Duck Game

Duck Game is a cozy grid puzzle about a very busy mother. Guide Mother Duck around pond and park levels, pick up every duckling, and lead the whole line home to the nest. Play Duck Game free online in your browser, with no download or sign-up, on desktop or on your phone. There are 30 handcrafted levels, and each one has been checked by a solver, so every pond can be finished with all three stars.

How to play

The game is turn-based. Each move takes Mother Duck one square up, down, left or right, and nothing else moves until she does.

• Gather the ducklings. Walk into a duckling to pick it up. It tucks in right behind Mother Duck and joins the line.
• The line follows her path exactly. Each duckling steps into the square the one ahead of it just left, like a little parade. Mother Duck can’t walk through her own line, so plan turns with room to spare.
• Bring them home. When Mother Duck reaches the nest, every duckling in her line comes home with her. Get every duckling in the level home to clear it.
• Bread crumbs are for stars. Clearing a level earns one star, and each of the two bread crumbs Mother Duck collects adds another, for a maximum of three.

Pond obstacles

• Lily pads carry the line across deep water, but only once. A pad sinks as soon as the last duckling steps off it, and a sunk pad can’t be crossed again.
• Currents push Mother Duck along the stream until it ends or something blocks her. The ducklings swim the same route behind her.
• Gates stay shut until Mother Duck steps on the round switch. One press opens every gate in the level for good.
• Frogs hop one square per move, back and forth along a fixed lane. A red ring shows where each frog will land next. Mother Duck can’t step onto a frog, and if a frog bumps a duckling, that duckling gets scared and stops, along with every duckling behind it. Walk back into the scared ducklings to collect them again.

Made a wrong turn? Undo takes back one move at a time, and Restart resets the level. Your stars and unlocked levels are saved in your browser, and earning 30 stars unlocks a rubber duck skin for the whole family.

Tips for a perfect pond

• Count the line before a narrow spot. Mother Duck can’t turn back through her own line, so a dead-end corridor is a trap once anyone is following her.
• Collect crumbs first. Reaching the nest with the last duckling ends the level straight away, so grab both crumbs before you head home.
• Cross each lily pad once, with everyone. If you have to come back the same way, take the long route or pick up the ducklings on the far side first.
• Read the frog’s rhythm. Frogs never change their timing, so watch the red ring and walk in a small loop to wait for the right moment. Remember that the ducklings cross the lane one move after Mother Duck does.
• Use currents as shortcuts. A stream can carry the whole line several squares in one move, but you can’t swim against it, so check where it ends before you step in.

FAQ

Is Duck Game free to play?

Yes. It’s completely free with no account and no install. Your progress saves in your browser automatically.

How many levels are there?

Thirty handcrafted levels. The first ones teach the basics, then lily pads, currents, gates and frogs arrive one at a time, and the later ponds mix them together. Each new level unlocks when you clear the one before it.

Is every level solvable?

Yes. Every level was checked by a computer search that explores every reachable position, and each one can be cleared with all three stars.

What happens when a frog scares a duckling?

The duckling the frog bumped, and every duckling behind it in the line, stop where they are. Mother Duck keeps the ones in front. Walk into the scared ducklings to gather them up again.

How do I unlock the rubber duck skin?

Earn 30 stars across all levels. Then use the Skin button to switch between Mother Duck and the rubber duck look whenever you like.

Does it work on a phone or Chromebook?

Yes. It runs in any modern browser. On touch screens, swipe on the board, tap a square next to Mother Duck or use the arrow buttons. On a keyboard, use the arrow keys or WASD, Z to undo and R to restart.

Enjoy pushing puzzles? Try Sokoban, or test your planning on a longer tail in Snake.