Ping Pong
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About Ping Pong
Ping Pong is the original paddle-and-ball duel, turned on its side so the table runs up and down the screen. You control the blue paddle at the bottom and try to bounce a glowing ball past your opponent's red paddle at the top. The ball speeds up with every return, and the spot where it strikes the paddle decides which way it flies.
It suits quick breaks, kids and adults alike, and anyone who enjoys simple reflex duels. You can play the computer or switch to a two-player mode on one screen. A match is first to seven points and lasts three to six minutes. A strong match involves steering the ball into the corners so the other paddle cannot reach it.
How to play Ping Pong
- Slide your paddle under the incoming ball to bounce it back up the table.
- Return every ball. If it passes your paddle, the other side scores.
- Use the edge of the paddle to send the ball at a sharper angle, and the centre for a straight return.
- Use the Mode button below the game to swap between playing the computer and a second player.
- Be first to seven points to win the match.
Controls
| Keyboard and mouse | Move the mouse left and right to slide your paddle, or use the Left and Right arrow keys. In two-player mode, the top player uses A and D or the mouse over the top half. |
|---|---|
| Phone and tablet | Touch and drag along the screen to move your paddle sideways. In two-player mode, one player drags in the top half and the other in the bottom half. |
Scoring
Every time the ball passes your opponent you earn one point on the table. Against the computer, a win gives 500 points plus a bonus for how few points the computer scored and 20 for each of yours, while a loss gives 50 per point you won. Two-player matches do not record a score.
Tips and strategy
- Aim with the paddle edge. Hitting the ball near the end of the paddle sends it off at a steep angle, which is much harder for the opponent to chase.
- The ball gains speed with every return and can reach a high maximum, so stay centred between returns and do not drift toward one side.
- The computer follows the ball quickly but not perfectly, and it gets better as the total score rises. Win points early with sharp angles before it warms up.
- Watch the walls. The ball bounces off the sides, so a wide angle shot can cross the table twice, and you can read its path before it arrives.
- After a point, the serve heads toward the player who just lost the point, so be ready in the middle.
Ping Pong FAQ
▸How do I play with a friend?
Press the Mode button under the table to switch to 2 Players. This resets the score. One person uses the bottom half and the other the top half, either with touch or with Left/Right and A/D keys.
▸How does the computer play?
It tracks the ball when it is heading its way and drifts to the middle otherwise. Its speed is capped, so a fast, angled ball can beat it.
▸Can the ball go forever?
No. It speeds up with each hit until it reaches a maximum speed, and sooner or later someone misses.
▸Why does my paddle sometimes feel slow?
The paddle eases toward your pointer rather than snapping to it. Move early and smoothly, because last-second jumps lag slightly behind.
