The Secret Button That Unlocks Discord's Snake Game

Some of the most popular social networking platforms include the likes of Instagram and TikTok. For gamers, specifically, Discord has been the go-to means of communicating for years now. The platform lets you DM people directly, or create servers with a capacity of up to 25 million users. It's not just for gamers — Discord can be enjoyed by people with other shared interests, too. When you're not voice calling or sending texts, you can explore other essential features that Discord has to offer.

Most of these utilities, like integrations and bots, add to the experience by improving the UX — but Discord has a playful side to it, too. The hidden snake game is high up on the list of the fun Easter eggs you can find on the platform, which you can play to kill some time — perhaps while you're waiting for your friends to hop on a call. Accessing the Easter egg doesn't even require you to sign in or use the Discord app.

The snake game is a hidden surprise on Discord's 404, or error page — simply put, a link or resource that doesn't exist on the website. In your browser on a laptop or desktop PC, head to a nonexistent page on Discord's website — say discord.com/404. You'll spot some literature pointing you to useful links, with an animated illustration of a noodle shop at the right. Clicking on the A-frame sign with the snake will load up the hidden game.

Few titles are as popular as the snake game, which was first seen on Nokia's phones in the late '90s. The mechanics of the game are straightforward — you control the snake's directions, collecting points that gradually increase the reptile's length. Hitting any of the four walls or running into yourself counts as failure. It's simple, addictive, and easy to code — which is why we have so many versions of the game on the internet.

Discord's "SNEK" game takes either the WASD or arrow keys as the input — so you won't be able to trigger the Easter egg on a smartphone. There's a classic 8-bit theme to the game, both visually and in the sound design. You are shown instructions on every launch, which also contains the score legend for the four collectables — an apple, an Easter egg, a mouse (the computer kind), and a hat. During gameplay, you are fed with snarky remarks as you collect the items. 

The game surprisingly is a bit challenging, so it will keep you busy and focused. Since the game is part of Discord's public-facing website, the scores reset every round — though you can take a screenshot on your PC if you do intend to boast to your friends about a new high score. Once satisfied or understandably frustrated enough, you can exit out of the game by pressing the Escape key.