Pen Clash

Anyone who went to school in India knows the back bench pen fight, and Pen Clash brings that pen fight game to your browser. Two pens lie on a wooden desk in a cartoon classroom, with a chalkboard keeping score at the front and school bags hanging off the benches. You take turns flicking your pen at the other one, and the goal is simple: knock their pen off the desk while yours stays on.

The look is bright and friendly, with sticker style art, little star bursts when pens collide and cheeky banter on the screens between matches.

How to play the pen fight game

1. Touch your pen (or click it with the mouse).
2. Pull back to aim. An arrow shows which way the pen will go.
3. Let go to send it flying. A bigger pull gives a bigger whack.

Power is the tricky part. Pull too hard and your own pen can slide right off the desk, which counts against you, so the game is as much about stopping where you want as it is about hitting.

Solo story: the Class Championship

In solo mode you enter your name for the class board and take on 11 classmates one by one. Each match is best of 5. The first kid, Chintu, is a back bench buddy who flicks first and aims later, and the classmates after him get tougher. Beating a rival takes their pen, and every match changes your score: the tougher the kid, the more a win pays, and a loss costs you. At the end of the line waits the prize, a pen called the Tritan.

Party mode for friends

Pen Clash is also a multiplayer pen fight on one screen. Choose 2 to 6 players and pass the device around:

• 2 or 3 players play first to 3.
• 4 to 6 players play first to 2 on a double desk. Turn a phone sideways for this one.

It's a great 2 player pen game for a phone on a bus ride, and a loud one with a group around a laptop.

Tips from my first matches

• My first soft flick barely moved, so do not be shy with the pull. Just keep it under control, since a wild shot can carry your pen off the edge.
• Use the arrow while you pull back and line it up with the other pen before you let go.
• Leave your pen in the middle of the desk after a shot. A pen near the edge is an easy target.
• Watch where the rival ends up after their turn. Sometimes the best move is a gentle nudge.

Questions

Is Pen Clash free?

Yes. The Pen Clash game is free to play in your browser with no download.

Can I play this pen fight game on a phone?

Yes. It's made for touch: put your finger on your pen, pull back and let go. Party mode with four or more players works best with the phone turned sideways.

Can I play with a keyboard?

Flicking needs a mouse or a touch screen. The keyboard is not used for aiming.