Frequently asked questions
What is Code Royale?
Code Royale is a real-time competitive coding game. You battle 1v1 — against another player or a bot — through timed multiple-choice and code-analysis challenges, and climb an Elo ladder with badge tiers.
Do I need an account to play?
No. You can play as a guest instantly against the bot. When you're ready, create a free account (GitHub or X) to save your Elo, streaks and badges, and to play ranked 1v1.
How does a battle work?
A match is a series of rounds. Each round presents a challenge with a time limit. Answer correctly to win the round; answer faster than your opponent to gain the edge. The player with the higher score when time runs out wins.
What are arenas?
Arenas are domains — DSA, Python, Go, JavaScript, C, C++, Cybersec, Frontend, Backend, Fullstack, Systems Design and Software Architecture. Each arena has its own Elo rating, leaderboard and challenge bank.
How does Elo and ranking work?
Every win or loss moves your Elo rating. You have a global rating plus a per-arena rating. Badge tiers (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum) reflect your standing on the ladder.
Can I play against the bot?
Yes. Practice mode pits you against a bot with configurable difficulty, so you can train solo without waiting for a real opponent.
What's the difference between ranked and practice?
Ranked matches affect your Elo and pair you with real players (falling back to a bot if the queue is empty). Practice is unranked — a relaxed way to train against the bot.
What is the daily challenge?
A single global challenge, the same for everyone each day (Wordle-style). Solve it once per day and compare against the leaderboard.
Can I challenge a friend?
Yes. You can create a shareable challenge link (a duel) around a single question, or send a direct battle invite to another player.
What topics are covered?
Multiple-choice and code-analysis challenges across data structures, algorithms, languages, web, systems design, and real cybersecurity content — exploits, defense, networks and cryptography.
How long is a match?
A match is 3 minutes. Rounds are timed within that window, so the pace stays fast.
Is it free?
Yes. Code Royale is free to play. Ads help keep it running.
What if I find a wrong answer?
Flag it from the challenge review flow. Challenges are curated and reviewed, and reported errors get corrected.
How do I report a bug or suggest a feature?
Reach out on X at @dionisiodev — we read every message.