Slalom

What is Slalom?

Slalom is the most technical race in alpine skiing: a run down a steep, groomed slope through a line of gates set close together, each one a pair of poles you must pass between. The gates swing left and right, so the skier carves turn after turn, and the fastest time wins.

This version is made for a phone held upright and seen from above. The slope scrolls up beneath you as you race down, the snow is freshly groomed corduroy, and the skis leave their tracks behind you. Every run lays out a new course; the Daily course is the same for everyone that day.

How to play Slalom

• Start. Touch the screen, or press Space, to push off from the start.
• Carve. Hold the left half of the screen to turn left and the right half to turn right. Let go and the skis swing back down the fall line. You can also drag: the skis point toward your finger. On a keyboard, the left and right arrows (or A and D) steer.
• Gates. Go between the two poles of every gate. The gates are red and blue in turn, and the next one is highlighted.
• Penalties. A missed gate adds 3 seconds to your time. Clipping a pole on the way through slows you a little.
• Obstacles. Pines, rocks and orange marker flags stand off the racing line. Hit one and you fall: you lose the time it takes to get back on your feet, about a second.
• Speed. Going straight builds speed and every turn costs some, more the further across the slope your skis point.

Scoring

• Time: the clock runs from the push-off to the finish line, measured to the millisecond.
• Missed gate: plus 3 seconds.
• Score: one point for every hundredth of a second under two minutes. A 40 second run scores 8,000, a 50 second run 7,000.
• Two minutes: a run still going after two minutes ends with no score.

Tips and strategy

1. Turn early. Start the carve for the next gate as soon as the current one is safely under you. A late turn means a sharp one, and sharp turns are slow.
2. Keep the line tight. Pass close to the inside pole of each gate. A wide arc carries you toward the trees at the side of the run.
3. Let go to gain speed. Between turns, release and let the skis run straight. Holding a turn longer than needed bleeds speed.
4. A missed gate beats a fall. If a gate is out of reach, take the 3 seconds and set up for the next one rather than forcing a turn into a tree.
5. Mind the moguls. On the hard course the bumps slow you every time you hit one and nudge your skis aside; steer through the gaps where you can.

Frequently asked questions

Is Slalom free?

Yes. Like every game on Play, it runs free in your browser, with no download and no account.

What changes between the three courses?

The easy course has 30 wide gates on a gentler slope. The medium course has 35 gates and a faster top speed. The hard course has 40 tight gates, the fastest slope, longer falls and mogul fields.

What is the ghost?

When you finish a run with your best time on a course, this device remembers it. Ski the same course again, for example the Daily course, and that run skis beside you as a see-through skier to race against.

What is the Daily course?

Every day everyone skis the same medium course, gate for gate, so the times compare directly on the leaderboard.

Can I play with a keyboard?

Yes. The left and right arrows, or A and D, steer, and Space starts the run.