Independent game guide

Fermata

Place keys, hammers, and pedals on a tower-defense board while notes from real classical scores travel toward the final barline.

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Fermata

Tower defense written on a grand staff

Fermata turns notes from real classical scores into the attackers. Quarter notes march, sixteenth notes swarm, and chords need a hit for each notehead while the music advances toward the final barline.

The demo includes Erik Satie's Gymnopédie No. 1 and Mozart's Rondo alla Turca. Clearing a piece on Practice opens its faster settings and unlocks the next work.

Build before the first note moves

Tap Keys, Hammer, or Pedals in the tower bank, then tap an empty square. Each choice has its own price, range, damage, and firing interval. Selecting a tower after placement opens upgrades and a sell option.

The opening Gymnopédie board starts at bar 1 of 78 with 20 lives and 240 applause. A Keys tower costs 20. Once Begin the piece is pressed, the score cursor and incoming notes move together, making the notation part of the wave preview.

Practice before speeding up

Practice slows the tempo enough to read the path and learn where a tower can cover both sides of the route. Performance and Virtuoso ask the same defense to keep pace with the music.

Space pauses or resumes, F changes speed, and N toggles note names. Mouse, keyboard, and touch are supported, and sound is central to reading the experiment as a musical game rather than a silent maze.

Guide

Place: Tap a tower in the bank, then tap a board square; selecting a placed tower opens its upgrades
Start: Build from the opening applause budget, then press Begin the piece or Space
Towers: Keys, Hammers, and Pedals have different prices, ranges, damage, and firing rhythms
Progress: Clear Practice to unlock Performance, Virtuoso, and the next piece
Speed: Press F or use the speed button; N toggles note names

Creator's description

Gymnopédie No. 1 began at bar 1 of 78 with 20 lives and 240 applause. Placing a Keys tower cost 20, and the first notes left the bass staff as the score cursor moved across the opening measure.