One button parkour

September 1, 2009 1:57 PM

You ran 245m before hitting a wall and tumbling to your death. Canabalt is a one button, randomly generated parkour game. (via)

Canabalt was created using flixel, an actionscript library for making awesome webgames (previously). Flixel was also used to make Wonder Bounce, a game based upon jumping upon the heads of enemies.

posted by America (61 comments total)

Dear America,

Don't invade me, bro!
posted by Mister_A at 2:00 PM on September 1, 2009 [1 favorite]

This is pretty cool.
posted by roll truck roll at 2:14 PM on September 1, 2009

> 3k yipee
posted by lucasks at 2:14 PM on September 1, 2009

This is surprisingly fun, considering it's one button.
posted by shakespeherian at 2:15 PM on September 1, 2009

That's a nice bit of work, yeah. I managed to inch past 3000 meters and I think that's enough for now, the parallax is fucking with me and I'm forgetting to blink.

Now if we could just find some way to combine this with QWOP, we'd have the perfect running game.
posted by cortex at 2:16 PM on September 1, 2009 [6 favorites]

Ah...simplicity at its finest. Anyone get higher than 3200?
posted by fleetwoodmeta at 2:16 PM on September 1, 2009

Don't invade me, bro!

Just to let you know, I thought that joke was terrible. And I'm someone who named his account America :).
posted by America at 2:18 PM on September 1, 2009

Tesla?
posted by boo_radley at 2:25 PM on September 1, 2009

see also dinorun.
posted by boo_radley at 2:28 PM on September 1, 2009 [3 favorites]

That's surprisingly fun for such a simple concept. Thanks!
posted by Brak at 2:29 PM on September 1, 2009

America, I gave it everything and now I'm nothing.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 2:32 PM on September 1, 2009

very fun. i got above 2800 before i got the parallax eyes
posted by ubermuffin at 2:32 PM on September 1, 2009

In the dark future of Dinorun there is only war.
posted by egypturnash at 2:33 PM on September 1, 2009 [3 favorites]

I thought this was going to be someone whining about how the latest Prince of Persia was too easy.
posted by straight at 2:39 PM on September 1, 2009

Tesla?

Yep. I didn't change my account before posting.
posted by The Devil Tesla at 2:40 PM on September 1, 2009

3658 after a few tries, pretty fun. Run into obstacles to slow yourself down.
posted by knave at 2:53 PM on September 1, 2009

1566 Meters, Hit Wall, Dead.

The really fast scrolling hurts my eyes, but it's fun.
posted by Askiba at 3:01 PM on September 1, 2009

I don't know why this is so awesome but it is.
posted by six-or-six-thirty at 3:07 PM on September 1, 2009

Much more fun than I would have imagined.

Related: Mirror's Edge 2D
posted by SpiffyRob at 3:22 PM on September 1, 2009 [2 favorites]

I don't know why this is so awesome but it is.

I think it has something to do with the awesome giant robots in the background.
posted by knave at 3:29 PM on September 1, 2009

This is the greatest one button game ever made.
posted by the dief at 3:31 PM on September 1, 2009

Sorta reminds me of this from years ago.

Canabalt kinda gave me a headache.
posted by afx237vi at 3:34 PM on September 1, 2009

You ran 7382m before turning into a fine mist.

Hell yea.
posted by The Devil Tesla at 3:40 PM on September 1, 2009

3450+ on my second try... not sure if I want to try again.
posted by knapah at 3:41 PM on September 1, 2009

I keep meaning to pick up Flixel because it looks so damn cool, but I've never found the time.
posted by hellojed at 3:50 PM on September 1, 2009

Yes, surprisingly enjoyable, though calling it parkour is perhaps projecting a bit.
posted by Naberius at 4:39 PM on September 1, 2009

3127m after a few tries. So so awesome.
posted by yiftach at 4:58 PM on September 1, 2009

High Res Version
posted by empath at 5:11 PM on September 1, 2009

Man, I missed that QWOP post from before. It's the hardest friggin' game ever, yet I don't seem to get frustrated by it.
posted by Brak at 5:41 PM on September 1, 2009

Related: Mirror's Edge 2D
How do you get past the large red wall which seems to have no handhold?
posted by uni verse at 5:52 PM on September 1, 2009

man, I think I'm running around in circles
posted by boo_radley at 6:00 PM on September 1, 2009

Kind of like River Raid but without stuff to shoot?
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 6:03 PM on September 1, 2009

Ah love these sort of games, I think of them as 'meditation games' - very simple concept, all about being relaxed and focused.
posted by MetaMonkey at 6:06 PM on September 1, 2009

This reminds me of that level in Battletoads where you always die.
posted by PercussivePaul at 6:27 PM on September 1, 2009 [5 favorites]

I assume that if you get to 10000m then a secret alien task force will recruit you to save the galaxy by jumping off of collapsing buildings. My hips just aren't up to that at the moment, so I'm going to stop with my rather paltry ~1500m high score.
posted by Humanzee at 6:37 PM on September 1, 2009

2397!
posted by xorry at 6:41 PM on September 1, 2009

Dammit.. I was thinking 2300 was the score to beat.
posted by xorry at 6:43 PM on September 1, 2009

Just want to mention that "Danny B" (second in the credits) is Daniel Baranowsky, a well-respected artist / judge at OC ReMix, previously mentioned here on many occasions. I get a thrill out of seeing hobbyist game music arrangers go on to make careers out of game music, with all the passion they put into the hobby.
posted by jake at 6:50 PM on September 1, 2009

Why does the character die when he hits a "fine mist"?
posted by idiomatika at 7:43 PM on September 1, 2009

So many great little design touches: the subdued color palette, the sudden stopping sound that the bomb makes. I like how it never feels like the game is cheating you; the next building is always set to a difficult but achievable distance. And it took me a while to figure out that those things in the back aren't statues but giant killer robots.

I'm realizing that video games -- especially little ones like this -- are a terrific vehicle for exploring your nightmares. You're given a single-minded goal and a whole host of relentless obstacles, and you're never given any time to think about how it's all supposed to make sense.
posted by HeroZero at 7:44 PM on September 1, 2009 [2 favorites]

Most fun I've ever had with a spacebar.
posted by adamdschneider at 8:00 PM on September 1, 2009

my god QWOP is the best game ever.
posted by dan g. at 8:29 PM on September 1, 2009 [1 favorite]

Why does the character die when he hits a "fine mist"?

You read that wrong, that appears when you hit a bomb and are turned into a fine mist. Slight difference.
posted by The Devil Tesla at 9:24 PM on September 1, 2009

as Knave said, the trick is to run into obstacles to slow down every once in a while. Got 4950 before I hit the wall.
posted by eflange at 9:32 PM on September 1, 2009

3699. is there an ending?
posted by carfilhiot at 12:33 AM on September 2, 2009

Man, having to jump into windows gets me almost every time. 1855.
posted by rifflesby at 2:14 AM on September 2, 2009 [1 favorite]

4294 and my eyes are totally dry.
posted by Joey Michaels at 2:51 AM on September 2, 2009

I thought that joke was terrible. And I'm someone who named his account America.

America's a girl's name.
posted by rokusan at 4:02 AM on September 2, 2009 [3 favorites]

Did anybody else feel ... claustrophobic playing this? I kept wishing I could expand the window vertically just a tiny bit.
posted by jbickers at 5:27 AM on September 2, 2009

I am so excited to see where Flixel goes.
posted by radgardener at 5:41 AM on September 2, 2009

Lesson learned: If I ever have to run through an endless metropolis to escape a giant robot armageddon, I'm totally taking a path that doesn't involve jumping into windows.
posted by shakespeherian at 6:45 AM on September 2, 2009 [1 favorite]

4214 and now I can't see. Very nice game design.
posted by MetaMonkey at 7:45 AM on September 2, 2009

best of the web. indeed.
posted by vrogy at 9:04 AM on September 2, 2009

I presume, based on the fact that I run at superhuman speeds and CAN'T SLOW DOWN, that I'm sort of escaped world saving cyborg.
posted by greytape at 10:45 AM on September 2, 2009

Your score is inversely proportional to the number of windows you get, without the windows the game is very easy.
posted by carfilhiot at 11:21 AM on September 2, 2009

PC gaming snob here saying, 103 keys on my keyboard and you choose to use just one? Or maybe it's gfx does not equal gameplay, I can't decide, I better to just stick to Civ 4.
posted by Submiqent at 1:09 PM on September 2, 2009

5680. Nothing happens over time.

Tip: Intentially run into the file cabinets and chairs. I don't think the game will give you an impossible jump, and slowing yourself down gives you more reaction time.
posted by Orange Pamplemousse at 2:04 PM on September 2, 2009

A Russian player shows that it goes up to 11. Guess what got him/her in the end?
posted by Sitegeist at 2:38 AM on September 3, 2009 [1 favorite]

Guess what got him/her in the end?

I knew it. Damn wall.
posted by grouse at 7:54 AM on September 3, 2009

I struggled to break 3000, then hit 10,154 on a single epic run. Somebody on jayisgames claimed 80,000+, so I doubt there's a real ending. There's a subtle background change at ~4000, though.

HeroZero: "And it took me a while to figure out that those things in the back aren't statues but giant killer robots."

They're also remarkably similar to the Army's "robot pack mule" project (video courtesy of Mefi's own olinerd), whose spindly legs exude a lifelike creepiness that the game captured very well.
posted by Rhaomi at 12:05 AM on September 6, 2009

hmm.. new found toy for when i'm at work. thanks
posted by medici00 at 9:45 AM on September 7, 2009