5,000,000 straws
The pile on this page is the long one: five million straws of hay, and one needle somewhere in it.
How to Play
- This needle in a haystack game is played directly in your browser. There is nothing to install and no account to create.
- Press start, then walk with WASD. Point the mouse and hold to cut. The shop sits on the left at any window width.
- Every straw you clear pays a little money. Spend it in the upgrade shop on a heavier swing, a faster swing, critical hits, and a pulse that trims a wide circle around you.
- The needle is hidden in the pile. It shows up as the stack comes down, so the round is the cutting, and the find is the ending.
- Found it? Start another pile. The game keeps the current round in this browser until you clear the save or switch devices.
Game Features
Play in the browser
The whole game runs on this page. No download, no store, no sign-up.
Cuts that get bigger
Money from the hay buys a stronger swing and a wider pulse, so a slow poke turns into clearing a patch at a time.
Any window width
Mouse aims and hold cuts. WASD walks. The shop stays on the left, including inside a narrow page.
The needle at the end
You are not scanning with a detector. You cut the stack down until the needle is there.
A clock, not a time trial
The round shows how long you have been playing. There is no timed challenge and no fail state on the clock.
Tips & Strategies
- Cut a lane and stay in it. Hopping across untouched hay spends the swing on the edge of the pile instead of chewing through a thick patch.
- The first upgrades that change the round are the ones that clear more straw per swing. A wider pulse matters once you can already cut faster than you walk.
- Critical hits are a multiplier on the swing you already have. They pay off after the basic cut is worth buying.
- Walk into the shop mark in the middle of the pile to buy a new weapon. The panel opens on the left and stays inside the window.
- Five million straws is a long round. The pleasure is the pile shrinking faster each time you buy, not a shortcut to the needle.
The original on Steam
This page is our own light 2D game, played in the browser. The idea comes from Needle In A Haystack Simulator, the 3D game by Studio Bitdot on Steam: one needle hidden in 5,000,000 pieces of hay.
We made a smaller, more relaxed online version. The original is a first-person 3D game, and you are welcome to play that one too. The Steam page is open now, and the 3D game is planned for the fourth quarter of 2026.
FAQ
Is Needle in a Haystack Simulator free to play?
Yes. Opening this page is the whole game. There is no purchase and no account.
Can I play it online without downloading?
Yes. This is a free online game that requires no download. It runs in the browser on this page, and you do not go through a store.
Does the shop change on a narrow screen?
No. It stays on the left and never wider than the window. Aim with the mouse and hold to cut. Walk with WASD.
How many straws are in the pile?
The long pile is 5,000,000 straws, with one needle hidden in them.
How long does a round take?
The long pile is a long round. A clock on the game shows elapsed time. There is no separate timed mode and no countdown.
Do I need to sign up?
No. The current round is stored in this browser. A different device, or a cleared browser, starts fresh.
Is this a multiplayer game?
No. One person cuts one pile.
Where is the needle?
It is hidden in the haystack and appears as you clear the pile. There is no detector.
Can I play on a phone?
Yes. Open this page in a phone or tablet browser and play there, with nothing to install. Touch anywhere on the game and a stick appears under your finger. Drag it to walk. Lift your finger and the stick disappears.
How do I zoom the map?
On a computer, scroll the mouse wheel over the game. On a phone or tablet, pinch with two fingers: spread them to zoom in, and bring them together to zoom out.