Instant Alert: I played the addictive new game Slither.io and now I get why it's topping the App Store

MANAGE SUBSCRIPTIONS   |   UNSUBSCRIBE   |   VIEW ONLINE   I played the addictive new game Slither.io and now I get why it's topping the App Store by Brandt Ranj on Apr 29, 2016, 2:31 PM Advertisement Despite having a middling 3.5 star rating on the App Store, Slither.io has routinely unseated Snapchat as the No. 1 free app in the App Store since launching earlier this month. Curious to see what all the buzz was about, I decided to give the game a try, and after only a couple of days I completely understand why everyone is hooked. There's a lot going on in this simple-looking package, and despite running into some technical hiccups — the game can lag heavily at times — I doubt Slither.io will be leaving my home screen anytime soon. In addition to explaining why the game is so entertaining, I've also laid out my favorite technique for taking down opponents so you can hit the ground running. The title screen for Slither.io is significantly more plain than what you'll find with Candy Crush or Crossy Road. After selecting your nickname, or leaving it blank, you're ready to slither! The gameplay is deceptively simple at first, you're just a worm trying to collect gems to grow larger. The controls are intuitive — touching any part of the screen will move your worm in that direction. But then you learn — by accident in my case — that double tapping the screen puts you into a "boost mode," letting you move faster. The problem is that boosting costs gems: Ultimately lowering your score, and making you physically smaller. This push-pull dynamic adds an extra layer of complexity. See the rest of the story at Business Insider   Share the latest business news with your network: Email sent to:   |   Manage your email preferences   |   Unsubscribe Terms of Service   |   Privacy Policy Business Insider. 150 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011