The Bucket Game

The Bucket is a physics-based puzzle-platformer developed by Nitrome, where you take control of a mechanical flying fish tasked with carrying a passenger in a bucket. Your goal is to guide the swinging bucket through narrow caverns, avoiding spike traps, waterfalls, and hostile creatures. Because the bucket is suspended by a rope, every acceleration and deceleration shifts your center of gravity, demanding careful speed control.

A typical level tests your patience and spatial awareness. The passenger (a small squirrel) can easily tumble out of the bucket if you bump into walls or fly too fast. If they fall out, you must quickly dive down to scoop them back up before they drop off the bottom of the screen. Managing momentum while navigating tight corridors makes every stage a tense exercise in precision flying.

Controls

• Mouse / Cursor: Click and drag to guide the mechanical fish. The bucket swings realistically behind you based on your movement speed and direction.

Tips and Strategies

• Keep movements smooth: Sudden jerks make the bucket swing wildly, which is the easiest way to lose your passenger. Make gentle, sweeping movements to maintain a steady center of gravity.
• Scoop quickly: If a squirrel falls out, do not panic. Dive immediately below them and position the bucket to catch them before they hit hazards or fall off-screen.
• Respect the obstacles: Waterfalls will drag your bucket down and fans will push it sideways. Scout ahead to anticipate how these environmental hazards will affect the rope physics.