Guide / Pixels and perks
Pixels and perks
A Pixel is the character you play as. Each one has a perk, and picking the right one changes how the whole climb feels.
Unlocked by climbing
These are free. Reach the height once, in any run, and the Pixel is yours for good.
| Pixel | Unlocks at | Perk |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 734 | Start | None |
| The Ghost | 150m | -15% gravity (floatier) |
| Matrix | 350m | +20% move speed |
| Deep Void | 700m | +15% jump height |
| Golden | 1,400m | +10% move speed. -10% gravity (floatier) |
| Glitch | 2,500m | +10% move speed. +10% jump height |
| The End | 4,000m | -25% gravity (floatier) |
The Ghost is the first one worth switching to: lower gravity means longer hang time, which forgives a badly aimed jump. The End, the last of this group, is the floatiest Pixel you can get without spending gems.
Sold in the gem shop
Every shop Pixel is stronger than every free one. Prices run from 75 gems to 100,000, each tier about two and a half times the one before.
| Pixel | Price | Perks |
|---|---|---|
| Nebula Drifter | 75 | +50% move speed |
| Chrome Unit | 200 | +30% jump height |
| Solar Flare | 500 | +25% move speed. -30% gravity (floatier) |
| Obsidian | 1,200 | +25% jump height. Power-ups last 2x as long |
| Prism | 3,000 | +25% move speed. Always has a double jump |
| Pulse Warden | 7,000 | +25% jump height. Every 5s, destroys all drones on screen (solo only) |
| Crystal Hoarder | 16,000 | +25% move speed. Always pulls in nearby gems. Gem pickups are worth 2x |
| Aegis | 40,000 | +25% jump height. Every run starts with a HARD SHIELD. Immune to wind, gravity pulses and glitches |
| Overclock | 100,000 | +30% move speed. +30% jump height. Power-ups last 2x as long. Climbing earns 2x distance score |
Which to buy, and when
- Nebula Drifter (75) comes within your first few runs. The speed takes getting used to, so expect to overshoot for a while.
- Chrome Unit (200) is the better early buy for most players. A higher jump reaches platforms you would otherwise have to wait for.
- Obsidian (1,200) doubles how long every power-up lasts. A doubled Jetpack or Safety Net covers a lot of bad luck.
- Prism (3,000) always has a double jump, the single most useful power in the game, and so never wastes a power-up on rolling it.
- Crystal Hoarder (16,000) pays for the two above it: double gems and a permanent magnet.
- Aegis (40,000) ignores wind, gravity pulses and glitches, and starts every run shielded. It is built for the upper biomes.
- Overclock (100,000) is the end of the shop: faster, higher, longer power-ups and double score.
Don't save for the top from the start. The middle tiers make gems come faster, so buying your way up is quicker than hoarding.
Secret Pixels
There are 4, one for each of the last four biomes. They stay out of the menu until you reach the height that unlocks them, and we won't spoil what they do. The first is waiting at 5,000m.
What the perk tags mean
| Tag | What it does |
|---|---|
| SPEED | Faster movement left and right. |
| JUMP | A stronger jump. The gain in height is bigger than the number: +30% jump is about 1.7 times as high. |
| GRAVITY | Lower gravity. Jumps go higher and you fall more slowly. |
| POWER | Power-ups last longer. |
| MAGNET | Always pulls in nearby gems. This Pixel never rolls the Magnet power-up. |
| SHIELD START | Every run begins with a Hard Shield. |
| AIR JUMP | Always has a double jump. This Pixel never rolls the Double Jump power-up. |
| EMP | Every few seconds, destroys all drones on screen. Solo runs only. |
| GEMS x2 | Gem pickups are worth double. The boss's bounty isn't doubled. |
| SHIELDED | Immune to wind, gravity pulses and glitches. Meteors, lasers and drones still hurt. |
| SCORE x2 | Climbing earns double score. Unlock heights still need the real distance. |
Pixel of the Hour
Every hour, on the hour, a different patterned Pixel is on offer. There are 24, one for each hour of the day by your own clock, and they are the only Pixels with two colours. You can wear the current one until the next hour begins for 400 gems, or by watching an ad where ads are offered. If the hour ends while you are mid-run, you keep it until that run is over.
They are borrowed, not owned, so they don't count toward unlocks or achievements. Their perks sit around the middle of the shop, which makes them a good way to try a perk before you buy the Pixel that has it for good.
| Pixel | Perks |
|---|---|
| Sunset Strip | +25% move speed. +50% power-up duration |
| Mint Condition | +20% jump height. Always pulls in nearby gems |
| Arcade Cabinet | +20% move speed. Always has a double jump |
| Lava Lamp | +25% jump height. Every run starts with a HARD SHIELD |
| Glacier | -25% gravity (floatier). Immune to wind, gravity pulses and glitches |
| Bubblegum | +20% move speed. Gem pickups are worth 2x |
| Toxic Waste | +20% jump height. Every 6s, destroys all drones on screen (solo only) |
| Royal Flush | +25% move speed. Every run starts with a HARD SHIELD |
| Circuit Board | +15% move speed. Power-ups last 2x as long |
| Dusk Walker | -20% gravity (floatier). Always has a double jump |
| Static Zebra | +25% jump height. Immune to wind, gravity pulses and glitches |
| Candy Corn | +30% move speed. Always pulls in nearby gems |
| Deep Sea | -25% gravity (floatier). +50% power-up duration |
| Ember | +25% jump height. Every 6s, destroys all drones on screen (solo only) |
| Aurora | +20% move speed. Gem pickups are worth 2x |
| Cherry Cola | +20% jump height. Every run starts with a HARD SHIELD |
| Neon Tiger | +20% move speed. Immune to wind, gravity pulses and glitches |
| Frostbyte | +20% jump height. Always has a double jump |
| Sakura | -20% gravity (floatier). Always pulls in nearby gems |
| Hacker | Power-ups last 2x as long. Every 7s, destroys all drones on screen (solo only) |
| Plasma Core | +25% move speed. +10% jump height |
| Copper Top | +20% jump height. +50% power-up duration |
| Midnight Oil | -25% gravity (floatier). Every run starts with a HARD SHIELD |
| Key Lime | +25% move speed. Always pulls in nearby gems |