Count to Ten
Count to Ten is a 2.1 Harder collaboration level by Zoroa and DavJT, published on 13 January 2019. Known for popularizing a trend of effect-based levels using its music track, Count to Ten is a level that frequently switches themes approximately every ten seconds. A sequel, Count to Twenty, was released on 22 August 2019.
Description
This description frequently mentions 'the count'. In Count to Ten, the count denotes the lyrics of the music track, typically involving a female voice attempting to count from '2' (or '1', during the first and fifth tries) to '10', but skipping '7' each time.
- 0-15%: Count to Ten begins with a black-and-white, limited Cube segment; the player cannot hold to jump and must instead click on the ground to make their icon (portrayed as a square outline with a smiling face object) jump. In sync with the count, the player must jump over several single-spikes as effects appear surrounding their icon. When the count skips to '8', the incoming single-spike splits into a double-spike; following the jump, a transition takes place with Zoroa's logo dropping from the top of the screen.
- 15-27%: The screen turns colourized and the player's square, now frowning, re-appears mirrored. They must land and jump from blocks using the jump indicators present within the level; they do not necessarily align with the count. The square background, as well as all objects on screen, change colour with the count; the squares also warp. Blocks with pulsing symbols bounce on the ground before the player reaches them, before sinking after the player passes them. The player reverts the effects of the Mirror portal at 24.5%; this is followed a short transition in which Zorua appears.
- 27-47.5%: The third section features the player as a U.F.O. on a background of squares. The first half is contained within a 4-block corridor, in which the player is given two prompts: 'Tap the circles' (follow the jump indicators) and 'Tap to switch' (hit a toggle orb in the center to flip gravity). They must avoid waves of spikes that are tethered to either the top or bottom of the corridor by carefully timing their inputs. At 36%, the player shrinks as they exit the corridor into a section with floating squares that serve as hazards. The second half has a height of 10 blocks, but only six are safe for the player due to spikes lining the floor and ceiling. At 45%, a transition begins, making the spikes recede as the field of view shrinks.
- 47.5-60.25%: All gameplay from this point forward (excluding transitions) is at double speed. When the player re-appears, the scene is a modernistic white teheme with simplistic block designs and gears adorned with orbs. The gameplay is Ship-exclusive aside from when the count reaches '3', at which point the player must hit two buttons as a cube to open a pair of upcoming gates. The count is depicted in the background, but changes to a question mark after it reaches '8' and fails.
- 60.25-72.5%: The next two sections are both greyscaled. In the first, the player is inside a corridor that frequently contracts and expands with a gradient effect as the count is depicted on the top and bottom of it. The corridor ranges from one to four blocks in height. Using the indicators to know when to rise and fall, the player passes through several short bursts in separate game-modes: they begin as a Wave at the start of the count, then change to a U.F.O. on '5', a Ball on '6', and a Dual Cube on '8' before temporarily reverting to a Ship.
- 72.5-86%: The penultimate section is a Cube section in a downhill, diagonal corridor. To avoid the sawblades and reach the end, the player must jump where indicated and hit an assortment of orbs as needed. A barn door transition completes the section at 84%.
- 86-100%: In the final section, the player is a Robot in a five-bllock corridor with a white base and black ceiling. The section features transporter designs previously used in Lost Beats (a previous level by Zoroa), and a series of dedications appears within the white half. The gameplay is quite lenient, as the player may hit the black ceiling without crashing. Gameplay ends at 96.25% when the player hits a single-speed portal; the floor and ceiling simultaneously collapse to the center, forming an end screen with the level and creator's names, as well as Zoroa's logo and the Pokemon—both of which return from the first two transitions.
User coins
Count to Ten contains two user coins.
- The first coin is at 30.5%. It will drop into position on the lower half of the U.F.O. corridor, and the player must switch gravity following the first large wave of spikes.
- The second coin is located in the diagonal section. When the player reaches the staircase structure at 76.25%, they must jump the moment they touch the bottom step, then hit two of the magenta orbs while skipping the green orb. If done correctly, they will pick up the coin and hit a blue pad at 79.25%, taking them back to the main route.
Gameplay
Trivia
- Count to Ten was dropped by DavJT, its original sole creator. Zoroa was subsequently granted permission to finish and release it.
- If the player crashes at any point, a custom death effect occurs: a black barn door transition to black and the word 'DEAD' in red slides through the screen.
- The percentage drops slightly when the player enters the Mirror portal; the reason for this is unknown.