Chain Reaction Arcade: a close look, tips and whether it is worth your time

If you enjoy short sessions that are hard to walk away from, give this one a look. Below is everything you need before the first launch: the gist, the controls and some working techniques.

What this game is

Chain Reaction is a space arcade about explosions that breed more explosions. Planets appear on screen, each quietly building up a charge (the white arc around it grows). Once the charge is full, the planet bursts into a ring of glowing shrapnel that sweeps out along an orbit. The shrapnel catches its neighbours, tops up their charge, and they blow in turn — and it rolls on: a chain reaction several cascades long.

How to play, in short

1. Chain Reaction is a space arcade about explosions that breed more explosions.

2. Planets appear on screen, each quietly building up a charge (the white arc around it grows).

3. Once the charge is full, the planet bursts into a ring of glowing shrapnel that sweeps out along an orbit.

4. The shrapnel catches its neighbours, tops up their charge, and they blow in turn — and it rolls on: a chain reaction several cascades long.

A few final tips

• Check out the demo mode on the game page — the AI shows how it is played, and repeating it yourself gets much easier.
• Play in short sessions: the best results come with a warmed-up head.

A perfect way to kill ten minutes — and suddenly an hour is gone. Ready to try? "Chain Reaction Arcade"