Pixel Cricket: Six Balls 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

Pixel Cricket is an arcade batter's duel in six balls. The bowler up top hurls delivery after delivery while you slide the batsman along the pitch and swing at the exact moment the ball arrives. A lofted shot clears the field for a six, a grounded shot scrapes out a four, and once the power-shot meter hits a hundred the swing sends the ball out of the park on its own. The goal is to reach the target score before the six balls run out. Three modes: solo, a two-player turn-based duel and a World Cup. Random pitch and bowler types bend each delivery. All graphics and sound are synthesised in the browser — not a single external file. Play with touch (drag the pitch, tap to swing, loft/ground buttons) or the keyboard.

How to play, in short

1. Pixel Cricket is an arcade batter's duel in six balls.

2. The bowler up top hurls delivery after delivery while you slide the batsman along the pitch and swing at the exact moment the ball arrives.

3. A lofted shot clears the field for a six, a grounded shot scrapes out a four, and once the power-shot meter hits a hundred the swing sends the ball out of the park on its own.

4. The goal is to reach the target score before the six balls run out.

5. Three modes: solo, a two-player turn-based duel and a World Cup.

6. Random pitch and bowler types bend each delivery.

7. All graphics and sound are synthesised in the browser — not a single external file.

8. Play with touch (drag the pitch, tap to swing, loft/ground buttons) or the keyboard.

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? "Pixel Cricket: Six Balls Arcade"