Use keyboard controls to play QWOP, an athletics game about moving a runner.
Spacewar!
Players can try the original 1960s Spacewar game with keyboard controls for movement and gameplay.
About Spacewar!
Spacewar! is a virtual DEC PDP-1 emulated in HTML5 and JavaScript that runs the original Spacewar! code. It is a game for two human players, with the ships "Needle" and "Wedge" affected by gravity from a central star. Players fire photon torpedoes of limited supply, and can use hyperspace as a last resort that may destroy the ship on re-entry.
The page supports several keyboard layouts, gamepads or joysticks, and touch controls with movable arcade-style buttons for landscape orientation. An options menu provides emulation speed and sense-switch settings, and multiple versions of the original program are available to play.
Key features
- Runs original Spacewar! code on emulated DEC PDP-1 in HTML5
- Two-player Needle and Wedge combat with central-star gravity
- Keyboard layouts for Standard, French, Dvorak, Colemak, Neo and Turkish
- Gamepad support with stick turning, thrust, hyperspace and fire mapping
- Touch controls with movable arcade-style buttons for landscape orientation
- Options menu with emulation speed and sense-switch settings
Best for: People who want to play the original two-player Spacewar! with keyboard, gamepad, or touch controls.
Good for
- Emulation focuses on original timing and CRT display appearance
- Offers multiple versions of the original program to play
- Supports keyboard layouts, gamepads, and touch controls
Watch out for
- Built for two human players with no single-player mode described
- Photon torpedoes have limited supply
- Hyperspace can destroy the ship, with certainty on the eighth jump
Spacewar! at a glance
- Website
- masswerk.at/spacewar
- Category
- Gaming › Browser Games
- Type
- Website
- Pricing
- Not confirmed. Check the site
- Platforms
- Web
- Open source
- Not stated
- Language
- English
- Last checked
- Oct 5, 2026 · Online when checked
- Listed
- Oct 5, 2026
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Spacewar! FAQ
How do I control the ships on a standard keyboard?
Player 1 uses A to turn left, D to turn right, S for thrust, W to fire, and Q for hyperspace. Player 2 uses J, L, K, I, and U for the same actions, with number-pad 4, 6, 5, 8, and 7 as alternatives.
Can I use a gamepad?
Yes. The left stick turns, the right stick down is thrust and up is hyperspace, major buttons fire, left shoulder is hyperspace and right shoulder is fire. Press Tab to swap gamepad-to-ship assignments.
How does hyperspace work?
It is a last-resort escape that may cause the ship to explode on re-entry, with higher risk with each jump and certainty on the eighth attempt.
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