Welcome to Thetawave
Thetawave is a top-down physics-based space shooter, and now you can play it right in your browser! This is not a demo of the full game that is coming soon to Steam, but an entirely separate arcade-style score-attack game.
Gameplay
Choose a character. Each has a unique set of abilities:
- Primary ability: Your basic attack.
- Secondary ability: A special attack; some charge up if you hold it.
- Utility ability: A tactical move, such as a bomb, a shockwave or a gravity well.
- Ultimate ability: Your most powerful move.
In each level you will fight through waves of enemies, collecting experience to level up your character. At the end of each level you will fight a boss. Complete every level to beat the game.
Upgrading Your Character
Collect experience from defeated enemies to progress the experience bar at the top. Once you have banked a level, there is a chance for a shimmering enemy to spawn. Defeat that enemy to upgrade your character.
Bosses will also drop items when defeated to upgrade your character further.
Activating Buffs
Occasionally a buff will drop from a defeated enemy. These can be collected and stored in your character's inventory. These buffs can be activated at any time for powerful temporary boosts.
Updates
web-v0.3.0 · November 2, 2026
- Generated backgrounds: Background props are now procedurally generated.
- Planets: 8 types: temperate, arid, oceanic, cold, thin cold (Mars-like), veiled (Venus-like), tidally locked, and molten.
- Stars: 16 types.
- Control hints: You will now be reminded if an ability has been ready for an extended duration of time.
- Reworked Menu Navigation: Menus are easier to navigate, with fewer conflicts between controller and keyboard.
web-v0.2.0 · October 15, 2026
- New font: Everything is set in Departure Mono now. If you prefer a more readable font, turn on Legible Font under Options › Accessibility to switch to Atkinson Hyperlegible Next.
- Sharper text: Damage numbers and the HUD are drawn at full resolution.
- Faster leveling: You'll level up more often during a run.
- Controls: Activate Buff is now Left Shift (Ctrl+W used to close the browser tab), and the utility ability is now E instead of Alt, so they stop fighting your browser.
- New final boss: Mecha Ferritharax replaces Mecha Saucetron.
web-v0.1.0 · October 14, 2026
The first browser build, put up quietly at arcade.metalmancy.tech before this page existed. What was in it:
- 3 characters, each with four abilities:
- Captain: Fire Blast, Mega Blast, Drop Bomb, Cluster Bomb
- Juggernaut: Fire Bullet, Charge, Shockwave, Ironclad
- Doomwing: Fire Blast, Fire Laser, Gravity Well, Big Bang
- 4 levels in one continuous run: 9 enemy assaults with breaks between them, and a boss to close each level. The last two levels are fought on a 50% larger arena.
- 4 bosses: Ferritharax, Trizetheron, Vorticyx and Mecha Saucetron.
- 8 enemy types from the Xhitara: Grunt, Spitter, Gyro, Missile, Pacer, Launcher, Cyclusk and Lancer.
- 12 augments, each with three ranks, across four rarity tiers:
- Common: Reinforced Hull, Afterburners, Shield Battery, Primary Cycler
- Uncommon: Overcharge, Shield Regenerator, Thrusters, Secondary Cycler, Salvage Magnet
- Rare: Utility Cycler, Ultimate Cycler
- Legendary: Split Chamber
- The augment carrier: bank a level with experience, then destroy the shimmering enemy to choose an augment.
- Loot:
- Pickups: Money, Big Money, Health Wrench and Armor Plate
- Two items from bosses: Plasma Coil and Enhanced Plating
- Buffs, such as Damage Booster
- 4 music tracks: the title and game themes, and a boss intro that hands off to the boss theme. Music by Joel Schuman.
- 1 or 2 players on the same machine.