Count to Ten
Count to Ten is a 2.1 Harder collaboration level by Zoroa and DavJT, published on 13 January 2019. Known for popularising a trend of effect-based levels using its music track, Count to Ten frequently switches themes about 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 around their icon. When the count skips to '8', the incoming single-spike splits into a double-spike; after the jump, a transition takes place as Zoroa's logo drops from the top of the screen.
- 15-27%: The screen turns colourised, 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, then sink after the player passes them. The player reverts the mirror portal's effects at 24.5%, followed by a short transition in which Zorua appears.
- 27-47.5%: The third section features the player as a UFO on a background of squares. The first half is contained within a four-block corridor, where the player gets two prompts: 'Tap the circles' (follow the jump indicators) and 'Tap to switch' (hit a toggle orb in the centre 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 is 10 blocks high, but only six are safe for the player because spikes line 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 reappears, the scene is a modernistic white theme with simplistic block designs and gears adorned with orbs. Gameplay is ship-exclusive, except 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, with the count shown at the top and bottom. 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 UFO 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 the required orbs. A barn door transition completes the section at 84%.
- 86-100%: In the final section, the player is a robot in a five-block 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 collapse to the centre, forming an end screen with the level and creator's names, Zoroa's logo, and the Pokémon—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 drops into position on the lower half of the UFO corridor, and the player must switch gravity after 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 as soon as they touch the bottom step, then hit two pink orbs while skipping the green orb. If done correctly, they pick up the coin and hit a blue pad at 79.25%, which takes 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.