Kingdom Defence: Mercenary

You will die a lot, and that is the design. Arcade games expect it. Each run lasts until a single mistake, and then you are back at the start with a slightly better sense of the timing. Over a session of fifteen minutes you might play twenty rounds. Somewhere in the middle one of them goes well, and the number at the top of the screen jumps.

• Use mouse to play Arrows to scroll map

1. 1Find the one or two controls on the start screen. Arcade games rarely use more than a jump, a move and maybe a fire button.
2. 2Stay near the middle of the play area when you can, which leaves you room to dodge in either direction.
3. 3Pick up power-ups or multipliers when they are on your path, but ignore the ones that pull you into danger.
4. 4When you lose, look at what killed you before you restart. The same thing will come back.

• Free to play, nothing to install, no account needed
• Loads in the browser tab and opens full screen when you press Play
• Plays best with the phone turned sideways or on a wider screen
• Mouse and keyboard controls, with touch support on most devices
• Listed under Arcade

Kingdom Defence: Mercenary is honest. There are no upgrades to buy and no grind, just you and your reaction time. Because it runs free in a browser tab, it is the sort of game you can open on a whim, play for five minutes, and leave without a trace.

Players who miss the directness of old cabinet games, and younger ones who have never seen a cabinet but like a dare. It suits phones well, so it is handy for anyone waiting in a queue.

Does Kingdom Defence: Mercenary need a download?

No. Press Play and it runs in the tab you already have open. There is nothing to install and no account to make.

What is a good score?

That depends entirely on the game. A better benchmark is your own last run. If you are beating it regularly, you are improving.

Can I pause mid-run?

Most arcade games here include a pause button in the player or respond to the Escape key. Switching tabs also usually pauses the game automatically.