A good arcade session starts with comfortable controls. Here is how to find yours before the action gets busy.
Start with the instructions.
Open a game and read How to play. Some games use direction buttons, some use a single timed action, and some ask you to aim or choose a tile. The controls below the playfield belong to that particular game.
Press Start game to begin. The playfield takes keyboard focus so its shortcuts do not fight with the rest of the page. On touch screens, use the labelled controls or the board itself.
Keyboard and touch do different jobs.
Arrow keys handle movement in games that support direction controls. The space bar performs the main action in the relevant arcades, such as a jump, drop or shot. The instructions and visible action buttons explain the meaning for each game.
Word games may use letter buttons or a text field. Grid games are best explored by choosing their tiles. Some challenges will feel easier with a keyboard; a phone does not have to be the right tool for every game.
Pause is part of playing.
Use Pause, or press P or Escape while the playfield has focus. Switching away from the browser tab pauses the game. Resume when you are ready. Restart begins a fresh attempt and clears that attempt’s unfinished progress.
In an automatic preview, Escape closes the preview dialog. The preview has its own Pause and Resume buttons if you want to look at a particular moment.
Make the effects comfortable.
Sound starts off. Turn it on only if you want short action sounds. Reduced effects softens optional visual decoration. Your browser’s reduced-motion preference is respected when a game opens.
A moving ball, falling piece or approaching obstacle can still move because that movement is part of the game. If that feels uncomfortable, choose a turn-based puzzle instead.