1. WHAT IS PIXELARCADE?
PixelArcade is a free online collection of retro-styled browser games and web tools, built around the look and feel of classic 8-bit arcade games from the 1980s and 90s. Every game and tool on this site runs entirely in your web browser — no downloads, no installations, no user accounts, and no paywalls. Open a page, press start, and you're in.
The site is designed with a consistent retro aesthetic — dark backgrounds, pixel-perfect typography using the "Press Start 2P" font, neon color accents, and CRT scanline overlays that evoke the glow of an old arcade cabinet. Whether you're killing five minutes or chasing a personal best, PixelArcade is built for quick, satisfying sessions that work on any device.
2. OUR GAMES
PixelArcade currently hosts three original browser games, each designed and coded from scratch.
🐍 SNAKE SURVIVOR
A modern reimagining of the classic Snake game, rebuilt as a roguelike survival experience. Guide your snake across a 20×20 grid, collecting apples to grow and earn XP. Level up to choose from a pool of stackable upgrades that fundamentally change how you play — from magnetizing nearby apples to shielding against explosive bombs.
- XP and level system with an upgrade choice at every level
- 9 unique upgrades including Magnet, Shield, Treasure Hunter, and Demolition
- Bomb obstacles that increase in number as you progress
- Normal and Golden apple types with different point values
- Keyboard (arrow keys / WASD) and mobile swipe controls
- Persistent personal best score saved in your browser
🟨 PIXEL 2048
The classic 2048 sliding tile puzzle, reimagined in retro 8-bit pixel style. Slide tiles in four directions across a 4×4 grid to merge matching numbers. Combine tiles until you reach the legendary 2048 — then keep going to chase an even higher score.
- 4×4 grid with 11 distinct tile color themes
- Smooth merge and pop tile animations
- 8-bit procedural sound effects with a mute toggle
- Rainbow border animation on the 2048 tile
- Keyboard (arrow keys / WASD) and mobile swipe controls
- Persistent best score saved in your browser
💣 PIXEL MINESWEEPER
The timeless mine-clearing puzzle, brought to life in retro pixel style with a chunky LCD-style HUD. Choose your difficulty and clear the board without hitting a single mine. A first-click safety zone ensures your opening move is always safe — from there, it's all skill.
- Three difficulty levels: Easy (8×8 / 10 mines), Medium (16×16 / 40 mines), Hard (16×30 / 99 mines)
- First-click protection — your first click and its neighbors are always mine-free
- Flood-fill auto-reveal for empty regions
- Chord-click to instantly clear around flagged numbers
- Mobile-friendly: 500ms long-press to place or remove flags
- LCD HUD with mine counter, timer, and emoji face button
3. OUR TOOLS
In addition to games, PixelArcade hosts a growing set of free web tools — quick, practical utilities with the same retro polish as our games.
🖱️ CPS TEST
The CPS (Clicks Per Second) Test measures exactly how fast you can click your mouse or tap your screen. Select a test duration — 1, 5, 10, 30, or 60 seconds — then click as fast as you can until the timer runs out. Your result is scored, ranked, and compared against your personal best.
- Five test durations: 1s, 5s, 10s, 30s, 60s
- Live HUD showing time remaining, click count, and current CPS
- Six rank tiers: Beginner → Casual → Gamer → Pro → Elite → Godlike
- Combo visual effect when clicking at sustained high speed
- Five achievements tracked across sessions
- Personal best per mode, stored locally in your browser
4. WHY WE BUILT THIS
We love the look and feel of old-school arcade games — the chunky pixel fonts, the neon-on-black color palettes, the simple but deeply satisfying gameplay loops. PixelArcade exists to celebrate that aesthetic in a modern, instant-play format that works on any device with a web browser.
Every game and tool on this site is hand-coded from scratch using only HTML, CSS, and vanilla JavaScript — no frameworks, no third-party game engines, and no trackers beyond standard analytics. We believe the fastest and most satisfying experiences are the ones that load in under a second and get straight to the point.
All scores and achievements are stored locally in your browser using localStorage. No account is needed, and no gameplay data is ever sent to a server.
5. FUTURE PLANS
PixelArcade is actively expanding. Upcoming additions include more arcade games, additional click-speed and reflex tests (Spacebar Test, Reaction Time Test), and improvements to existing games based on player feedback.
If you have a suggestion, found a bug, or just want to say hello, visit our Contact page — we read every message.