What Toon Survivors is
Toon Survivors: Pixelworld is a free action game in the survivors style. Your hero attacks on their own; you decide where to stand, when to dash and when to cast your spell. Cartoon monsters pour in from every side, every level-up deals you a hand of cards, and within a few minutes a lone hero becomes a walking storm.
What sets it apart is the shape of a run. You do not survive one endless field. You fight through seven rooms, each with its own guardian and its own clock. Kill the guardian before the clock runs out and the exit gate opens. Let the clock reach zero and the dark takes you, whatever your health.
The story
For an age, the Sun watched over the living.
Then the Dark began to feed, bite by bite.
Seven dawns remain before the last light dies.
When you fall, the clock turns back. Only your power endures.
Rise, last ember. Hold back the night.
That last rule is the whole game in one line. Every run starts again from room 1, but the Time Shards you bring home buy permanent upgrades, so each attempt is a little stronger than the one before.
The goal
Break the eclipse: clear all seven rooms and defeat Malphas, the guardian of the last one. The clocks grow from a minute and a half in room 1 to five minutes in room 7. Along the way you build a different hero each time, from twelve heroes with three weapons each. Beating Malphas also opens Nightmare, a harder way to play every room again.
Quick start: your first five minutes
- Pick a hero and a weapon. Nine heroes are open from the start. The weapon sets your attack, your element and your spell, and it decides which Signature cards you will be offered.
- Pick a trait. Each hero offers three, each with a clear upside and a printed cost. Read the cost before you choose.
- Move, and keep moving. The room 1 guardian, the Hog Dragon, is already in the arena when you arrive. You have 90 seconds. Walk over the experience orbs monsters drop; they do not come to you on their own unless they are close.
- Take your first Signatures. Each level-up pauses the game and offers four cards, and the first is always a Signature for your weapon. Early on, take Signatures and level the same few families rather than spreading thin.
- Visit the Altar. Gold from kills and chests buys runes at the Altar of Embers. The first rune of each line costs 20 gold. Opening the Altar pauses the fight, so it is safe to shop mid-room.
- Kill the guardian, then run for the gate. Once a guardian falls you have about 20 seconds to reach the exit. Stepping through heals you and carries you, and your gold, into the next room.
When a run ends, win or lose, most of the Time Shards you collected are banked. Spend them at the Shrine of Time before the next attempt.
Controls
| Action | Keyboard and mouse | Touch |
|---|---|---|
| Move | WASD or arrow keys | Drag anywhere for a floating joystick |
| Attack | Automatic | Automatic |
| Dash | Space or F | DASH button |
| Spell | Q, or right-click to cast at the cursor | SPELL button |
| Altar of Embers | Tab or E | SHOP button |
Spells that centre on your hero go off as soon as you press the key. Aimed spells show a target marker first; click to send them where you want. M mutes the sound. Movement, dash, the Altar and mute can be rebound in Settings. The spell key cannot.
FAQ
Is it free?
Yes, it is free to play in your browser. If you fall in a fight you may revive once by watching an optional ad, and once more by paying 40 Time Shards. Neither is ever required.
How is my progress saved?
Automatically, in your browser on the device you play on. Your shards, Shrine upgrades, stars and unlocks stay as long as that browser keeps its site data. Clearing it, or playing on another device or browser, starts a fresh save.
Can I play on my phone?
Yes. On a touch screen the game shows a joystick wherever you put your thumb, plus DASH, SPELL and SHOP buttons. It works in portrait as well as landscape.
How long is a run?
The seven room clocks add up to 21 and a half minutes, so a full run lasts about that long, plus time spent choosing cards and shopping, which pauses the clock. Most early runs end sooner, and that is how you collect the shards that make the next one go further.
How do I unlock the other heroes?
The Druid, the Genie and the Demon are earned through play, not bought. The chapters below explain how, along with everything else you need to go deeper.