Samurai Sam — Play Free Online

Samurai Sam is a browser action game in which you steer a sword-carrying hero, aim with the mouse and fight your way through whatever the stage puts in front of you. It sits in the Action & Shooting category, so expect quick reflex play rather than a slow puzzle, with movement and aiming both in your hands at once.

It opens straight in the page with nothing to install, which suits a short break. If you came to Doodle Jump for the pull of "one more try", the appeal is similar here: you learn from each failed attempt and go again immediately. The big difference is that Doodle Jump has you bouncing upward almost on autopilot, while this one asks you to actively fight and aim.

How to play

On a keyboard, move with the arrow keys or WASD and use the mouse to aim and to pick menu options. On a phone or tablet, tap and swipe instead. Start by walking around the first stage to get a feel for how quickly Sam moves before you take on anything dangerous.

Tips

• Pick one hand layout and stay with it: WASD for movement and the mouse for aiming keeps both hands busy without crossing over.
• Use the opening seconds of a stage to learn the speed and spacing, rather than rushing in.
• If you play on a touchscreen, make room for your thumbs, because swipes are less precise than a mouse and need a little space.
• Keep sessions short. This is a game for a few focused attempts, not a marathon.

Similar games on Doodle Jump

For something with more of an arcade feel, try Ovo 2 or OvO game, which are precision platformers where you run and jump rather than fight. Bouncy Basketball is a lighter pick for two players on one keyboard, and Bloons Tower Defense 2 is the choice if you would rather plan than react.

Samurai Sam suits anyone who wants a quick, no-account action game on a laptop, Chromebook or phone.