How to play Snake
Steer the snake around the board to eat the apples. Every apple makes the snake one segment longer and adds to your score. The run ends if the snake's head hits a wall or any part of its own body.
The snake never stops moving, so the game is about planning your route a few moves ahead. Early on it is easy. As the snake gets longer, the board fills up, and the real challenge is not trapping yourself.
Controls
- Computer: arrow keys or W A S D to turn. Space or P pauses.
- Phone or tablet: swipe on the board in the direction you want to go, or use the on-screen arrows below it.
You cannot reverse straight back into yourself. Pressing the opposite direction does nothing. Quick double turns work, though: Poozee queues your inputs and applies one turn per step, so a fast "up then left" makes a tight U-turn instead of getting swallowed.
Speeds and scoring
| Speed | Feel | Points per apple |
|---|---|---|
| Chill | Relaxed, good for learning | 10 |
| Classic | The standard challenge | 20 |
| Turbo | Fast reflexes required | 30 |
Pick a speed before you start. Your best score is saved in your browser.
Tips for a higher score
- Follow your tail. The cell your tail is leaving becomes free on the very next step, so the safest place to go is often right behind yourself.
- Use the walls. Moving along an edge keeps the open space in one big region instead of cutting the board in half.
- Sweep in rows. When the snake gets long, a back-and-forth "lawnmower" pattern keeps your body in neat, predictable lines.
- Do not chase every apple directly. A detour that keeps the board open beats a shortcut that boxes you in.
- Leave yourself an exit. Before entering a narrow pocket, make sure it is at least as big as the part of your body that has to pass through.
For the full breakdown, including the "perfect game" route that can fill the entire board, read our Snake high score tips.
Pro tip: If your eyes keep tracking the head, try watching the space ahead of it instead. You will spot dead ends a move earlier.
A little history
Snake-style games go back to the 1976 arcade game Blockade, where players left a growing trail behind them. The idea became famous worldwide when a version called Snake came preinstalled on Nokia mobile phones starting in 1997. Millions of people played their first mobile game guiding a pixel snake around a tiny monochrome screen, and the simple rules have never gone out of style.
Snake FAQ
Can the snake go through walls?
No. In this classic version the walls are solid, so hitting one ends the run.
Does the speed change?
Pick Chill, Classic or Turbo before you start. Higher speeds are harder but every apple scores more points.
Why did my quick double turn kill the snake?
It should not on Poozee. Turns are queued one per step, so a fast double tap turns twice instead of reversing into yourself.