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How to play Whack-a-Critter
Whack-a-Critter is a fast reflex game on a sunny farm. Nine burrows, and critters popping out of them: brown moles for 10 points, quick gophers for 20 and rare golden critters for 60 plus a little extra time. Tap, click or press a key to bring the mallet down before they dive back.
Every round lasts 30 seconds and has a score target. Reach it to move on to the next round, where critters pop up faster and stay up for less time, more of them are out at once and more bombs are mixed in. A bomb costs a heart and 20 points, so look before you swing. A clean streak of hits builds a combo multiplier up to x4, and every 15 hits in a row wins a heart back.
You have three hearts. Lose them all, or miss the target of a round, and the run is over. Watch an optional video to carry on once with two hearts. Your best score and best round are saved on your device.
Controls
Mouse: click a burrow. Keyboard: 1 to 9 like a number pad (7 8 9 on the top row), or Q W E / A S D / Z X C. P or Esc: pause. M: sound on or off.
Tap a burrow to whack the critter in it. The pause and sound buttons are at the top right.
FAQ
What does a bomb do?
Hitting a bomb costs one of your three hearts and 20 points and breaks your combo. Leave bombs alone and they sink back into the burrow without any penalty.
How does the combo work?
Every consecutive whack raises the combo: x2 points from 5 in a row, x3 from 10 and x4 from 15. A swing at an empty burrow or a critter that gets away resets it. Every 15 hits in a row also win a heart back.
How do I pass a round?
Reach the score target shown in the bar at the top within 30 seconds. Golden critters add a little time. Each round the target is higher and the critters are quicker.
Can I play with the keyboard?
Yes. The nine burrows map to the number keys like a number pad (7 8 9 on the top row), or to Q W E, A S D and Z X C.
Is Whack-a-Critter free?
Yes. It is free to play in your browser, with no download and no account.
Can I play on my phone?
Yes. It runs on phones, tablets and computers. Tap a burrow to whack the critter in it. The pause and sound buttons are at the top right.