How to Play Coreball
Coreball is easy to learn and hard to master. You do not need an account or a download — just open the page, press Play, and shoot.
The Goal
Attach the required number of pins to the rotating core without letting a new pin touch any pin that is already attached. If you touch one, the game is over and you can retry the same level instantly.
Controls
- Mouse: click anywhere on the game area to shoot.
- Touch: tap the game area on your phone or tablet to shoot.
- Keyboard: press Space or Enter to shoot.
- Sound: use the Sound button to toggle generated sound effects on or off.
- Levels: open the level selector to replay any unlocked level.
Step by Step
- Press Play to start Level 1. The core begins rotating with a set speed and direction.
- Look at the core and find the widest open gap between the pins already attached.
- Tap the screen, click the mouse, or press Space to fire one pin from the bottom toward the core.
- Repeat until you have attached all the required pins for the level.
- Clear the level to unlock the next one, or retry if your pin touches an existing pin.
How Collisions and Attachment Work
The projectile travels from the bottom of the screen toward the center of the core. When its head reaches the core, it attaches at the angle you chose and starts rotating with the core. If its head or shaft touches an existing pin first, the run fails.
The game uses real angle, rotation, and collision calculations rather than a scripted animation, so the timing you see is the timing you get. Each level is generated deterministically, which means Level 27 always has the same layout every time you play it.
Levels and Progress
The first release has 500 levels. Every level starts with a few pins already inserted — Level 1 has two. Early levels are slow and spacious, then speed, direction changes, more pre-inserted pins, and denser patterns ramp up gradually. Your progress is saved locally in your browser and you can continue from your highest unlocked level.
Mobile Play
The game is designed for both iPhone Safari and Android Chrome. The canvas resizes to your screen, touch targets are large, and the page does not scroll horizontally while you play.