About Desert Mirage
Desert Mirage is a 60-second chase across golden dunes. Your scarab follows your pointer, gems glint in the sand, and desert creatures crawl in from the edges to hunt you down.
How to play Desert Mirage
- Press Play on the start screen.
- Move the mouse over the sand, or drag a finger, and the scarab glides after it.
- Touch a gem (💰 or 🔶) to collect it. Up to six gems lie on the sand at once, and new ones keep appearing.
- Scorpions, snakes and lizards (🦂 🐍 🦎) crawl towards you. If one catches you, you lose points and it is thrown back to the edge.
- The chasers come more often and move faster as your score grows. The run ends after 60 seconds.
Scoring
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Gem collected | +20 |
| Caught by a scorpion, snake or lizard | −8 |
Tips for a higher score
- The scarab trails slightly behind your pointer, so lead it a little ahead of where you want to go.
- Chasers head straight for you. Sweep in wide arcs so they bunch up behind you instead of cutting you off.
- A catch costs less than half a gem — if a cluster of gems is close, it can be worth pushing through.
- Stay away from the edges: that's where new chasers appear.
Frequently asked questions
Is Desert Mirage free?
Yes, with no ads or purchases.
Does it work on phones?
Yes. Drag your finger across the sand to steer.
How long does a run last?
60 seconds.
Is my best score saved?
Yes, in your browser's local storage on this device.