Workshop › Snake › Step 16 of 28

Eat and grow

What we are doing

When the new head lands on the food: add a point, place new food, and skip removing the tail, so the snake grows by one.

```js
let score = 0

  snake.unshift(head)
  if (head.x === food.x && head.y === food.y) {
    score += 1
    placeFood()
  } else {
    snake.pop()
  }
```

What it means

• score counts eaten food.
• The if asks: is the new head on the food (same column and same row)?
• Yes: one more point, new food, and no pop, so the snake keeps its extra cell. No (else): remove the tail as before.

Your turn

1. Under let food write let score = 0.
2. In update, replace the snake.pop() line with the if ... else block.

Skills: Collision detection

← Draw the food Never put food on the snake →

All steps

1. Find the canvas
2. Get the pen
3. Paint the board
4. Think in cells
5. Keep the position in a variable
6. A function that draws
7. A function that moves
8. The game loop
9. Slow it down
10. A direction to move in
11. Steer with the arrow keys
12. A body made of a list
13. Move the whole body
14. Pick a spot for the food
15. Draw the food
16. Eat and grow
17. Never put food on the snake
18. A table of turns
19. No U-turns
20. Crash into the walls
21. Crash into yourself
22. The game over message
23. Show the score
24. One function that starts a game
25. Play again with Space
26. Remember the best score
27. Speed up as you grow
28. Build it yourself: through the walls