Space Huggers
- Developer
- Frank Force Games
- Released
- April 2024
- Last Updated
- January 2025
- Technology
- HTML5
- Platform
- Browser (desktop, mobile, tablet)
Table of Contents
Ready to jump into the action? Space Huggers isn’t just another shoot-em-up; it’s a frantic, roguelike hybrid that demands speed and smart strategy. If you’ve been looking for a fast-paced space huggers game that runs directly in your browser, you’ve found it! Thanks to its HTML design, you’ll find this game highly accessible in restricted environments, making it easy to play almost anywhere. Whether you’re battling solo or getting up to four players in local co-op, mastering the controls is step one. Here’s everything you need to know about the basic mechanics, combat tips, and the unique systems powering this destructive experience.
How To Play Space Huggers
The controls are intuitive, whether you prefer keyboard or controller. Here’s the rundown:
Use WASD or the D-Pad – This is how you move, jump, and scale up walls.
Z or Left click – This is your main attack: Shoot. Remember, most environmental objects will shatter, and some are even flammable!
X or Middle click – This triggers your Roll. Not only does it grant you brief invulnerability and a speed boost, but it also deals melee damage and is essential for extinguishing flames.
C or Right click – Deploy a Grenade. You only get three per life, so use these powerful explosives strategically.
If you’re planning a co-op session, you can plug in up to four Xbox or SNES-style controllers for simultaneous play!
To successfully clear a stage, you need to eliminate all enemies on the screen.
Keep an eye on the radar at the bottom of the screen—it shows you the location of nearby hostiles.
You kick off the game with 10 lives, and you’ll earn 3 extra lives for every level you successfully finish.
For the best possible experience, we recommend using Chrome and activating full screen mode.
There’s no definite end to the game, but a worthy challenge is to try and beat the initial five levels!
Gameplay Tips
Want to elevate your game? These pointers will turn you from a recruit into a Captain!
Instantly Roll to put out fire! It’s the fastest way to save yourself from burning.
That Roll isn’t just for fire; it also packs a punch for melee damage against enemies.
Be wary of the Specialists (the white ones); they’re like ninjas! They are constantly rolling and flipping, so maintain your distance.
You can effortlessly climb up walls by holding down the jump button when touching a surface.
Try a Jump flip (roll immediately after jumping) to get maximum vertical height from your leaps.
For reaching extreme elevations, try the high-risk, high-reward grenade jump maneuver!
Need a mulligan? You can quickly press R to restart the action.
Master all these techniques and you’ll feel like you’ve truly unlocked space huggers god mode!
Game Features
What makes Space Huggers stand out? It’s a powerhouse of features packed into an accessible format:
Core gameplay is a run and gun / roguelike hybrid.
Enjoy 2-4 player jump in local co-op mode with friends.
Experience endless replayability thanks to procedural level generation providing great variety and complexity.
Every stage is highly interactive, featuring fully destructible levels with persistence.
A dynamic fire propagation and explosion system that changes the battlefield.
Encounter 5 distinct enemy types, plus a challenging larger variant for each.
Destroy and interact with 7 different crate/barrel/rock types.
A classic retro look is achieved using 17 sprite textures crafted with a 12 color palette.
Players can capture Checkpoints which allows them to respawn in more favorable positions.
Visually stunning multi layer procedurally generated parallax background.
A detailed Starfield simulation complete with moving stars, planets, and suns.
Rich environmental detail with Particle systems for rain, snow, blood, explosions, weapons, water, and more.
Crisp visuals with Native resolution rendering up to 1920×1200.
11 different sound effects powered by ZzFX for satisfying feedback.
Full support for up to 4 player co-op with 4 gamepads!
Engine Features
The engine under the hood is what truly makes this possible, developed entirely during the compo.
The Custom game engine was written specifically for this project, kept separate from the core game code.
This custom framework provides the flexibility that shows how a space huggers modded version could potentially be created.
A Super fast rendering system designed to handle up to 50,000 objects at 60 fps.
Robust Physics engine handling axis aligned bounding box rigid body dynamics.
Efficient Tile based rendering and collision system.
Dedicated Particle effects system.
Comprehensive Input processing system supporting keyboard, mouse, gamepads, and touch.
A foundational Math library including handy Vector2, Color, and Timer utility classes.
Audio with ZzFX includes the ability to attenuate sounds by distance for better immersion.
A Debug visualization system exists but is not included in the JS13K build. (Press $\sim$ to enter debug mode).
Enemy Types
You’ll face five main classes of enemies, each with unique behavior and durability:
Recruit (Green) – They are slightly shorter, move cautiously, and only require 1 hit to take down.
Soldier (Blue) – The average combatant, typical height and ability, requiring 2 hits.
Captain (Red) – These troops are more agile, capable of climbing walls and jumping more often, and they take 3 hits.
Specialist (White) – The ninjas of the game! They are constantly jumping and rolling and require 4 hits to defeat.
Demolitions Expert (Purple) – A dangerous foe; they consistently throw grenades and are unique in that they can’t catch fire. They are the toughest standard enemy, taking 5 hits.
Look out for a small chance of a heavy weapons variation that boasts double health and fires full auto!
Object Types
Interacting with the environment is key. Know your crates, barrels, and rocks:
Plastic Crate (Brown) – Burns easily and will break completely once fully consumed by fire.
Metal Crate & Barrel (Gray) – These are hard to destroy and are completely non-flammable.
Water Barrel (Blue) – Your friend against flames! It puts out fires and can also push nearby objects away.
Explosive Crate & Barrel (Green) – Handle with care! They burn and will explode after a short delay of a few seconds.
High Explosive Barrel (Red) – Highly volatile! It explodes quickly and the blast radius is much larger than normal explosives.
Rock (Color Varies) – A true obstacle. They are heavy, very hard to destroy, can’t burn, and can potentially crush enemies if dropped.
Lava Rock (Glowing Red & Orange) – Everything about this object is dangerous. Anything that touches it is instantly lit on fire.
FAQ
What is the main objective of the Space Huggers game?
The main goal of the space huggers game is to kill all enemies on screen to successfully complete each level.
How does the Roll mechanic (X or Middle click) work?
The Roll grants brief invulnerability, deals melee damage, and is the fastest way to put out fire if you’re burning.
What is the co-op player limit for Space Huggers?
The Space Huggers title supports up to 4 players in local co-op when using Xbox or SNES-style controllers.
