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Area 51
51区
Area 51 is a first-person rail shooter developed by Atari Games and released in 1995. Players take on the role of a STAAR team operative sent to investigate and neutralize an alien outbreak at the infamous Area 51 facility. Using a mounted light gun, players shoot enemy aliens and infected soldiers while avoiding friendly fire on uninfected humans. The game supports two-player simultaneous co-op, letting two players tackle the invasion together. Stages move players through corridors, labs, and open zones across the base, with on-screen prompts indicating threats. Enemies drop from the ceiling, emerge from doors, and ambush from multiple angles. Bonus rounds reward accurate shooting, and players must manage limited continues to reach the final confrontation.
- Developer
- Atari Games
- Released
- 1995
- Platform
- Arcade
- Genre
- Action
- Players
- 2P
- Rating
- 4.9 / 5 (3.3K)
- Last updated
Area 51 Controls — Arcade Keyboard Keys
Default keyboard bindings for Area 51 on our in-browser Arcade emulator. Plug in a USB or Bluetooth gamepad to auto-detect mappings, or rebind any key from the emulator settings menu.
| Keyboard | Console button | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| ↑ | Joystick Up | Move up |
| ↓ | Joystick Down | Move down |
| ← | Joystick Left | Move left |
| → | Joystick Right | Move right |
| X | Button 1 | Primary action (jump / confirm) |
| Z | Button 2 | Secondary action (attack / cancel) |
| S | Button 3 | Tertiary action |
| A | Button 4 | Quaternary action |
| Q | Button 5 | Fifth button |
| W | Button 6 | Sixth button |
| 5 | Insert Coin | Insert coin |
| 1 | 1P Start | Start / Pause |
Coin and Start are convention "Insert Coin: 5" and "1P Start: 1". Some arcade boards expect specific button mappings — check the in-game prompts on coin-up.
Rebind any key from the EmulatorJS in-game settings menu (gear icon → Controls). A connected gamepad auto-maps to the same buttons.
Area 51 Longplay & Gameplay Videos
Watch a full playthrough of Area 51 on Arcade before you dive in — recommended for getting a feel for the game's pacing, story beats, and difficulty curve.
Watch longplay on YouTube
"Area 51" Arcade longplay 1995
External references
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Area 51 released?
Area 51 was released in 1995 for the Arcade.
Who developed Area 51?
Area 51 was developed by Atari Games, available to play in your browser on RetroGameSpace.
How many players does Area 51 support?
Area 51 supports up to 2 players, ideal for couch co-op or competitive sessions on the Arcade.
What type of game is Area 51?
Area 51 is a Action game for the Arcade, playable instantly in your browser — no downloads, no installs.
How can I play Area 51 for free?
Open this page and click "Play Now" — Area 51 runs free in your browser via WebAssembly emulation. No account, no payment, no installer.
Do I need to download anything to play Area 51 in the browser?
No. Area 51 streams from a public archive into a browser-side Arcade emulator. Nothing is installed on your computer.
Can I save my progress in Area 51?
Yes. Save states are stored in your browser (IndexedDB) per game, and you can also use any in-game save the original Arcade cartridge supported.
Does Area 51 work on mobile devices?
Yes — the Arcade emulator runs on iOS Safari and Android Chrome. Touch controls overlay the game; landscape mode is recommended.
Is it legal to play Area 51 this way?
RetroGameSpace is a transient caching reverse-proxy and does not host first-party copies of Area 51. Game files are fetched on demand from publicly-accessible archives. You are responsible for compliance with your local laws and the bring-your-own-ROM principle.
