Spell Spire

Spell Spire is a top-down action game about a young wizard and a very tall tower. Every floor is a single candlelit room built from twelve hand-made layouts of pillars, water pits, grass and braziers. The door locks behind you, monsters pop out of glowing circles, and the staircase only appears once every one of them has been knocked out. Rooms are quick, usually well under a minute, and every tenth floor holds a boss: a stone golem, a mirror mage who copies your spells, and the spire's own dragon hatchling at the very top.

You carry three spells on separate cooldowns, and the trick is picking the right one. Fire bolts melt ice imps and set grass alight. A cone of ice slows and freezes fire bats and splitting slimes, and turns water into a bridge. Lightning jumps from one monster to the next, cracks the armour of metal knights and powers the braziers that open locked gates. Some monsters carry a shield that only their weak element can break, and a quick dash gets you out of a tight corner.

Between floors you pick one of three charms: bigger fire, a longer lightning chain, a second dash, faster spells, a thorny cloak or a little owl familiar that shoots on its own. You have four hearts and get one back every fifth floor, and a defeat sends you back to the last tenth floor you reached. A run timer keeps the pace honest, your high score and best floor are saved in your browser, and the Daily climb gives everyone the same seed for the day.