About Precision Launch
Precision Launch is the reflex-free arcade game on the site. There is no timer and nothing moves until you release, but the projectile obeys a real rigid-body physics simulation, so angle, power and bounce all behave the way your intuition expects them to.
Each daily level gives you a launcher, a target, a scattering of stars and a limited number of attempts. Landing the target is the objective; collecting stars on the way is what separates a pass from a good run.
The rules in full
- Drag back from the launcher to set angle and power, then release to fire.
- You have a fixed number of attempts per level — spend them deliberately.
- Hitting the target completes the level. Stars collected in flight add to your score.
- Bounce pads reflect the projectile and are often the only way to reach stars tucked behind obstacles.
- The trajectory is simulated, not scripted: the same drag produces the same shot every time.
- Your best score for the day is kept, so a later worse run does not overwrite a good one.
A worked example
A typical level puts the target behind a tall wall, with two stars sitting in the pocket in front of the wall and a bounce pad on the floor to the right.
The direct high-arc shot clears the wall and hits the target, and it scores. But it misses both stars, because they are below the arc.
The better line is a flatter, harder shot at the bounce pad. The projectile skims the two stars on the way in, kicks off the pad, and drops onto the target from a steeper angle. Same one attempt, three times the score.
The reason to fire the direct shot first anyway is information: it tells you exactly how much power the distance needs, which is the hard part of aiming the bounce line.
Strategy tips
Spend the first shot on calibration — Fire a deliberate ranging shot to learn the power curve for this level. With attempts to spare, knowing the distance is worth more than a lucky hit.
Flat and fast beats high and slow — Low trajectories are far easier to aim precisely because small angle errors do not compound over a long arc.
Plan the star route, not the target — The target is usually easy. Decide which single path collects the most stars and then work out how to hit the target at the end of it.
Bounce pads are aiming aids — A pad turns a hard angle into two easy ones. If a star looks unreachable, look for the pad that points at it.
Repeat what worked — The simulation is deterministic. If a shot nearly worked, reproduce the drag and adjust it by a hair rather than starting from scratch.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the physics real?
- Yes — the projectile, the walls and the bounce pads are simulated with a rigid-body physics engine, so trajectories and rebounds are consistent and repeatable.
- How many attempts do I get?
- A fixed number per level. Running out ends the run, so calibration shots are a real trade-off.
- Do I have to collect every star?
- No. Stars are the scoring layer on top of completing the level; hitting the target is what finishes it.
- Does it work with touch?
- Yes. Drag back from the launcher with a finger exactly as you would with a mouse; the aim guide follows your touch.
Want to go deeper? Read the full Precision Launch strategy guide.