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.
Live preview
Press ESC to leave fullscreen. Settings are saved in your browser only.
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.