About Gali Glow
Gali Glow is a free pixel-art adventure set on Diwali night. The power has gone out across a whole colony, and you are a kid with a matchbox and a bottle of oil. Between 7 pm and midnight, walk the galis and relight them one diya at a time.
Light is how you get around. The park, the old godown, the back gali and the rooftops are too dark to walk into until you light a diya at their edge, and each new diya lights the way to the next. Oil is precious: find bottles hidden around the colony, and help the neighbours, who pay you back. Sharma Aunty has lost her phone in the park, Pinky is stuck on the roof without sparklers, Gupta-ji needs his laddoos taken to the temple, and Dadaji left his glasses in the godown.
Six rangoli pieces are hidden in the colony, one of them on a cat that keeps knocking diyas over. Hang the akash kandil on the water tank to start the fireworks, or keep going for every last diya. The pixel art and the chiptune music, which grows fuller as the colony lights up, are all made in code.
How to play
- Light diyas: walk next to one and press E (or tap the hand button). A new diya takes one spoon of oil; relighting one the cat knocked over is free.
- Go where the light is: dark areas can only be entered once a diya at their edge is lit. Work your way in one diya at a time.
- Find oil: bottles are hidden all over the colony, and every neighbour you help gives you some. If you ever run out, Mummy's tin at home has one spoon.
- Help the neighbours: a yellow ! over someone means they need you. The favours list (Q or the scroll button) says where to go next.
- Hang the akash kandil on the water tank once 60% of the colony is lit to start the fireworks early, or keep lighting until midnight. Light at least half the colony by midnight to win.
- Look for secrets: cracked walls hide shortcuts, and six rangoli pieces are hidden, one on the cat.
Controls
| WASD / arrow keys | Walk |
|---|---|
| E / Space / Enter | Light a diya, talk, pick up |
| M | Map of the colony |
| Q | Favours |
| Esc | Pause |
| Phone | Stick on the left, hand button on the right, map and favours buttons at the top |
FAQ
Is Gali Glow free?
Yes. It runs in your browser on computers and phones (turn the phone sideways), with nothing to install.
How long does a night take?
The clock runs from 7 pm to midnight, about 15 minutes. Most players light the colony and hang the kandil in 10 to 15 minutes; lighting every diya takes longer.
Does it save?
Yes. Your night is saved in your browser as you play, so you can continue it later.
I ran out of oil. What now?
Look for oil bottles, help a neighbour with a yellow ! over their head, or use Mummy's oil tin at home, which always has one spoon when you run dry.
How do I get on the leaderboard?
Create a free account (18+) and finish a night with at least half the colony lit. Your best score and your best share of the colony lit are saved.
A parody and fiction inspired by real events. Not news or advice, and not affiliated with or endorsed by anyone in the game. Legal & privacy