Arrow Escape Level Editor

Design your own Arrow Escape puzzle

This editor is a working tool for building arrow-clearing levels, not a demo. Draw arrows on a grid, choose their exit directions, and move or extend their bodies until the board is ready. The editor crops the exported grid to the arrows you placed, so empty margins never become part of the finished level.

How the editor works

• Draw: click or drag to add cells to the current arrow. Shift-click starts a new arrow.
• Directions: set the exit direction with the direction menu or press F to flip it.
• Shape: extend the head with a straight run, or turn at a corner; use the tail controls to correct the body.
• Pan and zoom: use the mouse wheel to zoom the grid and middle-drag to move around a large board.
• Reference image: load an image, adjust its opacity and scale, then fit or nudge it against the grid while tracing.

Exporting and sharing

Export JSON produces a compact level in the same format used by the game. The payload stores the grid size, each arrow’s start cell, path and direction. Import JSON restores a saved level so you can continue editing later. Keep the exported file with your notes if you plan to publish a level.

Designing a solvable board

A good Arrow Escape level gives the player a clear first move and a readable chain after it. Start by placing arrows that can already reach an edge, then add blockers that only make sense once those first arrows leave. Avoid isolated arrows that can never move and avoid large groups that depend on each other in a closed loop.

Use the reference image while tracing a pattern, but remove or hide it before exporting. The reference layer is editor-only and is never included in the JSON. Test the finished board by playing the campaign rules mentally: every arrow needs a clear route to an edge at the moment it becomes available.

Want to play the official campaign first? Open Arrow Escape online, or read the rules and controls before designing a board. Designers who want to understand dependency chains should also read theblocker removal guide.