Editorials

Splix.io: The New Snake

Splix.io is yet another multiplayer game in the .io realm. Thankfully, it stands apart from the rest. Today, we’re going to thoroughly examine why this multiplayer Snake-style game is so fun to play.

Basic Goods

In order for a game to achieve widespread success, it must appeal to a broad audience. Big hits like Flappy Bird, Crossy Road, and Pokémon GO are all incredibly simple. There are no abstract concepts to understand, complex controls to learn, or convoluted storylines. Splix.io is much like these worldwide phenomena. The concept is easy to grasp: slither across the arena and capture as much territory as possible. The controls are basic: press the arrow keys or WASD to move. The storyline is non-existent: from the moment the game starts until it ends, you don’t have to read a single bit of dialogue.

The Interface

The title screen in Splix.io is very to-the-point. You can enter a username and click the “Join” button to start playing instantly. To learn more about the game, simply heed the advice of the two blinking sentences (“Don’t get hit by other players” and “Close an area to fill it with your color”). The bottom half of the title screen plays a looping animation of what gameplay looks like. It illustrates exactly what happens when getting hit by other players and closing areas of the grid. Even though this tutorial isn’t interactive, it’s enough to teach all you need to know before starting.

splix1-screen

The Action

Splix.io feels much more controlled than other .io games in its class. There aren’t any eye-catching explosions, frenetic movements, or rapid-fire attacks from all angles. Instead, it feels like you’re playing a game of Snake with other people at the same time. And that’s essentially what’s happening. In Splix.io, instead of eating food, your snake must capture territory. Any blocks on the grid are eligible, from free spaces to other players’ controlled areas. Each snake moves at the exact same speed, and there are no power-ups or modifiers to get in the way of this steady action.

Deciding when and how to attack will determine your success in Splix.io. When casually crawling through an unpopulated area of the board, it’s easy to stretch out and acquire large pieces of territory. In cluttered sections, choosing to capture one extra block could end your game.

Your marked area doubles as a safe zone. If there are too many looming opponents, you can always stay within your territory to avoid being hit. However, if you spend too much time playing defensively, others can capture pieces of your zone. Slither away from your own borders enough to keep capturing new areas, and you will score.

Keeping Track

Splix.io has plenty of leaderboards. During the game, you can always check the Top 10 to see whose scores you must beat. Before or after a game, you can view the daily leaderboards to learn about the top performers in five categories. Spending too much time viewing the top scorers can be detrimental. Really, you should start playing Splix.io right now.