Switchfire

Switchfire is a fast-paced arcade shoot ‘em up where danger comes from both sides.

Pilot a spaceship through increasingly challenging waves of enemies. Move up and down to dodge incoming attacks, and switch your gun between firing left and right to destroy enemies approaching from either side.

Enemies arrive in different formations, from sweeping lines to tightly packed groups. Learn their patterns, time your shots, and switch your weapon to deal with threats before they overwhelm you.

As the waves progress, new enemies and increasingly complex formations keep you on your toes.

How long can you survive?

Development and Inspiration

Switchfire was built using BeepMicro, my lightweight JavaScript game engine.

The game takes inspiration from classic arcade shoot ‘em ups and the colourful vector graphics of Geometry Wars. I wanted to capture that same sense of frantic action, but with a simple twist that gives the gameplay its own identity.

The ability to switch sides became the central mechanic. Rather than simply moving around and shooting everything in sight, players must constantly decide which side needs their attention.

Initially, enemies appeared randomly, but this made the game feel chaotic rather than challenging. I introduced structured waves and formations to give the action a more deliberate rhythm. Early waves teach players how to switch sides, while later waves combine enemy types and patterns to test their reactions.

Visually, Switchfire uses glowing vector graphics, particle effects, and reactive backgrounds to make every explosion feel satisfying.

The result is a small arcade game built around a simple idea: switch sides, shoot things, and try not to explode.