# Gourd Stack

> Stack lumpy gourds as high as they'll go without a wobble.

A harvest stacking game on a hay bale in an autumn field. A lumpy gourd swings back and forth above your stack; drop it so it lands on the gourd below. Land it right in the middle for a perfect stack and a bonus point, but drop it past the edge and it tips off. The swing gets a little quicker with every gourd, so find your timing and see how high it goes.

- Play: https://sidekickarcade.com/play/gourd-stack/ (in the browser, phone or computer, free, no sign-up)
- Neighborhood: [Arcade Alley](https://sidekickarcade.com/category/arcade/index.md)
- Controls: Tap, click, Space or Down
- Best on: portrait screens
- Coins for goals: 1 per 5 points, up to 12 a run

## How to play

1. Tap anywhere, click, or press Space or the Down arrow to drop the swinging gourd. Every way drops it the moment you press.
2. A gourd stays when its middle lands over the gourd below. Drop it past the edge and it tips off, which ends the stack.
3. Land within a hair of the middle for a perfect stack: two points instead of one.
4. The swing speeds up as the stack grows. Your best score is saved in this browser.

## Tips

- Watch where the swing turns around: drops near the middle of the swing are the easiest to time.
- Drop when the gourd is right over the stack, not when it's about to be. It falls straight down.
- A perfect stack lines up exactly, so the next landing has the most room.
- As the swing speeds up, wait for the gourd to pass over the stack once, then drop on the way back.

## Questions

### Is it free?

Yes. It's free to play in your browser, with no download and no sign-up. Coins you earn are for fun and can never be bought.

### When can I play it?

Gourd Stack is a harvest game. It's here all through November and comes back every year, with your best score kept.

### Can I play on a phone or tablet?

Yes. It's built for touch first and plays the same on a phone, a tablet, a Chromebook or a computer.

## Achievements

- **First stack** (bronze, 10 coins): Finish your first stack.
- **Knee high** (bronze, 10 coins): Stack 10 gourds in one go.
- **Steady hands** (bronze, 10 coins): Make 5 perfect stacks in one go.
- **Harvest helper** (silver, 25 coins): Play 10 stacks.
- **Taller than the fence** (silver, 25 coins): Stack 25 gourds in one go.
- **Barn high** (gold, 60 coins): Score 60 points in one stack.
- **Gourd tower** (diamond, 150 coins): Score 100 points in one stack. Earns the title "Gourd Tower".

## More to play

- [Hay Bale Maze](https://sidekickarcade.com/play/hay-bale-maze/index.md): Find your way through a new hay maze, with a pumpkin at the end. (Puzzle Park)
- [Wobble Hoops](https://sidekickarcade.com/play/wobble-hoops/index.md): Flick the ball into the moving hoop. (Sports Field)
- [Puffin Flight](https://sidekickarcade.com/play/puffin-flight/index.md): Tap to flap through the gaps between the sea stacks and icebergs. (Arcade Alley)