Stolen Sword is an action game you play with a single finger, following a swordsman who is tracking down the thief that took his weapon. There’s no walk or jump button. Instead you drag back as if loading a slingshot, a dotted line shows your flight, and you let go to launch and slice whatever is in the way. You can play Stolen Sword unblocked with a mouse, trackpad or touchscreen. Ian Chiao made it for a 2020 contest where games had to fit in 13 KB, so everything is drawn in code.
How to Play Stolen Sword
Click or tap once the title appears to begin. Then press anywhere and drag in the direction opposite to where you want to fly. A curved dotted line previews the jump, bending down with gravity. Let go to launch, and any enemy along that path gets cut.
You can land on platforms and slide down walls, and the camera follows you as you climb or drop. A short pull gives a small, careful hop. A long pull sends you flying, up to a fixed top speed, so there’s no need to drag across the whole screen. New players see an animated hint showing the drag motion until they’ve done it.
Slow Motion and Dashes
The moment you start a drag, time slows down. It eases down over about three seconds until the world moves at just 5 percent of normal speed. That gives you room to watch incoming shots and pick a clean line, then everything snaps back to full speed when you release.
You have two dashes when you stand on the ground. Each one you use in the air counts down, and every enemy you hit gives you at least one back. That means a good chain of hits can keep you airborne for a long time. Landing on a platform or dropping into water refills your dashes.
Health and Getting Hit
The swordsman has two points of health. The first hit turns part of his clothes red and gives you one second where nothing can hurt you. A second hit sends you back to the start of the wave you were on, not the start of the stage.
Anything solid red is dangerous to touch, enemy shots included. Foes you can cut appear as dark shapes with a red dot.
Enemies You’ll Meet
Each stage is split into waves, and later waves mix several enemy types together:
- Shooters fire rings of small red squares in every direction.
- Shielded foes carry a curved shield that bounces you away until their last hit is all that’s left.
- Healers slowly regain health if you leave them alone.
- Linked groups are tied to a central core. Cut the core and the whole group is destroyed at once. Every linked enemy has at least two health, so the core is usually the faster target.
- Chains are rows of foes that snake along behind a leader.
The Chase Through Four Stages
The story crosses four stages, starting among swaying bamboo and ending at misty lakes that reflect the world above. Short lines of story appear between stages as the hero keeps losing track of the thief, and a click or tap moves them along. After the last stage, the journey loops back to the start.
Stolen Sword Tips and Mistakes to Avoid
- Start with small pulls. Big pulls are powerful but hard to control near the floor.
- Use the slow motion. Holding the drag nearly stops time, so take a second before letting go.
- Plan the next hit. Each hit refunds a dash, so look for your follow-up target before you release.
- Go for the core. With linked groups, one cut on the core saves you many strikes.
- Pick a safe bounce side. Shields push you back, so attack from an angle where the bounce sends you somewhere open.
- Remember the water. In the lake stages, a dip refills your dashes when you’re running low.
The biggest beginner mistake is letting go too fast. Players often release the moment they start dragging and fly into a red shot they didn’t see.
Short Breaks and Similar Games
Waves are short, and the slow motion means it rewards patience more than fast fingers, so it suits players who like to plan each move. Since your stage and wave are saved, you can play a few waves, close the tab and come back later. It works with a mouse or trackpad on a Chromebook and with a finger on a phone or tablet. For more, browse the action games or try:
- Egg Time Rewind, a space shooter where losing a ship loops time back and your earlier attempts fly beside you as ghost wingmen.
- Pixel Platformer, where you run, climb and blast across a big level in which most of the rock can be destroyed.
