Six athletics events, two run buttons and one action button. Alternate the run controls to build speed, then hit the action button at exactly the right moment. Easy to understand, hard to master — a fast runner still loses to a false start or a mistimed jump.
The goal
Meet the qualifying mark in each event to advance. Clear all six and you have completed the tournament.
How to play
- Read the event. Each discipline explains itself before you start.
- Wait for the gun in events that have one.
- Alternate to accelerate. Press the two run controls in turn. Hammering one key does nothing.
- Time the action. Jump, aim, throw or release with the action button.
- Beat the mark. Qualify and the next event unlocks.
Controls
| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
A and D, or the arrow keys | Run — press alternately |
Space or Enter | Jump, throw, release, continue |
M | Mute or restore sound |
On mobile, alternate the two red run buttons and use the blue action button.
The six events
| Event | Qualifying mark | Main danger |
|---|---|---|
| 100 m sprint | 15.00 s or faster | Starting before the gun |
| Long jump | 3.00 m or farther | Crossing the take-off line |
| Javelin | 25.00 m or farther | Late release, or a foul |
| 110 m hurdles | 19.00 s or faster | Collisions kill your speed |
| Hammer throw | 25.00 m or farther | Releasing outside the target zone |
| High jump | 1.50 m or higher | Three misses at one height |
In the tournament a missed mark ends the run. If you would rather practise one discipline in peace, each event links to its own page above — same game, own personal best, and nobody sends you home after a bad throw.
Three quick tips
- Rhythm before speed. A controlled left-right pattern beats frantic mashing. Build the pace only once the alternation feels reliable — the technique guide covers the hand positions that hold a rhythm for a full race.
- Secure a legal result first. In events with several attempts, use the first to bank a safe mark. Then take risks.
- Release early rather than late. For long jump and javelin, start around 40 to 45 degrees and let go before the line, not on it.
About the game
Retro Athletics is an independent browser game inspired by the classic arcade athletics format that Konami's Track & Field made famous in 1983 — two run buttons, one action button, six events and a qualifying mark. It is not an official version of, nor affiliated with, Konami or Track & Field. If you want the full story of where that format came from — and why those cabinets kept losing their buttons — we wrote a short history of button-mashing sports games.
What the six events actually are
Six classic athletics events explained covers where each one came from and what the real-world version demands — the part the button-mashing leaves out.
