How to play
You steer a small Debug Probe along the bottom of a circuit board. A Glitch Worm, a chain of twelve segments, enters at the top and marches across the board one cell at a time. Whenever its head meets a capacitor or the edge of the board, it drops one row and turns around, so every capacitor in its path brings it closer to you. Destroy every segment to clear the wave. The next worm is faster, and more of it arrives as loose heads.
Each segment you destroy leaves a new capacitor behind. Hit the worm in the middle and it splits in two, and the rear part grows a head of its own. Capacitors take four hits, lose one plate with every hit, and block both the worm and your probe.
Rules
- You start with 3 probes, or 5 in Relaxed mode, and earn an extra probe every 15,000 points, up to 6.
- The probe moves freely inside the service bay, the bottom six rows. Only one pulse can be on screen, but the next one leaves the instant the last one hits.
- If the cell below the worm is blocked as well, the worm chews through that capacitor, so it can never get stuck.
- A worm that reaches the bottom row stays in the service bay. It climbs to the top of the bay and comes down again, and while it is there single heads enter from the side. A yellow arrow marks the spot just before one arrives.
- The Spark Mite hops in a zigzag through the bay and the rows just above it, and eats every capacitor it touches.
- The Solder Dripper appears when the bay holds fewer than five capacitors (three in Relaxed mode). It falls straight down, leaves a trail of capacitors, needs two hits and speeds up after the first.
- From wave 2 (wave 3 in Relaxed mode) the Surge Skimmer crosses a single row and overcharges the capacitors it touches, which turn violet. A worm that runs into an overcharged capacitor dives straight to the bottom row.
- Touching a worm segment, a mite or a dripper costs a probe. Every damaged or overcharged capacitor is then repaired for a small bonus and the wave starts again.
| Event | Points |
|---|---|
| Worm body segment | 20 |
| Worm head | 150 |
| Capacitor destroyed | 5 |
| Spark Mite, far / medium / close | 250 / 500 / 1,000 |
| Solder Dripper | 300 |
| Surge Skimmer | 800 |
| Capacitor repaired after a lost probe | 10 |
| Wave cleared | 100 × wave number, at most 1,000 |
A Spark Mite counts as close when it is less than 2.5 rows above or below the probe, and as medium when it is less than 5 rows away.
Controls
- Keyboard: arrow keys or W A S D move the probe, hold Space to fire, P or Esc pauses, M toggles sound and Enter starts a game.
- Mouse: switch the Controls button to “mouse”. The probe then follows the pointer inside the service bay, and holding the left button fires.
- Touch: drag anywhere on the board. The probe copies the movement of your finger, so your finger never has to cover it, and it fires for as long as you touch the screen. The Pause button is right under the board.
Tips and strategy
- Shoot heads first. Killing the head shortens the worm without splitting it. A hit in the middle gives you two worms to track.
- Keep the service bay tidy. Capacitors in the lower rows make the worm drop faster and get in your way, so clear them when it is quiet.
- Do not clear them all. With too few capacitors in the bay the Solder Dripper keeps coming.
- Use narrow gaps. A worm that drops straight down a one-cell channel lines up its segments, and you can pick off head after head from below.
- Shoot violet capacitors early, or shoot the Surge Skimmer before it reaches them. A diving worm reaches the bay within a few seconds.
- The Spark Mite pays four times as much up close, but it changes direction without warning. Take the safe shot unless you have room to dodge.
Frequently asked questions
Why did the worm suddenly rush to the bottom?
Its head ran into an overcharged, violet capacitor. That sends the whole chain straight down to the bottom row. Capacitors become overcharged when the Surge Skimmer passes over them, and they return to normal after you lose a probe.
What is the difference between Normal and Relaxed?
Relaxed mode gives you 5 probes instead of 3. The worm and the Spark Mite are slower, side heads and the Solder Dripper arrive less often, and the Surge Skimmer starts one wave later. The change applies from the next new game.
Are my scores saved?
Yes. The five best scores with their dates and your settings are stored in your browser only. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Why did the game pause on its own?
It pauses when you switch to another tab or app, so you never lose a probe while you are away.
Is there sound?
Yes, short synthesized effects. They are off by default. Use the Sound button or press M.