About
This is a from-scratch, browser-based reimplementation of the arcade game Asteroids, built with HTML5 canvas and playable directly on the project's GitHub Pages site. The author describes it as a "reimagining" rather than a strict recreation, aiming to keep the spirit of the original while adding modern game feel.
How it differs from the original
Compared to the original coin-op, this version adds camera shake, bigger explosions, and faster ship movement, plus a temporary damage-blocking shield and more forgiving firing — changes the author says are meant to make the game more generous than a cabinet designed to take your quarters. Like the original, it cycles between a high-score screen and a self-playing "attraction mode" between games, saving high scores to the browser's local storage.
Getting started
The game runs in a browser with keyboard controls (arrow keys or A/D to rotate, up arrow or W to thrust, Ctrl to fire, Space for hyperspace) or touch gestures on mobile (pan to rotate/thrust, pinch out for hyperspace).
Media
Additional notes
- Controls quirk
- Hidden extras exist: Z toggles a collision-debug overlay, B toggles a CRT monitor burn-in effect, and G enables god mode.
- Trivia
- The author had no prior experience with the HTML5 canvas before starting this project and used only two external libraries, howler.js for sound and hammer.js for touch support.