Lost City of S
In Lost City of S you make a short top-down trek toward a lost idol hidden at the top of a tall map. You control an explorer in a white sun helmet who must cross jungle, desert and water while wild animals give chase.
The game was built by Markus Fisch for js13k 2024, where the theme was fear of the number thirteen. That shows up as a curse that strikes every thirteen seconds. It works with arrow keys or a touch screen, so you can play it in a browser on a computer or a phone.
How to play Lost City of S
Your only goal is to keep heading north. The ground shifts from soil to sand to shallow water, and each area has its own animals. Gorillas roam the jungle, scorpions creep through a stone maze in the desert, and quick piranhas patrol the lake.
Rocks and boulders stop you, but palms and bushes are just decoration, so you can walk right through them. When an animal catches you, the screen shakes and your energy drops. Run out and the explorer lies down for a couple of seconds, then gets up in the same spot with a few seconds of peace before anything can attack again.
A ring of thirteen dots fills in the top-left corner. When it completes, the curse hits and your steps lurch in random directions for about a second. Step onto the idol at the northern edge to finish the journey.
Controls
| Action | Keyboard | Mouse | Touch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walk | Arrow keys or H, J, K, L | — | Press and slide anywhere for a floating stick |
Tips
- Glance at the dot ring often. Stop moving just before it closes, so the random stumble cannot push you into an animal.
- Walk straight through trees and shrubs. Only the gray rocks actually block the path.
- In the desert, back out of a corridor as soon as it looks like a dead end. Scorpions are slow but tend to sit in narrow spots.
- Cross the lake by the shortest route. Piranhas notice you from a long way off, so there is no point exploring the water.
- After you get back up from a knockdown, use the short attack-free window to push through the busiest stretch.
If you like Lost City of S, try these
Can't Get BackTop-down hunting under pressure links the two, as you search a field that forgets your path while squares chase you.
Escape the CatacombsFinding a way out while monsters close in is shared, with a key to locate on each dim underground floor.
Questions
Can you die in Lost City of S?
No. A worn-out explorer just rests briefly and stands back up where he fell, so your progress north is never lost.
Is the map the same every time?
Yes. The jungle, maze and lake come from a fixed seed, so you can learn a good route and use it on your next visit.
Does Lost City of S have sound?
No. The game is silent and all of its art is drawn as small vector images, which helps it load quickly.
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