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Arcade

termtype

A terminal typing game where words fall like Space Invaders. Type them before they hit the water line and drown. Three game modes, progression system, and word packs included.

ArcadeTypingEducational
termtype title banner with pixel-art water and falling word theme
Developer
GiovanniCst
Platforms
Linux, macOS, Windows
Price
Free (MIT License)
Release date
2026-06-13
Players
Single-player
Game type
Arcade, Typing, Educational
Publisher
GiovanniCst
Updated
2026-06-18

Official game

Play termtype

This game is hosted by GitHub. Continue to the official page to play or download it.

Install from GitHub

What Is termtype?

termtype is a terminal-based typing game where words fall from the top of the screen like Space Invaders. Type each word correctly to destroy it before it reaches the water line — miss too many and you drown. Built in Python with the asciimatics library, it runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows.

The game ships with three modes: Vocab (endless arcade with escalating waves), Story (type public-domain books in order), and Hacker News (type real HN headlines). Includes profiles, statistics with sparkline charts, leaderboards, badges, and chiptune audio. Open source under the MIT license.

How to Play

Launch termtype from your terminal after installing via pip. Choose a mode from the main menu. Words fall from the top of the screen — type them correctly before they reach the bottom water line. Each correct word destroys it and builds your combo. Miss too many and you lose a life. Run out of lives and the game ends.

In Vocab mode, waves escalate: faster drop speeds, longer words, and more simultaneous words. In Story mode, you type through public-domain books in order with optional Zen (no pressure) or Challenge (lives matter) settings. Hacker News mode pulls live front-page headlines or falls back to all-time top posts offline.

Progress is tracked per profile with sparkline charts showing your typing speed over time. Badges unlock at milestones.

Controls

InputAction
Keyboard (type words)Destroy falling words
EscapePause game
Arrow keysNavigate menus

No mouse. Everything happens in the terminal — pure keyboard input.

Tips and Tricks

  • Start with Vocab mode: The escalating difficulty teaches you the rhythm before you jump into book-length typing in Story mode.
  • Build combos: Consecutive correct words multiply your score. Don't pause between words — keep a steady typing flow.
  • Use word packs: termtype ships with English, Italian, programming, and sci-fi vocab packs. Switch between them in settings for variety.
  • Hacker News mode offline: If you're offline, the game falls back to cached all-time top HN posts. Perfect for flights.
  • Check your sparklines: The stats panel shows typing speed trends. Use it to identify when you plateau and push through.

FAQ

Where can I play termtype?

termtype runs in your terminal. Install from GitHub: git clone the repo, set up a Python 3.11+ venv, and pip install -e . The termtype command will be on your PATH.

How many players does it support?

Single-player only. Compete on the local leaderboard against your own best scores.

How much does it cost?

Free and open source under the MIT license.

What platforms does it support?

Linux, macOS, and Windows. Use --ascii flag for limited terminals.

What word packs are available?

English, Italian, programming vocabulary, and sci-fi terms. All included by default.

Last reviewed by Game How To Editorial. We play each game, verify controls against official sources, and update guides when game mechanics change.

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