How to Play Cookie Consent Speed.Run

Updated

Cookie Consent Speed.Run is a browser-based game about rejecting cookies as fast as possible. You play entirely inside the game box, follow each level's instruction, and try to say no to every cookie while the clock runs. It is best experienced on a desktop browser, as the game's own welcome note says.

What the Game Is

Made by Fred Wordie and supported by Big Data Girl, the game turns the familiar annoyance of GDPR cookie banners into a timed challenge. Each level presents cookie consent choices built from "all the text and tricks of normal cookie consent pop-ups and banners," and your job is to reject them all.

The Rules

The game states three rules up front:

  1. The game is only played in this box.
  2. Your end goal is to say no to all cookies.
  3. Follow the instructions on each level.

The second rule matters most: accepting anything, even a seemingly harmless "statistics" or "marketing" toggle, works against the goal.

How a Round Works

  • Levels: The game runs through three levels, shown as Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3.
  • Timing: Each level is timed. The interface shows a running clock plus per-level times and a personal best (PB).
  • Instructions: Each level gives a specific task. For example, Level 2 asks you to "Reject all cookies" and shows a counter of how many are left.
  • Hints: If a level is too hard, a "Need a hint?" option is available.
  • Controls: Buttons include Start, Round 2, Round 3, End, and Clear Test, so you can move between rounds or reset.

How to Play, Step by Step

  1. Open the site on a desktop browser.
  2. Read the welcome text and the rules, then select the start option to begin.
  3. On each level, read the instruction and the cookie banner in front of you.
  4. Reject every cookie category the level presents, watching the "left" counter drop to zero where shown.
  5. Use "Need a hint?" if a banner's wording is deliberately confusing.
  6. Finish all three levels and compare your times against your personal best.
  7. Use "Have another go" to replay and improve your time.

Expected result: you complete each level with zero cookies accepted and a recorded time for that level.

Common Sticking Points

  • Tricky button wording: The game deliberately mimics real banners, where the obvious button is not the rejecting one. Read every label before clicking.
  • Toggles vs. buttons: Some levels may require switching categories off individually rather than pressing a single reject button.
  • Desktop only: The game notes it is best experienced on desktop, so a phone screen may make the small banner text harder to navigate.
  • Timing pressure: The clock rewards speed, but a wrong click costs more than a slow, correct one.

Who It's For

The game suits anyone who wants to test how well they navigate real cookie consent screens, and it pairs with Big Data Girl, a picture book about big data for kids and adults that the game links to for readers who want to learn more about how cookies and trackers affect their lives.