Play Xari Arena Online

Summary

Xari Arena never saw an official Atari 5200 launch, but a more complete prototype—complete with trackball support—surfaced on AtariAge and gave fans a chance to try it. The core goal is simple yet frantic: stop the Xari creatures spilling out of the central well before they wipe out all your blocks.

Each player controls a hollow, capsule‑shaped paddle that slides along their side of the screen. The paddle can catch and hold up to three fireballs, the star‑shaped projectiles the Xari fire; each stored fireball lets you crush one Xari by running into it. Without any fireballs, a collision only stuns you briefly, leaving you vulnerable.

If you’ve already hoarded three fireballs, your paddle begins reflecting them back at the Xari and, unintentionally, at your teammate—useful for hard‑to‑reach foes but risky in co‑op. You can also force a reflection at any time with the bottom button. When the action gets too hot, the top button deploys a fire‑extinguisher: a quick‑burst foam that coats your blocks and vaporizes any incoming shots, lasting only a few seconds. One new extinguisher is awarded each level and can be saved for later emergencies.

Storyline

In Xari Arena, you must destroy every Xari that emerges from the well in the centre of the screen before they wipe out all your blocks. The well continuously spawns the alien creatures, forcing you to react quickly and protect your block formation.