Cut them off, don't get cut

Two glowing riders race across a printed circuit board and leave solid copper behind them. Touch a trace, a chip or the edge of the board and your current stops. Last one running takes the round, and the board fills up faster than you think.

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Genre: Arena duel
Controls: Touch
Mouse
Keyboard
Devices: Desktop
Tablet
Mobile
Released: 2026

Did you like Snake Duel?

Snake Duel

Snake Duel is a same-screen duel played on a green printed circuit board. Two riders are electrons: they never stop, they only turn ninety degrees, and every cell they cross is plated into a copper trace that stays there for the rest of the round. Run into copper, into one of the black logic chips, into a capacitor can or off the edge of the board and the current dies in a shower of sparks and a puff of smoke. The traces are alive while the round is on — a pulse of light runs back down the copper behind each rider, so you can see at a glance how much of the board is already spoken for.

The pressure comes from the clock. Riders speed up a little every second, so a stand-off in an open corner never lasts; sooner or later somebody has to commit. Components drop into empty pads to change the odds: a battery for three seconds flat out, a fuse that takes your next crash for you, a resistor that slows everybody else down, a capacitor that carries you over one trace, and an eraser chip that wipes the oldest third of your own copper and gives you room to work with again. They always land in mirrored pairs, so both ends of the board get the same chance at them.

There are seven hand-laid boards plus one the game routes on the spot — a bare board, a farm of chips, a maze of dead copper, two halves joined by a single bridge, a bus ring with a gate on each side, two rows of capacitors crossing corner to corner, and a cross of buses through the middle — and a rotation setting that moves you on after every round. Play two at one keyboard, add two computer riders for a party of four, or take on the computer at Easy, Normal or Sharp; Sharp counts the free space behind every turn with a flood fill and will happily wall you into a corner you cannot get out of. On a phone in portrait the board runs up the screen and the second player's turn buttons and scoreboard are upside down, so you can lay the handset flat on a table and sit at opposite ends of it. Pick your colour from six, set the match to three, five or ten rounds, and watch the deciding crash in slow motion.

Tips for Snake Duel

Snake Duel is won by space. Your copper stays for the whole round and everyone speeds up every second, so the open board shrinks quickly. Rather than charging into the middle, think about which area you can claim and how to cut your rival off from it while keeping a way out for yourself. Waiting in an open corner does not work for long, because the rising speed forces someone to commit.

Components always land in mirrored pairs, so your rival has the same chance at each one; go for the one that suits your position. The fuse takes your next crash, the capacitor carries you over one trace, and the eraser chip wipes the oldest third of your own copper, which can rescue you when you are boxed in. The resistor slows everybody else, and the battery gives three seconds flat out, which is enough to close a gap before your rival can. Against the computer, start on Easy or Normal; Sharp counts the free space behind every turn and will wall you into a corner. The bare board is the easiest place to learn.

How to play Snake Duel

In Snake Duel each player steers a glowing rider across a printed circuit board, and every square the rider crosses becomes a copper trace that stays for the rest of the round. The riders never stop and only turn at right angles. Run into copper, your own or your rival's, into a black logic chip or a capacitor can, or off the edge of the board, and your rider is out. The last rider still running takes the round.

Every second the riders speed up a little, so the open board shrinks fast and sooner or later someone has to commit. Components drop onto empty pads in mirrored pairs, so both sides get the same chance at them: a battery gives three seconds flat out, a fuse takes your next crash, a resistor slows everybody else, a capacitor carries you over one trace, and an eraser chip wipes the oldest third of your own copper.

Before the match you pick your colour from six, choose a board and set the match to three, five or ten rounds, and the deciding crash is replayed in slow motion. On a keyboard player one steers with WASD and player two with the arrow keys; playing alone, either set works. On a phone or tablet you tap the arrows on your edge, or either side of your half, to turn. P pauses, M mutes and R starts a rematch.

About Snake Duel

Snake Duel belongs to the light-trail family of games, a two-player twist on the snake idea in which each rider leaves a solid wall behind it and the winner is the one who stays clear the longest. Kiloo made it for one shared screen and set it on a green circuit board, where the trails are copper traces with a pulse of light running back along them.

Snake Duel is above all a game for two people side by side, at one keyboard or at opposite ends of a phone laid flat, and it suits anyone who enjoys quick rounds and outthinking a friend. On your own you can face the computer at Easy, Normal or Sharp, or add two computer riders to a game for two for a party of four. Seven hand-laid boards, from a bare board to a maze of dead copper or two halves joined by a single bridge, plus one the game routes on the spot, keep the rounds from repeating, and a rotation setting moves you to a new board after every round.

Frequently asked questions

Is Snake Duel free to play?

Yes. Snake Duel is free to play in your browser on Kiloo. There is nothing to download and no account to create. Choose your colour and board, set the number of rounds and start the duel.

Can I play Snake Duel on my phone?

Yes. On a phone or tablet you tap the arrows on your edge, or either side of your half, to turn. In portrait the board runs up the screen and the second player's buttons and scoreboard face the other way, so two people can share one handset laid flat.

Can I play Snake Duel against the computer?

Yes. You can take on one computer rider at Easy, Normal or Sharp, or add two computer riders to a game for two for a party of four. Sharp uses a flood fill to count the free space behind each turn, so it is very good at trapping you.

How long is a match in Snake Duel?

You set a match to three, five or ten rounds, and the last rider still running takes each round. There are seven hand-laid boards plus one the game routes on the spot, and a rotation setting moves you to a new board after every round.

What are the rules of Snake Duel?

Each rider moves on its own and leaves a copper trace behind it. Touching any copper, a chip, a capacitor can or the edge of the board ends your run, and the last rider still running takes the round. Riders speed up every second, so rounds never drag on.

Can four riders play Snake Duel at once?

Yes. In a game for two you can add two computer riders, so four riders share the board. The two players steer with WASD and the arrow keys as usual, while the computer riders take the other two places and make the board fill up even faster.