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.
On Pocket Games
To throw, tap anywhere in the play area; on a computer use the space bar or Enter. A knife takes 0.13 seconds to arrive, and landing within about 11 degrees of another knife counts as a hit.
This is how the levels grow. "Knives in the log" means how many are there once the level is cleared, the ones already stuck plus yours; you always get at least two to throw.
| Level | Knives in the log | Already stuck at the start | Rotation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | none | constant |
| 2 | 6 | none | constant |
| 3–5 | 7 to 9 | from 0 up to the level number | constant, reversing or oscillating |
| 6 and up | 10 | from 0 up to the level number, 8 at most | constant, reversing or oscillating |
Speed rises with the level up to a cap. From level three, constant rotation comes up in 44% of levels and drops by two points per level down to 15%; reversing stays at 30%, and the rest oscillate.
- Restart, in the menu, replays the current level from scratch: same pattern, same starting knives.
- Leaving halfway loses nothing once you have landed at least one knife: the start screen shows Continue (level N), with your knives where you left them. That save stays on the device.
- The record is the highest level reached, and Play always starts from there. With a Google account it syncs when you leave the game; across two devices the higher level wins.
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 you retry it exactly as it was: same rotation, same starting knives. You do not drop back to level one and your record does not go down.
Is there a time limit?
No. You can wait as long as you like before every throw, and on the hard levels you should.
Can I leave a level halfway?
Yes, once you have landed at least one knife: when you leave, the level is saved with your knives where you put them, and Continue picks it up. If you leave before the first throw there is nothing to save, and Play starts from your highest level anyway.
Does my record survive a change of phone?
Yes, if you play with a Google account: your highest level is saved to the account when you leave the game, and you find it on the other device. As a guest it stays on the device. A level left halfway does not travel: it stays on the device you played it on.
Does the game end?
No, levels keep being generated. The game is the record: how far you get.
More games to try
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