Boaty McBoatface
How to play Boaty McBoatface
The original: Flappy Bird by Dong Nguyen (2013). Boaty McBoatface is our own game in that style, not affiliated with .GEARS.
Boaty McBoatface is a Flappy Bird-style game that swaps the bird for a little yellow research submarine. Tap to give Boaty a nudge upward, let go and it sinks, and thread it through the gaps in the reef. Every gate you pass is a point. Touch the rock, break the surface or hit the seabed and the expedition is over. Like the game that started the genre it takes a second to learn, a run lasts seconds, and one more try is always on the table.
Controls
- Space, ↑ or W, or a tap or click anywhere on the water — boost. Each press is one nudge upward. Holding does nothing extra, so tap again.
- P — pause (the game also pauses when you switch tabs). R — restart. M — sound. Expand fills the screen.
Scoring
- One point for every reef gate you clear.
- The reef speeds up and the gaps tighten over the first 24 gates, then hold steady. Watch for bigger climbs and dives between openings.
- Your best run saves in this browser and goes on the public leaderboard under your first name.
Tips
- Short, steady taps. A burst of presses sends Boaty straight to the surface. A rhythm of single taps keeps it level.
- Look at the next gate, not the sub. Aim for the middle of the gap and start adjusting the moment the previous reef passes.
- Sinking is free. When the next gap is lower, stop tapping and let gravity take Boaty down.
- Mind the surface. A high gate is the easiest place to pop out of the water by accident. The top of the screen ends a run just like the reef does.
Frequently asked
Is this Flappy Bird? It is the same idea with a submarine: one button, gravity and a row of gates to slip through. We built Boaty McBoatface ourselves. Flappy Bird itself left the app stores in 2014, and this is a free way to play that style of game in a browser.
Why is it called Boaty McBoatface? In 2016 the UK's Natural Environment Research Council asked the public to name a new polar research ship, and Boaty McBoatface won by a mile. The ship became the RRS Sir David Attenborough, and the name went to one of its robot submarines instead. Our little yellow sub keeps it.
Does it work on a phone? Yes. Tap the water to rise. The game scales to fit any screen, and Expand fills it.
Does my high score save? Yes. Your best run saves in this browser and also goes on the public leaderboard under your first name. You can change your name on your profile.
Is Boaty McBoatface free? Yes. No signup, no downloads, no installs.