You're staring at a gray console. There’s a big red button. A guy tells you he's going to the bathroom and explicitly instructs you not to touch a single thing. What do you do? If you’re playing the cult classic puzzle game from Four Quarters, you obviously start smashing buttons. Honestly, that’s the whole point. But finding every single outcome in this pixelated fever dream isn't just about clicking randomly. You need a don't touch anything guide because some of these endings are buried under layers of obscure mathematical codes, screen-flicking patterns, and references to 80s pop culture that make zero sense at first glance.
It’s a tiny room. It feels claustrophobic. The developer, Bulat Dashivets, basically built a digital "Tantalus" trap where your curiosity is your only enemy. Most people find the first three or four endings and think they've seen the meat of the game. They haven't. There are 25 endings in the original version (and even more if you're playing the 3D remake), ranging from nuclear apocalypse to Cthulhu-style eldritch horrors.
The First Rule of Button Mashing
The most basic ending—and the one that gives the game its name—is the most boring one. You just sit there. For one entire minute, you do absolutely nothing. Your friend comes back, thanks you, and the game ends. Congratulations, you followed instructions. Now, let’s get to the part where we actually break stuff.
Once you hit that red button once, a switch appears. Flip it, and the console starts evolving. This is where the don't touch anything guide logic starts to get weird. You'll notice a small panel with Roman numerals (I, II, III). If you’ve ever played a puzzle game before, your instinct is to look for a code. Look at the instruction poster on the wall. See those numbers? They aren't just flavor text.
Pressing the buttons in the sequence 1-3-2-2-3-1 triggers a hidden compartment. If you mess it up, the console resets. It’s unforgiving. But that’s the charm. You’re essentially a laboratory rat trying to find the cheese, except the cheese is a giant laser that saws the Earth in half.
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Decoding the Console's Secrets
A lot of the mid-game puzzles rely on "Screen Logic." You’ll see a 4x4 grid of green lights or a set of toggles. For the "Grid" ending, you need to pay attention to the small sheet of paper that appears on the left side of the desk. It looks like a simple drawing, but it’s actually a coordinate map.
Here is how you handle the "Star Wars" or "Death Star" ending, which is a fan favorite. You have to find the four-digit code. Most people hunt around the room looking for digits. If you look at the hammer—yes, the one you probably used to smash the screen—you'll see a code etched into the handle or nearby paneling depending on your version. Punching in 8-3-6-7 opens a whole new interface.
Wait.
Don't just click. If you look at the monitor, there’s a pattern of blinking lights. This is where players usually get stuck. You have to match the rhythm. If you go too fast, nothing happens. If you go too slow, the sequence times out. It’s about precision.
The Weirdest Endings You’ll Probably Miss
Let's talk about the "Ouroboros" ending. It’s one of the most cryptic sequences in any puzzle game I’ve played. You have to interact with the printer. The printer spits out a sheet of paper with a series of arrows. These arrows aren't directions for the buttons; they're directions for the order in which you click specific elements of the room itself.
- Click the poster.
- Click the red button.
- Click the screws on the panel.
- Click the screen.
If you do this correctly, the room starts to loop. It’s a meta-commentary on the nature of the game. You're stuck in a cycle of your own curiosity. It’s honestly kinda brilliant and a bit creepy.
Then there’s the "Papers, Please" tribute. Because of course there is. You’ll find a small stamp. To trigger the ending, you have to find the passport hidden under the desk's edge. Using the stamp on the passport triggers a pixelated border crossing. It’s a nod to Lucas Pope’s masterpiece and shows just how much DNA this game shares with other "document thrillers" and minimalist sims.
Why You Keep Failing the Screwdriver Puzzle
The screwdriver is the most important tool in your arsenal. Once you unlock it by messing with the "1-2-1" code on the Roman numeral buttons, you can peel back the metal plates on the console. Behind those plates are wires.
Pro tip: Do not just cut wires.
The color coding matters. If you look at the instructions on the wall again—specifically the "Don't Do It" poster—there are subtle color highlights in the text. Red, Green, Blue. That is the order you need to interact with the exposed circuitry. If you do it out of order, you get the "Short Circuit" ending, which is just a flash of white and a reset. To get the "True" ending of that branch, follow the sequence:
- Left wire
- Right wire
- Middle button
- Turn the key (which you found in the hidden drawer)
The 3D Version vs. The Original
If you’re using this don't touch anything guide for the 3D version (VR or desktop), things are slightly different. The puzzles are fundamentally the same, but the spatial awareness changes. You can look under the desk. You can look behind the console.
In the 3D version, there’s an ending involving a black hole. You have to find a small UV light. Shining this light around the room reveals hidden ink that is invisible in the 2D version. Specifically, look at the ceiling. There’s a series of dots that correspond to the button grid. It’s a layer of depth that makes the VR version feel much more immersive—and much more stressful when the room starts filling with water.
Mathematical Madness: The Fibonacci Sequence
One of the harder endings involves the number pad that appears after you flip the "hidden" switch behind the console. You’ll see a display that just says "0, 1, 1, 2, 3..."
If you didn’t pay attention in math class, that’s the Fibonacci sequence. Each number is the sum of the two preceding ones. You need to input the next few numbers in the sequence to unlock the "Golden Ratio" ending.
- 5
- 8
- 13
- 21
- 34
Once you hit 55, the screen turns gold. It’s one of the few endings that feels "peaceful" rather than apocalyptic. It’s a nice break from accidentally summoning an ancient god or nuking a city of millions.
Dealing with the "Satanic" Ending
This one gets dark. You have to find the "666" code. It’s not just about typing the numbers. You have to trigger the keypad, then find the hidden dial. When you turn the dial to the right, the lighting in the room shifts to a deep, blood red.
A goat head appears on the screen.
To complete this, you have to click the inverted pentagram that appears on the floor. It’s hidden by the shadow of the desk. A lot of people miss this because they're staring at the monitor, waiting for something to happen. In this game, if nothing is happening on the screen, look at the floor. Or the walls. Or the guy’s coffee mug.
Practical Steps to Completion
If you want to 100% this game without clicking in circles for six hours, follow this workflow. It’s the most efficient way to see everything the game has to offer.
First, focus on the "Basic Tools." You need the screwdriver and the hammer. Without these, 70% of the endings are locked. The screwdriver is unlocked via the Roman numeral panel (1-3-2-2-3-1), and the hammer usually appears after you fail the "Grid" puzzle three times or find the specific code on the wall (check the "10/10" note).
Second, use the "Note-Taking" method. Keep a physical piece of paper next to your keyboard. Every time you find a 4-digit code, write it down. The codes in this game don't change. They are static. 8-3-6-7 will always be 8-3-6-7. Having a list of these prevents you from having to "re-solve" the early steps of a puzzle just to get back to the branching point.
Third, look for the "Post-It" clues. The yellow sticky notes that appear on the monitor aren't just for atmosphere. They often contain the "Seed" for the next puzzle. If a note says "B1," look for a button labeled B or a coordinate on the grid.
Lastly, pay attention to the sounds. Some endings, like the "Music Box" ending, require you to listen to the pitch of the beeps. If a beep sounds higher than the others, that’s your cue to press a specific toggle. It’s subtle, but it’s there.
Actionable Takeaways for Completionists
To wrap this up and get you back to the console, here’s your immediate checklist. Don't overthink it, just start doing.
- The "Wait" Ending: Sit still for one minute. Do not touch the mouse.
- The "Screwdriver" Pivot: Use the code 1-3-2-2-3-1 on the I-II-III buttons to get your first tool.
- The "Hammer" Strategy: Smash the screen with the hammer. It opens up the "Broken Reality" branch which leads to about 4 different endings.
- The "Clock" Trick: Look at the real-world time on your computer. Some puzzles in the game sync with your actual system clock. If it’s 11:11, something special might happen.
- Check the "Left" Wall: There’s a panel that only opens if you click the screws in a counter-clockwise order. This is the gateway to the "Illuminati" ending.
The beauty of this game is that it rewards the very thing your "friend" told you not to do. It’s a playground for the curious and the slightly destructive. Use this guide to navigate the chaos, but don't be afraid to just click something to see what happens. Usually, it's an explosion. And usually, that's exactly what you want.
Once you've cleared all 25 endings, you'll see a small trophy icon on the desk. Clicking that is the final "Meta" ending. It’s the developers' way of saying thanks for being so incredibly disobedient. Now go back in there and start hitting buttons.