Vector Arcade

Two small browser games inspired by the vector arcade machines I grew up with: glowing lines on black, inertia flight, a beep for every shot.

A different kind of spring cleaning

In spring 2026 I had a bit of AI fatigue: constant noise, and every week a new tool that was supposedly “killing” the industry. So on vacation I decided to ignore the hype and just build something.

The result was Vector Rocks, a small tribute to Asteroids Deluxe. You drift with inertia, break rocks into smaller rocks, dodge saucers and jump to hyperspace when things get tight.

The goal wasn’t to be productive. It was to find some peace in the craft. I used AI as a collaborator, and for the first time in a while it didn’t feel like a replacement or a threat. It felt like a friend that let me stay focused on the parts I love: how the ship feels to steer, how a rock splits, how a beep lands. There’s a strange, calm satisfaction in using today’s tools to recreate the glowing lines of an early-’80s arcade cabinet.

One game turned into two. Vector Keep, a nod to Star Castle, has you circle a fortress, shoot through rotating energy rings and stay away from the homing mines.

Neither game solves a business problem. They just drift, shoot and break apart, and building them was the best mental reset I’ve had in years. If you’re feeling the same fatigue, try building something nostalgic just for yourself. It’s a good way to remember why we started doing this in the first place.

Under the hood

TypeScript, Vite and the Canvas 2D API, with no game engine. Sound comes from the Web Audio API, and high scores are saved in your browser.

Vector Rocks
https://github.com/vedjuk/Vector-Rocks

Vector Keep
https://github.com/vedjuk/Vector-Keep