Coil
Coil, by Hakim El Hattab, gives you a single tool: a bright line that trails behind your pointer. Blue orbs appear across a dark field, and you trap them by drawing a loop so the line crosses over itself with the orb inside.
You never click during a run. It is all about drawing fast, tidy circles and noticing the red bombs before you wrap one by accident. A mouse feels most precise, but dragging a finger works too, and a single game rarely lasts more than a few minutes, so it fits into a short break.
How to play Coil
Choose Start Game and move the pointer, and the glowing line follows wherever you go. It has a set length, so the oldest part fades as you go. When it crosses itself, the closed area flashes and captures any orb inside.
Blue orbs only stay for a few seconds. Just before bursting they turn yellow-green and flicker. A burst drains 30 energy and resets your multiplier, while a catch pays 30 points times the multiplier, with a bonus for catching two or more in one loop.
Red orbs are bombs. Looping one costs 30 energy and drops the multiplier to x1, but left alone they fade harmlessly. More orbs appear at once as time goes on, and the run ends when energy reaches zero.
Controls
| Action | Keyboard | Mouse | Touch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steer the trail | — | Move the mouse | Drag a finger |
| Start or restart | — | Click Start Game | Tap Start Game |
| Turn off grid effects on slow devices | — | Click the prompt when it appears | Tap the prompt when it appears |
Tips
- Keep loops small. The trail is short, and a quick tight circle closes before a big sweep would.
- Prioritize orbs that have gone yellow-green. Fresh blue ones can wait a second.
- When two orbs sit side by side, circle them together. Catching several in one closed shape pays extra and saves a trip.
- Scan for red before you close a large circle. Losing an x4 multiplier to a bomb stings more than a single missed orb.
- Hover near the middle of the field between catches so every corner is a short trip away.
If you like Coil, try these
Golden Apple SnakeTrail-based play continues with a growing snake on a walled grid and timed golden fruit to grab.
City ShieldQuick mouse aim matters in this missile defense, where you set off blasts to protect six cities.
Questions
How high can the Coil multiplier go?
Up to x4. Each clean catch fills a fifth of a step, so five in a row raises it one level. Letting an orb pop or looping a bomb sends it back to x1.
Why did my Coil run end so fast?
Energy drains 30 for each burst orb or trapped bomb, but each catch only returns a little. A few misses in a row can empty a full bar.
Can I play Coil on a phone?
Yes. Your finger does the steering, and the glowing line appears a bit higher than the point you touch, which keeps it visible past your hand. Landscape gives the field the most space.
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