ASCII Art Archive v2 – Now live with a new layout and weekly updates. Read more.
Place ships, rotate with R, and sink the AI in pure ASCII. Strategic 10×10 naval battles with retro visuals and quick ro
_ ____ ____ ___ ___ ____ _ _ _ _ _
/ \ / ___| / ___|_ _|_ _| | __ ) __ _| |_| |_| | ___ ___| |__ (_)_ __
/ _ \ \___ \| | | | | | | _ \ / _` | __| __| |/ _ \/ __| '_ \| | '_ \
/ ___ \ ___) | |___ | | | | | |_) | (_| | |_| |_| | __/\__ \ | | | | |_) |
/_/ \_\____/ \____|___|___| |____/ \__,_|\__|\__|_|\___||___/_| |_|_| .__/
|_|
ASCII Battleship is a fast-paced, turn-based duel of strategy and precision, brought to life entirely in ASCII. Outsmart the enemy fleet, land decisive hits, and sink every ship before they sink yours. With a cunning AI, clear visuals, instant restarts, and endlessly replayable battles, every match is a tense fight for victory on the high seas.
Place ship #1 (2 cells): Click a start cell, rotate with R, click again to place.
Instruction
Controls:- Mouse: click to select cells / place / fire
- R: rotate ship during placement
- ESC: cancel current placement
Steps:
- Place Your Fleet
- You have ships of size 2, 3, and 4.
- Click a start cell, press R to rotate, click again to confirm.
- Green preview = valid, red = invalid. ESC cancels.
Attack:
- The enemy board appears once all ships are placed.
- Click to fire. X = hit, O = miss.
- A brief screen flash appears when a ship is sunk.
AI Turn:
- The AI targets intelligently using a probability heatmap and focuses around previous hits.
Win/Lose:
- Win by sinking all enemy ships.
- Lose if the AI sinks all of yours.
Restart:
- Click RESTART to start a fresh match.
Acknowledgments and credits
ASCII Battleship is inspired by the classic naval strategy game Battleship, originally popularized as a board game and later adapted into various digital versions. Battleship is a registered trademark of Hasbro, Inc.ASCII Battleship is an original game created, designed, and programmed by Paul Rosell, and developed under the Injosoft brand. All rights to the game name, source code, design, and ASCII artwork are reserved by Injosoft. Any reproduction, modification, or redistribution without prior written permission is strictly prohibited.
This game is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or licensed by Hasbro, Inc. It is an independent creation developed as a respectful tribute to the timeless game of naval combat.
Thanks for playing and keeping the ASCII gaming spirit alive!
Want More? Try These ASCII Games
ASCII Minesweeper – A fresh take on the classic with ASCII graphics, vibrant themes, and multiple difficulty levels. Mark bombs, clear safe tiles, and race the clock. Simple, nostalgic, and endlessly addictive puzzle fun.
ASCII Space Shooter – Blast through waves of enemies in this retro ASCII shooter. Master quick reflexes, rack up combos, and survive as long as you can. Simple controls, endless waves, nonstop arcade action.
ASCII Alien Attack – A retro-style ASCII art shooter inspired by the legendary Space Invaders. Defend your base from relentless alien waves, protect your shields, and aim for the highest score in this text-based arcade challenge.
ASCII Snake – Classic Snake reinvented in ASCII style! Eat fruits, grow your snake, and dodge walls or your own tail. Includes colorful themes, different map sizes, and a challenging GhostSnake mode!
Need a Break? Read These ASCII Articles
What Is a True ASCII Game – Explore what truly defines an ASCII game. Learn the difference between pure ASCII, hybrids, and pseudo-ASCII, and why the definition still matters to retro fans.
Adding Color and Animation to Your ASCII Games – Learn simple tricks to make your ASCII games feel alive using colors, flickering effects, and basic animations while keeping the retro charm intact.
Rogue the Dawn of Roguelikes – Discover the origins of roguelikes in Rogue, the ASCII classic that turned simple symbols into epic adventures and defined an entire genre.
NetHack The Ultimate ASCII Dungeon Adventure – Explore NetHack, the ultimate ASCII dungeon adventure in this easy-to-read introduction to one of gaming’s most legendary roguelikes.