How to play Asteroid Drift well

Nearly everyone who is new to a drifting ship dies the same way: holding thrust. Speed is easy to gain and slow to lose, and the field is not big. Here is what actually keeps you alive.

Tap thrust, never hold it

Thrust adds to the speed you already have, so holding it for a second leaves you crossing the field faster than you can read it. Short taps let you place the ship. When you do need to slow down, turn to face the way you are travelling — the faint line out of the ship is your real direction, which is rarely where the nose is pointing — and tap against it.

Shoot rocks from the side

A rock breaks into two pieces thrown either side of the shot that broke it. Shoot a boulder head-on and both halves come past you. Shoot it across its path and they separate away from your line. This one habit is worth more than accuracy.

Count your shots

Four shots can be in the air at once — six on Relaxed — and each lives about a second. The panel shows what is left. Firing all four at a distant boulder leaves you with nothing when a chip appears in front of you, so keep one back. Shots also carry a little of your own speed, which is why they drift when you do.

Clear the big ones first, then the space

Every boulder is seven hits: itself, two shards, four chips. A wave gets more dangerous as it goes on, because chips are fast. Break the boulders early while you have room to move, and leave yourself an empty quarter of the field to retreat into rather than working around the edge.

The blink is for corners, not for rocks

The blink always puts you in the emptiest part of the field — it can never drop you inside a rock, unlike the hyperspace it replaces. That makes it a real decision rather than a gamble, and the only cost is the six seconds before you can use it again. Spend it when you are already losing a corner, not on a rock you could have turned away from.

Read the drone

The drone crosses the field every so often and shoots at you, but it winds up first: a ring opens around it before the shot leaves. That is your cue to move, and it aims where you are rather than where you are going, so moving at all is usually enough. It is worth 200, and it leaves on its own if you ignore it.

Don't hide

Sitting in a corner with one chip left used to be a way to rest. Here the field starts closing in after a while — the rim reddens, and the remaining rocks come looking for you. Finish the wave.

Frequently asked questions

Why can't I stop?

Thrust adds to the speed you already have; there is no brake. To slow down, turn to face the way you are moving — the faint line from the ship shows that — and thrust against it. A little drag means a long drift does settle, but not quickly enough to save you.

Which mode should I start on?

Relaxed: five ships, six shots in the air at once, slower rocks and no drone until the third wave. The extra shots matter more than the extra ships, because running out of shots with a rock coming is what beats most beginners.

Is Asteroid Drift the same as the Atari game?

No. It is an original game in the same rock-field style, with its own physics, drone, blink and waves, and is not affiliated with any arcade game's owners.