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Ataxx
Ataxx is a two-player strategy-action arcade game released in 1990 by Leland Corp. Players control colored blobs on a grid-based board, competing to claim the majority of squares. Each turn, a piece can either jump one space to clone itself into the adjacent cell or leap two spaces to move without cloning. When a piece lands next to an opponent's piece, those enemy pieces convert to the player's color. The goal is to fill the board with more pieces than the opponent. Obstacles block certain squares, varying the layout across stages. The arcade cabinet supports head-to-head two-player competition, with gameplay becoming increasingly tactical as the board fills up.
- Developer
- Leland Corp.
- Released
- 1990
- Platform
- Arcade
- Genre
- Action
- Players
- 2P
- Rating
- 4.6 / 5 (3.2K)
- Last updated
Ataxx Controls — Arcade Keyboard Keys
Default keyboard bindings for Ataxx 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.
Ataxx Longplay & Gameplay Videos
Watch a full playthrough of Ataxx 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
"Ataxx" Arcade longplay 1990
External references
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Ataxx released?
Ataxx was released in 1990 for the Arcade.
Who developed Ataxx?
Ataxx was developed by Leland Corp., available to play in your browser on RetroGameSpace.
How many players does Ataxx support?
Ataxx supports up to 2 players, ideal for couch co-op or competitive sessions on the Arcade.
What type of game is Ataxx?
Ataxx is a Action game for the Arcade, playable instantly in your browser — no downloads, no installs.
How can I play Ataxx for free?
Open this page and click "Play Now" — Ataxx runs free in your browser via WebAssembly emulation. No account, no payment, no installer.
Do I need to download anything to play Ataxx in the browser?
No. Ataxx streams from a public archive into a browser-side Arcade emulator. Nothing is installed on your computer.
Can I save my progress in Ataxx?
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 Ataxx 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 Ataxx this way?
RetroGameSpace is a transient caching reverse-proxy and does not host first-party copies of Ataxx. 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.
