Skating and dekes in PixelPuck

A change of direction can create space when a defender has already committed to your path. The turn still needs to carry you out of reach. Here are two attempts that show the difference.

Start with steering

Use the left side to steer

Touch the left half of the screen and drag in the direction you want to skate. Keep your finger down. Move it around that first touch point to change direction.

A deke can start when you change direction with the puck near a defender. There is no separate deke button.

See the complete control guide

Two attempts

How much room does the turn create?

Follow the player with the blue ring. Both attempts start the same way. The puck carrier takes a sharper turn in A.

Successful attempt

A turn out of reach

What happensThe player with the blue ring turns across the defender’s approach. The check misses, the defender falls, and the carrier keeps the puck.

Open clip A on its own

Unsuccessful attempt

Still in the check’s path

What happensThe player with the blue ring makes a shallower turn. The defender connects with the check and knocks the puck loose. The carrier stays upright. The defender does not stumble.

Open clip B on its own

Staged development gameplay. Two skaters from the current game, with the other players removed from the drill. The camera is closer than in a normal match.

Compare the still frames

Before the turn, both skaters are closing the gap. The later frames show how each encounter ends.

A. A turn out of reach

The player with the blue ring carries the puck left toward the approaching defender, before changing direction. — **Before, at 0.17 seconds** Both skaters close in.

**After, at 0.90 seconds** The player with the blue ring has skated above the fallen defender and still has the puck.

B. Still in the check’s path

**After, at 0.90 seconds** The player with the blue ring stays upright after the check, but the puck is loose.

How these attempts were recorded

These are controlled encounters recorded in the development build. Both use the same starting positions, speed, full stamina and player ratings. The carrier has balance 10. The defender has balance 1. The carrier turns about 90 degrees in A and about 50 degrees in B.

The game receives movement touch inputs and resolves the check and deke. The drill does not force a fall or a missed check. These two attempts show what happened in this setup. They do not measure your chance of success in a match.

Read the approach

Give the defender a path to miss

A committed defender is moving to intercept where you were going. Turning across that approach can open space before they reach you.

A. The paths separate

The carrier curves upward. The defender continues right and falls after missing the check.

B. The check reaches the carrier

The shallower turn stays close enough for contact. The carrier loses the puck and is pushed off the intended line.

P: player starting with the puck D: defender

These diagrams trace the first 0.9 seconds of each recording at the same scale. The hollow circles mark the starting positions. The letters mark the later positions.

What the comparison suggests

In A, the sharper turn takes the carrier clear of the check. In B, the shallower turn leaves the carrier within reach. Look for an open side and steer into it as the defender closes.

This is a tactic to try, not a promise. A different approach, player rating or nearby body can change the result.

Why a defender can stay upright

The game checks the defender’s commitment and the space the carrier actually creates. A nearby defender who has held position may have no wrong path to recover from.

A check can still connect during the turn. A wall, another skater or a lost puck can also spoil the move. A deke may cause a wobble or a fall, or no reaction at all.

See how positioning and checks work when defending

What your skater brings

Balance helps you hold the turn

A deke turns the skater through a curve. It does not teleport them or add a burst of speed. Your ratings and remaining stamina affect how that turn plays out.

Balance: Higher balance makes the deke’s turn tighter and reduces the speed lost through it. It also lowers the stamina cost. For the defender, balance affects the reaction and how long recovery takes. It does not make a player immune.
Speed: Higher speed improves normal skating pace and acceleration. You need momentum to start a deke, but skating faster alone does not make the defender fall.
Stamina: Starting a deke uses stamina. Low stamina reduces ordinary skating speed and acceleration. A tired defender also takes longer to recover from a wobble or fall.

Learn how player ratings develop

Try it in a match

Practice one change of direction

Use a few puck possessions to watch the approach and the space after your turn. You do not need a special move button or a separate practice mode.

Find some open ice. Carry the puck with a held drag on the left half of the screen. Leave room on either side of your skater.
Watch one defender. Look at where they are moving as they close in. Pick the side with room to turn.
Change the drag direction. Keep your finger down and steer across their approach. Give the skater time to follow the curve.
Check what happened. Did you keep the puck and create space? On the next possession, try a different turn angle or start the turn a little earlier.

If the lane stays crowded, look for a pass. Repeated left and right flicks do not guarantee another deke or stumble.

Find a passing option when the route closes

Release and testing

PixelPuck is in development for iPhone. There is no public App Store release date yet. You can email the developer about future testing opportunities. Android is planned, with no release date announced.

Email about testing

Opens your email app.