The snake game: rules, history and Google Snake

Snake is the game where you steer a line that grows every time it eats, and you lose if it hits a wall or itself. It became famous on Nokia phones in 1997, starting with the Nokia 6110. Google has its own version you can open from search.

Where Snake came from

1976, Blockade. An arcade game by Gremlin where two players leave trails and try not to crash. The idea starts here.
1997, Nokia. Taneli Armanto programmed Snake for the Nokia 6110, and it ended up on hundreds of millions of phones.
Today. Snake lives on in Google's version and in .io arenas like Slither.io, where many snakes share one map.

Famous versions

Snake II (2000). The version on the Nokia 3310. Many people remember this one.
Snake Xenzia. A later Nokia version with levels and mazes, on many Nokia phones of the 2000s.
Slither.io (2016). Steve Howse's online arena where many players' snakes share one map. Big snakes drop food when they crash.
Google Snake. The free version in Google search, with apples, settings and extra modes.

How to play Google Snake

Search Google for 'snake game' or 'play snake' and press Play on the result. Steer with the arrow keys or by swiping. The settings let you change the speed, the map size, the number of apples and the look of the snake, and some modes add walls or extra twists.

The goal is the same as on the Nokia: eat, grow, and do not run into yourself. Fill the whole board and you win.

Tips for longer snakes

Hug the edges early. Move in wide loops around the board so your tail never blocks your way back.
Think in lanes. Late in a run, zigzag across the board in rows. It is slow but safe.
Leave yourself a gap. Before you grab an apple, check you can get back out.

Play it on Roam

Make your own snake twist with Roam

Roam is a free iPhone app. Describe what your snake eats, what the board looks like and who else is on it, and play it. Roam is rated 13+ on the App Store.

Try: "snake game in a kitchen, eat sushi to grow, my friend's snake shares the board, the walls move every 30 seconds"

Create it with Roam Pre-register on Android See Roam

Roam ("Roam - Make Games" on the App Store) is an iPhone app where you play games and make your own by describing them or from a photo. It is free to download and play, and making games works without a subscription; optional Spark and Reality plans and credit packs add more creation. Android: pre-register on Google Play.

Questions people ask

How do I play Google's Snake game?

Search Google for 'snake game' and press Play. It works on desktop and phone.

Who made the original Snake?

The idea comes from the 1976 arcade game Blockade. Nokia's famous version was programmed by Taneli Armanto in 1997.