Controls Reference

All controls are keyboard-based. Key bindings can be changed in config.yaml (see Configuration) using either GLFW integer codes or human-readable key names such as "SPACE" and "F9".

Gameplay

Key	Action
Arrow Keys	Move left/right, look up, crouch/roll
Space	Jump
Enter	Pause / unpause
Backspace	Player 1 start / in-game pause (engine default; add input.player1.start to config.yaml to override)
Q	Advance one frame (while paused)

Rewind

Live rewind is only active when rewind.liveEnabled is true in config.yaml. Visual Trace Test Mode uses the same default key through debug.traceRewind.key.

Key	Action
R	Hold to rewind live gameplay (rewind.liveKey)
R	Hold to rewind visual trace playback (debug.traceRewind.key)

Zone Navigation

These shortcuts let you move through the game quickly during development or exploration.

Key	Action
Page Down	Cycle to the next zone (debug.keys.nextZone)
Page Up	Cycle to the next act within the current zone (debug.keys.nextAct)
F9	Open the level select screen (debug.keys.levelSelect)

F9 also toggles the ring-bounds debug overlay. That overlap is current engine behavior: the level-select shortcut is configurable, while the overlay toggle is hardcoded in the debug overlay subsystem.

Debug Overlays

These toggle visual debug information drawn over the game scene. They require debug.flags.debugView to be true in config (it is by default).

Key	Overlay
F1	Debug text — Player position, velocity, angle, and state information
F2	Shortcuts — On-screen reference for available key bindings
F3	Player panel — Detailed player state readout
F4	Sensor labels — Collision sensor ray positions and directions
F5	Object labels — Names and positions of active objects
F6	Camera bounds — Current camera boundary rectangle
F7	Player bounds — Player collision bounding box
F8	Object points — Object origin and debug points
F9	Ring bounds — Ring collision areas
F10	Plane switchers — Plane switcher trigger zones
F11	Touch response — Object touch/collision areas
F12	Art viewer — Loaded sprite art atlas

Debug Mode

Key	Action
D	Toggle free-fly debug mode (move camera freely with arrow keys)
C	Teleport to the last checkpoint (furthest ‘right’) in this act.

Experimental Editor

These controls are only active when debug.flags.editor is true in config.yaml.

Key	Action
Shift+Tab	Toggle between gameplay and the experimental editor overlay
F5	Restart the playtest from editor mode

Super Sonic / Emerald Debug

Key	Action
E	Instantly award all Chaos Emeralds
U	Toggle Super Sonic transformation (requires all emeralds)

Special Stage Debug

These keys are only active during a Special Stage.

Key	Action
Tab	Enter / exit Special Stage mode
End	Complete the current Special Stage (award emerald)
Delete	Fail the current Special Stage
F12	Toggle Special Stage sprite debug viewer
F3	Cycle Special Stage plane visibility debug modes