Time travel in gaming is rarely as punishing—or as clever—as it is in Fixing Time. Developed by Air Guslar, this browser-based puzzle platformer throws you into the lab of Professor Tim, a well-meaning scientist who completely shattered the timeline with a homemade, clock-powered machine. Instead of fighting enemies, your greatest threat is yourself. Every time you progress, a clone of your past self is born, perfectly mimicking your previous movements. One wrong step leads to a time paradox, an instant game over, and a bruised ego. Whether you're playing solo or teaming up in local co-op, surviving this temporal nightmare requires intense spatial awareness and strategic foresight.
Table of Contents
The Core Loop: Why Fixing Time Will Break Your Brain
At first glance, Fixing Time looks like a traditional arcade platformer. You jump, you move, you collect items. But the gimmick elevates it into a high-concept puzzle game. Your objective is to navigate the laboratory and collect all the broken clocks to repair the timeline. The catch? Every single clock you collect spawns a "time clone." This clone executes the exact path you took before picking up that clock.
This mechanic creates a compounding difficulty curve. By the time you're going for the third or fourth clock in a level, you have multiple ghost versions of yourself running around the map, creating a maze of moving hitboxes. Touching any of them causes an immediate time paradox, ending your run. It shifts the game from reactive platforming to proactive puzzle-solving. You aren't just reacting to the environment; you are actively designing the obstacles you will have to dodge later.
How to Play Fixing Time
Core Controls
The controls are deceptively simple, designed to be accessible on everything from high-end PCs to mobile devices. However, mastering the tight inputs is crucial when threading the needle between three different time clones.
| Player | Movement | Jump |
|---|---|---|
| Single Player | Left / Right Arrow Keys | Space Bar |
| Co-Op Player 1 | Left / Right Arrow Keys | Up Arrow / Space Bar |
| Co-Op Player 2 | A / D Keys | W Key |
Gameplay Objectives
To advance to the next level, you must clear the lab of all broken clocks. Progression is strictly gated by your ability to survive the escalating chaos of your own creation. The timeline only heals when the room is cleared without a paradox occurring. If you touch a clone, the timeline collapses, and you must restart the sequence.
Pro Tips: Advanced Clone Pathing Strategy
- Plan the Return Trip First: The golden rule of Fixing Time is never grab a clock until you know exactly how you are getting out. "Clone pathing" means intentionally taking a wider, slower, or more convoluted route to a clock so that the resulting clone leaves the optimal path clear for your future self.
- Stall in Safe Zones: If you know you need to buy time for your future self to cross a gap, literally stand still in an out-of-the-way corner before collecting a clock. Your clone will replicate this pause, keeping a high-traffic area clear.
- Avoid Chokepoints: Never jump through a narrow gap immediately before grabbing an objective. Your clone will endlessly loop through that chokepoint, effectively locking you out of that section of the map.
- Communicate in Co-Op: In two-player mode, one player's poor pathing can doom the other. Call out your intended routes before making a move to ensure your partner isn't trapped by your past self.
Local Co-Op: Two Players, Infinite Paradoxes
Fixing Time shines—and causes the most frustration—in its local two-player mode. Supporting two players on a single computer, the game transforms into a chaotic ballet of communication. Because the game relies entirely on local keyboard sharing (with Player 1 on Arrows and Player 2 on WASD), the physical setup can feel a bit cramped, a common critique from the community. However, the cramped quarters only add to the frantic, couch-co-op charm.
In this mode, you aren't just dodging your own clones; you're dodging your partner's clones. This requires a terrifying level of synchronization. It’s highly recommended that one player tackles the top half of the screen while the other handles the bottom, minimizing the crossover of your temporal footprints.
Is Fixing Time Safe for Kids?
Yes. Fixing Time is an excellent, family-friendly puzzle game. There is no violence, no inappropriate content, and no online multiplayer communication, meaning there are no risks of toxic chat. The instant game-over mechanic upon touching a clone is bloodless—merely a "time paradox." It challenges kids to think critically about spatial planning and consequence, making it a surprisingly educational tool for developing foresight and problem-solving skills.
Compatibility & Technical Performance
Built for the modern web, Fixing Time runs smoothly on HTML canvas-supported browsers. Because it requires no downloads, it is highly accessible and often sought out as a "Fixing time game unblocked" option for quick sessions on school or work networks.
While it is fully playable on mobile devices and tablets via touch controls, the precision required for later levels makes a physical keyboard the optimal way to play. The community has noted some minor grammar and spelling issues in the game's text, but these quirks do not impact the incredibly tight physics and logic of the core gameplay loop. Professor Tim's lab is waiting—just remember to watch your step, because your past is literally out to get you.
Watch Fixing Time Gameplay – Play Online for Free
Play Fixing Time – Co-op puzzle platforming focused on time clones and pathing directly in your browser with no download. Enjoy fast, free gameplay on any device!
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I play Fixing Time for free?
Fixing Time is a free-to-play browser game accessible on desktop computers, mobile phones, and tablets without any required downloads.
Can I play Fixing Time with a friend?
Yes! The game features a local two-player co-op mode where both players share a single keyboard (using Arrow keys and WASD) to navigate the lab together.
What happens if I touch a time clone?
Touching a clone of your past self causes a time paradox, which results in an instant game over. You will have to restart the current level.
What is the best strategy for beating levels?
Master 'clone pathing.' Always plan your route to a clock so that the resulting clone will follow a path that leaves the center of the room and major platforms clear for your next moves.
Is Fixing Time available unblocked at school?
Because it runs purely on an HTML canvas browser environment and requires no downloads, it is frequently accessible on standard networks, making it a popular choice for quick puzzle sessions.
What is the Apple Arcade game about fixing things?
While Fixing Time is a browser platformer about repairing time, if you are looking for the Apple Arcade game about fixing objects, you are thinking of 'Assemble With Care' by ustwo games.
Does Fixing Time have online multiplayer?
No, the multiplayer component is strictly local co-op on a single device.
Who developed Fixing Time?
The game was developed by Air Guslar, an indie studio focusing on high-concept browser and mobile experiences.
Are there bugs or translation errors in the game?
The core gameplay is highly polished, but community members have noted some minor grammar and spelling quirks in the game's localized text. This does not affect gameplay.
What does it mean to fix a game?
In standard gaming terms, fixing a game means patching bugs. However, in sports context, 'match fixing' means predetermining a result. In 'Fixing Time', it literally means repairing the broken timeline as Professor Tim!
