Arcade classics online with friends: one game, everyone on their own phone or PC

One game, everyone on their own device

This isn't playing separately and comparing scores afterward. On the arcade's two-player cabinets, both of you are in the same game at the same time: you see what your partner is doing, they see what you're doing, and each of you controls your own character with your own controls, in real time.

It runs in your browser on your phone or PC, with on-screen touch controls, a keyboard or a gamepad. There's no program or app to install: sign in with your free UsuJuegos account, or with Google or Apple, and you're in the arcade.

How to invite a friend

1. Send them the UsuArcade link or the game's page, by text or wherever you usually chat.
2. Both of you join the same room. From Players you can look them up and walk over to them.
3. Sit down at the cabinet and open the player panel, then tap their name to invite them.
4. Once they accept, they're in your game and you're off. If the cabinet allows it, they can even jump in after you've started.

Co-op, versus or taking turns

Every cabinet plays online the way the original arcade game did, so there are three ways to share a game:

• Co-op: you team up against the machine. Metal Slug, Final Fight, Snow Bros or Bubble Bobble for two, and a few cabinets with room for more friends, like Cadillacs and Dinosaurs or Bomberman World. See the online co-op games
• Versus: head-to-head in the same game. Fights in Street Fighter II, bubble battles in Puzzle Bobble, NBA Jam or Super Sidekicks 2 matches, side-by-side Tetris and the Track & Field events. See the online versus games
• Taking turns: the classics where players alternated, like Pac-Man, Space Invaders or Donkey Kong. Each of you plays your turn on your own device and watches the other's in between.

Spectators and arcade chat

The arcade was never just about playing: it was also crowding behind whoever was about to clear the level. On UsuArcade anyone in the room can drop in as a spectator and watch your game live, with picture and sound, while chatting in the arcade chat. Short a player? Spectators are the first people you can invite.

If you'd rather play without an audience, you can turn that off in your privacy settings.

Free, with nothing to install

Everything happens in your browser. Every game starts with INSERT COIN, just like the arcade, but you never pay a thing. Scores go up on the arcade's high score board, so the rivalry keeps going after everyone logs off.

It's the old after-school arcade run, moved online: meet up with a friend, pick a cabinet and play "one last game"… three more times.

FAQ

What does playing the same game online mean?

It means you're both inside the same arcade game at the same time: you see what your friend is doing and they see what you're doing, each with your own controls on your own phone or PC. It's not playing separately and comparing scores. It's playing together.

Can one of us play on a phone and the other on a PC?

Yep. Everyone plays on whatever they've got handy: you on your phone from the couch and your buddy on the PC at their place, or both of you on phones. Doesn't matter: you're in the same game.

Do I need to install anything or pay?

No. It runs in your phone or PC browser and it's free: every game starts with INSERT COIN, but you never pay. All you need is a free UsuJuegos account, or sign in with Google or Apple.

How do I invite a friend?

Send them the UsuArcade link or the game's page. Once they're in your room, sit down at the cabinet, open the player panel and tap their name: they get the invite, and when they accept, they're in your game.

How many players can join a game?

It depends on the cabinet, just like at the arcade: most are two-player and some take more: Bomberman World (4), Cadillacs and Dinosaurs (3), NBA Jam (4).

Can I join a game that has already started?

In many co-op games, yes: your friend can invite you mid-game and you take the open spot. In other games the invite has to come before the game starts; the cabinet's player panel tells you which.

What if I have no one to play with?

Spectate any game in the room, chat along and ask for an invite when a spot opens up. You can also play solo and take on the whole arcade for the high score.

How is UsuArcade different from Fightcade?

Fightcade is a long-running community and a great pick for online fighting games, but it's a desktop program you have to install. UsuArcade runs in your browser, phones included, and it's built like an arcade: co-op, versus, take-turns games, spectators and chat all in one place.