Pong

Atari released Pong in 1972 after engineer Allan Alcorn built it as a training project, and the first test cabinet at Andy Capp's Tavern reportedly filled its coin box so quickly that the machine stopped working. Pong turns table tennis into a sharp timing problem: watch the ball, move the paddle, and use contact point to change the return angle. Short rallies train reaction speed, prediction, and hand-eye coordination. Start a match in your browser, choose CPU or local 1v1, and race to seven points.

1. Choose Vs CPU for a solo match or 1v1 Local for two players on the same keyboard.
2. Move the left paddle with your mouse, touch, W/S, or the arrow keys. In local 1v1, the right player uses Arrow Up and Arrow Down.
3. Keep the ball from passing your paddle. Each miss gives the other side one point.
4. Aim your returns by hitting the ball with different parts of the paddle. A center hit travels straighter, while an edge hit creates a steeper angle.
5. In CPU mode, pick Easy, Medium, or Hard. Higher difficulty makes the computer paddle faster and less likely to misread the ball.
6. Score seven points before your opponent to win the match. Click the canvas or button to start another round right away.

• The match uses two vertical paddles and one ball.
• The ball bounces off the top and bottom walls.
• A paddle hit reverses the ball and changes its vertical speed based on where the ball strikes the paddle.
• A player scores when the ball passes the opponent's paddle.
• The ball resets to the center after each point and serves toward the player who just lost the point.
• The first side to reach seven points wins.

• Hold the middle line when the ball travels away from you. Center positioning cuts the longest possible chase in half and gives you time to handle either a high or low return.
• Use the paddle edges with care. Edge hits create sharp angles that can beat the CPU, but they also make the next bounce harder to read if the rally continues.
• Watch the ball after it hits the wall, not before. The wall bounce tells you the final approach lane, so early overcorrection wastes movement.
• Against Hard CPU, aim for alternating corners. Send one return high, then meet the next ball low. This stretches the AI paddle across the full table.
• In local 1v1, vary your tempo. A straight center return can punish an opponent who expects every shot to angle toward a corner.

• Vs CPU: Play solo against a computer paddle with Easy, Medium, and Hard settings. This mode is best for practicing angles and reaction timing.
• Local 1v1: Two players share one keyboard. Left uses W/S, and right uses Arrow Up and Arrow Down.
• Brick Breaker: Uses a related paddle-and-ball skill, but changes the goal from scoring on an opponent to clearing rows of bricks.

• A full match takes only a few minutes, so it works well for short breaks.
• The rules are visible on the screen. New players understand the goal after one rally.
• Every paddle hit gives immediate feedback through speed, angle, and position.
• Local 1v1 creates quick competition without accounts, matchmaking, or setup.
• The game rewards small improvements. Better positioning turns lost points into long rallies.

Play Pong online for free directly on this page. The game runs in your browser with Canvas rendering, keyboard controls, mouse movement, touch support, CPU difficulty, local two-player mode, and a saved CPU win streak. No download or sign-up is needed.

Pong strips competition down to timing, angles, and nerve. Move early, meet the ball cleanly, and use the paddle edges when you need to pull your opponent out of position. Pick a mode and start the next rally now.

• The Dot Eaters: Pong and Atari history
• Computer History Museum: Pong