Bumper Cars is a free online bumper car game played from above, in rounds of ninety seconds. Every car is a round dodgem with a rubber ring, so every bump is a real bounce — but where you hit a car decides what it is worth. Strike it on the side and it spins out for three points and a second of going nowhere. Catch it from behind and it is shunted forward for one. Hit its front bumper, the white stretch of the ring, and you both just bounce. The same rule works on you, so a car coming at your side is something to meet nose-first or get away from. Hold a car against the rail for most of a second and you pin it for two points; get pinned yourself and it costs you three. Eight rinks run from a kiddie rink with two rivals to a championship with six, adding a chaser that picks fights, bullies that hunt you, a pole in the middle of the floor and a slippery surface. Stars are points, measured with test drivers. No download, no sign-up — drive with the arrow keys, or hold a finger or the mouse where you want to go.
How to play Bumper Cars
- Drive to start the round: up and down (or W and S) are the pedal, left and right (or A and D) turn the wheel. On a phone or with a mouse, hold anywhere on the rink and your car drives to that spot.
- Each round lasts ninety seconds. Your points and the marks for one, two and three stars are shown above the rink.
- Hit another car on its side to spin it out for 3 points. Catch it from behind for 1. Its white front bumper scores nothing — you both just bounce off.
- Push a car against the rail and hold it there for most of a second to pin it: 2 points, and your car is sprung back off it.
- Rivals play by the same rules. A car that hits you on the side spins you and costs you 1 point, and being pinned against the rail costs 3 — meet a charging car nose-first, or get out of its way.
- Earn at least one star to open the next rink. Eight rinks add more cars, chasers that pick fights, bullies that hunt you, a pole in the middle and a slippery floor.
Tips
- Aim at where a car is going to be, not where it is. By the time you arrive, a moving car has usually turned its tail to you — a shunt for one point instead of a spin for three.
- The best hit comes from the side at full speed: look for a car crossing in front of you, not one driving straight at you.
- A rival with red eyes is hunting you. Keep moving — you are faster than every rival — and if it catches you, turn so it meets your white front bumper.
- Stay off the rail when a bully is near. A car with the rail behind it has nowhere to go, which is exactly where a pin happens.
- Turn the tables at the rail: a car you have shoved against it is two points if you keep your foot down.
- Reversing turns the car the other way, just as a real dodgem does — the quickest way out of a pin is to back off at an angle.
- On the slippery floor the car keeps sliding after you turn, so start your turn early and aim a little ahead.
FAQ
Is this bumper car game free to play?
Yes. Bumper Cars runs free in your browser with no download, no install and no account, on a computer, tablet or phone.
How do you score points in bumper cars?
By where you hit. A car struck on its side spins out for 3 points, one caught from behind is shunted for 1, and hitting its front bumper — the white part of its ring — scores nothing. Holding a car against the rail for most of a second pins it for 2 more.
Why do I lose points?
Because the rivals play by your rules. A car that hits you on the side spins you out and takes 1 point off you, and a car that pins you against the rail takes 3. Your score never goes below zero.
How do I get three stars?
Hit sides, and aim ahead of a moving car. The star marks were measured with test drivers over 60 rounds on every rink: one that reacts in about 0.15 seconds and aims at where a car is going reaches three stars in seven rounds out of ten, one that reacts in 0.3 seconds and aims at where a car is gets two, and one that just drives at the nearest car gets one.
Can I just drive round in circles?
You will hit things, but not the right way. Measured on every rink, holding the pedal down with a little steering never earns two stars in seven rounds out of ten, and a car that never moves earns nothing at all.
How many rinks are there, and do they get harder?
Eight. The Kiddie Rink has two slow cars that wander about; later rinks bring more and faster cars, chasers that pick fights with anyone, bullies that hunt you and try to pin you from the third rink on, a padded pole in the middle of the floor and a slippery surface where cars slide after they turn.
Can I play bumper cars on my phone?
Yes. Hold your finger anywhere on the rink and your car drives to it — move the finger to steer, lift it to coast. Held upright, the rink turns on its side so the cars stay big.
Is it the same round every time?
The rink is: the same cars, the same habits and the same star marks every time. What they do is not — each rematch gives the rivals fresh decisions, so you have to read the floor rather than memorise it.