Stack Master

The pitch

Stack master is a minimalistic, endless stacking game where your goal is to build the tower as high as possible by perfectly aligning moving blocks. The graphics are simple and clean, focusing on smooth gameplay without distractions. You compete globally for the highest score (tower height) on leaderboards.

Controls & how it runs

When you start, a block (or “slice”) begins sliding horizontally across the screen at some height. You tap the screen (or tap a control) to drop the moving block onto the block beneath it. The better the alignment with the block below, the more of the block remains. If part of the block overhangs, the overhanging part is cut off. If you drop with a slight misalignment, the excess portion is cut away and removed, making your next block smaller. If your misalignment is very poor (i.e. almost no overlap), you might lose the block entirely, ending the game. Each successful drop continues the tower upward. The goal is to stack as many as possible, reaching the highest possible height (score). As the tower gets higher, it becomes more challenging. The blocks may move faster or require more precision. (This is common in stacking games of this type.)

Getting a run going takes exactly one press: Press start, up top, and the game boots inside this page — nothing downloads in the background and no form wants your details before the first jump. The cabinet is drawn for a portrait (upright) screen and listens to mouse, keyboard or touch, whichever the game prefers. This cabinet stands tall: it was built for portrait screens, so a phone held upright gives it the frame it wants — though it will squeeze politely into any window. Given a fullscreen button, use it — scores look better at full size, that's just science.

Stack Master — quick-fire questions

Does Stack Master cost anything to play?

Not a token. The cabinet is free from the first run to the five-hundredth — no wallet, no sign-up, no toll booth hiding three levels in. The adverts around the page are what keep the floor's lights on.

What sort of game is Stack Master?

It stands on our Blocks row — that's the family it plays most like. The pitch above is the publisher's own rundown of what it throws at you and what it hands back.

Can I play Stack Master on my phone?

Happily, yes. It runs inside the browser on phones and tablets the same way it does on a computer. This cabinet stands tall: it was built for portrait screens, so a phone held upright gives it the frame it wants — though it will squeeze politely into any window.

Do I need to install anything first?

Nothing whatsoever. Stack Master is an HTML5 game: hit the start button and it boots on this page, and shutting the tab sweeps the cabinet clean behind you.

Before you wander off

Personal best banked, or still chasing it? Either way the full Blocks row is powered on and waiting — Thirteen block cabinets: stack them, blast them, balance them, knock the whole tower down and call it research. Gravity always gets the final say.