Your UFO hovers in place while gates made of two glowing pillars drift toward you from the right, each with a single gap you have to fly through. Tap or press space to give your ship a lift; gravity pulls it back down the rest of the time. Passing through a gap adds a point and keeps the run going; touching a pillar, the ground or the top of the screen ends it instantly.

The longer you survive, the faster the gates arrive and the tighter the gaps become. Your best run is saved automatically to the all-time leaderboard, and a separate weekly ranking resets every week so newer players always have a real shot at the top three. You can play without an account, but signing in is what saves your score and makes you eligible for rewards.

Input	Action
Tap / click / Space	Flap upward and fly through the next gap
Pause icon (top right)	Pause the run and adjust music/sound
Escape	Pause and resume the run

• Tap in a steady rhythm. Aether Drift rewards small, frequent taps over big corrections — a steady rhythm keeps you centered instead of overshooting the gap.
• Watch the gap, not the ship. Focus on where the next opening is rather than your own position — your eyes will guide your timing more accurately than staring at the UFO.
• Slow down before you speed up. The gates arrive faster the longer you survive, so build a comfortable rhythm early instead of rushing — a calm start makes the later, faster gates easier to read.

Is Aether Drift free to play?

Yes. Aether Drift runs directly in your browser with no download, no installation and no payment. You can start a run immediately without creating an account.

Do I need an account?

Only if you want your score saved. Without signing in you can play as much as you like, but scores are not stored, they do not appear on the leaderboard, and you are not eligible for weekly rewards.

Can I change my ship and the background?

Yes. New UFO skins and sky backgrounds for Aether Drift are available in the site's Shop and apply automatically the next time you play.