XOR
Default action. Flips bits wherever the mask has 1s (1 → 0, 0 → 1).
Jack into the Core
Purge a volatile memory buffer before it overflows. Manipulate falling 4-bit masks, escalate to 8-bit widths as the board widens, and keep the mainframe stable for as long as possible.
- TitleBitmask
- GenreArcade puzzle score-chaser
- EngineGodot 4.4
- PlatformWeb · Windows · Linux · macOS
- Buildv1.0 Release
- Session LengthShort, replayable runs
Bitmask Primer
Bitmasks are fixed-width strings of 1s and 0s that pack multiple boolean states into a single integer. Each bit is a toggle that can be tested with AND, set with OR, flipped with XOR, or inverted with NOT.
Every board row and falling piece in Bitmask starts as a four-bit mask where 1 marks an energised cell and 0 marks an inert cell. As you purge memory lanes, the bus widens to five, six, seven, then eight bits. Applying operations between masks drives the puzzle: XOR flips overlapping bits, AND carves away energised cells, and OR fuses new ones for deterministic, readable outcomes.
Game Overview
Pillars
- Binary clarity keeps every bit state visible.
- Fail fast design rewards quick recovery.
- Hands-on logic lets you feel each operation.
- Keyboard-first flow keeps inputs frictionless.
Player Experience Goals
- Maintain readable buffers even under pressure.
- Celebrate clever cascades with big audiovisual payoffs.
- Deliver short, replayable runs that fuel optimisation.
Core Loop
- Read the current board, queued pieces, and active operation.
- Plan rotations, flips, and token spends.
- Drop the piece—soft or hard—into the grid.
- Resolve operations, cascades, and row clears.
- Escalate bus width and difficulty, repeat until overflow.
Controls
- ShiftCycle operations (XOR → AND → OR)
- CtrlReroll current piece (once per drop)
- ← →Slide mask across the board
- ↑Flip the bit pattern
- ↓Soft drop
- SpaceHard drop
Bit Operations
AND
Keeps bits only where both row and mask have 1s, stripping everything else.
OR
Fills bits to 1 wherever the mask carries 1s, perfect for setup plays.
NOT
Inverts every bit. Reserved for future corruption events and advanced modifiers.
Gameplay Note
You will mostly rely on XOR. Spend tokens to switch to AND or OR in sticky situations and earn them back every ten cleared rows.
Example: Current row 0101, mask 1100 → XOR = 1001, AND = 0100, OR = 1101.
Objective
Flip every bit in a row to 1 to purge it from the memory buffer before overflow. Each purge accelerates the clock and expands the lane width from 4 to 8 bits, pushing precision and foresight.
Score Chasing
Logic Puzzler
Bitwise Combat