Arcade game · Lychee Games
Play Reaction Duel, a reaction time game with friends
Reaction Duel is a reflex game. The signal sits on a red WAIT for a random stretch, then turns into a green TAP!, and the first player to tap wins the point. Tap too early and you are out of that round. I built it as a quick way to settle who is fastest, with a computer opponent for when nobody else is around.
- Players: 1 to 6
- Modes: Solo, Same phone, Online room
- Price: free, no sign-up
Play Reaction Duel nowOpens in your browser. Nothing to install.
How to play Reaction Duel
Goal: Be the quickest to react when the signal turns green. First to the target score wins.
- Each round starts with “Ready”, then a red octagon “WAIT” for a random 1.6 to 5.2 seconds.
- When it turns into a green circle “TAP!”, tap as fast as you can. The first tap wins the point.
- Tapping before green, or within 0.08 s of it (too quick to be a real reaction), is a false start: you are out of that round. If only one player is left in, they take the point.
- With Tricky signals a blue square “NOT YET” can flash first. It is a trap: tapping it is a false start.
- Only your first tap in a round counts.
Scoring and winning
- One point per round. First to 3, 5 or 7 points wins the duel. Your fastest reaction is saved as your best.
- Online, every tap is timed on the host’s clock and the host waits 0.4 s before calling a round, so a slightly delayed but earlier tap still wins.
Controls
- Keyboard
- Space or Enter taps
- Same keyboard: player 1 A (or left Shift), player 2 L (or right Shift)
- Touch
- Tap anywhere on the big signal
- On one phone, player 1 taps the left pad and player 2 the right pad
Modes
- Solo
- Against the computer: Easy reacts in about 0.43 s, Medium 0.33 s, Hard 0.26 s, and now and then it jumps the gun too.
- Same phone
- Two players on one phone or keyboard.
- Online
- Two to six players. Create a room and send the code or invite link, or join with a friend’s code. One code from the hub’s Play together panel works for every game.
Tips
- Watch the shape as well as the colour: WAIT is a red octagon, TAP! is a green circle, and the NOT YET trap is a blue square.
- The wait is random, between 1.6 and 5.2 seconds, so counting in your head does not help. Relax and react.
- A tap within 0.08 seconds of green counts as a false start, because nobody reacts that fast.
- Your fastest reaction is saved, so solo rounds against Hard are a good way to practise.
Reaction Duel is free in your browser, with no sign-ups and no ads. Online rooms need an internet connection; one room code from the Lychee Games hub works for every game, so you can switch games without sending a new invite.
Questions
Is Reaction Duel free to play?
Yes. Reaction Duel is free in your browser, with no sign-up, no download and no ads.
What counts as a false start in Reaction Duel?
Tapping before the signal turns green, or within 0.08 seconds of it. A false start puts you out of that round, and with Tricky signals, tapping the blue NOT YET square counts too.
Is online play fair if my connection is slow?
Every tap is timed on the host’s clock, and the host waits 0.4 seconds before calling a round, so a slightly delayed but earlier tap still wins.
How many people can play Reaction Duel?
Up to 6 players can play Reaction Duel online in one room.
Can I play Reaction Duel on my own or on one phone?
Yes. Solo mode: Against the computer: Easy reacts in about 0.43 s, Medium 0.33 s, Hard 0.26 s, and now and then it jumps the gun too. Same-phone mode: Two players on one phone or keyboard.