How to play
Your surfer rides down the screen and keeps getting faster. Steer around rocks, buoys, driftwood, and islands: each crash costs a life and stops you for a moment. Jellyfish slow you down and whirlpools drag you off course.
Your board has five directions. Straight down is fastest, and the more sideways you ride, the slower you go. In Endless, a giant wave starts chasing you after 15 seconds. If it catches you, the run is over.
Hit a wave ramp to fly over everything for a second. Turn while you're in the air to spin, and each trick scores bonus points when you land. Grab hearts for extra lives, energy cans to refill your boost, and shield bubbles to shrug off a crash.
Controls
Keyboard
- ← → or A D to turn (tap for one step, hold to keep turning)
- Space or ↓ to boost (uses energy)
- ↑ to slow down
- P to pause
Touch
- Hold the left or right half of the screen to turn.
- Hold both sides to boost.
- Or use the ←, Boost, and → buttons.
Game modes
- Endless: ride as far as you can while the sea changes from sunny water to reefs, storms, and glowing night waves.
- Time Trial: three 1,500 m courses with a gate every 100 m. Each missed gate adds 3 seconds. No wave, no lives.
- Levels: 24 hand-checked courses across four seas. Follow the trail of shells for three stars. From Level 3 on, a halfway flag lets you restart mid-course.
- 2 Players: race a friend on one keyboard or one phone. Same sea, same wave, last rider standing wins.
FAQ
- Is Swell Rider free?
- Yes. It runs right in your browser, with nothing to download or install.
- Does it work on phones?
- Yes. Hold the left or right half of the screen to turn, and hold both to boost. There are on-screen buttons too.
- Can two people play on one computer?
- Yes. Pick "2 Players": Red turns with A and D and boosts with W, Blue uses the arrow keys. On a phone, turn it sideways and each hold one end.
- How do I get away from the wave?
- Point your board straight down, since riding sideways is slow, and save your energy for a boost when the wave gets close. Every crash stops you for a moment and lets it catch up.
- How do I unlock new riders?
- Collect shells in Endless and Levels, and earn stars in Levels. Riders unlock at milestones and only change your look.
- Is my progress saved?
- Your records, level stars, and riders are saved in your browser on this device.