Rules · 1 player

How to play Snake

Eat as much food as you can without hitting a wall or your own tail.

The rules, step by step

1. 1

   Steer with the arrow keys, with W-A-S-D, or by swiping anywhere on the board.

2. 2

   The snake never stops moving, so plan the next turn before you need it.

3. 3

   Every piece of food adds one segment to your tail and one point to your score.

4. 4

   Touch a wall or any part of your own body and the run is over.

5. 5

   Speed increases as you grow, so the board gets harder exactly as it gets fuller.

Three tips that change how you play

• Travel along the edges early on and keep the middle clear for later.
• Follow your own tail rather than cutting across the board — the space behind you is always opening up.
• When the snake gets long, decide where you are going two moves ahead. Reacting is too slow by then.

Why following your tail works

Imagine the snake is twenty segments long and lying in a rough loop. Aim your head just behind the last segment of your own tail and follow it. Because the tail moves forward every tick, the square you are heading for is empty by the time you get there — you can circle indefinitely without ever being trapped. That gives you a safe holding pattern while you plan. When food appears, break out of the loop only if you can see a path that leaves you able to rejoin your tail afterwards. Players who last a long time are not reacting faster than everyone else; they are spending most of the game in a safe loop and leaving it deliberately.

Three mistakes that cost beginners the game

Going straight for every piece of food the moment it appears.

Food in the middle of a long snake is a trap. Take the route around the outside even when it is longer — arriving alive matters more than arriving first, and the food does not expire.

Coiling into a spiral to save space.

A spiral looks efficient and ends with your head in the centre and no way out. Lay the snake in long lines along the edges instead, so there is always an exit at both ends.

Turning the instant you see danger.

At speed you cannot react, only plan. Fix your next two turns before you reach the corner, and never make a turn that leaves you without a second option.

Common questions about Snake