Pocket Games
Knives
A wooden log that spins, ten knives to throw, no time limit. The only obstacle in the level is the one you build: every knife you land stays there and narrows the space for the next one.
How it works
A wooden log spins in front of you. You tap the screen and throw a knife: if it hits bare wood it sticks; if it hits a knife already there, the run ends and the level restarts.
You play through levels, and each one asks you to land every knife you are given. As the levels climb, three things change:
- more knives to land, up to ten;
- knives already in the log at the start, from level three onwards: part of the target is taken before you have thrown anything;
- faster and nastier rotation.
The record saved is the highest level you have reached. On a computer you throw with the space bar.
The three ways the log spins
Recognising the type of rotation is half the game, because each one needs different timing.
Constant. It always turns the same way at the same speed. This is the easy case: find the rhythm and throw at regular intervals.
Reversing. Every so often the direction flips instantly. The dangerous moment is the flip itself: a knife thrown then arrives somewhere you did not expect. Throw in the middle of a phase, never near the change.
Oscillating. The log swings back and forth like a pendulum, slowing at the extremes. And the extremes are the opportunity: at the instant it reverses it is almost stationary for a fraction of a second, and that is the safe throw.
How to play well
Do not aim at the gap, aim at the rotation. The knife takes a moment to arrive: you have to throw when the free space is not in front of you yet, but on its way. The right lead is always the same for a given speed, and you learn it in two attempts.
Throw early, while there is room. The most common mistake is waiting for "the perfect position" while the log is still nearly empty. The gap will never be bigger than it is now: the hard throws have to be left until the end anyway, but the easy ones should be taken straight away.
Watch the knife in front, not the one behind. With a full log the bare wood is narrow: you judge it by watching the knife about to leave the scene, which marks exactly where the gap starts.
A steady rhythm beats hurrying. Throwing two knives quickly in a row works while the log is empty and then stops working. One throw per revolution, calmly, is safer and costs nothing: there is no time limit.
The levels repeat exactly
Every level is generated from its own number, which means level 12 always has the same rotation pattern and the same starting knives, for everyone, forever. That is deliberate: it means a level that blocks you can be studied, and that your record is comparable with anyone else’s.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I hit another knife?
The level ends and restarts from that level, not from the first. Progress is not lost.
How many knives are there per level?
They grow with the level, up to a maximum of ten in the log. From level three onwards, some of those slots are already taken at the start.
Is there a time limit?
No. You can wait as long as you like before every throw, and on the hard levels you should.
Does the game end?
No, levels keep being generated. The game is the record: how far you get.
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