An arcade game maker for shooters, runners and score chases on your phone

What makes an arcade game feel good

Arcade games are judged in the hands. The controls must respond the instant a thumb moves. Hits need weight: a flash, a shake, a pop of particles and a sound. Runs should be short enough that dying makes you want another, and the score should climb visibly so every second feels like progress.

Tyrbo's plan names these up front: the control scheme, the feedback on hits and pickups, the length of a run and how scoring works. Once you play, describe what feels sluggish or flat, and the next build tightens it.

Space shooters and twin-stick arenas

A vertical space shooter is about patterns: enemy formations that sweep in, bullets you can read and dodge, power-ups that change your spread. A twin-stick arena is about space: swarms closing in from every side while you circle and fire.

Tyrbo builds both on a tested arena recipe, with enemies, waves and bosses designed around your theme. The design questions it asks are the real ones: how dense can the bullets get before they stop being fair, and how often does a power-up drop? The space shooter game maker page has more.

Runners, survivors and party brawlers

The other arcade shapes Tyrbo builds well:

• Endless runners. Lanes or rooftops, obstacles that speed up, coins and gates. The endless runner game maker covers lane and side-view styles.
• Survivors games. One hero, a growing horde, automatic attacks and a level-up choice every minute or so. The fun is in the build you assemble; see the survivors game maker.
• Party brawlers. Chubby characters bumping each other off a floating arena, with bouncy pads and falling hazards. See the party game maker.

Each comes with your own art direction and a matching interface.

High scores, leaderboards and smooth frames

A score chase only works if the score is fair. Leaderboards come switched on, and runs are verified against soft-locks, so nobody gets stuck in a frozen state where nothing can happen next.

Arcade games also push hardware: hundreds of bullets, dozens of enemies, effects on every hit. The engine verifies that this load holds on a budget Android device, so the crowd of monsters keeps moving without hitches. Ads and purchases come wired too, from a rewarded revive to cosmetic ships, and you decide how much of either to use.