Space War

Arcade games are built around one simple action repeated under rising pressure. Dodge, jump, catch, tap at the right moment. The first thirty seconds are easy. Then the speed creeps up, the gaps narrow, and your score becomes the only thing that matters. Runs are short, usually a minute or two, which is exactly why you keep hitting restart to beat the last one.

• Tap, hold and swipe on phones and tablets
• Mouse or trackpad on a computer; arrow keys or WASD where the game asks for movement
• Press Escape or the exit button to leave the full-screen player

1. 1Learn the single core input first: tap, click, or a direction key. Nearly everything in the game flows from it.
2. 2Keep your eyes slightly ahead of your character, not on it, so you see obstacles before they arrive.
3. 3Collect what you can safely reach, but never trade a life for a coin. Survival is the score multiplier.
4. 4After a crash, restart immediately while the pattern is still fresh in your memory.

• Free to play, nothing to install, no account needed
• Loads in the browser tab and opens full screen when you press Play
• Designed for a phone held upright
• Touch controls on phones and tablets, mouse and keyboard on a computer
• Listed under Arcade

Space War gives you a clean score to chase and a run that ends in under two minutes. That makes it hard to put down and easy to fit in. No install, no login, just a Play button and your own last best number sitting there waiting to be beaten.

Anyone with a competitive streak and two minutes to spare. Teenagers who like high scores, adults who grew up on coin-op cabinets, and younger players who can handle a bit of speed.

How do I control Space War on a phone?

Usually by tapping or swiping the screen. Most arcade games here reduce the controls to one or two touch actions, so there is no on-screen joystick to fiddle with.

Is there an end or does it just keep going?

Many arcade games are endless and track your best score instead. Others have stages. Either way, the point is improving your run rather than reaching credits.

Does it get faster over time?

Almost always. Speed and density of obstacles increase the longer you survive, so a run that feels easy at the start will not stay that way.