Yes. Star Swarm plays in your browser with no download and no account needed.

How do I play on a phone?

Drag anywhere on the screen to fly left and right. The ship moves as far as your thumb does, so it never sits under your finger. Tap without dragging to set off a bomb.

How do I play on a computer?

Fly with the arrow keys or A and D, and press space or B for a bomb. The cannon fires by itself.

How are the stars decided?

Finish a level without losing a ship for three stars, lose one for two, and any finish earns one.

Spread shot, a piercing lance, seekers that steer towards ships, a shield, wing drones that fire beside you, an extra bomb and, now and then, an extra ship. New ones join the mix as you reach later sectors.

Is there a leaderboard?

Yes. Your best score on every level is added up, and that total goes on the leaderboard.

Star Swarm

Everyone

About Star Swarm

A campaign across six sectors of space: an asteroid belt, a nebula, a derelict station, glacier moons, the corona of a star and the swarm's own hive. Each brings its own ships and one twist (loose rocks, looping swoopers, turrets, shielded carriers, solar flares), a mini-boss halfway, and ends with a flagship that fights in phases. Eight levels in each: some are battles, some are jobs, like guarding a slow cargo ship, catching lifeboats, flying a meteor shower with your guns cold, or a bonus run for falling stars. Your cannon fires by itself. All you do is fly, and catch spread shot, a piercing lance, seekers, a shield and wing drones on the way. A helper for younger pilots slows the enemy shots and keeps a shield up.

Star Swarm is an arcade space shooter where your cannon fires by itself, so all you do is fly and dodge. The campaign crosses six sectors of eight levels, from an asteroid belt and a nebula to a derelict station, glacier moons, the corona of a star and the swarm's own hive. Each sector brings new ships and one twist, and ends with a flagship that fights in phases.

Tips

Keep moving. Marksmen aim at where you are, so a ship that sits still gets hit, and a small step to the side is usually enough.
Shoot the glowing ships first. They drop pods, and catching the gun you already hold powers it up, as far as three steps.
Being hit costs a ship and one step of gun power, and your wing drones go too. A shield pod takes one hit for you instead.
Hold your bomb for real trouble. It clears every ship and shot on the screen and chips the flagship, but you start each level with only one.
Ships shot while they dive at you are worth half as much again, and twelve kills in a row without being hit raises your score multiplier, up to four times.
In the Corona, move as soon as a lane is marked. The flare burns down that lane a moment later. The Warden's beam works the same way.

Questions

Is it free?: Yes. Star Swarm plays in your browser with no download and no account needed.
How do I play on a phone?: Drag anywhere on the screen to fly left and right. The ship moves as far as your thumb does, so it never sits under your finger. Tap without dragging to set off a bomb.
How do I play on a computer?: Fly with the arrow keys or A and D, and press space or B for a bomb. The cannon fires by itself.
How are the stars decided?: Finish a level without losing a ship for three stars, lose one for two, and any finish earns one.
What are the pods?: Spread shot, a piercing lance, seekers that steer towards ships, a shield, wing drones that fire beside you, an extra bomb and, now and then, an extra ship. New ones join the mix as you reach later sectors.
Is there a leaderboard?: Yes. Your best score on every level is added up, and that total goes on the leaderboard.