The first squish is personal

How to play Shut Up Fly.

Hold steady. Let the fly land. Tap before it escapes. This free iPhone arcade game turns patience and a fast finger into a battle against a growing swarm.

Official gameplay guide · iPhone · iOS 18 or later

Download on the App Store

1. Watch Fly Sense before you strike

Your iPhone is part of the game. Movement and sudden sound changes can warn a fly that you are coming. Watch the live Fly Sense meter, hold the phone steady, and wait for an opening. A quiet approach followed by a quick tap works better than chasing the fly around with your whole phone.

The camera, microphone, and motion permissions let Fly Sense use live signals on your device. Camera images and audio are not recorded or saved. If the meter behaves unexpectedly, check the sensor setup steps.

2. Squish flies and stop maggots hatching

Wait for a fly to land, then tap the visible fly directly before it escapes. An escaped fly can leave a maggot. Crush maggots before they hatch into more flies, and watch the infestation counter instead of concentrating on just one target.

The goal is to clear the flies. If 12 live flies take over, the run ends in total infestation. As the swarm grows, choosing the next target becomes as important as tapping quickly.

Shut Up Fly gameplay with the Fly Sense warning meter, combo tracker, and infestation panel
Read the warning meter, combo key, and infestation counter together.

3. Follow the four-hit combo key

The combo key shows the fly-and-maggot target sequence to complete. Land four correct target hits in that order to earn a weapon reward. Follow the displayed sequence; random tapping is not the same as completing the key.

Weapons give the hunt its sense of humor. The Armoury includes La Chancla, Bug Spray, Bug Zapper, Salt Shotgun, Electric Racquet, Venus Flytrap, Stinky Bag Trap, Newspaper, Fly Swatter, Fly Paper, and Bug Bomb.

4. Clear levels, then improve your score

The campaign has 51 increasingly difficult environments. Later levels raise the pressure with faster, more sensitive flies. Three-star mastery rewards accuracy and performance, giving you another reason to revisit a level you have already cleared.

Local records and the Hall of Fame stay on your iPhone. Optional Apple Game Center rankings let you compare scores worldwide when connected. The single-player campaign does not require an online leaderboard.

Why does the fly keep escaping?

  • The phone moved. Settle your grip and wait for the warning meter to calm before approaching.
  • Something got loud. Sudden sounds can alert the fly. Try a calmer setting to learn the timing.
  • The approach was slow. Wait for a landing, then commit to a fast, direct tap.
  • The swarm got ahead of you. Watch for maggots as well as landed flies, so new arrivals do not undo your progress.

Try a round when you have a break

There are no ad breaks or in-app purchases between you and the campaign. Watch actual gameplay, or read the offline play guide if you want to play without Wi-Fi.