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Show HN: Pegasus3301 – a Cicada 3301–inspired online puzzle game
Hi HN,
I built Pegasus3301, an online puzzle game inspired by Cicada 3301.
It’s a multi-stage challenge that mixes ciphers, hidden clues, logic problems, and misdirection. Each stage unlocks the next, and most of the puzzles rely on observation rather than brute force.
I built this as an experiment in puzzle design and player behavior. It runs entirely in the browser and is free to play.
I’d really appreciate feedback—especially on puzzle clarity, difficulty balance, and whether the progression feels fair.
Link: https://pegasus3301.com/ https://pegasus3301.com/
- financial_bug 9mo agoI like that it’s all browser-based. It makes the experience accessible while still keeping the complexity of the puzzles intact.
- Perseus_ 9mo agoThanks,...that was exactly the goal. Keeping it browser-based felt like the best way to make it easy to jump into while still letting the puzzles carry the complexity.
- Lorem42 9mo agoThe attention to detail in the puzzles is remarkable. I can tell a lot of thought went into the flow and hidden clues.
- Perseus_ 9mo agoAppreciate that. A lot of iteration went into the flow and how the clues reveal themselves, so it’s nice to hear that it shows.
- mensur_sage 9mo agoA very inspiring game; which I have been at for months now. So addictive
- Perseus_ 9mo agoThat really means a lot, thank you for sticking with it for so long. Knowing that people keep coming back is honestly the most motivating part of building this.
- boxincautada 9mo agoThe game is fascinating... I've been playing it for a long time. If you ask me my opinion on the difficulty balance, I'd say it's not very well balanced... There are very easy levels, one medium level, and one that's too difficult—I know deep down that it's actually the easiest level of all...
- Perseus_ 9mo agoThanks for spending the time with it — I really appreciate that. You’re right about the difficulty curve. It’s intentionally uneven right now, partly because I wanted to see where people get stuck versus where things feel obvious in hindsight. That “this is actually the easiest level” feeling is especially interesting to me, because it usually means the puzzle relies on a mental shift rather than complexity. If you’re up for sharing later (even vaguely), I’d love to hear which transition felt the most jarring. Feedback like this is exactly what I was hoping for.
- boxincautada 9mo agoHi, I'm glad to hear that comment... First, these are the transitions that caught my attention the most: Levels 6-7, going from something easy, almost a gift, to something that for many is impossible (H utmw ylpl ntsb gleti). Another level that caught my attention is level 2. Although the rules say that brute force can't be used, we all know that 100% of the players used it. And there's more, which I can't mention here because it would give away too much information to other people.
- boxincautada 9mo agoBy the way, I'm experiencing this mental shift you're talking about more and more.
- Perseus_ 9mo agoThat’s great feedback, thanks for sharing more. The 6→7 jump is something I’m watching closely....it’s meant to feel abrupt, but I’m still calibrating where it crosses from “challenging” to “unfair.” Level 2 is a fair callout too.....despite the rules, brute force is what most people naturally reach for. I appreciate you holding back on the rest preserving the experience matters. And that mental shift you mentioned is really the core of what I’m trying to explore. Thanks for engaging with it so deeply.
- Konstantin_ia 9mo agoBro, even ChatGPT couldn’t figure these puzzles out
- Perseus_ 9mo agoHaha..... that’s actually reassuring. A lot of the puzzles are more about noticing the right thing than raw problem-solving, which can be surprisingly hard to brute-force.
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