Whirlcap

Whirlcap is a one-tap swinging game in pixel art. A round creature with an orange cap and a golden propeller rises through a night sky, and every tap flips the direction it swings. Your job is to slip through the narrow gaps between steel girders and spiked mines.

How to play

1. Press the play button on the start screen.
2. Tap (or click) once. Nothing moves until that first tap.
3. Keep tapping to flip the swing: the cap speeds up sideways in the direction it is pointed, so tap again before it reaches a wall.
4. Stay near the middle and slip between the spiked mines that hang on chains from the girders.
5. Each girder you pass adds a point. A mine or a wall ends the run.
6. When the Game Over card shows your score and your highest score, press play for another try.

What you see on screen

• Start screen: the WHIRL CAP title, two swinging mines and a play button.
• Tutorial hint: a small cap with arrows and a TAP label before the first tap.
• While playing: your score at the top, a crescent moon, rows of girders and mines scrolling down.
• Game Over card: the score for the run and the highest score the game remembers.

Tips

• The cap does not move until your first tap, so there is no rush at the start.
• A single tap from the middle sends the cap into a wall in under half a second. Tap again quickly to turn it back.
• In our runs, only a script that kept the cap within a few pixels of the middle scored; the first pair of mines arrives about 1.6 seconds after the start.
• Read our propeller game tips for the numbers behind these tips.

Frequently asked questions

How do I start moving?

Tap or click once. The cap stays still until you do.

What do the taps do?

Each tap flips the direction the cap swings, so you can steer left and right with one button.

What ends a run?

Touching a mine or a wall shows the Game Over card.

Does the game remember my score?

Yes. It keeps your highest score in your browser and shows it on the Game Over card.

Can I play on a phone?

Yes. The game is built for one finger, and it fits a tall phone screen as well as a computer window.

Is Whirlcap free to play?

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