In one minute
Start a run
- Swipe on the board, press an arrow key, or use W, A, S, or D.
- The game requests fullscreen from that first input.
- Guide the head onto the red ball.
- Do not hit a wall, obstacle, your own body, or a rival snake.
- After a loss, press Replay and change the decision that caused it.
Standard game
The basic rules
Classic Snake begins with one red ball and a three-section body. Every normal red ball awards 1 point and adds 1 body section. The snake moves continuously after the first input, so you choose turns rather than individual steps.
A Classic run ends when the head reaches the outer wall or any occupied body cell. Some modes change one of those rules. No Walls wraps the edges, Ghost allows body crossings, and Relaxed removes both kinds of collision.
Input
Keyboard and mobile controls
Desktop
- Move
- Arrow keys or W, A, S, D
- Pause
- Space or P
- Reset
- R
- Sound
- M
Phone or tablet
- Move
- Swipe on the board
- Restart
- Restart button above the board
- Pause
- Pause icon
- Sound
- Speaker icon or Settings
The game queues a small number of safe turns. It ignores a direct reversal and duplicate inputs. At high speed, one deliberate turn is more reliable than several quick presses.
Board space
Fullscreen begins with the first move
The game calls the browser's fullscreen request from the first swipe or direction key. This keeps the board large and removes most of the surrounding page while the run is active.
When native fullscreen is unavailable, the game uses its own fixed full-viewport layout. This is especially important on iPhone, where browser fullscreen support can differ from Android and desktop browsers.
Timed pickup
How the timed bonus ball works
After five normal red balls, a bonus black ball appears alongside the regular target. It stays for 7.5 seconds. The countdown and the red ball size fall together, so the remaining time is visible without reading a separate instruction.
The timed bonus black ball has a fixed value: 5 points and 5 body sections. The regular red ball remains available while the timed bonus is active. Missing the bonus does not end the run; it simply disappears.
Practice
A useful plan for the first five runs
- 1Learn the swipe or key timing
Use Relaxed if you need a no-fail board.
- 2Stay near the outside
Leave the centre open rather than crossing it for every red ball.
- 3Check the exit
Before entering a pocket, identify the cell that gets you back out.
- 4Watch the tail
Notice when the final section clears a corner or lane.
- 5Repeat one opening
Use the same first route so later differences are easier to understand.
Troubleshooting
Common beginner mistakes
Turning at the wall instead of before it
At faster speeds, the useful input window begins before the corner looks urgent.
Crossing the centre for every red ball
The body then divides the board and blocks future routes.
Entering a pocket without an exit
Reaching the red ball is easy; leaving after the body follows is the difficult part.
Pressing several directions at once
The queue may be valid but no longer match the route you intended.
Looking only at the head
The tail often decides whether a crossing is safe.
Questions
How-to-play FAQ
Can the snake reverse direction?
No. An immediate 180-degree reversal would send the head into the body, so the game ignores it.
How many points is each red ball worth?
Every normal red ball is worth 1 point and adds 1 body section.
How do I control the game on a phone?
Swipe up, down, left, or right directly on the board. The mobile game does not use an on-screen direction pad.
Why did fullscreen not open?
Fullscreen depends on browser support and permission. The game requests it from the first direction input, but a browser can reject the request.
Does the bonus black ball add points?
The timed bonus black ball is worth 5 points and adds 5 body sections. It is a separate fixed-value pickup.
Does pausing change the timer?
Timed modes stop their countdown while the game is paused.