Stardrift
Stardrift is a free space shooter game you play in your browser
Stardrift is a free space shooter game you play in your browser. You fly one small ship through a field of drifting asteroids. The ship points wherever your cursor goes, and holding the button fires and thrusts at once. Big rocks split into smaller ones, each wave brings more of them, and your best score is kept for next time.
How to play Stardrift
- 1Move the mouse to aim. The ship always points at the cursor.
- 2Hold the mouse button to fire and thrust at the same time.
- 3On a touch screen, hold and drag. The ship follows your finger and fires.
- 4Shoot rocks to split them into three smaller pieces.
- 5Kill rocks at close range for bonus points.
- 6Pick up shields. Each one lasts 12 seconds and absorbs one hit.
- 7You have three lives. Each wave brings more rocks, moving faster.
Stardrift controls
Keyboard
- Space
- Fire
- P or Esc
- Pause
Mouse
- Mouse
- Aim the ship
- Hold mouse button
- Fire and thrust
Touch
- Touch, hold and drag
- Move toward your finger and fire
Stardrift tips and strategy
How to get a high score in Stardrift
Shoot rocks from close range. The nearer your ship is when a rock breaks, the bigger the bonus, up to twice the rock's normal points on top. Small rocks are worth the most, so finish off the pieces as well as the big ones.
Which rocks are worth the most points
Small rocks give 100 points, medium rocks 50 and big rocks 20. One big rock broken all the way down is worth 1,070 points before any close-range bonus.
How to fire without drifting into rocks
Hold Space to fire while you keep aiming with the mouse. Space fires without thrust, so you do not speed up. Holding the mouse button fires and pushes you forward at the same time. When you let go, the ship keeps drifting and slows down gently.
When to pick up a shield
Grab a shield before a risky close-range attack. It lasts 12 seconds and absorbs one hit, and the rock that hits it breaks and still scores. A shield pickup disappears after 10 seconds, and a new one turns up if none has appeared for 25 seconds.
Using the screen edges
The edges wrap around. Your ship, your shots and the rocks all leave one side and come back on the opposite side. Watch the edge behind you, because rocks can drift in from there.
How to survive later waves
Each wave adds a rock and speeds them all up, and from wave 3 a wave can open with smaller, faster rocks. After you lose a life, the ship returns to the centre with 2 seconds of protection. Use them to line up your first shots.
Stardrift features
- Aim with your cursor, or hold and drag on a touch screen
- Waves that add rocks and speed as you go
- Bonus points for close-range shots
- Shield pickups that absorb one hit
- Best score saved in your browser
About Stardrift
Stardrift is a small arcade shooter about one ship in a drifting rock field. It runs full screen in your browser with no downloads.
The ship always faces your cursor, so aiming is as quick as moving the mouse. Holding the button fires and pushes you forward at once. Every attack also carries you closer to the rocks.
The first wave is gentle, with three big rocks. Each wave after it adds more, and they move faster. Every rock splits into three smaller pieces until the smallest ones break apart.
Shields give you room to take a risk, and close-range kills reward you for taking it. You have three lives and a short spell of protection after each respawn.
Stardrift FAQ
Is Stardrift free to play?
Yes. Free in your browser, no payment.
Do I need to download or sign up for Stardrift?
No. Runs in the browser, no account.
Can I play Stardrift on my phone?
Yes. Touch controls are supported.
How long does a game of Stardrift take?
About 5 minutes per round.
Does Stardrift save my progress?
Yes. Progress is saved in your browser on this device.
How do I score points in Stardrift?
Shoot rocks. Big ones are worth 20 points, medium ones 50 and small ones 100. The points pop out of each rock as it breaks.
What is the close-range bonus?
Rocks you destroy from close up earn extra points. Flying near a rock is risky, and the bonus pays you for it.
How do shields work?
Some rocks drop a shield when they break, and shields also appear now and then. A shield lasts 12 seconds and absorbs one hit.
What happens when I clear a wave?
The next wave starts straight away. Wave 1 has three big rocks, and each wave after it adds one more, up to twelve. The rocks also move a little faster every wave.
Can I play Stardrift with only a keyboard?
Not fully. Space fires and P or Esc pauses, but the ship aims at your cursor or finger, so you need a mouse, trackpad or touch screen to steer.
Games like Stardrift
What's new in Stardrift
- v0.1.0
- First release.
Stardrift game details
At a glance
- Genre
- Arcade
- Space
- Shooter
- Play time
- About 5 minutes
- Play with
- Keyboard, Mouse, Touch
- Progress
- Saved in your browser
- Version
- 0.1.0
- Price
- Free
- Sign-up
- Not needed