snake

snake [options]
or
snake

-f
    Sets the game to "fast" mode, increasing the snake's movement speed.

-t
    Enables "tagged" mode, often displaying debugging information or internal game states (less common for typical user play).

The snake command typically invokes a simple, text-based implementation of the classic arcade game "Snake" (also known as "Nibbler" or "Worm"). In this game, the player controls a snake on a grid, guiding it to eat "food" items. Each time the snake consumes food, it grows longer. The objective is to eat as much food as possible without colliding with the boundaries of the playing area or with the snake's own tail. The game is usually played in a terminal using arrow keys for movement. Its simplicity and addictive nature have made it a popular pastime and a common example of ncurses programming.

The snake command is not a standard Linux utility but typically a simple game. Its availability and specific implementation (e.g., options, controls, appearance) can vary significantly depending on the Linux distribution and the package it comes from (e.g., bsdgames, ncurses-examples, or a custom script). Users might need to install a package like bsdgames to access it.

Movement is typically controlled using the arrow keys (Up, Down, Left, Right). Pressing 'q' or 'Q' often quits the game.

On many Debian/Ubuntu-based systems, the snake game can be installed via the bsdgames package: sudo apt install bsdgames. On Fedora/RHEL, it might be part of ncurses-examples or similar packages.

The concept of the "snake" game dates back to the 1970s, with "Blockade" (1976) by Gremlin Industries often cited as the first arcade version. It gained widespread popularity with the release of "Snake" on Nokia mobile phones in the late 1990s, becoming a cultural phenomenon. On Unix-like systems, various open-source implementations have existed for decades, often using the ncurses library to render the game in the terminal, serving as both entertainment and a common programming example.

ncurses(3), bsdgames(6), tetris(6), robots(6)