How to Win at Desert Runner: Endless Runner Tips
Desert Runner is an endless run where the pace keeps rising. Your score is the distance you cover plus 10 points for every coin, with a celebration every 500 points. Knowing each obstacle and the right answer to it is the difference between a short run and a record.
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Know your obstacles
Cacti come in different heights and later appear in pairs. Clay pots can be stacked one or two high. Birds fly at three heights: low birds must be jumped, birds at head height must be slid under, and high birds can simply be run beneath. Learn to recognise each one early and the right move becomes automatic.
Do not react to everything at once. A high bird can look scary, but it is harmless if you simply keep running. Jumping or sliding when you do not need to can leave you mid-air or low just as a real obstacle arrives.
Control your jump height
A short tap gives a small hop, which is easier to control and lands you sooner. Holding the jump keeps you rising for longer. Use small hops for single cacti and low pots, and hold for tall cacti, double pots and pairs of cacti. A huge jump when you only needed a small one can land you on the next obstacle.
Slide at the right time
Swipe down or press Down or S to slide under head-height birds. Start the slide just before the bird reaches you, not too early, or you may stand up again too soon. Do not slide under low birds or ground obstacles: those need a jump.
Look further ahead
The runner speeds up steadily over the first minute and a half or so, which shortens your reaction time. Move your eyes toward the right side of the screen so you see obstacles earlier. Plan the next two moves, especially when a cactus is followed closely by a bird.
Collect coins safely
Coins often arc over obstacles, so a well-timed jump collects them naturally. Do not chase a coin that forces an awkward jump or slide. Each coin is only 10 points, while staying alive keeps the distance points flowing, so the safest move is always the right one.
Questions
- Do I jump or slide under birds?
- It depends on their height. Jump low birds, slide under head-height birds and ignore high ones.
- How much is a coin worth?
- Each coin adds 10 points to the distance score.
- Does the game get faster?
- Yes. The speed keeps rising for the first minute and a half or so of each run.
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