Browser Pong

http://stewd.io/pong

Browser Pong is a traditional Pong game played not in a browser window, but with browser windows.


The typical browsing experience is conducted through a single application window. This is indeed a useful, practical thing. Browser Pong instead exists between a collection of windows. During play the negative space between windows is transformed into a playing field; the abstracted tennis court of Pong. The idea of thinking inside or outside some “box” is of course a dead and beaten horse. Browser Pong attempts to think with the boxes. Tested and approved for Macintosh using the following browsers in order of preference: Safari 4, FireFox 3.6, Chrome 4, and Opera 10.

The audio content was created by sound artist and musician Dominic Matar of Nine Cats Music specifically for this piece. You can view Dominic’s reel here and follow him on Twitter here.

The history of Pong is one of invention and design, but also of piracy. Both players and imitators alike are debt to Ralph Baer of Magnavox, Mr. Allan Alcorn, Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney of Atari. And last but certainly not least, Steve Russell, inventor of Spacewar!


Released December 2009.