About
Lantern Drop is a free physics merge game you play in your browser, with no download or sign-up. Aim over the market stall, then drop a glowing lantern into the box. It falls, bounces and settles under real physics, so where you place it can shape what happens next.
When two lanterns from the same step touch, they merge into the next bigger lantern and score points. You can drop only the five smallest steps. The next lantern appears in the Next box, and a strip shows all eleven steps in order. Bigger lanterns come from merges.
There is no timer or level list. Keep playing until the stall fills. If two Grand Chandeliers meet, they burn out together for a 100-point bonus and a finale. Your result shows your score, best score and biggest lantern reached.
How to play
- Move your mouse or finger over the box to aim.
- Click or lift your finger to drop the lantern.
- Use the Next box to see which lantern is coming.
- Watch how lanterns fall, bounce and settle.
- Bring two lanterns from the same step together to merge them.
- Create bigger lanterns to score points and set up further merges.
- Keep resting lanterns below the danger line. If one stays above it for 2 seconds, the game ends.
- Choose Play again on the result screen to start a new game.
Tips
- Check the Next box before you choose where to aim.
- Look for a place where matching lanterns can settle beside each other.
- Leave room for lanterns to bounce and roll before they settle.
- Use the ladder strip to see which lanterns can still be created.
- A new drop gets a brief 0.6-second grace period before the danger check.
- Merges within a second can chain into a combo.
The lantern ladder
The eleven lantern steps, from smallest to largest, are Spark, Candle Bubble, Paper Lantern, Coral Lantern, Glass Lantern, Kilim Lantern, Mosaic Lamp, Copper Lantern, Star Lantern, Silk Lantern and Grand Chandelier. Only the first five can be dropped from your hand. Each bigger step comes from merging two lanterns of the same step.
FAQ
Is Lantern Drop free to play?
Yes. You can play the game for free in your browser, with no download.
Do I need to sign up?
No. You can start playing without signing up.
Can I play on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The game works on phones, tablets and computers. Use your finger on a touch screen or a mouse.
Is my progress saved?
Your best score, settings, language and running game are saved in this browser on this device. The running game continues after a reload. Clearing site data removes this saved information.
What ends the game?
The game ends when a resting lantern stays above the danger line for 2 seconds. A freshly dropped lantern is not checked for 0.6 seconds.
How do scoring and combos work?
Each step scores more than the one before: creating step 1 gives 1 point, step 2 gives 3 and step 3 gives 6. Merges that follow each other in under one second chain into a combo. Only the five smallest lantern steps are dropped; bigger ones come from merges.