How to play Number Pop

Number Pop is a browser game about connecting adjacent numbers in ascending order. Drag with your finger on a phone, or use a mouse or keyboard on a computer. You can start playing without an account or a download.

Connect at least 3, longer paths score more

Connect three or more adjacent numbers in order, such as 1 → 2 → 3, 2 → 3 → 4 or 3 → 4 → 5, to pop them. A path can be up to five tiles long (1 → 2 → 3 → 4 → 5), and longer paths jump in value: 3 tiles score 30, 4 tiles 50 and 5 tiles 80. Move horizontally or vertically, never diagonally, and do not skip numbers. Backtrack one tile to undo your last selection.

Choose your challenge

Score Challenge

Start with 90 seconds. Every connection adds time: at level 1, a 3-tile path adds 0.9 seconds, 4 tiles add 1.5 seconds and 5 tiles add 2.4 seconds. Time rewards depend on level, path length, time already earned and time remaining; higher levels increase score multipliers. You can hold at most 90 seconds, and bonus time is capped at 150 seconds per game. A wrong connection costs 0.3 to 0.7 seconds depending on level and breaks your combo. Choose Relaxed (stays at level 1), Progressive (levels 1 to 10 as you score) or Expert mode (fixed at level 5).

Popbot Duel

Take turns with Popbot on the same board. Choose a target of 400, 700 or 1500 points; the first to reach it wins. Duel links score 30, 50 or 80 points for 3, 4 or 5 tiles, plus 10 if you link within 3 seconds of your turn starting. Whoever falls at least 100 points behind gets a catch-up turn worth double points. Your turn lasts 15 seconds against the Practice bot, 10 seconds against the Challenge bot and 8.5 seconds against the Expert bot. If time runs out, your turn passes to Popbot without scoring.

Daily Challenge

Every day at midnight Korea time, everyone gets the same starting board. Make 20 links without hints for your best score (30, 50 or 80 points for 3, 4 or 5 tiles), and finish once a day to keep your streak going. Records stay in this browser.

Score Challenge scoring: combos, levels and fever

Combo

Every connection adds 1 to your combo. Combos of 5, 15, 30 and 50 multiply your score by 1.2, 1.5, 1.8 and 2. The combo resets if you miss the 3.8 to 5.2 second window or make a wrong connection.

Level

In Progressive mode you level up at 250, 650, 1200, 1800, 2600, 3600, 5000, 6500 and 8500 points, up to level 10. Each level-up adds 1.5 seconds, and from level 3 the score multiplier grows from 1.1 to 2 at level 10.

Popcorn Fever

Connect 25 tiles to trigger Popcorn Fever, which doubles your connection score for 8 seconds.

Final bonus

When the game ends, bonus points are added for your best combo (40 per combo when at least 5, plus extra at 30, 50 and 100), level progress ((level−1)×200) and each five-tile path (80 each).

Useful tips for your first game

Check where a path ends

Starting at 3 lets you connect 3 → 4 → 5. To connect all five tiles, look for a path from 1 to 5. You cannot repeat a number or wrap from 5 back to 1.

Backtrack to change your selection

After selecting 1 → 2 → 3, moving back to 2 removes only the last 3. Passing deeply through a non-adjacent tile or an out-of-order number invalidates the drag. Release and start again.

Short on time? Aim for 4 or 5 tiles

At level 1, three tiles add 0.9 seconds and five tiles add 2.4 seconds. With 18 seconds or less left, paths of four or more tiles earn 20 to 35% extra time. When you have plenty of time or have already earned a lot of bonus time, rewards shrink a little. Wrong connections cost time and break your combo, so stay calm.

Look ahead while Popbot thinks

Each bot level has a different thinking delay and preferred path length. Tiles fall and new numbers appear after Popbot’s move, so check your route again when your turn starts.

Touch and keyboard controls

On a phone, press a number, drag your path and release to confirm. On a computer, use mouse drag or arrow keys to move, Space to select, Enter to confirm and Esc to cancel. Sound and vibration controls are in the pause menu; vibration support depends on your browser.

Frequently asked questions