Star Swarm Screensaver
Star Swarm is a self-playing arcade screensaver inspired by the 1981 formation shooter. Aliens fly in along curved paths into formation, then peel off in dive-bomb runs while a gunner picks them off. It's a free, original homage, runs in your browser, and ESC exits.
How the Star Swarm screensaver works
Star Swarm is an original tribute to the formation-flying fixed shooter — original art and name throughout.
Each wave's aliens fly in along sweeping curved paths and settle into a grid formation at the top.
From there they peel off one at a time in dive-bomb runs, swooping across the screen and dropping fire.
A self-playing gunner at the base tracks the divers, fires upward, and clears the wave to summon the next.
A worked example
A squadron loops in along curving trails into a neat formation; one alien peels off and dive-bombs, the gunner slides under it and fires, the alien bursts, and the swarm sways overhead waiting its turn to swoop.
Settings & tips
- It runs in attract mode — the gunner aims and fires on its own.
- Watch the curved fly-in paths as each wave forms up.
- Aliens are most dangerous mid-dive, away from the formation.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this Galaga?
- No. It's an original homage inspired by the 1981 formation shooter, with its own art and name — nothing copyrighted is copied.
- Can I play it myself?
- Right now it runs in self-playing attract mode, like an arcade demo screen. A keyboard-playable mode may be added later.
- Does it need a connection?
- No. It's computed entirely on your device, so it runs fully offline.
- Why do the aliens fly in curves?
- The sweeping entry paths and dive-bomb arcs are what gave the original its signature feel, recreated here in motion.
- Is it free?
- Yes — free, no download, in your browser.