Ant Run

Player notes

About this game

Ant Run is William Soleau’s real-time tunnel puzzle, published by Soleau Software. This package contains version 3.0, with the original instructions dated 1993–1996. The in-game help identifies this as the seven-level shareware edition; unlimited levels belong to the registered version.

Use the mouse to click a tile and rotate its tunnel clockwise. A red ant takes ten seconds to reach the entrance before appearing at the START tile. You can rotate that starting tile during the countdown, but it locks once the ant enters the board. Build a connected route before the ant reaches a dead end.

Used tunnels turn yellow and cannot normally be reused, except for crossing tiles. Routes can leave one edge and continue from the opposite side. After enough distance, crossing a connected edge resets used tunnels while adding a permanent obstacle. The Fast button increases the ant’s speed and doubles distance points, so use it only after preparing the route.

The on-screen buttons open scores and help, toggle sound, accelerate the ant, or quit. Some levels contain a red ending tile: the ant must finish there even if you have already met the score target.

After a game ends, enter initials if the high-score screen asks for them, press Enter, then click to continue. The Another Game prompt accepts a left mouse click to play again or a right mouse click to finish.