Ladder Rush Race

Ladder Rush Race is a race where the interesting decision is not how fast you run but when you build. Your character sprints along a colourful track against a rival, and the pieces you collect along the way can be spent on ladders — short cuts upward that can win the race or waste your supply entirely.

How to play

Press the screen to start; after that your character moves automatically. Coloured pieces are collected as you pass them, and holding the mouse button (or your finger) spends them to build a ladder in front of you. Release, and the building stops where it is.

That single mechanic creates the whole game. A ladder that clears a wall is a lead; a ladder built three metres early is a pile of missing pieces when you meet the shortcut that actually mattered. Meanwhile your rival is doing the same thing, and traps and speed boosts change the arithmetic again. With thirty levels of tracks, obstacles and climbs, each one finds a new way to ask whether this is the moment to spend.

Racing smart

• Short bursts, not long holds. A controlled ladder is one you can stop.
• Keep a reserve. The last stretch usually offers the shortcut that decides the race.
• Track the rival, not the timer. Whether a shortcut is worth building depends on the gap.
• Take every boost. They cost nothing and a race is usually decided by a handful of metres.

Who it is for

This is for players who like auto-runners with a decision in them rather than pure reaction. The controls are one button, the levels are quick, and the competition against a rival makes every ladder a judgement call instead of a formality.