How to Play

Goal

Survive a time-trial round by clearing letter monsters and spelling words. Spelling words at the terminal extends your remaining time and boosts your score. When the clock runs out, your run ends — there are no extra lives or continues, so every run is one honest attempt.

Controls

Desktop

• Move: W A S D or the ↑ ← ↓ → arrow keys.
• Aim & shoot: move your mouse to aim and click to fire.
• Swap weapon: Q
• Use utility item: E
• Pause: Esc
• Start a run: Enter from the main menu.

Mobile & touch

• Move: drag the on-screen virtual joystick.
• Shoot: tap anywhere outside the joystick to fire toward that point.

The core loop

• Clear the letter monsters that spawn around the arena. Defeated enemies drop letters.
• Collect letters to build up your inventory.
• Reach the terminal and walk into it to open the spelling screen.
• Spell words from your collected letters. Valid words add time to the clock and increase your score — longer and rarer words are worth more.
• Keep the clock alive by returning to spell again and again as the pressure ramps up.

Alphabucks, the shop & loadouts

Your score converts into Alphabucks, the game's persistent currency. Spend Alphabucks in the Shop to unlock and upgrade weapons and permanent abilities, then pick your gear in the Loadout screen before each run.

At the end of a round you can optionally watch a short ad to double the Alphabucks you earned that run. This is entirely optional, only ever affects currency, and never changes your score or leaderboard placement — so the leaderboard stays fair for everyone.

Tips

• Don't hoard letters — spell early and often to stay ahead of the clock.
• Longer words pay off more in both time and score.
• Keep moving; standing still lets the monsters surround you.
• Save up for a weapon that fits your playstyle before tackling longer runs.

About Alpha Shot

Alpha Shot is a free, fast-paced top-down typing shooter that runs right in your browser — no download, no sign-up. It mixes twin-stick arcade action with a vocabulary twist: you blast letter creatures, collect the letters they drop, and spell real words to buy yourself more time and rack up points.

Every run is a time trial. The clock is always ticking, and the only way to keep playing is to think fast and spell well. Climb the global leaderboard, earn currency to unlock new weapons, and see how long your vocabulary can keep you alive.