) {
       // Unable to parse, was that expected?
@@ -98,17 +103,26 @@ bool run_tests(fs::path file_path) {
   return test_failed;
 }
 
-bool find_and_run_tests() {
+bool find_and_run_tests(const bool only_important_tests) {
   // Enumerate test files
   const auto test_files = file_util::find_files_recursively(
       file_util::get_file_path({"test/common/formatter/corpus"}), std::regex("^.*\.test.gc$"));
   bool failed = false;
   for (const auto& file : test_files) {
-    failed = run_tests(file);
+    // don't fail fast, but any failure means we return false
+    if (failed) {
+      run_tests(file, only_important_tests);
+    } else {
+      failed = run_tests(file, only_important_tests);
+    }
   }
   return !failed;
 }
 
 TEST(Formatter, FormatterTests) {
-  EXPECT_TRUE(find_and_run_tests());
+  // TODO - when i get annoyed enough, make this not a manual change and pre-scan the tests to see
+  // if there are any flagged tests
+  //
+  // This is to make it easier to run an individual test when debugging
+  EXPECT_TRUE(find_and_run_tests(false));
 }