Classic snake (walls)
The original rules on a 20 × 20 grid. The edge of the board ends the run, so every turn near a wall matters.
Play classicFree · No download · No sign-up
Play the Classic Snake Game Online
The old snake game you remember, free in your browser. Eat the apples, grow longer, and don't crash into the walls or your own tail. Tap Play to start or press Space.
- Walls or no-walls mode, three speeds
- Keyboard, swipe or on-screen arrows
- Best score saved in your browser
- 🤖 Watch the AI play, then take over
- Works offline after your first visit
Snake game modes
One snake game, five ways to play. All of them are free and run in the browser tab you're already in.
No-walls snake
Choose No walls above the board. The snake wraps from one edge to the other, like the open levels of later Nokia snake games.
Switch to no wallsSnake IO
Free 360° movement against 12 AI snakes, with boost, five power-ups, combos and unlockable skins.
Play snake io → Local multiplayer2 player snake
Two snakes, one keyboard. WASD against the arrow keys. The first player to crash loses.
Play 2 player → RetroNokia snake
The same game on a green-and-black LCD screen, inspired by the snake that came on Nokia phones in the late 1990s.
Play Nokia snake → SimpleFull screen snake
A simple, no-frills version that fills your whole screen with one tap. Light enough for any Chromebook.
Play full screen →How to play snake
The snake game is a classic arcade game where you steer a growing snake around a grid. Each apple adds one segment and 10 points. The game ends when the snake's head hits a wall (in walls mode) or any part of its own body.
01
Start
Press Space, Enter or an arrow key, or tap Play.
02
Steer
Use the arrow keys or WASD. On touch screens, swipe on the board or use the arrow buttons.
03
Eat apples
Each apple gives +10 points and one more segment. Every 5 apples you level up and the snake speeds up.
04
Survive
Don't hit your own tail, or the edge if walls are on. Space or P pauses the game.
Game settings at a glance
The exact numbers behind the classic game, so you know what you're playing.
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Board | 20 × 20 grid (400 cells). The snake starts 3 cells long, moving right. |
| Walls | Hitting the edge ends the game. |
| No walls | The snake wraps to the opposite edge. Only your own tail can stop you. |
| Speed | Slow 190 ms, Normal 140 ms, Fast 100 ms per step at level 1. |
| Levels | +1 level every 5 foods, each 10 ms faster, down to a minimum of 55 ms per step. |
| Score | +10 per food. A perfect game is 3,970 points. |
| Best score | Saved in your browser, separately for each walls/speed combination. |
Three tips for a higher score
🧭
Play from the middle
Early on, stay away from the walls so you always have a way out after you eat.
🔁
Follow your tail
The cell your tail is leaving is always safe next step. When you're boxed in, chase it.
〰️
Zigzag when long
Sweep the board in tight back-and-forth rows so your body never cuts the board in two.
Snake game FAQ
How do you play the classic snake game?
Press Space or the Play button, then steer with the arrow keys or WASD. On a phone, swipe on the board or use the arrow buttons. Eat the apples to grow, and don't hit the walls or your own tail.
Is PlaySnake free?
Yes. Every mode is free. There is no download, no account and no paywall.
Can I play snake on my phone or tablet?
Yes. The board resizes to your screen, and you can swipe anywhere on it or use the on-screen arrow buttons. It works in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge and Samsung Internet.
What is the difference between walls and no walls?
With walls, touching the edge of the board ends the game. With no walls, the snake wraps around and comes out of the opposite edge, so only your own tail can stop you.
How fast does the snake get?
You level up every 5 foods, and each level makes the snake step 10 ms faster. Slow starts at 190 ms per step, Normal at 140 ms and Fast at 100 ms. The fastest possible speed is 55 ms per step.
How are high scores saved?
Your best score is stored in your browser (localStorage), separately for each combination of walls and speed. Nothing is uploaded. Clearing your browser data resets it.
Can two people play snake on one computer?
Yes. Open 2 player snake. Player 1 uses WASD, Player 2 uses the arrow keys, and the first snake to crash loses.
What is the highest possible score?
The board is 20 × 20 = 400 cells and the snake starts 3 cells long, so a perfect game eats 397 apples for 3,970 points. See snake world records for other versions.
Can I watch an AI play snake?
Yes. Tap 🤖 Watch AI play on the start screen. The AI finds the shortest safe path to each apple and checks it can still reach its own tail afterwards. Press any arrow key or swipe to take over. AI runs never count as your best score.
Can I download the snake game or play offline?
There is nothing to download. After your first visit the game also works offline, and in Chrome or Edge you can install it as an app with the Install button or the browser menu.
More about snake
History of the snake game
From the 1976 arcade game Blockade to Nokia phones and today's io games.
Read the history →Games like Slither.io
Free snake io games to try, including our own arena mode.
See the list →Snake world records
Google Snake speedrun records, the highest possible score and how a perfect game works.
See the records →How to beat snake
The tail-chasing and zigzag patterns that lead to a perfect game.
Get better →Make a snake game in JavaScript
Free, commented source code for a complete snake game in about 100 lines.
Read the tutorial →Challenge a friend
Send them the link and see who can get the higher score on Fast with walls on.