The AJ Arcade Blog
The blog is where we write at length about the HTML5 arcade format itself rather than reviewing individual games. The posts cover three topics: industry observations about where browser gaming is going, design analysis of the constraints that shape good browser games, and technical craft notes on the specific techniques that distinguish the well-made browser games from the mediocre ones.
The audience we have in mind is people who care about browser games as a medium — casual players who have noticed the format has gotten better, developers thinking about shipping their own HTML5 work, and the small community of writers and commentators who pay attention to gaming at the edges of the mainstream industry. The posts assume some familiarity with games as a category but no specific background in browser-game design or development.
We publish roughly two to four posts per month, on no fixed schedule. Posts run between 800 and 2,500 words. None are sponsored; none are written by AI; every post is the genuine work of a member of the editorial team. Comments and corrections reach the editor via the contact page.
Recent posts
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industry
The Browser Game Renaissance and What It Means for Players
Browser games have quietly entered a new golden age. Better HTML5 capabilities, smarter monetisation, and a generation of developers who grew up with Flash are reshaping the format.
May 8, 2026 · marcus-reyes -
design
Why Our Star Ratings Are Spread Across the Whole Scale
Most review sites cluster their ratings near the top. AJ Arcade does not. This article explains why we use the full star scale and what that means for trust.
May 6, 2026 · eliza-chambers -
technical
How HTML5 Canvas Performance Actually Works in 2026
A deep dive into Canvas rendering, GPU acceleration, and the performance tricks that let modern browser games hit 60fps on mid-range mobile hardware.
May 4, 2026 · asha-khan -
tips
A Practical Guide to Gaming on Your Commute
After two years of testing games on the Cross-City Line, here are the practical patterns that make commute gaming actually work.
May 2, 2026 · eliza-chambers -
history
A Short History of Console Gaming for Browser-Game Players
Many browser games descend directly from console-era ancestors. Understanding the console lineage helps you read modern browser games more clearly.
April 29, 2026 · marcus-reyes -
industry
When Browser Game Monetisation Works and When It Does Not
Free browser games need some revenue model. The good monetisation patterns earn their place; the bad ones drive players away. This is how to tell the difference.
April 25, 2026 · eliza-chambers -
design
What Separates a Well-Designed Puzzle Game from a Bad One
After reviewing dozens of puzzle games, the principles that separate the good ones from the weak ones are clear. This article walks through them.
April 22, 2026 · asha-khan -
history
Why I Keep Going Back to the 1980s Arcade Originals
The arcade games of the 1980s solved design problems that modern games are still working through. Revisiting them as a reviewer is meaningfully educational.
April 19, 2026 · eliza-chambers -
technical
A Plain-English Guide to Racing Game Physics
What separates an arcade racer from a sim, and what physics terms actually mean when reviewers throw them around.
April 16, 2026 · marcus-reyes -
tips
Eight Tips for Players Starting Their First Puzzle Game
Puzzle games can be intimidating for newcomers. These eight practical tips will help you build skill without burning out.
April 13, 2026 · asha-khan -
industry
Where IO Games Are Heading and What That Means for Players
After a decade of evolution since Agar.io, the io format is settling into recognisable subgenres with different player audiences. Here is the landscape.
April 10, 2026 · asha-khan -
tips
Mobile or Desktop: Which Input Suits Which Browser Game
Different game formats favour different input methods. This guide helps you pick the right platform for the games you want to play.
April 8, 2026 · marcus-reyes -
design
Five Principles That Define a Well-Designed Action Platformer
Action platformers are demanding to design well. These five principles separate the strong entries on this catalogue from the weak ones.
April 5, 2026 · marcus-reyes -
history
Four Generations of Arcade Shooter Design
Modern browser shooters inherit forty-five years of arcade-shooter design discipline. Knowing the lineage makes the modern games read sharper.
April 3, 2026 · marcus-reyes -
technical
WebGL or Canvas: How Browser Games Pick Their Rendering API
Browser games render through Canvas, WebGL, or both. The choice affects performance and what kinds of games are practical to build.
April 1, 2026 · asha-khan -
industry
Why Async Multiplayer Is the Future of Browser Games
Asynchronous multiplayer suits the browser-game economic model and modern adult-player schedules better than real-time multiplayer.
March 29, 2026 · asha-khan -
tips
How to Choose the Right Difficulty Mode for Yourself
Difficulty choice goes beyond a settings menu. It affects how you engage with the game and whether you build skill or get frustrated.
March 27, 2026 · eliza-chambers -
design
Why the Best Games Derive Their Design from Underlying Physics
The deepest games derive design from physics simulation rather than imposing design on top of approximated physics. The distinction shows up under your hands.
March 25, 2026 · marcus-reyes -
design
Why Browser Games Should Care More About Accessibility
Accessibility is design discipline that expands your audience. Browser games have specific advantages and disadvantages worth understanding.
March 23, 2026 · eliza-chambers -
technical
How Multiplayer Browser Games Are Architected on Servers
Server architecture choices determine latency, cheating risk, and scaling for multiplayer browser games. Here is the technical landscape.
March 20, 2026 · asha-khan
What we write about
Industry pieces cover the structural state of the HTML5 game ecosystem: distribution networks, monetisation models, the post-Flash transition, and the shifting economics of free-to-play browser games. These tend to be the longest posts because the topic warrants the length.
Design analysis looks at specific design choices in specific games and asks why they work or do not. The one-button design piece is an example: a single mechanic examined in detail rather than a survey across many games.
Technical craft notes are working-developer observations about the techniques that produce good browser games: Canvas vs WebGL trade-offs, requestAnimationFrame discipline, asset-loading patterns, mobile performance considerations. These are aimed at readers who write code, but we try to keep the prose accessible to non-developers who want to understand why some browser games feel better than others.