About Play Air Hockey

PlayAirHockey.com is a free, browser-based air hockey game. There is nothing to download and no account to create — open the page, pick a match type, and play.

The Game

Every match is a 1v1 played to 4 goals. The first player to reach 4 wins, so the higher score always takes the match. That rule is identical whether you are playing the computer or a real person online.

Your paddle tracks your mouse or finger and is confined to your own half of the table. The puck is simulated with real momentum: your paddle's speed at the moment of contact transfers into the shot, so a fast swipe hits considerably harder than a stationary block. Striking the puck off-centre angles it, which is how you bank shots off the side rails.

Playing the Computer

There are three difficulty levels:

• Easy — a slow paddle with loose aim; good for learning the physics.
• Normal — reads the play and defends the goal line competently.
• Hard — predicts the puck further ahead, moves fast, and rarely misses.

Higher difficulties do not cheat. The computer is bound by the same table, the same half, and the same physics you are — it simply reacts sooner and aims more precisely.

Playing Online

Choosing Play Online puts you into a matchmaking queue. The screen shows "Finding an opponent" and keeps waiting until another player is also queued — at which point you are both dropped straight into a live match.

Online matches run on a real-time connection provided by Ably. One of the two players simulates the puck and shares the result with the other, which is what keeps the score identical on both screens. If your opponent disconnects mid-match, the match ends and the win is awarded to you.

Devices

The game works in any modern browser on desktop, laptop, tablet and phone. Touch controls are enabled automatically on touchscreens, and the table scales to fit whatever screen it's on. Portrait orientation works well on phones.

Contact

Questions, bug reports or feedback: PlayAirHockey@velovid.net