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Space Wars
太空战争
Space Wars is a two-player vector graphics action game released by Cinematronics in 1978. Each player pilots a spaceship on a single fixed screen, attempting to destroy the opponent's vessel using projectiles while managing their ship's momentum and fuel supply. The game draws heavily from the classic PDP-1 program Spacewar!, translating it into a dedicated arcade cabinet with crisp vector display visuals. Controls include rotation, thrust, and fire buttons, requiring players to account for inertia when maneuvering. A central star exerts gravitational pull, adding a navigational hazard. Matches are timed or score-based, with no progression stages—gameplay consists purely of head-to-head combat rounds between two competitors seated at the same cabinet.
- Developer
- Cinematronics
- Released
- 1978
- Platform
- Arcade
- Genre
- Action
- Players
- 2P
- Rating
- 4.6 / 5 (4.6K)
- Last updated
Space Wars Controls — Arcade Keyboard Keys
Default keyboard bindings for Space Wars 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.
Space Wars Longplay & Gameplay Videos
Watch a full playthrough of Space Wars 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
"Space Wars" Arcade longplay 1978
External references
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Space Wars released?
Space Wars was released in 1978 for the Arcade.
Who developed Space Wars?
Space Wars was developed by Cinematronics, available to play in your browser on RetroGameSpace.
How many players does Space Wars support?
Space Wars supports up to 2 players, ideal for couch co-op or competitive sessions on the Arcade.
What type of game is Space Wars?
Space Wars is a Action game for the Arcade, playable instantly in your browser — no downloads, no installs.
How can I play Space Wars for free?
Open this page and click "Play Now" — Space Wars runs free in your browser via WebAssembly emulation. No account, no payment, no installer.
Do I need to download anything to play Space Wars in the browser?
No. Space Wars streams from a public archive into a browser-side Arcade emulator. Nothing is installed on your computer.
Can I save my progress in Space Wars?
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 Space Wars 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 Space Wars this way?
RetroGameSpace is a transient caching reverse-proxy and does not host first-party copies of Space Wars. 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.
