An AirConsole alternative with no subscription
AirConsole popularised the idea of turning phones into game controllers for a browser on the TV, and plenty of people enjoy it. If you want that same living-room idea with nothing to subscribe to, Happy Light Arcade is free to join and works the same way: open a page on the TV, everyone else joins on their phone.
Open the arcadeFree to join, no app
What is similar
- A browser on the TV or laptop is the screen, and no console is needed.
- Phones are the controllers, joined with a short code.
- Made for groups in the same room.
What is different
- No subscription: joining and playing Happy Light Arcade is free, with no account for players. The screen that hosts a room can ask for a one-time beta pass (you sign in once) while the beta pass is switched on.
- Besides phones, a keyboard or a USB or Bluetooth game controller on the screen's computer can join the same game in most games.
- Everything is made by one small team, so the catalogue is smaller and different: 48 games of ours, with a focus on arcade, sports, couch co-op, card and camera games, plus the Dutch card classics.
- It is a young project and a beta: AirConsole is a more established service with a larger library, and that is a fair reason to choose it.
Side by side
| Happy Light Arcade | AirConsole | |
|---|---|---|
| Price to play | Free to join; 48 games | Free to start with an optional paid subscription (see airconsole.com for what it includes) |
| On the host screen | A browser, nothing to install | A browser |
| Players use | A phone browser, or a keyboard or game controller | A phone as the controller |
| Account for players | None | See their site |
| Library | 48 games, made by us | Games from many developers |
About AirConsole: this is based on what the service says publicly when we wrote it, and it can change, so check their site. We are not affiliated with AirConsole and we think it is a good product; the aim is to help you pick what suits your group.
A few games to start with
Paddle PowersKeep the ball off your edge: two face off across the court, three to six stand round a…1–6 players
Snake ArenaUp to twelve snakes, one grid, no manners.1–12 players
PestenThe Dutch card classic.2–12 players
Happy WipeA party obstacle show for little ghosts, in splitscreen.1–4 players
Kick OffOne-on-one football.1–2 players
Chop Chop SoupA camera game: vegetables fly up in front of you.1–4 players
Questions
Is there a subscription?
No. Joining and playing is free. The only gate is that the screen that hosts a room can ask for a one-time beta pass (you sign in once) while it is switched on; players who join never need one.
Do I need an app or a console?
No. A browser on a TV, laptop or streaming stick is the screen, and phones open the same address and join with the four-letter code.
Can I use a gamepad or keyboard instead of a phone?
Yes, in most games: a USB or Bluetooth controller or a keyboard on the screen's computer can play beside phones. A few games need a phone each, for private hands of cards, and the camera games need a camera.
How big is the game library?
48 games at the moment, all made for Happy Light Arcade. It is smaller than a service with games from many developers.
Does the camera send my video anywhere?
No. The body-tracking in the camera games runs on the device that has the camera, and the picture never leaves it.