How to play Alien Invaders
- Tap the screen to start. Your ship is at the bottom and fires upward on its own, up to four shots at a time.
- Drag your finger sideways to move the ship (you don't need to touch it directly). On a computer, use the arrow keys or the mouse.
- Destroy the aliens before they reach the bottom and dodge their bombs. Each bomb that hits you costs a life and makes you invulnerable for a few seconds.
- Clear the whole formation to move on to the next wave, which starts lower and faster, and you win back a life (up to five). You lose if you run out of lives or if the aliens get down to your ship.
Strategy, points and tips
Aliens at the top are worth more: 30 points for the top row, 20 for the next two and 10 for the bottom two. The mothership that crosses the top of the screen every so often gives 50, 100 or 150 points and is worth chasing when no bombs are close.
The formation speeds up a lot when only a few aliens are left, so it pays to clear the side columns first: the formation turns around sooner, but you get more room to aim at the middle ones. The bunkers wear away from your shots and from bombs: stay close to them when bombs are raining down and step out to shoot between volleys.
Most of the time a bomb drops from a random column, and about 40% of the time from the one above your ship, so standing still is a bad idea. Everything is calculated in your browser; only your best score is saved on your device.
Things to keep in mind
- Your best score is saved only in this browser: if you clear the site data, it is lost.
- On a phone, dragging on the game screen does not scroll the page; to scroll the page, swipe outside the game screen.
- The game pauses by itself when you switch tabs or apps, and you pick it up again with the Resume button. There is no sound.
Frequently asked questions
How do I play Alien Invaders on a phone?
Rest your finger on the game screen and drag it sideways: the ship moves exactly as much as your finger, without being hidden under it. It fires on its own, so all you have to do is dodge and aim.
Can I play with a keyboard?
Yes: left and right arrow keys (or A and D) to move, space bar for extra shots and P to pause. With a mouse, the ship follows the pointer.
What are the bunkers for?
They stop the aliens' bombs and also your own shots. They wear down with every hit, so use them for cover for a while and don't expect them to last the whole wave.
How many lives do I have?
You start with three. Each time you finish a wave you win one back, up to a maximum of five. After a bomb hits you, the ship flashes for a few seconds and cannot be hit.
How do I lose?
If you run out of lives, or if any alien gets down to your ship's level, even if you still have lives left.
Is my best score saved?
Yes, in this browser. It is not sent to any server and your score is not recorded.