Screenshots
Xyonix
Xyonix is an arcade action game released in 1989 by Philko. The game draws clear inspiration from Qix, tasking players with claiming territory on a playfield by drawing lines to section off areas while avoiding enemies. Players control a cursor or marker that moves along the edges and across open space, using it to carve out portions of the screen. Enemies patrol the unclaimed regions and will destroy the player on contact during a draw. The goal is to fill a required percentage of the screen to advance to the next stage. Each level increases the speed and aggression of enemies, raising the difficulty progressively. The controls are directional, with players navigating the grid-based field carefully. Philko's take on the territory-capture formula offers multiple enemy types and a straightforward scoring system based on the size of claimed areas.
- Developer
- Philko
- Released
- 1989
- Platform
- Arcade
- Genre
- Action
- Rating
- 4.8 / 5 (4.5K)
- Last updated
Xyonix Controls — Arcade Keyboard Keys
Default keyboard bindings for Xyonix 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.
Xyonix Longplay & Gameplay Videos
Watch a full playthrough of Xyonix 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
"Xyonix" Arcade longplay 1989
External references
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Xyonix released?
Xyonix was released in 1989 for the Arcade.
Who developed Xyonix?
Xyonix was developed by Philko, available to play in your browser on RetroGameSpace.
What type of game is Xyonix?
Xyonix is a Action game for the Arcade, playable instantly in your browser — no downloads, no installs.
How can I play Xyonix for free?
Open this page and click "Play Now" — Xyonix runs free in your browser via WebAssembly emulation. No account, no payment, no installer.
Do I need to download anything to play Xyonix in the browser?
No. Xyonix streams from a public archive into a browser-side Arcade emulator. Nothing is installed on your computer.
Can I save my progress in Xyonix?
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 Xyonix 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 Xyonix this way?
RetroGameSpace is a transient caching reverse-proxy and does not host first-party copies of Xyonix. 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.
