Walk an explorer north through jungle, desert and lake to a cursed idol, dodging animals and an unlucky 13-second jinx.
Lost City of S puts you in the boots of a white-helmeted explorer hunting for the lost idol of superstition. The idol waits at the very top of a long map, and getting there means walking north through three zones, each with its own animals. It was made for a game jam where the theme was fear of the number 13.
That theme shows up as a real curse. Every 13 seconds your footsteps go haywire for a moment, which can push you right into trouble.
How a run works
You begin at the bottom edge of a dense jungle. As you head north, soil gives way to sand and then to water. Gorillas roam the first zone and notice you from quite far off. Next comes a desert where stone walls form a maze and slow scorpions wait in the gaps. The last leg is a shallow lake full of quick piranhas that home in on you from a long way off.
Gray rocks and boulders block you. Palm trees and bushes do not, so you can stroll straight through them. Each time an animal gets you, the view shakes, stars spin over your head and your energy falls. If it hits zero, you rest for two seconds and then get five seconds where nothing can attack.
The 13-dot curse
A ring of thirteen white dots in the top-left corner fills up one dot at a time. When it closes, the screen flashes and your steps scatter in random directions for about a second. Often the explorer lets out a little “oops” too. Then the count starts over.
Strategy notes
- Keep one eye on the dots. Just before the last one lights up, stop or face a clear patch so the stumble does not send you into a wall or a waiting animal.
- Walk through the scenery. Since trees never block you, a straight line north is usually fastest in the jungle.
- Don’t linger near gorillas. A steady pace tends to leave the slower ones behind.
- In the desert, back out of a corridor as soon as it looks like a dead end. Scorpions are slow, but they like to sit in narrow spots.
- After you get knocked down, spend your five safe seconds moving through the most crowded stretch.
- Cross the lake by the shortest path. Piranhas can sense you from nearly every spot in the lake, so wandering only invites more bites.
Good to know
All three zones are generated from one fixed seed. That means every visit gives you the identical map. A route you work out today will still be there tomorrow. The art is drawn with clean vector shapes, and small story lines pop up along the trail.
Controls
| Action | Keyboard | Touch |
|---|---|---|
| Walk in any direction | Arrow keys (or H, J, K, L) | Press and slide anywhere to use the floating stick |
Lost City of S FAQ
Does Lost City of S run on a phone or Chromebook?
Yes. On a touchscreen, press anywhere and slide your finger, and a soft circle appears that works as a stick. On a Chromebook or any laptop, walk with the arrow keys, or with H, J, K and L if you prefer. The screen can be held either way.
How long does a run take?
It is a short game. One trip is a single walk from the southern jungle to the idol waiting at the northern tip. How long it takes depends on how often animals catch you and how quickly you find your way through the desert maze.
Is there a game over?
No. If the animals drain your energy, the explorer flops over, cracks a joke and stands up again two seconds later in the same spot. That makes it a friendly pick for younger players, since everyone can reach the ending.
Is it one player?
Yes. You control the explorer alone. Because the map is built the same way on every visit, you can replay it to find a cleaner route than last time.
