Subway Surfers

What it is

Subway Surfers is the endless runner where you sprint along train tracks, dodging trains and barriers, collecting coins and outrunning a security guard. This is the browser version, hosted on Poki, so the game people know from their phones runs in a tab on a laptop, with desktop and phone controls.

How to play

The run starts on its own. Move left and right between the tracks with the arrow keys, jump with Up, roll with Down, and press Space to use a hoverboard, which saves you from one crash. On a phone it is swipes, and a double tap for the hoverboard. Coins line the tracks and buy characters and hoverboards. Power-ups appear on the track: a jetpack, super sneakers, a coin magnet and a score multiplier. Around half a minute in, the speed jumps and the real run begins.

What makes it different

The controls are three buttons and the game is still hard. A late move is a crash, and the crash sends you straight back in, which is the loop that keeps people playing. Behind the run is a whole economy of missions, a daily letter hunt, mystery boxes and awards, which is why people who have played for years still play.

Why it is on Bored

A good browser version is the difference between a two-minute break and a download, and this one runs in a tab with nothing installed. Expect a short video ad before the game starts, and an optional account if you want your progress to follow you.

Tips

• Roll rather than jump when you are unsure, it keeps you on the ground for the next move
• Keep the hoverboard for when the speed jumps, not the first minute
• Coins in a fast lane are how good runs end, leave them
• Spell out the daily Word Hunt letters, it runs every day

FAQ