The classic fixed-shooter genre pits a lone star-fighter against descending alien formations. Success hinges on rapid horizontal manoeuvring, precise shooting and reading movement patterns while avoiding return fire. By compressing action into a confined playfield, the format offers an intense micro-challenge that tests hand–eye coordination and spatial anticipation every second.

This browser-based implementation uses a lightweight 3D graphics engine and a reactive update loop to render colourful low-poly invaders, laser bolts and particle bursts at 60 fps. Difficulty buttons adjust invader speed and projectile velocity, while an on-screen heads-up display tracks score, lives and current level in real time.

Play during a coffee break to sharpen reflexes and relieve stress; students can compare scores after class, and streamers may overlay the game for quick audience challenges. Progress resets when all lives are lost, encouraging repeat runs that steadily improve timing and pattern recognition.

Features:

Three difficulty modes that gradually increase invader and projectile speeds.
Mouse or keyboard control schemes for flexible play styles.
Infinite level progression with cumulative scoring and life tracking.
Dynamic particle bursts, ambient lighting and subtle background parallax.
Fullscreen toggle and responsive 16 ∶ 9 aspect ratio fit any display.
Runs fully offline inside the browser; no installation or account needed.

Step-by-Step Guide:

Follow these actions to defend the sector and climb the leaderboard:

Select Easy, Normal or Hard on the start overlay.
Familiarise yourself with the ←/→, Mouse and Space controls shown beneath the buttons.
Move horizontally to line up shots; fine-tune aim with the mouse when enabled.
Fire plasma bolts and destroy every invader before they cross the defensive line.
Survive each wave to advance, collect points and preserve your limited lives.

FAQ:

Is my data stored?

No personal data is transmitted or saved; gameplay runs entirely inside your browser session.

Does it work offline?

Yes. After the first load, the code and assets stay cached, so you can play without a connection.

How do I pause?

Press P to toggle the pause overlay; the game state freezes until you resume or quit.

What ends a run?

Losing all lives or letting an invader pass the ship triggers a game-over prompt and score summary.

What changes on higher levels?

Invaders accelerate horizontally, descend faster after edge hits and appear in larger formations.

Glossary:

Invader wave: Group of enemy craft spawned each level.
Level: Stage number indicating current difficulty tier.
Hitbox: Invisible rectangle used for collision checks.
Particle effect: Short-lived visual burst after shots or impacts.
Framerate: Images rendered per second; higher equals smoother play.

Online Space Invaders Game