Nova Storm
Vertical shoot ’em up with enemy waves, power-ups, screen-clearing bombs and three huge bosses. Keep the chain alive for an x8 multiplier.
How to play
- Arrows move
- Space/Z fire
- X bomb
- P pause
- Enter or tap to start · M to mute
Touch controls appear automatically on phones and tablets. Your best score is saved in this browser and only reaches a leaderboard if you submit it (privacy). Press the fullscreen button for the full cabinet effect.
About this game
Nova Storm keeps the action in a narrow column, with score, bombs, power and the chain meter in side panels so the screen stays readable under heavy fire. Each stage has its own scenery and music and ends with a warning siren and a boss that turns more aggressive below half health.
Goal: Clear all three stages and their bosses while building the highest score you can, then keep going on a harder loop.
Nova Storm is an original shoot ’em up built for the browser in the style of 1980s arcade cabinets: pixel art, a chiptune soundtrack and CRT scanlines, all generated in code. It is free, has no ads and needs no download or account.
What’s inside
- 3 stages: Nebula Gate, Asteroid Belt and Star Fortress
- 3 bosses: Vanguard, Crusher and The Core
- Endless harder loops after Mission Complete
- 4 weapon power levels, up to 5 bombs and a one-hit shield
- Extra ship at 100,000 points, then every 200,000
- Players
- 1 player
- On a phone
- Drag anywhere to steer the ship, which fires automatically while your finger is down; touch with a second finger to drop a bomb.
- Round length
- A full run through all three stages takes roughly 6-10 minutes.
Tips
- Every 4 kills in a row add one to the multiplier, up to x8, but the chain drops after about 2.5 seconds without a kill and asteroids do not count.
- A bomb makes you invincible while it runs and scores 10 points for each enemy bullet it erases.
- On The Core, thin red lines mark where a laser is about to fire.
Questions
What happens after I beat the last boss in Nova Storm?
You get a victory bonus and start again at Nebula Gate on a new loop, where enemies are tougher and fire faster.
How do I pause Nova Storm on a phone?
Tap the score block at the top of the left panel to pause, and tap anywhere to carry on. Switching away from the tab also pauses the game.
Leaderboards Today’s challenge
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Scores are highest first. Your best is read from this browser when you submit; three initials, arcade style.
