Skip to content
ArcadePantrySurprise

Alien Invasion

Defend Earth from the descending fleet.

Play today's daily
Score 0Wave 1Lives ▲▲▲Best 0

Alien Invasion

Hold back the alien waves. Hit the saucer for a bonus.

← → or A / D to move, Space to fire, P to pause. On phones, hold a finger on the screen to steer and fire.

How to play Alien Invasion

Goal

Destroy every invader before they reach the ground.

  1. 1Move your cannon along the bottom and shoot upward.
  2. 2Invaders speed up as their numbers shrink.
  3. 3Dodge their bombs. Lose all your lives and it is over.
  4. 4Shoot the saucer at the top for bonus points.
  5. 5Clear a wave and a faster one arrives.

On a computer

← → to move, Space to fire, P to pause

On a phone

Hold a finger on the game to steer and fire, or use the buttons

Play Alien Invasion free, a Space Invaders style shooter. Move your cannon, dodge bombs and destroy waves of descending aliens.

Alien Invasion tips and strategy

  • Clear one side of the formation first. The fleet takes longer to reach the edge and step down.
  • The fewer aliens left, the faster they move. Be ready for the last few.
  • Keep moving to dodge bombs, but do not stray too far from the center.
  • You can only have two shots on screen at once, so time your shots rather than spamming fire.
  • Top row aliens are worth more points, but clearing low rows buys you time.

About Alien Invasion

Alien Invasion puts you in control of a cannon at the bottom of the screen. Rows of aliens march side to side and step down toward you, dropping bombs. Shoot them all before they land. You have three lives, and each cleared wave brings a faster one.

Fixed shooter games like this exploded in popularity in arcades in 1978 with Space Invaders and defined the era. Our free version is an original tribute to that classic style, with hand drawn pixel aliens and simple controls.

It is a fun test of timing and aim. Use the arrow keys and Space on a computer, or the on-screen buttons on a phone.

The challenge in fixed shooters comes from managing time and space: the fleet keeps moving closer, and every alien you remove makes the rest faster. Learning when to clear the edges and when to thin out the lowest rows is the key to surviving later waves. Arcade Pantry is free to play with no sign up and no download. Your best results are saved only in your own browser.

Alien Invasion FAQ

How do you play Alien Invasion?

Move your cannon left and right and fire upward to destroy the alien fleet before it reaches the ground.

Why do the aliens get faster?

The fleet speeds up as its numbers shrink, and each new wave starts faster than the last.

Can I play on my phone?

Yes. Use the left, right and Fire buttons under the game.

Is there a daily run?

Yes. The daily Alien Invasion gives everyone the same waves and bombs for the day, and your best score counts.

How many waves are there?

There is no limit. Each new wave is a little faster, so see how far you can get.

More arcade games

All 22 arcade games