Fragile Balance

• Tap, hold and swipe on phones and tablets
• Mouse or trackpad on a computer; arrow keys or WASD where the game asks for movement
• Press Escape or the exit button to leave the full-screen player

1. 1Pause or wait at the start of a stage to study the map, especially where enemies enter and where paths narrow.
2. 2Place your first defences or units at a choke point rather than near your base.
3. 3Let a wave or turn play out fully before spending more; information is worth more than a quick build.
4. 4Sell, move or upgrade whatever is underperforming between waves.

• Free to play, nothing to install, no account needed
• Loads in the browser tab and opens full screen when you press Play
• Designed for a phone held upright
• Touch controls on phones and tablets, mouse and keyboard on a computer
• Listed under Strategy

Fragile Balance is a thinking game that costs nothing and installs nothing. It runs in a browser tab with no account, and sessions can be as long as you like. The satisfaction of a defence that holds, or a plan that comes together, is hard to match in a quick reflex game.

Suits patient players who like planning, mostly teens and adults. Older children who enjoy puzzles and building games will take to it too. It is not aimed at players who want constant action.

Can I pause Fragile Balance?

Most strategy games here include a pause button, and turn-based ones wait for you anyway. Real-time games often pause between waves automatically.

What happens if I lose a stage?

You retry it, usually with a clearer idea of what went wrong. Strategy games are designed around learning the map, so a loss is normal.

Will my progress be saved?

Often, in your browser on the device you used. Unlocked stages or saved campaigns do not carry to another device, since there is no account.