Highest score on Crossy Road

The highest score on Crossy Road is 9,999 points and was achieved by Joshua Beesley (UK) in Tonbridge, Kent, UK, on 19 July 2024.

Crossy Road is an arcade-style game where players guide a character across busy roads, rivers, and train tracks while avoiding obstacles and aiming for the highest score. 9,999 is the highest possible score in the game before it stops counting.

Joshua has set this record several times since he first broke it in 2020 with 4,195 points. He first began playing Crossy Road in April 2016, and got his first 1,000 after a few months. It then took him a few years after to hit 3,000.

When asked how he continued to improve over the years, he told GWR that he learned car patterns / cycles and developed a better understanding of how to cross the roads so that he can pre-empt what might be coming and be better prepared to make decisions based on that. "As I have improved, it has become easier for me to reach the higher scores. So that meant less pressure and stress as I play the game. I feel I’ve learnt better control of the character. I have become better at decision making and quick planning whilst playing".

Before reaching the unbeatable 9,999, his previous best was 9,699, which he managed in January 2023. He recalls being happy but disappointed at the same time, as he was aiming for the unprecedented 9,999 at the time. He came back to the game in summer 2024 after not playing for a while and was finally able to achieve the unthinkable!

As nobody had ever got to 9,999, Joshua had no idea what would actually happen when he finally got there, though he had assumed the game would continue but the score would just stop counting at 9,999 from having played a different game mode with a scoring system that makes it much easier to gain points quickly.

"I thought it would feel like a normal world record which feels stressful but then excited when you beat it. With a normal world record, there's always more and always a higher score to push towards. But after reaching 9,999 it felt like there was no pressure or stress at all. Because I'd reached 9,999 once, there was nothing to 'beat' as that is the maximum possible score. I found it very freeing, knowing I had beaten the game so what happens after doesn’t matter."

Joshua is currently studying Games Design at university due to his love of gaming, and even chose to do one of his assignments about Crossy Road. This led him to interviewing of the game's creators, Matt Hall, who mentioned that he was aware of Joshua's records.

The concentration and timing skills he uses for Crossy Road (plus coding skills he has learned) have helped Joshua with creating new games as part of his studies. His other big hobby is running and he is just as driven to improve his personal-bests. Last year, he completed his first ultra marathon, as well as a local half marathon to raise awareness of Juvenile Arthritis Research charity supporting children with arthritis, as his younger sister has had arthritis since the age of 2.

When asked what his advice would be for other Crossy Road players, Joshua suggested to make sure you record your gameplay. "It allows you to watch it back and learn from mistakes, see what you did well, and how you can improve different aspects of gameplay. Try to understand how and why you died and what you could have done to prevent it. Find weaknesses in your gameplay and play in ways to specifically target them... You need to put in the time but it's also not mindlessly playing. It's important to have a strategy and goal to improve."

Even after 'beating' the game, Joshua still sets aside time almost every day to practice and play Crossy Road. "It really is my all-time favourite game." There are many other games he enjoys but Crossy Road will always have a special place in his heart, so he is not currently trying to beat any other records.