Spacewar

Spacewar

Play online

Create a room or enter an invitation code.

Each player uses a separate device. Use the arrow keys and the right-hand keyboard layout, or a gamepad. The host chooses the rules before creating the room. Opening the menu does not pause an online battle.

Training

One ship, no opponent. Gamepad: stick to turn, A to thrust, RT to fire. Keyboard: arrows to turn and thrust, right Ctrl for torpedoes, right Shift for the phaser.

Training result

New game

Keyboard or gamepad.

Pause

Settings

Settings are saved in this browser.

Advanced

A new sky is selected at the start of each match.

Settings are saved in this browser.

Gamepad sticks

The dead zone eliminates stick drift. Sensitivity changes turning at small deflections; the maximum turn rate is limited by the ship's physics.

A is thrust and RT fires. Stick settings do not change keyboard controls.

Rules for the next match

These rules apply to the next match. The current match keeps its existing rules.

About the rules

Torpedoes travel by inertia. Each press fires one shot.

Shields and weapons each hold up to 100 energy. Torpedoes cost 6, phasers 3, thrust 5 per second, cloaking 8 per second, and hyperspace 20. The reactor restores 2 per second. Transfer shield energy to weapons with Z on the left keyboard, period / Num1 / Delete on the right, or LB on a gamepad. Transfer it back with C, slash / Num3 / Page Down, or RB. Transfer runs at 18 per second and does not create energy.

A classic central star with gravity.

Random layout changes the positions of stars, planets and starting ships and chooses a star type at the start of a match. A selected arena keeps its layout for the whole match. The Random arena selects a different arena and layout after each round, including ties; the match score is retained.

Gravity depends on the mass of stars and planets and the distance to them. It affects ships and torpedoes. The star type determines its mass, size and colour; Random arena also selects the star type. There is no gravity in empty space. Masses and sizes are tuned for gameplay.

Shields always absorb damage: torpedoes deal 20, phasers 10, contact with a star or planet 20, and a collision with another ship or the Death Star 25. Cooldowns share a timer: 0.6 seconds for torpedoes and 0.3 for phasers. A hit on an empty shield destroys the ship. Transfer energy to shields with C, slash / Num3 / Page Down, or RB on a gamepad.

Hyperspace costs 20 energy and recharges in 6 seconds; speed and direction are preserved. Use X on the left keyboard, Num2 or Down on the right, or Y on a gamepad. Jumps are unlimited while energy lasts. The jump indicator is green when ready, yellow while recharging and red when energy is insufficient. Hyperspace is unavailable while cloaked.

Match statistics

Accuracy is the share of shots that destroyed a ship. The last surviving ship scores the round regardless of how its opponents were destroyed.

Statistics cover the current match and reset with the score.

Round history

No rounds have been completed yet.

Set up match

Choose controls for each player. To assign a gamepad, press a button on that controller and then release the controls.

Controls

Against the AI, you fly the right-hand X-wing. Left / Right turn, Up thrusts and Down activates hyperspace. Right Ctrl fires torpedoes; right Shift fires the phaser. Enter / Insert cloaks; period / Delete transfers energy from shields to weapons; slash / Page Down transfers it back. Hold the cloak and transfer keys. The period and slash keys use their physical positions regardless of keyboard language.

Left keyboard layout: A / D turn, S thrusts, Q / left Shift fires the phaser, E / left Ctrl / Space fires torpedoes, W cloaks, Z transfers energy to weapons, X activates hyperspace and C transfers energy to shields.

Right numeric keypad: 4 / 6 turn, 5 thrusts, 7 fires the phaser, 9 fires torpedoes, 8 cloaks, 1 transfers energy to weapons, 2 activates hyperspace and 3 transfers energy to shields. Works with Num Lock on or off.

For two players, player 1 uses the left layout and player 2 the right layout. For two people versus AI, player 1 uses arrows / numpad and player 2 uses the left layout. Training uses arrows / numpad.

Gamepad: stick to turn, A to thrust, RT for torpedoes, LT for phaser, X for cloak, Y for hyperspace, LB for weapon energy, RB for shield energy, Menu to pause.

One shot per press. Shields always protect the ship; there is no separate shield button. Hold the appropriate button to transfer power or cloak. You cannot fire while cloaked.

The browser has not detected any gamepads yet.

Xbox Edge: if the controller moves the cursor or only controls the second ship, enable “Use game controls” in the browser menu.

No gamepads detected. Press a button on a connected controller.

Victory

Gamepad disconnected

Connect a gamepad and press a button, then press Menu to continue. Alternatively, choose the keyboard.