Level Components

Map Components are what the player has to navigate through in order to make it through the level. There are a number of varieties, some which are used as methods of travel, while others are intended to destroy the player on contact. The layout of these make every level unique and of varying difficulty.

Blocks
Blocks and other surfaces are the most common components and construct the basis of a level. There are many different shapes and sizes. Just about all can be jumped upon and serve as platforms. However, colliding horizontally with a block will destroy the player. Diagonal slanted blocks were introduced as of Update 1.8, and act as ramps/slopes that a player can slide on without being destroyed. The Update 2.0 sneak peek has shown that a feature that allows blocks and platforms to move will be introduced.

Hazards
Hazards usually introduce difficulty into each level. They will often destroy players if touched in any way. Through the levels in Geometry Dash, hazards are introduced in several different forms.

Spikes
Spikes are the most frequently occurring and are often jumped over. These obstacles often appear with varying appearance, and can be invisible or transparent. They can also differ in size. Three spikes are sometimes placed in a group to escalate the level of difficulty. They are commonly seen in Time Machine, which includes the most three-spikes out of any official level. Spikes can also be different sizes or widths. The color of some of these obstacles can also be changed using the COL1, COL2, COL3, and COL4 options in the Level Editor.

Sawblades
Sawblades, which are first encountered in Clutterfunk, are typically larger than common spikes. They automatically rotate in place, and can be seen in several different forms as well. Transparent sawblades can sometimes be seen with dark backgrounds, commonly used in Electroman Adventures. Each variation has three sizes. The 1.9 update introduced gear-like sawblades, thick sawblades with customizable colors with c-obj, and invisible sawblades.

Thorns
Thorns are one of the most common hazards in Geometry Dash. They are generally long but short, black, obstacles that are placed between columns of blocks. In official levels, they make appearances throughout the game. They generally came in either a spiky, jagged form or a waving form until 1.8 update, which introduced diagonal thorns at either angle, as well as peaked-thorns. The 1.9 Update introduced block-like thorns which made their first appearance in Blast Processing. Theory of Everything also introduces a kind of thorn resembling creepers or vines. They can have multiple appearances.

Monsters
Monsters will be introduced into Geometry Dash in Update 2.0. They vary in size and have moving mouths. These obstacles, similar to the others, kill on impact.

Pads and rings
Pads and rings influence the direction of travel. Pads only need to be touched to activate their effect, while rings need to be tapped as the player passes over for them to function. There are three variants identical to each. Although these components are often part of completing a level, they can be positioned in such a way that redirects the player into a hazard, needing to be avoided in such instances.
 * Yellow pad initiates a jump larger than normal, introduced in Back on Track. Yellow rings were introduced in Polargeist, and while tapped it enables a jump mid-air.
 * Purple pads and rings initiate a jump smaller than normal jumps and yellow pads and rings. They are formally introduced in Theory of Everything. (The pad was also found while getting the last secret coin in Can't Let Go, and the ring was found when getting the last secret coin in Time Machine).
 * Blue pads and rings change the direction of gravity, formally introduced in xStep.(Both were also found when getting the first coin in Back On Track and the third coin in Polargeist.)

Portals
For the complete article, see Portals.

Portals can modify the way the icon interacts with the level, and can force the cube to assume another form, such as the ship, gravity ball, UFO, or wave. They vary into two different types: Form portals, which changes the form of the player, or manipulation portal, which changes how the player interacts with the level. They can also change its speed, size, direction of gravity or mirror the screen. The 1.8 update introduced dual portals, which create a clone of the player. These objects are often expertly placed in correlation with the background soundtrack. On most occasions, the background and ground color also change with the icon.

Cosmetics and effects
A number of components are purely cosmetic, or may have effects applied to them. Others may be used as markers to identify routes or hazards (punctuation marks, crosses, arrow signs). Physical objects can cycle through colours and complete visibility, which may also be distracting to gameplay. In contrast, what may look like physical objects can also be background objects, which may again fool the player, for example fake spikes and thorns. Blast Processing introduced a new effect, giving blocks a three-dimensional appearance. This, in no way, affects the gameplay.

Background and transition
The background can change colour as a way to create a more vibrant gameplay experience. Other map components can enter and leave the screen, not physically affecting anything, as further visual enhancement, but may reduce the amount of time the player has to react to their entry.