Number Dash Guide: Pick the Right Gates and Beat the Number Monster
Number Dash is a running game where the puzzle is maths. Your Number Buddy runs down a track and you steer through gates that add, take away, multiply or divide. Finish bigger than the Number Monster to win. Here is how to think about the gates.
By Zaib · Updated 20 October 2026 · Free to play, no download
Number Dash looks like any colourful runner game: a little round Buddy dashes down a track past trees and coins. The difference is the gates. Each one shows a sum, like +6 or ×2 or −3, and the number above your Buddy's head changes as you pass through. At the end a Number Monster is waiting with its own number. Be bigger and you win.
It was made for young children and grown-ups alike, and there are three maths settings, so a five-year-old and a parent can both find it a challenge.
How we lost level 1 (twice)
Our first attempt was to let the Buddy run and see what happened. It finished on 5; the Monster had 12. "So close!"
The second time we got the quiz door right (4 + 2 = 6, "Correct!", +6) and felt great, but we then drifted through a −3 gate and another red gate near the end and finished on 4. The lesson: every gate counts, right up to the finish, and red gates later in the level can undo a good start. Watch the whole row before you commit to a side.
Controls
| Action | Phone | Computer |
|---|---|---|
| Steer | Drag left or right anywhere on the screen | Left/Right arrows or A/D |
| Pause | II button | P or Esc |
| Start | Play button | Enter or Space |
Blue gates and red gates
- Blue gates (+ and ×) make your number bigger.
- Red gates (− and ÷) make it smaller.
When one gate is blue and one is red, the choice is easy. The real puzzle is when both are blue: which one gives the bigger number?
| Your number | +10 gives | ×2 gives | Better choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 13 | 6 | +10 |
| 10 | 20 | 20 | Either |
| 25 | 35 | 50 | ×2 |
So adding wins when your number is small, multiplying wins when it is big. A quick rule for kids: if your number is smaller than the number you would add, pick the add gate. The same thinking works for two red gates: choose the one that takes away less.
Quiz doors
Sometimes a red banner shows a sum, like 4 + 2 or 6 × 8, with two doors underneath. Run through the door with the right answer and that number is added to yours. A wrong answer adds nothing, so it pays to think quickly but carefully. The results card shows how many quizzes you got right.
Watch out for minus clouds
From the early levels, grumpy little clouds drift across the track carrying a minus or divide. Steer around them, and grab the coins along the way.
Stars
You win a level by finishing with a bigger number than the Monster. Each level also has a best possible number, and your stars depend on how close you get:
- 1 star: beat the Monster.
- 2 stars: finish at least halfway between the Monster's number and the best possible number.
- 3 stars: reach at least 90% of the best possible number.
So 3 stars means picking the better gate nearly every time, not just beating the Monster.
Six worlds, sixty levels
There are 60 levels across six worlds: Sunny Meadow, Desert Dunes, Candy Land, Snowy Peaks, Tropic Beach and Starry Space. Each world has its own scenery and gets a little harder, with more gates, bigger numbers and more clouds.
Maths levels for every age
In Settings you can choose:
- Easy: adding and taking away
- Medium: times tables
- Hard: big sums, dividing and squares
Younger players can start on Easy and move up as they get confident. Grown-ups who think they are too clever for it should try Hard.
Buddies
Coins buy new Buddies to run with: Bloo (120), Minty (200), Bubblegum (300), Sunny (400), Grape (550), Kitty (700), Chef Tomato (850), Wizard (1,000), Royal (1,300), Astro (1,600) and Dino (2,000). Oranj, the orange Buddy, is free. They only change how your runner looks.
Tips for parents
- Play the first few levels together and say the sums out loud: "We have 7. Is +6 or ×2 bigger?"
- Let children make the gate choices even if they get it wrong. Losing to the Monster is gentle ("So close!") and retrying is instant.
- Medium is a fun way to practise times tables without it feeling like homework.
- Levels are short, so it fits nicely into a few spare minutes.
What changed after testing
The game got richer graphics (sky, landmarks, decorations, glass gates and a boss arena), a polished title menu, and careful layout fixes so messages on the results screen and the level list never cover buttons, world names or level tiles.
FAQ
What age is Number Dash for?
Easy mode suits children from about five, Medium practises times tables, and Hard is a real challenge for older kids and adults.
Why did I lose even though I got the quiz right?
Red gates and minus clouds later in the level can bring your number back down. Every gate counts until the finish.
Is +10 or ×2 better?
It depends on your number. Below 10, +10 is bigger. Above 10, ×2 is bigger.
How do I get 3 stars?
Finish with at least 90% of the best possible number for that level.
Does it save?
Yes. Your levels, stars, coins and Buddies are saved on your device.
