NASA Releases an Arcade-Style Game Called Roman Space Observer

NASA has released a new browser-based retro arcade-style game called Roman Space Observer. In the game, you need to use arrow keys and hit the spacebar to capture stars, exoplanets, black holes, and galaxies that fly across the screen at various speeds. You will get points for each space object you chase down.

The targets you will need to capture include orange and pink spirals or galaxies, blue-ringed exoplanets, black holes, dark matter, white starburst supernovae, green rogue exoplanets, etc.

The most difficult of them to spot are black holes and dark matter since they barely show up on the black starred background.

The game aims to spark interest in the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which is slated to launch in the mid-2020s. According to NASA, it is designed to “settle essential questions in the areas of dark energy, exoplanets, and infrared astrophysics.”