Lander is a free daily spaceship game you play in a browser, on a phone, or on a computer. Every day, everyone gets the same cave. You fly down through it and try to set the ship down on the pad at the bottom. It sounds simple, but the clock, the blue ship, and the “last gate” make it a little more interesting once you actually start playing.
What a run actually is
A run in Lander is one attempt at today’s cave. You start at the top, fly down, and the run only ends when you’re on the landing pad, slowly and level. You don’t have to restart the whole cave if you mess up, and a new cave appears every day at midnight, New York time.
You can try today’s cave as many times as you like. The game keeps your best run of the day, and that best time is what goes onto today’s board.
Bumping vs. crashing: know the difference
The cave is full of rocks, but not every rock contact is a failure. The important distinction is how hard you hit.
- A gentle bump: the ship bounces off and you keep moving. It costs a little momentum, but nothing else.
- A hard hit: you’re sent back to the last gate, and the clock keeps running.
That last point matters. A crash doesn’t end your run; it just throws away time. The “last gate” is the reset point you return to, so the further you’ve flown, the more you lose on a hard hit.
| What happens | Result |
|---|---|
| Gentle bump | Bounce off the rock, keep flying |
| Hard hit | Back to the last gate, clock running |
| Safe landing on the pad | Run ends, time recorded |
The blue ship is your reference
Each day’s cave has a blue ship to race against. Think of it as the day’s ghost: the target time for that cave. You’re trying to fly down faster than the blue ship while still landing safely.
For your daily score, the main thing is that your best completed run today counts. Faster is better. The blue ship is also what medals are measured against, but you don’t need to chase exact medal thresholds on your first day. Just use it as a guide: where does it slow down? What line does it take? You can then try to follow that line and beat it.
How today’s scoring works
Your best run today goes onto today’s board, and it also feeds into your week and your rank. The fastest time wins the day. If you fly a past cave instead, your best flight goes onto that cave’s all-time board, not your rank. If you take a past cave’s record, you get 15 tickets, once.
A simple first-day routine
- Open Lander in your browser. No install and no account needed.
- Start your first attempt and fly down cautiously. Don’t try to be fast yet.
- If you’re about to touch a rock, slow down. A gentle bump is fine; a hard hit sends you back to the gate.
- Reach the pad and make sure you are slow and level before you touch down.
- Check today’s board once you land. That becomes your time to beat.
- Fly the cave again if you want to improve. Your best run today is what counts.
Tip: On your first few attempts, prioritize control over speed. A slightly slower run that ends on the pad is more useful than a fast attempt that ends in a hard hit and a trip back to the gate.
Frequent questions
Do I need an account?
No. Lander is free, has no ads, and needs no account.
When does the next cave arrive?
A new cave appears every day at midnight, New York time.
Does crashing end my run?
No. A hard hit sends you back to the last gate with the clock running, so you can keep flying, but you lose time.
What counts as a completed run?
Landing on the pad, slowly and level. That’s when your run ends and your time is recorded.
