Alien Invasion
Defend your cannon against descending waves of aliens in this free retro fixed-shooter. Move, dodge the incoming fire, and clear every wave. Play free, no download.
How to Play
- Move your cannon left and right along the bottom using the arrow keys, or tap the left and right sides of the screen.
- Press the spacebar or tap the centre of the screen to fire upward at the alien formation.
- The aliens march side to side, dropping down a row each time they reach a screen edge.
- Dodge the bolts the aliens fire back — a single hit ends the run unless a shield power-up absorbs it.
- Orange gunners fire more often; cyan-armored aliens need two hits. Clear each wave to face a faster, more varied formation.
- Every fifth wave brings a commander. Watch its warning lines, then move into a clear lane before its spread or aimed shot fires.
Features
- Classic fixed-shooter gameplay, rebuilt from scratch for the browser
- The formation drops a row and speeds up every time it bounces off a screen edge
- Endless waves introduce gunners and armored aliens before combining them in new formations
- A commander every fifth wave alternates telegraphed spread and aimed attacks
- Keyboard or touch controls — arrows and spacebar, or tap to move and fire
- Clean, readable retro visuals tuned for fair pacing
- Fallen invaders can drop extra shot capacity, a one-hit shield, or a triple-shot power-up
Tips & Strategies
- Keep moving — a stationary cannon is an easy target for the aliens' return fire.
- Prioritize orange gunners: removing them reduces the formation's overall firing rate.
- You can have up to three shots on screen at once, so fire in quick bursts rather than holding back.
- Watch the lowest aliens — they reach your line first and end the game if they land.
- On a boss wave, move when a warning line appears; its aimed shot locks onto where you stood when the line appeared.
About This Game
Alien Invasion is an original browser fixed-shooter. Move along the bottom, fire upward, and clear the marching formation before it reaches your line. Later waves add orange gunners that increase the pressure and cyan-armored aliens that take two hits. Every fifth wave replaces the formation with a commander: read the warning lines, dodge its alternating spread and aimed shots, then finish its health bar. The simple controls leave room for target choice, timing, and steady movement.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I control my cannon?
- Use the left and right arrow keys to move and the spacebar to shoot, or tap the sides of the screen to move and the centre to fire.
- How do I beat a wave?
- Destroy every alien in the formation. Clearing a wave brings on the next one, which advances a little faster than the last.
- What ends the game?
- Getting hit by enemy fire, or letting the aliens descend all the way to your line. Keep moving and pick off the shooters to stay alive.
- Is this based on a famous arcade game?
- It is an original, self-made homage to the classic fixed-shooter genre — built from scratch by BytePlay and not affiliated with any trademarked title.
