Gunslinger
Pistol, ranged.
Fires from a distance. Upgrades add bullets, pierce, bounces, explosions and headshots, and can swap the pistol for one of five unique guns: the Hand Cannon, the Railgun, the AK69, the Shotgun or the Beam Cannon.
Open for playtesting
Stickfinity
A survival shooter that runs in the browser. You are a white ink stick figure in a dark arena, the monsters keep coming, and every tenth level a ruler is waiting. This guide goes through all ten worlds and their hundred levels, every monster and how it fights, and what happens after level 100.
10worlds
100levels, then endless ones
55monsters
10rulers
Play it at stickfinity.net. It needs a keyboard and a mouse.
This guide gives everything away, the last world and its ruler included.
How a run works
A run starts at level 1 and goes on until you die. Every level follows the same steps.
- Fight the level. Clear its monsters or outlast its clock. Cover blocks movement and bullets, yours and theirs.
- Collect. Every kill drops a coin. Kills, accuracy, staying untouched and time left on the clock all turn into XP when the level ends.
- Rank up. Each time your XP crosses the next threshold you pick one of three upgrades. They last the whole run, and picking one again stacks it.
- Visit the Loadout Lab. From level 5, coins buy secondary weapons. From level 10, XP buys Limit Breaks.
- Every tenth level, fight a ruler. The world's boss. There is no clock: the level ends when the ruler does.
There is no save. Die and the run starts over at level 1, unless you are holding an Extra Life.
WASDMove
LeftAim with the mouse. Click or hold to fire or slash.
RightUse the secondary weapon in your hand
QESwitch secondary weapon
SpaceLimit Break, when the gauge is full
EscPause
The fighters
The hero is a stick figure drawn in white ink, the one thing on screen that is not pixel art. You choose a fighter before each run, and the choice decides which upgrades you are offered.
Soldier
Katana, melee.
Slashes everything in an arc in front. Every hit taken up close sends part of the damage back. Upgrades widen the swing, grow the blade into a Buster Sword or the Masamune, and add Ninja Stars and Shadow Step.
A third fighter, the Mage, is shown in the game as a locked card marked coming soon.
Your kit
The monster entries below mention Limit Breaks, buffs, fire and explosions. This is where those come from.
Upgrades
44 in all: 13 that either fighter can find, 17 for the Gunslinger and 14 for the Soldier.
They come in five rarities: Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic and Legendary. Rarer cards are stronger and turn up less often.
Secondary weapons
Bought with coins in the Loadout Lab. Right-click uses the one in your hand.
- Rocket
- Shoulder it, aim for 2 seconds, launch. Big blast, long cooldown.
- Grenade
- Lobbed at your reticle. Short fuse, medium blast, quick cooldown.
- Molotov
- Thrown ahead, bursts into a fire zone. Enemies keep burning after they leave it.
- Ninja Stars
- A Soldier upgrade, not bought. Throws a star at your aim.
Pickups
Buffs are glowing pickups that last a few seconds.
- Overdrive
- Fire rate +150% for the Gunslinger.
- Aegis
- Incoming damage -75%.
- Adrenaline
- Move speed +50%.
- Marksman
- Damage dealt +100% (2x).
- Berserk
- Damage dealt +50%, but incoming damage +25%.
- Health
- A green cross drops every 15 kills (every 20 from level 20) and heals 35% of your health.
- Coins
- Every kill drops one where the monster fell. Walk over it to collect.
Limit Breaks
Kills fill a gauge. When it is full, Space unleashes the Limit Break you have equipped. Most rulers have a weak point that a Limit Break opens up.
- Berserker's Wrath
- Fire rate and damage burst. Higher tiers add an activation shockwave.
- Bubble Shield
- Big damage reduction while active. Higher tiers add reflect and regen.
- Knockback Nova
- Instantly blasts and damages every nearby enemy away from you.
- Beam Blaster
- Channel a continuous damage beam in your aim direction.
- Time Dilation
- Slows every enemy in the arena while you move at full speed.
- Phase Cloak
- Invulnerable and much faster. Higher tiers add a damage boost too.
- Confusion
- Nearby enemies turn on each other instead of you. Higher tiers reach further and hit harder.
- Blast Shot
- Your gun shakes and charges on its own: after a moment it unleashes one electric blast that tears through everything in its path, dealing bonus damage to bosses.
The cast
All 55 monsters and the ten rulers, world by world. Pick one to jump to its entry. The outlined tile at the end of each row is the ruler.
The ten worlds
Each world is ten levels. New monsters arrive one or two at a time over the first six levels, the world's hazards come in after them, and the tenth level is the ruler. The first four worlds use only their own monsters. From Dragon's Keep to the Dreamscape, monsters from earlier worlds turn up alongside the new ones, and the last world is all its own again.
Every monster has a second look: a veteran one once it has been in the game for 20 levels, and for a ruler, an enraged one.
World 1 · levels 1 to 10
Dead City
A ruined rooftop city at night: cracked concrete, streetlights, zombies. The first world teaches dodging tells, headshots and staying out of acid.
Walker from level 1
Shambles in, raises its arms (the tell), hits, then backs off.
Crawler from level 3
Springs at you from close range. Its head is tiny, so headshots are hard.
Spitter from level 5
Rears up and lobs acid. The puddle keeps burning for a few seconds.
Bat from level 7
Hangs back, then charges in a straight line. Sidestep it.
Bloater from level 8
Slow and fat. When it dies it bursts into toxic gas that hurts you and heals every monster standing in it.
Hazards
- Acid puddles from Spitters hurt you, never the monsters.
- A Bloater's gas hurts you and heals monsters inside it.
- Levels 7 to 9: steam vents hiss, then blast anything standing on the grate, monsters included.
Ruler · level 10
Mother Rot
- Her head is the weak spot and takes double damage.
- Sprays a fan of acid globs every few seconds.
- Squeezes out a crowd of Walkers every 22 seconds.
- At half health she releases three Bloaters and speeds up.
World 2 · levels 11 to 20
Invasion
An alien landing deck: steel plates, hazard stripes, crates. The second world is about priorities: kill the support units first.
Alien from level 11
Keeps its distance and fires bolts. Close in on it.
Scout from level 13
packs of 3
Comes in packs of three. Fast, hits and runs.
Abductor from level 15
flies
Flies. Locks a tractor beam on you and drags you toward it. Walk against the pull.
Cloner from level 16
Splits into two weaker Clones when it dies.
Shield Drone from level 17
flies
Flies. Shields the aliens near it, so they shrug off most damage. Kill it first.
Hazards
- Tractor beams drag you (walk against the pull).
- Levels 17 to 19: laser fences switch on and off. The line on the floor hurts.
Ruler · level 20
The Mothership
- Three shield generators make her hull soak 90% of damage. Destroy them first.
- Limit Breaks punch straight through any shield.
- Laser grid: lines across the whole deck warn, then fire. Stand in a gap.
- Abduction beam pulls you under her, and she drops packs of Scouts.
- At half health the generators come back.
World 3 · levels 21 to 30
Infernal Circus
A haunted big top: a sawdust ring, drums, a carousel. The third world is about reading tells under pressure. Clowns die laughing.
Clown Bomber from level 21
Lobs bombs with a short fuse at where you are standing.
Oni Strongman from level 22
Chases and slaps. When you are near it raises both fists (a red ring grows at its feet), then slams the ground.
Juggler from level 23
Stops, holds the knives up (the tell), then throws a fan of them.
Jack-in-the-Box from level 24
Sits closed until you get close, then pops out. It can be shot while closed.
Fire-Breather from level 25
Winds up, then breathes a cone of fire. Stay out of its face.
Hazards
- Levels 24 to 29: the carousel. Its horses are real cover, and they move. Stand on the platform and it carries you round.
- Levels 27 to 29: pendulum blades swing along a line and cut anything in the way, monsters too.
Ruler · level 30
The Ringmaster
- Runs a new act every 20 seconds: knives (with Jugglers), fire (with Fire-Breathers) or blades (pendulums and Clown Bombers).
- His whip steals a quarter of your Limit gauge, so spend it.
- Below half health: the final act. Shorter acts and a faster whip.
World 4 · levels 31 to 40
The Hive
A nest of webs and egg clusters. The fourth world is about space: webs slow you, things come from under the floor, then the lights go out.
Spider from level 31
packs of 4
Spiders come in fours. Small, fast, weak alone.
Web Spitter from level 32
Spits webs that stick to the floor. You move at 45% speed in them.
Egg Sac from level 33
Sits still and hatches spiders unless you break it first.
Burrower from level 34
Travels underground where it cannot be hurt. The ground cracks under you, then it erupts.
Widow from level 36
Fast, and its bite poisons you for a few seconds.
Hazards
- Webs slow you to 45% speed.
- Poison keeps ticking after a Widow bite.
- Levels 37 to 39: blackout. Only your shots light the arena.
Ruler · level 40
The Brood Queen
- Climbs into the dark where she cannot be hit. Her shadow hunts you, locks, then she drops on it.
- Spits webs around you and lays Egg Sacs.
- Below 30% the lights go out for good. A Limit Break lights up the nest.
World 5 · levels 41 to 50
Dragon's Keep
A castle hall of flagstones and braziers. Veterans of every earlier world fight beside the dragon's servants. The glowing cracks in the floor are decoration: real lava arrives with the Magma Golem's footprints at 42, the rising edges at 47 and the Overlord's lake at 50.
Wyvern Hatchling from level 41
flies
Flies. Circles you, then dives in a straight line.
Magma Golem from level 42
Slow and heavy. Every footprint is a small pool of lava.
Dragon Priest from level 44
Stays back. Wards the monsters near him (they take 50% less damage) and heals them.
Dragon Knight from level 45
His shield stops shots from the front and turns slowly. Get round him or use explosives.
Hazards
- Levels 47 to 49: the edges flood with rising lava now and then.
- Meteors fall where the rings are. Each one leaves a lava scar.
Ruler · level 50
The Overlord
- Breathes fire in a wide cone.
- At two thirds health he takes to the air for 14 seconds: meteors rain on you and he dives.
- At one third he fights on a lake of lava. His armour soaks 75% of damage until a Limit Break cracks it for 6 seconds.
World 6 · levels 51 to 60
Deep Freeze
An Arctic research outpost at night: wind-packed snow, crates, generators, floodlights. The sixth world is about footing: ice you slide on, a chill that builds to a freeze, and snow banks that hide what is inside them.
Yeti from level 51
Chases and swipes. At range it lifts a snow boulder (the tell) and hurls it at where you stood. The boulder leaves a sheet of ice.
Frost Wraith from level 52
flies
Flies over cover. Every touch chills you and slows you down. The third freezes you solid for a moment.
Snowball from level 53
Rolls at you and grows as it goes: more health, a bigger hit. Kill it while it is small. A big one bursts when it reaches you.
Mimic from level 55
Lies still, looking like a gold coin or a health cross. Shots and swings pass over it. Come close, wait too long or catch it in a blast, and it shakes, then bites.
Hazards
- Levels 54 to 59: sheets of ice. You slide on them.
- Every Yeti boulder leaves another sheet of ice where it lands.
- Three chills from Frost Wraiths freeze you solid for a moment: no moving, no shooting.
- Levels 57 to 59: whiteouts. Snow banks drift across the arena and hide anything inside.
Ruler · level 60
The Thing in the Ice
- It starts frozen in a block of ice and cannot be hurt. Bullets and blades only chip the ice. Fire, explosions and hits during a Limit Break melt it fast, and it thaws on its own after 28 seconds. It sprays ice shards while it waits.
- Once it is free it chases you and copies moves it has seen: a dash, a ground slam, an acid spit, ice shards.
- At 30% health it splits into three pieces. Kill all three within 6 seconds of the first, or the dead ones re-form.
World 7 · levels 61 to 70
The Wildwood
An enchanted forest at night: moss, roots, glowing mushrooms, standing stones. The seventh world takes control away from you: roots hold you, a gaze turns you to stone, fairies take your buffs.
Treant from level 61
Slow. It raises its arms (the tell) and a ring of roots grows where you stand. If you are still there when they burst, they hold you in place. You can keep shooting.
Will-o'-wisp from level 62
flies
Drifts at you. Up close it flickers and swells, its blast ring showing, then bursts. Shoot it first.
Fairy from level 63
flies
Darts in, steals your active buffs and five coins, and flees. Kill it and you get everything back.
Basilisk from level 65
Slithers in and bites. Keep your aim on it for 1.6 seconds and its gaze turns you to stone for a moment. Look away to break it.
Jackalope from level 66
packs of 3
Come in threes. They crouch, then charge antlers first.
Hazards
- Levels 64 to 69: fairy rings. Step into one ring of mushrooms and you come out of another. Monsters do too.
- Levels 67 to 69: brambles. They slow you to 55% speed and scratch.
Ruler · level 70
The Hydra
- The body cannot be hurt while it has heads. It starts with three, and they bite and spit acid.
- Cut a head off and two grow back from the stump after 5 seconds, up to seven heads.
- Burn the stump first and nothing grows back: fire, an explosion, or any Limit Break (that burns every open stump).
- With no heads left, the body is open.
World 8 · levels 71 to 80
Night Parade
A shrine street at night: raked gravel, stone lanterns, torii gates, falling petals. The monsters are yokai from Japanese folklore, and the eighth world is about knowing each one's trick.
Umbrella Yokai from level 71
Crouches for a beat, then hops at you in an arc, straight over cover. Landing on you hurts.
Lantern Ghost from level 72
flies
Flies. Opens its mouth (the tell), then breathes a cone of fire.
Kappa from level 73
Armoured: it takes half damage. A headshot or an explosion spills the water on its head, stuns it for 2 seconds and leaves it soft until the dish refills.
Kitsune from level 75
Every 6 seconds the real one makes two copies of itself. The copies do no harm and vanish when hit. Only the real one casts a shadow.
Rokurokubi from level 76
Keeps her distance. A line shows where her neck will go, then her head strikes along it, over any cover.
Hazards
- Levels 74 to 79: torii gates. Monsters walk into one gate and out of another.
- Levels 77 to 79: the night parade. A lane is marked, then spirits march down it. It hurts, and it carries you along.
Ruler · level 80
Gashadokuro
- A giant skeleton at the top of the arena. The skull's armour soaks 75% of damage.
- Its two hands track you, then slam. A hand stays stuck in the floor for a second: hit it then.
- Break both hands, or use a Limit Break, and the skull is knocked down for 6 seconds and takes full damage.
- It rains bones, seven at a time. The hands grow back 12 seconds after it gets up.
World 9 · levels 81 to 90
The Dreamscape
A desert at dusk where nothing is quite right: long hard shadows, drawers set in the sand, clocks gone soft in the heat. The ninth world bends the rules: time, the floor, even the arena you stand in.
Ant from level 81
packs of 5
Come in fives. Fast, weak alone.
Stilt Elephant from level 82
Does not chase. It strides across the arena in straight lines, over cover, and stomps a ring where each foot lands. Its body is high on its stilts: shoot it there.
Drawer Man from level 83
Keeps his distance, opens his drawers (the tell) and throws what is inside: a key (a fast shot), two ants, or a lit match that leaves fire.
Floating Eye from level 85
flies
Flies. A red line tracks you while it charges, locks, then the beam fires along it. Cover stops the beam. Step aside once the line locks.
Melted Man from level 86
Melts into a puddle that cannot be hurt, slides under you (a ring shows where) and rises.
Hazards
- Levels 84 to 89: melting clocks. Time runs at half speed in the blue pools and one and a half times in the orange ones, for you, the monsters and every shot.
- Levels 87 to 89: the melting floor. Holes open (a dashed outline warns), close and move. You can shoot across them, not walk.
Ruler · level 90
The Painter
- Keeps its distance and lobs paint that burns where it lands.
- Every 7 seconds it paints two monsters into being, at half health.
- Every 9 seconds it wipes out two pieces of cover and paints two new ones.
- Below half health it repaints the whole arena as another world, every 15 seconds.
- Any Limit Break washes its paint away: every painted monster vanishes.
World 10 · levels 91 to 100
Nekoshi & Friends
An easter egg. Nekoshi & Friends is a desktop-pet app from the same maker, and its pets are the monsters here, a new friend or two every level. The arena is that app's website (nekoshi.app) at night, drawn as a desktop: a browser window, desk icons, and a taskbar whose clock tells the real time.
Toy Mouse from level 91
A toy mouse. Fast, weak. Giant Nekoshi throws them.
Boo from level 91
flies
Floats through cover and fades away now and then. While it is gone it cannot be hit, cannot hurt you, and closes in fast.
Squib from level 92
Keeps its distance and squirts ink at where you are heading. A hit covers your whole screen for a few seconds. A miss leaves a cloud you cannot see through. Then it darts in.
Bolt from level 93
Keeps its distance and fires discs that bounce off cover and the arena's edges three times.
Peep from level 94
flies
Flies. Passes over you and drops something as it goes by. A ring shows where it lands.
Fang from level 94
flies
Flies. Flutters round you, rears back (the tell), then dives straight through where you were.
Bonzo from level 95
Swings in on a vine, over cover, and throws poop. Where it lands stays slippery for 8 seconds.
Digs from level 96
Tunnels to the hole nearest you, peeks out (the tell), pops up and throws dirt, then ducks back down. It cannot be hurt underground.
Gloop from level 97
Slow. Splits into two Glooplings when it dies.
Sporey from level 98
Waddles after you and puffs a cloud of spores that stings while you stand in it.
Hopkin from level 98
Hops to range and aims (a dotted line). Its tongue grabs you and reels you in.
Upa from level 99
Once it is hurt it runs to the nearest puddle and heals there, unless you keep hitting it.
Hazards
- Level 92: the floor is flooded. You move at 80% speed, and Squib swims faster.
- Levels 96, 97 and 99: holes. Digs comes up through the one nearest you.
- Levels 97 to 99: mugs fall off the shelf. A shadow shows where each one lands.
- Level 99: puddles. Upa heals in them.
Ruler · level 100
Giant Nekoshi
- Pads after you and swats. Every three seconds or so it picks a move: toy mice, a ball that bounces off the walls, yarn that tangles your feet, a hiss that knocks you back, mugs off the shelf, or zoomies.
- Zoomies are three straight dashes across the arena, over cover. It is dizzy for a moment after.
- Every 20 seconds it naps for 4.5 seconds. While it naps, everything hits it twice as hard.
- At half health it gets angry, and Pochi the dog turns up on your side. Pochi catches the mice and bites Nekoshi.
Level by level
One card per level: the floor as the level starts (click it for the full size), what the game announces, who turns up and which hazards are switched on. Cover is placed fresh every time you play, so the walls move between runs. The floor, the hazards and the monsters do not.
Dead City levels 1 to 10 · world notes
Level 10 Ruler
Mother Rot. Ruler of the Dead City. Her head is the weak spot.
Mother Rot. No clock: the level ends when the ruler does.
Invasion levels 11 to 20 · world notes
Level 17
New: Shield Drone. Shields the aliens near it. Kill it first.
Laser Fences. Beams switch on and off. Don't stand in one.
Laser fences (2)
Level 20 Ruler
The Mothership. Destroy her shield generators, then her hull. Limit Breaks punch through the shield.
The Mothership. No clock: the level ends when the ruler does.
Infernal Circus levels 21 to 30 · world notes
Level 22
New: Oni Strongman. Slams the ground. Get out of the red ring.
No hazards
Level 23
New: Juggler. Throws knives in a fan. Step between them.
No hazards
Level 24
New: Jack-in-the-Box. Sits closed until you get close. Shoot it first.
The Carousel. Its horses are cover, and they move.
The carousel
Level 25
New: Fire-Breather. Breathes a cone of fire. Stay out of its face.
The carousel
Level 27
Pendulum Blades. They swing on a line and cut anything in the way. Monsters too.
The carousel · Pendulum blades (2)
Level 28
The carousel · Pendulum blades (2)
Level 29
The carousel · Pendulum blades (3)
Level 30 Ruler
The Ringmaster. A new act every 20 seconds. His whip steals your Limit gauge, so spend it.
The Ringmaster. No clock: the level ends when the ruler does.
The Hive levels 31 to 40 · world notes
Level 34
New: Burrower. Travels underground. When the ground cracks under you, move.
No hazards
Level 37
Blackout. The lights are out. Your shots light the way.
Blackout
Level 40 Ruler
The Brood Queen. She drops from the dark where her shadow falls. Limit Breaks light up the nest.
The Brood Queen. No clock: the level ends when the ruler does.
Dragon's Keep levels 41 to 50 · world notes
Level 41
New: Wyvern Hatchling. Circles you, then dives. Sidestep the dive.
No hazards
Level 42
New: Magma Golem. Slow and heavy. Its footprints are lava.
No hazards
Level 44
New: Dragon Priest. Wards the monsters near him and heals them. Kill him first.
No hazards
Level 45
New: Dragon Knight. His shield stops shots from the front. Get round him, or use explosives.
No hazards
Level 47
Rising Lava. Now and then the edges flood. Stay off them.
Meteors. Watch for the rings. Get out before they land.
Rising lava · Meteors every 2.6s
Level 48
Rising lava · Meteors every 2.3s
Level 49
Rising lava · Meteors every 2s
Level 50 Ruler
The Overlord. He takes to the air, then fights on a lake of lava. Only a Limit Break cracks his last armour.
The Overlord. No clock: the level ends when the ruler does.
Deep Freeze levels 51 to 60 · world notes
Level 52
New: Frost Wraith. Every touch chills you. Three and you freeze solid.
No hazards
Level 53
New: Snowball. It grows as it rolls. Kill it while it is small.
No hazards
Level 54
Ice. Sheets of ice on the floor. You slide on them.
Ice sheets (3)
Level 57
Whiteout. Snow banks drift across the arena. Anything could be inside.
Ice sheets (4) · Whiteouts (2)
Level 60 Ruler
The Thing in the Ice. Frozen solid. Fire and explosions crack the ice, then it copies what it has seen.
The Thing in the Ice. No clock: the level ends when the ruler does.
The Wildwood levels 61 to 70 · world notes
Level 62
New: Will-o'-wisp. It flickers, then bursts. Keep your distance or shoot it first.
No hazards
Level 63
New: Fairy. Steals your buffs and coins. Kill it to get them back.
No hazards
Level 64
Fairy Rings. Step into one ring of mushrooms and you come out of another.
Fairy rings (2 pairs)
Level 65
New: Basilisk. Keep your aim on it too long and its gaze turns you to stone.
Fairy rings (2 pairs)
Level 66
New: Jackalopes. They come in threes and charge.
Fairy rings (2 pairs)
Level 70 Ruler
The Hydra. Cut off a head and two grow back. Burn the stump with fire or an explosion. A Limit Break burns them all.
The Hydra. No clock: the level ends when the ruler does.
Night Parade levels 71 to 80 · world notes
Level 71
New: Umbrella Yokai. It hops at you, right over cover.
No hazards
Level 72
New: Lantern Ghost. Breathes fire. Stay out of its mouth.
No hazards
Level 73
New: Kappa. Tough. A headshot spills the water on its head and stuns it.
No hazards
Level 74
Torii Gates. Monsters walk into one gate and out of another.
Torii gates (2 pairs)
Level 75
New: Kitsune. It makes copies of itself. Only the real one has a shadow.
Torii gates (2 pairs)
Level 76
New: Rokurokubi. Her neck stretches over walls. Watch for the line.
Torii gates (2 pairs)
Level 77
The Night Parade. Spirits march across the arena. Get out of their lane.
Torii gates (2 pairs) · The night parade every 16s
Level 78
Torii gates (3 pairs) · The night parade every 14s
Level 79
Torii gates (3 pairs) · The night parade every 12s
Level 80 Ruler
Gashadokuro. A giant skeleton at the edge of the arena. Break its hands. A Limit Break knocks the skull down.
Gashadokuro. No clock: the level ends when the ruler does.
The Dreamscape levels 81 to 90 · world notes
Level 82
New: Stilt Elephant. It walks over walls. Stay out from under its feet.
No hazards
Level 83
New: Drawer Man. Watch the drawers. Keys, ants or a lit match come out.
No hazards
Level 84
Melting Clocks. Time runs slow in the blue pools and fast in the orange ones. For everyone.
Melting clocks (2)
Level 85
New: Floating Eye. Its beam follows the red line. Cover stops it.
Melting clocks (2)
Level 86
New: Melted Man. It melts into the floor and comes up under you.
Melting clocks (3)
Level 87
The Melting Floor. Holes open in the floor. You can shoot across them, not walk.
Melting clocks (3) · Melting floor (2 holes)
Level 88
Melting clocks (3) · Melting floor (3 holes)
Level 89
Melting clocks (4) · Melting floor (3 holes)
Level 90 Ruler
The Painter. It paints monsters and walls, then repaints the world. A Limit Break washes its paint away.
The Painter. No clock: the level ends when the ruler does.
Nekoshi & Friends levels 91 to 100 · world notes
Level 100 Ruler
Giant Nekoshi. Mice, balls, yarn and zoomies. Hit it hardest while it naps.
Giant Nekoshi. No clock: the level ends when the ruler does.
After level 100
Beating Giant Nekoshi earns the Level 100 badge and the choice to keep going. From level 101 the worlds break apart, and no level is laid out in advance any more.
The Fractured World
Every level from 101 is rolled fresh each time you reach it.
The arena
One world's arena, or more often two worlds split by a glowing rift.
The monsters
Six types drawn at random from every world in the game.
The hazards
Each world in the arena brings its own. A split arena gets one from each world. A whole arena gets all of its world's.
Waves, no clock
Two waves at level 101 and one more every ten levels, up to six. The monsters get a little tougher every level.
Each rolled level also gets one twist:
| Twist | Effect |
|---|---|
| Fast | Monsters move 20% faster. |
| Tough | Monsters have 30% more health. |
| Glass | You take 40% more damage. Monsters have 30% less health. |
| Swarm | Half as many monsters again, each with less health. |
| No Cover | There is no cover this level. |
| Bounty | Coins are worth double. |
Six of the arenas the game rolled while this guide was being put together:
Level 101
Night Parade and Deep Freeze. Two worlds split by a rift, one hazard from each.
Torii gates · ice
Twist: Glass. You take 40% more damage. Monsters have 30% less health.
Level 107
Deep Freeze and Dragon's Keep. Two worlds split by a rift, one hazard from each.
Whiteout · rising lava
Twist: Bounty. Coins are worth double.
Level 116
The Wildwood. One world, with all of its hazards.
Fairy rings · thorns
Twist: Fast. Monsters move 20% faster.
Level 123
Invasion and The Dreamscape. Two worlds split by a rift, one hazard from each.
Laser fences · the melting floor
Twist: Glass. You take 40% more damage. Monsters have 30% less health.
Level 127
Infernal Circus and The Dreamscape. Two worlds split by a rift, one hazard from each.
The carousel · melting clocks
Twist: Tough. Monsters have 30% more health.
Level 134
Dragon's Keep and Infernal Circus. Two worlds split by a rift, one hazard from each.
Meteors · the carousel
Twist: Swarm. Half as many monsters again, each with less health.
The rulers return
Every tenth level from 110, rulers come back: one at level 110, two at 120 and 130, three from 140 on. Rulers that return together share an arena split between their worlds, and they use moves borrowed from rulers who are not in the fight.
The Ten
Level 200 is The Ten: all ten rulers, one after another, each in its own world. After that the levels keep going for as long as you do.
How it is drawn
Almost everything on screen is drawn by code while the game runs. There are no sprite sheets and no level files.
The hero
A white ink stick figure, drawn line by line every frame. The legs step through a run cycle, the body leans into the run, and the eyes follow your aim.
The monsters
Pixel sprites built from simple shapes on a small grid, outlined automatically, given a face and painted from a palette. They all share one pixel size, so they read as one family.
The arenas
Each world paints its own floor, cover and pools of light once per level, then adds a few live details: spotlights, braziers, falling petals. Nekoshi's world is the exception: its arena is built from the pictures on the Nekoshi & Friends website.
Colour and warnings
Colour is kept for meaning: red for danger, gold for coins, green for healing. Every hazard warns before it hurts, with a ring, a crack, a dashed line or a glow.
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