A whack-a-mole game with demons
Demon Whack is a free whack-a-mole style game that runs in your browser. Nine holes, thirty seconds, and demons popping up at random. Tap them before they duck back down, and leave the angels alone.
It is a reflex game with one rule that catches everyone out: wild swinging is punished. Swing at an empty hole and you lose your combo, so the best scores come from patience and clean, quick hits.
How to play Demon Whack
- The round starts as soon as the game opens, with 30 seconds on the clock. The first mole shows up after about a third of a second.
- Hit the demons (red) by clicking, tapping, or pressing a number key.
- Do not hit the angels (light blue, with a ring above the head). An angel costs you 75 points and 1.5 seconds.
- Hit the gold halos for 250 points and 2 extra seconds.
- When time runs out the round ends. Press Enter or Space, or tap, to go again.
Controls
- Mouse or touch: click or tap a hole. The hit counts the moment you press, not when you let go.
- Keyboard: keys 1 to 9, one per hole: 1 2 3 on the top row, 4 5 6 in the middle, 7 8 9 at the bottom. Each hole has its number on screen.
- P pauses, Enter or Space (or a tap) starts a new round, Esc goes back to the game list.
Scoring and rules
A demon is worth 100 points at the start of a combo. Every demon you hit within 2.4 seconds of the previous one raises the multiplier by 0.2, so the points go 100, 120, 140 and on up to 300 per demon from the eleventh hit in a row.
A gold halo gives 250 points and two seconds (the clock never goes above the 30 you start with), and it does not break your combo. An angel costs 75 points, 1.5 seconds and your combo; your score never drops below zero. Swinging at an empty hole, at a mole you already hit, or outside the holes costs nothing except the combo.
The round speeds up as it goes: the gap between moles shrinks from about two thirds of a second to roughly 0.4 seconds by the end. About 60 percent of the moles are demons, 26 percent angels and 14 percent gold halos.
Tips to score higher
- Wait for a mole before you swing. An empty swing resets the combo, and a long combo makes each demon worth up to three times more.
- Take gold whenever it appears. It never breaks your combo and it is worth 250.
- If you cannot tell what has popped up, skip it. Ignoring a mole costs nothing, while an angel costs points, time and your combo.
- Keep the chain going: you need a new demon hit every 2.4 seconds or the multiplier drops back to the start.
- Gold is worth more for its time late in the round. Early on the extra 2 seconds is capped at 30, so only the points count.
Questions
- How long is a round?
- Thirty seconds, plus two for each gold halo you hit (never above 30 on the clock) and minus 1.5 for each angel.
- Does pausing help?
- Pausing stops the clock and stops new moles from appearing, but the ones already on screen keep leaving.
- Can I play Demon Whack on my phone?
- Yes. Tap the holes. Your best score is saved in your browser.