Shambleshot

Shambleshot is a cartoon shooter in a Wild West town: run down the main street, jump over trouble and fire at walking and flying zombies, with fire, ice and lightning powers when they are charged.

How to play

1. Press play on the start screen, then tap or press space when TAP TO PLAY appears.
2. Shoot: press the space bar, or the gun button at the bottom right on a touch screen. Keep an eye on the bullet counter at the top.
3. Jump: press the up arrow or W, or the boots button at the bottom left.
4. Powers: the three buttons at the bottom call fire, ice or lightning. Each needs about 20 seconds to charge again.
5. Pick-ups: boxes give ammo, points or a shield, and coins are counted at the top.
6. Lives: you have three. The run ends when the last one is gone and your score is shown.

What you see on screen

• Start screen: the SHAMBLE SHOT sign over a western street with a play button.
• Top bar: your lives, bullets, coins and the time you have lasted.
• The street: wooden saloons, cactus and barrels, with zombies on foot and in the air.
• Bottom bar: the jump and fire buttons and the three power buttons.

Tips

• Keep firing. In our test, a script that fired about four times a second lasted the full three minutes in two of three runs without losing a life.
• Do not jump on a timer. Jumping about every 1.2 seconds while firing ended runs after 10 to 21 seconds, sooner than doing nothing at all in one case.
• Doing nothing is over fast: three runs with no input ended after 13 to 17 seconds.
• Read our zombie shooter tips for the numbers behind these tips.

Frequently asked questions

How do I shoot and jump?

Space fires and the up arrow or W jumps. On a touch screen use the gun button at the bottom right and the boots button at the bottom left.

What do the three power buttons do?

They call fire, ice or lightning onto the street. After you use one, it needs about 20 seconds before it is ready again.

How many lives do I have?

Three. When the last one is lost, the run ends and the score card appears.

Is there blood?

No. Shambleshot is drawn in a bright cartoon style, and hits show green splashes and puffs of dust.

Is my score saved?

Your highest and most recent scores are kept in your browser on this device. Nothing is sent anywhere.

Can I play on a phone?

Yes. Turn the phone sideways and use the on-screen buttons.

Is Shambleshot free to play?

Yes. You can play it in your browser on Yes This Game with no download and no sign-up.