Alien Catcher

Hunt down the alien before your friend does — grab a laser, set traps, and turn every corner into a crossfire.

You and a buddy each control an alien hunter. The twist? You're both after the same crawling green targets, and only one scoreboard matters. Player 1 works with WASD to move and F to fire a stun shot, while Player 2 gets the fancier kit: J for a laser gun, K for a catcher capsule, and L to toss a trap. Hiding with S or the down arrow actually works — duck behind a crate and the aliens will shamble right past you, which I figured out after three frustrating restarts. Round one, I spammed F while my brother dropped a trap at the spawn point. The alien never stood a chance. Then he found the laser and started sniping from across the map, and the score flipped in about twenty seconds. That's the rhythm of Alien Catcher: one moment you're lining up a perfect shot, the next you're dodging a trap your friend placed exactly where you were about to step. What kept me coming back is how the two control schemes force different playstyles. Player 1 feels quicker and more mobile, but Player 2's tools let you control space and set up ambushes. If you're playing solo, you can technically run both sides, but it's nowhere near as chaotic as sharing a keyboard with a friend who keeps shouting about friendly fire.

PLAYER-1 Move: "W,A,S,D" Shot: "F" Hide: "S" PLAYER-2 Move: "ARROW KEYS" Hide: "DOWN ARROW" Laser Gun: "J" Catcher Capsule: "K" Throw Trap: "L"

Stick to the walls and bait the alien toward your buddy's trap. Use the hide key when an alien turns your way — it resets their attention. Save the laser for when two aliens line up in a corridor. Coordinate roles: one player shoots, the other drops traps near spawn points. Don't camp the same corner or you'll both get hit by stray shots. Practice dodging immediately after a missed shot to avoid the return fire.

Q: Is Alien Catcher free? A: Yes, it's completely free to play in your browser. Q: Can I play Alien Catcher on mobile? A: The game is designed for keyboard controls, so a desktop or laptop is best. Q: Do I need to download anything? A: No download needed — it runs right in your web browser as HTML5. Q: Can I play Alien Catcher alone? A: You can control both players, but the game is built for two people sharing a keyboard. Q: Does Alien Catcher work on school Chromebooks? A: Yes, it runs on any device with a modern browser and a keyboard. Q: How do I switch between player weapons? A: Each player has fixed controls: Player 1 uses F, Player 2 uses J, K, and L for different tools.