About JOULE THIEF
JOULE THIEF is a short PICO-8 driving game about a battery. You race down a road full of cars, and accelerating, crashing and firing your EMP all drain your charge. The only way to refill it's to drive close to other cars.
That makes the safe line and the paying line two different things. Brush past traffic and you recharge. Once you have enough energy, the EMP clears the road ahead. The goal fits in one sentence: go fast, go far, stay alive.
You can play JOULE THIEF online in a browser tab. A run lasts a few seconds, so the next try is always one press away.
How to Play JOULE THIEF
- Click inside the game window, then steer with the left and right arrow keys.
- Accelerate with the up arrow or W, or with the O button on a controller.
- Brake with the down arrow when you need to slow down.
- Pass close to other cars to recharge your battery.
- Press X to fire the EMP once it's charged, which clears the road.
What to Expect in JOULE THIEF
A tight loop and a very short run. It's a small retro cartridge, with the limited palette and blocky look that PICO-8 titles are known for.
The battery is where the interest lies. Speed costs energy, crashes cost energy and the EMP costs energy, but staying near other cars gives energy back. That pushes you to take chances, and the best runs come from driving close to danger without touching it.
Runs last seconds, so the game rewards repeat play. You learn the rhythm of the traffic, when to hold the accelerator and when a charged EMP is worth saving. JOULE THIEF free in the browser is a good break from longer games.
Tips for JOULE THIEF
- Do not hold the accelerator down all the time. Speed drains the battery.
- Pass close to cars on purpose, but stay clear of a collision.
- Save the EMP for a crowded stretch, since it costs energy to use.
- Brake early when traffic gets thick, before you have to swerve.
- Learn from each short run and go again straight away.
Who Made JOULE THIEF
JOULE THIEF was made by ghettobastler and released on itch.io. It was made in PICO-8. The cart cover image is by The Sailor PICO8, with fade to black code by zep. FunClicker embeds the creator's own version so you can play it here without downloading anything. We did not make the game, and the credit for its design, code, and art belongs to its creator. You can find the original on the JOULE THIEF page on itch.io.
FAQ
Is JOULE THIEF free?
Yes, and there's no sign-up step either. JOULE THIEF runs in this tab.
How do you play JOULE THIEF?
Steer with the left and right arrows. Accelerate with the up arrow, the O button or W, and brake with the down arrow. Press X to fire the EMP when it's charged. Pass close to other cars to refill your battery.
What is the goal of JOULE THIEF?
Go fast, go far and stay alive. Your battery drains when you accelerate, hit cars or use the EMP, and refills when you get close to other cars. So the real goal is managing energy while you drive.
What does the EMP do in JOULE THIEF?
Once you have enough energy, the EMP clears the road ahead of you. It costs battery to use, so the choice is when to spend it. Press X when it's charged to trigger it and wipe the traffic away.
Who made JOULE THIEF?
ghettobastler made JOULE THIEF and released it on itch.io. What you're playing here is that original build.
Can I play JOULE THIEF on a Chromebook or phone?
A Chromebook or laptop is the best fit, since the controls use the arrow keys, W and X. A controller layout also exists for PICO-8. A phone would be a poor match for a game that needs a keyboard.
Is JOULE THIEF unblocked at school?
JOULE THIEF unblocked depends on your network. It runs in a normal browser tab, so if this page opens, the game should too.
Is JOULE THIEF a PICO-8 game?
Yes, it's a PICO-8 game, which means it was built for a small retro console with a limited palette and tiny cartridges. That's why the game looks simple and each run is so short, and it fits the arcade style well.
