Retro mode
Nokia Snake Game Online
The old snake game you remember from the Nokia 6110 and 3310, now on a green LCD screen in your browser. Same grid, same 90° turns, and the same "one more go" feeling.
- Retro LCD look with blocky pixels
- Walls (original) or no walls (Snake II style)
- Speeds up every 5 foods
- Best score saved on your device
What was Nokia Snake?
Nokia Snake is the mobile version of the snake game that Nokia engineer Taneli Armanto made for the Nokia 6110 in 1997–98. You steer a line of pixels to eat dots, and it grows each time. Crashing into the wall or your own body ends the game.
Snake wasn't new. The idea goes back to the 1976 arcade game Blockade. But Nokia put it in millions of pockets. Phones then had tiny monochrome screens and a number pad, so the game had to be simple. That's why it still works today: you understand it in five seconds and keep improving for years.
Around 2000 the Nokia 3310 shipped Snake II, which added mazes and bonus "bugs". On some levels the snake could pass through one edge of the screen and come out the other. You can play both styles here: leave Walls on for the original, or switch to No walls for the wrap-around version.
Snake, Snake II and Snake Xenzia: the Nokia versions
- Snake (1997–98): the original snake game on the Nokia 6110. One dot at a time, and a wall around the screen.
- Snake II (2000): the version on the Nokia 3310, with mazes, bonus bugs and open edges on some levels.
- Snake Xenzia: a later version with more colour and mazes, preinstalled on many budget Nokia phones in the 2000s.
- Snake on the 2017 Nokia 3310: the remake of the 3310 came with a new colour version of Snake.
This page recreates the feel of the first two: a monochrome LCD look, grid movement, and a choice between walls and wrap-around edges.
How this version matches the original
- Grid movement: the snake moves one cell per step and turns at sharp 90° angles.
- One food at a time: eat it to grow by one segment and score 10 points.
- Rising speed: every 5 foods the level goes up and the snake steps 10 ms faster.
- Phone-friendly controls: swipe or tap the arrow buttons. On a keyboard, use the arrow keys or WASD instead of the old 2-4-6-8 keys.
- Things the phone couldn't do: a bigger, sharper board, pause on Space, and a separate best score for each walls/speed setting.
Nokia snake vs. modern snake games
| Nokia Snake (1997) | PlaySnake Nokia mode | |
|---|---|---|
| Screen | 84 × 48 pixel monochrome LCD | Square 20 × 20 board that scales to your screen |
| Controls | Number keys 2, 4, 6, 8 | Arrow keys, WASD, swipe or on-screen buttons |
| Edges | Walls | Walls or no walls (your choice) |
| High score | Saved on the phone | Saved in your browser |
Want to know what came before and after Nokia? Read the history of the snake game, or get better at it with our snake tips.
Nokia snake FAQ
Who made the original Nokia snake game?
Nokia engineer Taneli Armanto programmed Snake for the Nokia 6110, which came out in 1997–98. Snake was later preinstalled on hundreds of millions of Nokia phones.
Was Nokia the first snake game?
No. The idea goes back to the 1976 arcade game Blockade by Gremlin. Nokia made it famous by putting it on a phone almost everyone carried.
Did Nokia snake have walls?
The first version ended the game at the edge of the screen. Later versions such as Snake II on the Nokia 3310 added mazes and levels where the snake could pass through one edge and come out the other. On this page you can pick either with the Walls / No walls switch.
What is Snake Xenzia?
Snake Xenzia is a later version of Nokia's snake game, found on many budget Nokia phones in the 2000s, with mazes and more colour than the 1997 original.
Can I play Nokia snake on my phone?
Yes. This page works in any mobile browser. Swipe on the screen or use the arrow buttons under it.