How to play Paint Territory
Paint Territory is a draw io game about greed and timing. You start with a small square of land in a big empty arena, alongside five computer bots who all want the same thing. Every time you leave your land you paint a thin trail behind you. Return to your land and the whole loop you drew is filled in with your colour. The bigger the loop, the more land you win, but the longer your trail is exposed. If a bot crosses it, you're eliminated on the spot.
- Press Play. You are the blue painter labelled "You"; the others are clearly marked BOT.
- Steer with the mouse pointer, by dragging on a touch screen, or with the arrow keys.
- Leave your land to start painting a trail, swing around, and head back home.
- Reach your own land again to claim everything inside the loop, including bots' land.
- Cross a bot's trail to knock it out; keep bots away from yours.
- After three minutes, whoever owns the most of the arena wins.
Tips and strategy
- Start with small loops. Short trips of a few seconds are almost risk-free and quickly build a base to retreat to.
- Go out along the edge. The arena wall can't be crossed by anyone, so painting along it protects one side of your loop.
- Watch for bots before you leave. If a bot is close, wait inside your land; you can't be hit there.
- Hunt long trails. A bot far from home is vulnerable. Cut across its trail and all its land is cleared.
- Steal land. Loops can cut right through a bot's territory. Taking a bite of an opponent counts twice: you gain and they lose.
- Never turn back on yourself. Your own trail is just as deadly to you as it is to bots, so plan wide, rounded loops.
- Mind the clock. In the last 15 seconds the timer turns red. A big safe loop now can win the round.
The bots
The five opponents, Pip, Dot, Zig, Smudge and Squiggle, are simple computer players that run entirely in your browser. Early in a round they are cautious: they make small loops and rush home when someone comes near. As the three minutes tick by they get greedier and more aggressive, making bigger loops, moving a little faster and actively chasing exposed trails, especially yours. When a bot is knocked out it comes back a few seconds later with a fresh patch of land, so the arena never goes quiet. Everything happens on your device, so there is no lag and no waiting for other players to join.
Why territory games are so addictive
Territory-painting io games became hugely popular because every round is a fresh risk-and-reward puzzle: a big loop could double your land or end your game. Paint Territory keeps that tension but makes it quick and friendly: rounds last three minutes, you always know who is a bot, and your best result is saved so you can try to beat it. It's a fun way to practise planning ahead, judging distances and reading opponents' movements.
Scoring and records
The arena is a grid of 4,096 squares and your score is the share of them you own, shown as a percentage next to "You" at the top of the screen. The live leaderboard ranks every painter by area, with each bot marked BOT. If you are knocked out, the game keeps the area you owned at that moment; if you survive the full three minutes, your final area counts and the game tells you where you finished. Your best percentage is saved in this browser, so every round is a chance to set a new record.
More drawing games
Fancy something calmer? Lasso fireflies in Lasso Catch, defend the core with quick lines in Missile Shield, or doodle against the clock inSpeed Draw.
Paint Territory FAQ
Is Paint Territory a multiplayer io game?
No. It plays like a draw io game, but all five opponents are computer-controlled bots that run in your browser, and they are clearly labelled BOT on the board and in the leaderboard. That means no lag, no waiting for a lobby and no strangers, and it works offline once the page has loaded.
How do I claim territory?
Leave your coloured land and you paint a trail behind you. Steer back into your own land and every cell inside the loop you drew becomes yours, including land that belonged to bots.
How do I get eliminated?
If any bot touches your trail while you are outside your land, you are out. You also lose if you run into your own trail. Inside your own land you are safe, because there is no trail to hit.
What are the controls?
With a mouse, just point where you want to go: your painter turns towards the cursor. On a phone or tablet, touch anywhere and drag like a joystick. On a keyboard you can use the arrow keys or WASD. Press P to pause.
How do I win?
Survive the three-minute round and have the most area of all painters when the clock runs out. Your score is the percentage of the arena you own at the end, or at the moment you were knocked out, and your best is saved on your device.
Is it free?
Yes, Paint Territory is free to play in the browser on phones, tablets and computers, with no download and no account.