Speed Boost in Slither.io: How It Works and When to Use It

Every snake can speed up, and every snake pays for it. This guide covers how boosting works in Snake.io by Kooapps, the arena that plays on this site, which follows the same speed-for-length trade as Slither.io.

How to boost

Control setup	Steer	Boost
Mouse	Move the pointer; the snake follows it	Click and hold the left mouse button
Keyboard	Arrow keys or WASD	Hold Space

The first time you press Play the game runs a three-page tutorial: Controls, Speed Boost and Control Options, where you choose Mouse or Keyboard. You can change the choice later, and replay the tutorial from the Settings menu on the main screen.

What boost costs

The tutorial page is short and exact: "You can use Speed Boost at the cost of your length." Its picture shows the tail fading out as the snake speeds up. The CrazyGames page for the game says the same in other words: holding left-click burns the energy from the food you ate. A long boost can therefore undo several minutes of careful eating, and it hands your lost length to the arena.

When boost is worth it

• Cutting in front of another snake. The only way to knock a snake out is to get your body in front of its head. A short burst that puts you across its path is the classic use of boost. CrazyGames describes this as sweeping in front of other players.
• Escaping. If a bigger snake is closing off your space, a burst to get clear is better than being trapped with all your length intact.
• Reaching food first. When a big snake crashes, its food is left behind and nearby players race to it. A quick burst can win the race, as long as you gain more than you spend.

When to leave it alone

• While coiling. A trap depends on a long body, and boosting shrinks it.
• While cruising. Steady eating at normal speed is the cheapest way to grow.
• When you are big. Large snakes have the most to lose. The CrazyGames tips say it plainly: move fast and take more risks when you are small.

Start Big

Under the Play button on the main menu there is a second button, Start Big, marked AD. The game's own description of it reads: "Start Big will start you bigger, faster, and invincible for a period of time." It does not change how boost works once that period is over, so treat it as a head start, not a replacement for good boosting habits.

Check your connection before blaming the boost

The status line at the bottom of the screen shows Ping, FPS and Input Lag during play. Boost moves are about timing, and if the input lag is high a cut-off that looks safe can arrive too late. If the numbers look poor, pick a nearer server from the drop-down on the menu (it lists Best Server, NYC1, LAX1, FRA1 to FRA3, SIN1 and more) before your next round.