Whack-a-Mole
Bop the moles before they hide, and never hit a bomb.
How to play Whack-a-Mole
Whack-a-Mole is a fast reflex game for one player. Cheeky moles pop out of the holes in a garden. Bop each one with your mallet before it ducks back down. A round lasts 60 seconds, and the moles get quicker as the clock runs down.
Goal
Score as many points as you can before time runs out. Your best score for each level is saved in this browser.
Controls
- Click or tap a hole to swing the mallet there. You do not need to hit the mole exactly; anywhere in its square counts.
- On a keyboard, press 1 to 9. The keys follow the holes in reading order: 1, 2, 3 on the top row. The number pad works too, laid out like the pad.
- On Hard the garden has 4×4 holes. Use the keys 1 2 3 4, Q W E R, A S D F and Z X C V, one row each.
- You can also move a frame with the arrow keys and press Space to whack. Press P or the Pause button to pause.
Who pops up
- Brown mole: 10 points.
- Golden mole: 50 points and 3 extra seconds. It is shy and hides fast.
- Hard-hat mole (Medium and Hard): the first hit knocks off the helmet, the second hit scores 20 points.
- Bomb: do not touch it. Hitting a bomb costs 30 points and breaks your combo.
Combos and the end of the round
Every hit in a row adds to your combo. Each 5 hits raise the multiplier by one, up to ×5. A mole that escapes, a bomb, or a swing at an empty hole resets it. In the last 10 seconds the moles go into a frenzy. When the timer hits zero, the round ends and you see your score, hits and best combo. Like quick games? Try Memory Match or Snake.
Strategy tips
- Protect your combo. The multiplier is worth more than speed. Do not swing at empty holes just in case.
- Look before you bop. Bombs glow red and have a lit fuse. Take a split second to check the shape before you hit.
- Go for gold first. A golden mole gives 50 points times your multiplier, plus extra time. If two holes are busy, hit the gold one.
- Hit hard hats twice, fast. After the helmet flies off the mole stays up only a moment. Tap again at once.
- Use the keys on a computer. Rest your fingers on the number keys. It is often faster than moving a mouse across the screen.
Whack-a-Mole FAQ
How long is a round?
Each round lasts 60 seconds. Every golden mole you bop adds 3 seconds, so a lucky round can last longer.
How does the combo multiplier work?
Each hit in a row adds one to your combo. At 5, 10, 15 and 20 hits the multiplier rises to ×2, ×3, ×4 and ×5. A missed mole, a bomb or an empty swing sets it back to ×1.
What is different on Hard?
Hard has 16 holes in a 4×4 grid. Moles stay up for less time, more of them appear at once, and there are more bombs and hard-hat moles.
Is my best score saved?
Yes. Your best score for each level is kept in this browser. A round in progress is not saved; it pauses if you switch tabs.
