Pilot a small triangular ship through a field of drifting space rocks. Shoot a large rock and it breaks into two medium ones, then into small fast fragments. Clear the screen to start the next, bigger wave, and watch out for flying saucers.
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Wave1
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Asteroids
Shoot the drifting rocks. Big ones split into smaller, faster pieces. Clear the screen to start the next wave.
New high score!
or press Enter
← → rotate · ↑ thrust · Space fire · Shift / H hyperspace · P pause
Points
Large rock · 20
Medium rock · 50
Small rock · 100
Saucer · 200 / 1000
+▲ Extra ship every 10,000
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How to use the Asteroids Game
Press Start game (or Enter). Your ship appears in the middle of the screen with a moment of protection.
Rotate with ← → (or A / D) and thrust with ↑ (or W). The ship keeps drifting, so tap thrust and steer gently.
Fire with Space; hold it for steady fire. Up to five shots can be in flight at once.
Escape danger with Shift or H for hyperspace: you reappear at a random spot, but the jump can fail if you land next to a rock.
Clear every rock to start the next wave. On a touch screen, use the round buttons at the bottom of the playfield. Press P to pause.
Rocks, saucers and points
Every object on screen has its own size, speed and value. Smaller rocks are worth more because they move faster and are harder to hit.
Target
Points
What happens when you hit it
Large rock
20
Splits into two medium rocks
Medium rock
50
Splits into two small, faster rocks
Small rock
100
Destroyed
Large saucer
200
Destroyed; it fires shots in random directions
Small saucer (wave 3+)
1,000
Destroyed; it aims at your ship
One large rock therefore holds 20 + 2 × 50 + 4 × 100 = 520 points if you clear all of its pieces. Wave 1 starts with 4 large rocks, and each new wave adds one more, up to 11.
Tips for a higher score
Stay near the middle and rotate. Many good players barely thrust at all; they turn and shoot from the centre, where they can see danger coming from every side.
Do not break everything at once. Each split creates more, faster rocks. Finish off small pieces before cracking the next large rock.
Use short thrusts. Momentum carries you, and drifting too fast into the screen edge can wrap you straight into a rock on the other side.
Leave one rock to hunt saucers. Saucers only appear while rocks remain. A small saucer is worth as much as ten small rocks.
Save hyperspace for emergencies. It is random and can fail next to a rock, so it is a last resort, not a dodge button.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play Asteroids?
You fly a ship in the middle of a field of floating rocks. Turn, thrust and shoot to break the rocks apart before they hit you. Large rocks split into two medium rocks, medium rocks split into two small ones, and small rocks are destroyed. When every rock is gone, a new wave begins with more and faster rocks.
What are the controls?
Left and right arrows (or A and D) rotate the ship, the up arrow (or W) fires the thruster, Space shoots and Shift or H jumps to hyperspace. P or Esc pauses. On phones and tablets, on-screen buttons give you rotate left, rotate right, hyperspace, thrust and fire, and you can press several at the same time.
How is the score calculated?
A large rock is worth 20 points, a medium rock 50 and a small rock 100, the same values used by the 1979 arcade game. The large flying saucer is worth 200 points and the small, more accurate saucer is worth 1,000. You earn an extra ship every 10,000 points.
Why does my ship keep moving when I let go of thrust?
Space has very little friction, so your ship keeps its momentum and slows down only gradually. Short bursts of thrust are easier to control than holding the button. Flying off one edge of the screen brings you back on the opposite side.
Is hyperspace safe?
Not always. Hyperspace moves your ship to a random point instantly, which can save you from a collision, but if you reappear right next to a rock there is a small chance the jump goes wrong and you lose a ship. Use it as a last resort.
Is my high score saved?
Yes. Your best score is stored in your browser's local storage on this device, so it is still there next time you visit. Nothing is uploaded, and clearing your browser data removes it.
Who made the original Asteroids?
Asteroids was released by Atari in 1979 and designed by Lyle Rains and Ed Logg. It used a vector display that drew sharp glowing lines, which is the look this browser version recreates with a canvas.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.