Super
Hexagon

Super Hexagon (2012) is a simple but brutally tough rhythm game set in a hexagon arena. Play involves moving your cursor around the walls of the hexagon to avoid incoming shapes, a challenge that is almost impossible due to the complexity and speed of the movement. It stands out for its chiptune music and flowstate vibe that complements the need to use instincts rather than just reactions to survive.

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Your mission is simple: survive one minute by avoiding the lines and shapes that are rapidly closing in on you by moving your cursor from one sector of the screen to another. While this sounds easy, it gets complicated as things speed up. The background is constantly rotating in an attempt to throw you off, and sometimes even changes shape from a hexagon to a pentagon or square, limiting the number of sectors you can move to.

As you progress, you work towards (eventually) surviving one minute. The game has multiple options of what to do next. There are a total of 6 different levels to beat, each one getting progressively harder and having a unique soundtrack that helps you learn the rhythm. Alternatively, you can attempt to set a high score on levels you have already beaten. Levels are infinite but loop back around to the beginning with the screen rotating faster and faster, drastically increasing the difficulty.

This results in a game that is loved for its inscrutable challenge and flowing play loop. It's a hard taskmaster, as epitomised by its insistent "Again" if you die, but that is part of the unique enjoyment.

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Our examiner, Rhys Burtt-Jones, first checked Super Hexagon 6 weeks ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 6 weeks ago.