Support

Something not working, or a question the game does not answer? Write to games@slipperysign.com. Tell us your device and what happened, and we will get back to you. The controls are also in the game, under Controls.

1. How do I play?

Your ship stands on a glass deck in deep space, and the swarm comes at it from the four sides; the deck glides to meet each attack. Turn the ship and it fires along the deck, shooting down the enemies and their bolts. Fly through the capsules they drop for powers (missiles, drones, a mine field, an orbital strike and more), raise the dome when the fire gets heavy, and set off the nova when they come too close. A level is a short fight with one aim; clear it with as much of the hull left as you can.

2. What are the controls?

The ship fires by itself whenever something is in its sights. Turn Auto fire off in Options to fire yourself: hold the mouse button, W or ↑, the right trigger, or keep your thumb on the ring.

3. How do levels and sectors open?

The journey home is ten sectors of twenty levels, the last of each a boss. Clear a level and the next one opens. With the full game every sector is open at once, to fly in any order; within a sector the levels still open one after another. Finish the first journey and the second opens, harder. Endless is the long run, sector after sector, for the best score.

4. What is free, and what is the full game?

The first sector, The Drift, is free, every level of it and its boss, to keep, and the whole Workshop is open to everyone. The full game is one in-app purchase that opens the other nine sectors, the second journey and Endless. There are no ads, no subscription and nothing else to buy. Bought once, it opens on every iPhone, iPad and Mac signed in to the same Apple Account, and for your family through Family Sharing. You can get it from any locked sector on the Play tab, after The Drift's boss, or in Options › Full game.

Have a code? Choose Redeem a code on the same page, or redeem it in the App Store under your account.

If a device does not show your purchase, choose Restore purchase on the same page. Payments and refunds are handled by Apple, at reportaproblem.apple.com.

5. Stars, credits and the Workshop

A level's stars come from the hull you have left: three from 80%, two from 40%. Every kill earns credits, and every new star 150 more. Spend them at the Workshop on what every level starts with: new ships, more barrels, guns, upgrades, research in the LAB, and paint.

6. Where is my progress kept?

On your device only: each iPhone, iPad and Mac keeps its own progress. Deleting the game removes its progress too (a purchase of the full game stays with your Apple Account and can be restored). See the privacy policy.

7. What can I change in Options?

Aim assist (keys, sticks and touch pull the aim onto the enemy nearest it), Music, Sound, Auto fire, and Story at launch (the courier's story before the menu). The pause menu has the same.

8. Which devices can play it?

iPhone and iPad with iOS or iPadOS 26 or later, and Mac with macOS 26 or later. On iPhone the game is played with the phone held sideways.

9. Health and safety

GelHelle has flashing lights, explosions and a shaking camera. A very small number of people can have a seizure when exposed to flashing lights or patterns, even with no history of epilepsy. If you or anyone in your family has had a seizure or epilepsy, ask a doctor before playing. Stop playing at once and see a doctor if you notice dizziness, blurred vision, twitching, disorientation or any involuntary movement. Play in a well-lit room, take a break every hour, and stop if your hands, wrists or eyes get tired or sore.

10. Terms and credits

GelHelle is licensed to you under Apple’s Licensed Application End User License Agreement. Its ships, enemies, worlds, music and sounds were made for the game by SlipperySign. This website uses the Inter typeface by The Inter Project Authors, under the SIL Open Font License 1.1.