Spring

The spring is the ramp's opposite: when the ball hits it, it bounces back and keeps most of its speed. A ramp carries the ball along a surface; a spring deflects it like a billiard ball off a cushion.

How the spring behaves

In the physics engine a spring has a restitution of 0.92: the ball comes off with about 92% of its incoming speed, and there is no friction on the spring's surface. The bounce works like a mirror reflection: the angle the ball arrives at, relative to the spring's surface, is the angle it leaves at. That's why a spring's slope matters, not its length.

The bounce follows the surface direction at the exact point of impact. Draw a curly spring and the ball flies off in different directions depending on where it lands, so short, straight springs are usually the most reliable.

Spring or ramp?

• The ball must change direction and keep its speed: spring. For example, throwing the ball at the ceiling and bouncing it down into a low hole.
• The ball should travel along a surface under control: ramp. Ramps are more forgiving; small differences in power change the result less.
• The target is behind the ball: almost always a spring. Shoot the ball forward and bounce it back off a steep spring. See Wall behind the ball.

Patterns that work

A low, tilted spring

A short spring just above the floor in the ball's path, tilted slightly, makes the ball hop forward. It's often the cheapest way over a pit or a strip of spikes.

A steep spring before the wall

When the hole is high, put an almost vertical spring in front of the ball and shoot hard into it so the ball bounces upward. Changing the spring's slope by a few degrees moves the ball's height at the wall a lot.

Banking off the ceiling

On stages with a low ceiling or something hanging from it, aim the ball at a spring near the ceiling to send it down towards the hole.

Springs and rubber blocks

Some stages have fixed rubber blocks. They bounce exactly like a spring, but you don't choose where they are. See Rubber blocks for how to use them. Mushroom caps in the forest work the same way.

More in this section

• RampThe easiest way to lift the ball. Balancing angle, length and power.
• BoosterSpeeds the ball up in the direction you draw. Direction and length work together.
• WindAn invisible strip that pushes the ball in flight. Steering without touching.