Bugs.io

The meadow is a battlefield, and you are the smallest thing on it. Bugs.io is a cheerful, slightly silly arena game in the classic .io style: you begin as a little ladybug, gobble up the fruit scattered across the grass, bump smaller bugs out of the way and grow, level by level, into the giant insect everybody else is running from. A live leaderboard in the corner reminds you exactly how far you still have to climb.

Grow, Level Up, Repeat

Your bug has a level badge and an experience bar right above its head. Every strawberry and piece of fruit you eat fills the bar; fill it completely and you level up, getting bigger and tougher. The screen also gives you short missions such as "Collect Food" with a counter, which are a good way to focus your first minutes when the map feels huge.

Size is everything. Smaller bugs can be knocked out and turned into a meal, while bigger ones can do the same to you. Reading the level numbers floating above other insects quickly becomes second nature - you learn to chase anything below you and give a wide berth to anything above.

Controls

• W A S D, arrow keys or the mouse - move your bug.
• Hold Space - speed boost, perfect for catching prey or escaping a bigger bug.
• F - lay down explosives behind you.
• Phones and tablets - a virtual stick, with separate buttons for the boost and the bombs.

Strategy for Climbing the Leaderboard

Early game

Do not pick fights in the first minute. Stay near the edges of the meadow where fruit is plentiful and traffic is light, and level up quietly. A bug that rushes into the middle at level 1 usually ends up as somebody else's snack.

Mid game

Once you are a few levels up, start hunting. Smaller bugs tend to flee in straight lines, so a well-timed boost cuts them off. Keep an eye on your boost, though - burning it all on one chase leaves you slow if a bigger bug appears.

Using explosives

Explosives are your defensive trick. When something larger is chasing you, drop one in its path with F and keep running. They are also handy for ambushes: lay one near a cluster of fruit and wait for greedy rivals to wander in.

Late game

At the top of the board everyone is gunning for you. Avoid getting pinned against the brown edge of the arena, keep moving and let smaller bugs come to you rather than chasing them deep into crowded areas.

Reading the Leaderboard

The scoreboard in the top-right corner lists the biggest bugs on the map with their scores, and your own entry is highlighted underneath. It is more useful than it looks. If the top players are only slightly ahead of you, a couple of good catches could put you on top; if the leader is far ahead, it is better to keep farming fruit and avoid them until you have caught up. The names of rival bugs also float above their heads, so you can spot the leader on the map and decide whether to hunt them or steer clear.

Habits That Get Bugs Eaten

• Boosting everywhere. The boost is for chases and escapes. Using it to cruise around leaves you without an exit when a big bug shows up.
• Chasing into the crowd. A small bug fleeing toward a group of larger ones is often leading you into a trap.
• Forgetting explosives. Many players never press F. A single well-placed bomb can turn a losing chase into a free meal.

Why It Is Fun

Bugs.io keeps the instant "eat, grow, survive" appeal that made io games popular, but wraps it in bright cartoon visuals and a few extra tools. The boost and explosives turn every encounter into a little decision - fight, flee, or set a trap - and a single round can take you from the bottom of the leaderboard to the top in a few minutes. Losing is never a big deal either; you are back on the grass and munching fruit in seconds.

If you enjoy growing from tiny to huge, also try Agar.io, the city-swallowing Hole.io and the slithering Snake.io.