Tightrope Walker

Goal of the game

Cross a wire stretched over the void, as far as possible, without falling. Your result is the distance covered in metres, increased by 5 for each star collected. The wire never ends: only a fall ends the game.

How to play

• Counterbalancing: the walker moves forward on their own, but leans to one side or the other. If they lean left, press right: your pole tilts and brings them back. The straighter they stay, the faster they walk.
• Controls: hold the left half or the right half of the screen, with your finger or the mouse. On a keyboard: arrow keys ← →, or A and D. Pressing both sides at once cancels out.
• Dosing: short nudges beat constant pressure. Let go as soon as they straighten up.
• Pause: P or Esc, or the button at the top right. The game also pauses if you leave the page.
• Retry: after a fall, touch the screen or press Space. You are back on the wire in under a second.

Wind, birds and obstacles

• Gusts: pale streaks sweep across the screen and chevrons appear on the side the wind comes from, 0.8 s before it hits. Press that side to oppose it.
• Birds: they come head-on, dive from above or catch up from behind. A hit makes you lurch to one side.
• Branches, laundry, signs and lanterns swing from a rope at head height. Go past when they swing away.
• Stars: collect them with your head, your hands or the tips of the pole; each one adds 5 to your result.

The five landscapes

Every 300 metres the scenery changes: village at dusk, misty forest, cliffs, city at night, then storm. After that the loop starts again, windier. At every hundred metres, a gate of pennants gives you a short moment of calm.

Levels

• Easy: slow walk, gentle wind, very few birds.
• Normal: the classic pace.
• Fast: you walk faster and the wind picks up.
• Intense: powerful gusts close together, swinging obstacles.
• Hellish: fast walk, storm wind, nervous wire.

Game modes

• Solo: the daily course is the same for everyone, and a ghost replays your best try of the day. The free course changes every game.
• Two players: same device, same course, each on their half of the screen. The first player uses A and D, or the top (or left) half of the screen. The second uses the arrow keys ← →, or the bottom (or right) half. Last one standing wins.
• Against the AI: an automatic walker crosses the same course. There are five strengths, from Bobinette to Maestro, depending on the level. Whoever goes furthest wins.
• Online: up to four players walk at the same time on the same course and see where the others are. The greatest distance wins.