Every once in a while, I get the itch to build something small, self-contained, and fun, something that doesn’t need a login, database, or client approval. Asteroid Blues was exactly that. A browser-based arcade shooter where you dodge space rocks and try not to die. Simple enough.
You can play it here, (desktop only, sorry): 🎮 brodyndigital.com/asteroidBlues.html
Why Make a Space Shooter?
Honestly? Because Asteroids is one of the purest arcade concepts out there. No story, no fluff—just you, a ship, and a growing cloud of space debris.
It’s the kind of game where:
The controls need to feel tight
The feedback has to be instant
And failure always feels like your fault (in a good way)
That mix of simplicity and pressure is weirdly addicting, and was a perfect follow up to the pacman clone.
How I Built It
I kept the stack super minimal:
JavaScript +
<canvas>No external libraries
Everything runs in the browser, self-contained
The ship rotates, thrusts, and shoots. Asteroids float in from all directions. They split when you hit them. If you get hit, you're toast. That's the core loop, and it's surprisingly satisfying.
What Gave Me Trouble
The hardest part wasn’t the movement or the shooting, it was balancing the enemies reaction timing, like the ghosts in the pacman clone they started as basically heat seeking missiles. They needed two rules.
Only attack when you are close and in front of them.
Give them a cooldown for shooting at you, simulating a ship trying to take aim.
Difficulty Curve
It ramps up fast. Once there are a dozen asteroids flying around at different angles, things get chaotic. I almost gave myself a panic attack trying to test it. I like that tension, but I know it could use more polish — maybe a more gradual ramp or some “safe” starter waves.
Endless Waves That Just Keep Getting Harder
To keep the game from feeling static or too easy, I added endless enemy waves.
After each wave is cleared, a new one spawns, but with a twist. Every round, the enemy count increases by 20%. That means more targets, and way more chances to crash and burn.
Eventually, the screen gets flooded, and you’re relying on instinct more than strategy. That’s where the fun really kicks in.
Why the Name Asteroid Blues?
It's a little nod to Cowboy Bebop, one of my all-time favorite series. The first episode shares the name, and the whole vibe of drifting through space, dodging danger, fit the mood of what I was building.
What’s Next?
This wasn’t meant to be a long-term project. But it feels good enough that I might revisit it.
I’d love to add:
More power-ups. Like shields or spread shots
Basic audio. explosions, lasers, maybe a jazz-infused soundtrack?
A better death screen or reset flow.
I’m also tempted to build a mobile version with touch controls. This kind of game would be perfect for quick sessions on a phone. The difficulty lies in visual controls and the response feeling from phone screen.
Final Thoughts
Asteroid Blues was just a fun way to flex some raw JavaScript muscles and build something that feels like a game. It’s just me, a blank canvas, a bunch of rocks that need shooting and enemies out to get ya.
Stay sharp out there, — Brodyn