5 tips to help you master Agar.io

Agrar.io managed to make quite a splash when it debuted as a web browser game last year, but ever since it was featured in the latest season of House of Cards this curious little game has sprung up the charts as a top iOS app.

So what is Agar.io? It’s a game where you start off as a small colored cell that must eat smaller cells (including other players) in order to grow larger. The goal is to become the biggest cell on the map and reach the top of the in-game leaderboard and of course to avoid getting eaten yourself.

It sounds simple - and sometimes is - but many first time players find themselves frustrated at the game as they get eaten before they have a chance to even understand what’s going on. While a little practice can help you to learn from your mistakes and stay alive, if you’re looking for a leg up on the competition right away then you’ll want to consider these five tips.

Hold When You're Small, Tap When You're Big

The mobile version of Agar.io converts the browser version's click controls into touch controls pretty well. They do, however, present an interesting dilemma. Is it better to hold your finger down in the direction you wish to go or to just tap when you want to change direction?

The answer can depend on the situation, but the general rule is that it's better to hold when you're small and tap when you're big. While holding covers up more of the screen, it also allows you the kind of split-second controls you are going to need when trying to avoid everything. On the other hand, when your character becomes much larger you'll find that there is not near as much need to make quick maneuvers and that you can safely tap as needed to change direction.

Again this will have to be changed up based on the situation, but by practicing both control types early on you will be able to master the game much sooner.

Farm Dots Around Viruses

See those green, immobile dots all over the map with the spikes around them? Those are viruses and they are your best friend early on.

That might sound strange, but basically what these viruses do is cause larger players to split into multiple pieces when they touch them. If, however, you are smaller than the viruses themselves then they do not harm you. This makes them tremendous sources of protection early on. If you run into one or more, be sure to take the time to collect any dots that are around them.

Keeping the location of these viruses in mind is not only a great way to grow in size, but can also prove to be a great help when escaping from a larger foe.

Don't Be Afraid Of Players The Same Size

In a game that moves as fast as Agar.io, it can be tempting to run away from every enemy player that comes near you.

While that reaction is natural, you'll want to be careful with how panicked you become around players that are roughly the same size as you. Players cannot eat players that are the same size as them, but you don't need to have an eagle eye to make that judgement while playing. As a general rule, if they look like they are about the same size as you then you should be able to move through each other without fear.

This mechanic shouldn't be taken as an invitation to run into players with reckless abandonment, but it might save you from veering away from a non-threat and running into a real threat.

Move From Side To Side

Although your average game of Agar.io will have you exploring the entire game area at some point, if you can help it then it's better to move horizontally and not vertically.

Why? Well moving vertically limits your field of vision and increases the risk that you'll run into another player blindly. If you move from side to side, however, it is much easier to see a larger area of play all around you and know exactly where your next threat is coming from.

While it is not possible to play a game of Agar.io successfully without moving up and down at some point, by sticking limiting the instances where you veer off in wildly in vertical directions you can greatly increase your odds of survival.

Know When To Split Your Cells

So you've finally done it. You've gotten good or lucky enough to have one of the biggest cells on the map and now you feel invincible.

Well, unfortunately you are not. While you may not have to worry about larger players as much at a certain size, it becomes much more difficult to maintain your mass as only by eating other players of fair size can you continue to thrive. This is when it becomes important to use the split function to break up your cell into several smaller ones. Doing so will slightly increase the risk of having a part of you eaten by another player, but will also make it much easier to pursue your enemies.

Think of it as diversifying your interests and putting an investment into your future as the king of Agar.io.

Agar.io is available on the App Store for free. It supports all devices running iOS 6.0 or later.