Throw and catch a boomerang through ten freshly generated levels, then take down the boss at the bottom.
Bounce Back is a top-down action game where you fight with nothing but a boomerang. Slimes, jumping creatures and shield-carrying foes roam each area. You fling the boomerang, let it curve back, and snatch it again before the next enemy reaches you. The layouts are generated each time, so rocks, bushes and sand patches never sit in quite the same place.
It was squeezed into 13 kilobytes for a 2019 game jam, and the music and sound effects are produced by code.
How a run works
Every run begins on a small starting island. Step into the swirling portal to reach level 1. Defeat every enemy on the level and a new portal appears where the final one dropped. Walk through it to go deeper, all the way to a boss on level 10.
You start with three hearts, and each enemy touch costs half of one. When your hearts run out, press Escape to head back to the island. Your coins come with you.
Throwing and catching
Click to send the boomerang toward your crosshair. It arcs out and flies back, and you catch it simply by touching it. If it lands and stops, walk over and pick it up, because you cannot throw again without a spare. Throws also break bushes and rocks, which can hold coins or hearts.
Shops on the island and in deeper levels trade coins for hearts, new heart containers and extra boomerangs. Prices differ from one shop to the next, so it can pay to compare.
Winning moves
- Dash with Space or Shift to slip past danger. You take no damage mid-dash, and it recharges in about three seconds.
- Sand slows everyone down, but dashing ignores it, so cross sand fast and leave enemies stuck behind.
- Big slimes split into two small ones when beaten, so back off before they surround you.
- Shields block throws from the front. Circle around and hit the side or back.
- Stick with the yellow boomerang if you want it to fetch coins and hearts. The blue version does double damage, though it leaves loot on the ground.
Good to know
From level 5 onward, some enemies may be invisible or oversized. Watch for moving shadows on the grass and keep an eye on the minimap, which tracks visited rooms and your current level. Win once, and a speed run mode unlocks, complete with an on-screen clock.
Controls
| Action | Keyboard | Mouse |
|---|---|---|
| Move | W A S D | — |
| Aim | — | Move the crosshair |
| Throw boomerang | — | Left click |
| Dash (no damage while dashing) | Space or Shift | — |
| Restart after game over or a win | Escape | — |
Bounce Back FAQ
Can I play Bounce Back on a phone or Chromebook?
A Chromebook with a keyboard and a mouse or trackpad works. Phones and tablets do not, since the game has no touch controls. You move with W A S D, aim with the mouse, click to throw, and press Space or Shift to dash.
Does Bounce Back save my progress?
Yes. Your coins, the deepest level you have reached, and your best speed run time are kept in the browser. After a game over you keep your coins and can spend them in the island shop.
What is the win condition?
Fight down through the levels and defeat the boss waiting on level 10. Each level ends once every enemy is gone, and a portal then appears where the last one fell.
Do I always restart from the first level?
Not after you make some progress. Once you have reached level 2 or deeper, a second portal shows up on the island and drops you straight into the deepest level you have reached.
