Beach Volleyball
Get under the ball, jump at the net and spike it into the sand.
One-on-one beach volleyball against the computer, on a sand court by the sea at sunset, seen from the side. The ball bounces off your player the way it meets the body: right under it, it goes straight up; from behind it, it carries on toward the net. Jump by the net at the right moment and your touch becomes a spike. Real rules for one player a side: rally scoring, a set to 15 won by two clear points, at most three touches before the ball goes over, and whoever wins a point serves the next. Three computers, from one that misjudges the ball to one that sets itself up and spikes, a set to 11 on easy, and a Daily set against the same computer for everyone.
- Category
- Arcade
- Modes
- Easy · Medium · Hard · Daily
- Controls
- Mouse · Touch · Keyboard
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How to play
You play the left half in coral, the computer the right half in teal. Drag a finger and your player runs to it; hold a finger still on the left or right half of the court and it runs that way; on a keyboard, the arrow keys or A and D. A tap, a flick up or a second finger jumps, as do the up arrow, W and Space. To serve, tap to toss the ball: let it drop onto you for a float serve, or tap again to jump into it for a jump serve. In a rally the ball bounces off your body. Where it meets you decides where it goes: under it, it goes up, which sets it up for you; from behind it, it goes on toward the net and over. In the air by the net, a ball on the top of your body becomes a spike, and a ball coming over at you becomes a block. Your side has at most three touches before the ball must go over (a block counts as one); the dots at the top count them. A ball that lands in a court is a point for the other side, a ball that lands out is a point against the side that touched it last, and a fourth touch loses the point. Every rally is a point, the side that wins it serves next, and the set goes to 15 (11 on easy), won by two clear points.
What is Beach Volleyball?
Beach volleyball is volleyball played barefoot on sand: a net across the middle of the court, a ball that must not touch the sand on your side, and at most three touches to send it back over. The players dig hard-hit balls out of the sand, set the ball up by the net and jump to spike it down into the other court.
Here you play it one on one against the computer, on a court by the sea at sunset, seen from the side. You are the player in coral on the left, the computer plays in teal on the right. Three opponents are on offer, from one that misjudges the ball and sends everything straight back to one that sets itself up, spikes and blocks, and every day brings a Daily set against the same computer for everyone.
How to play Beach Volleyball
Touch the court to start. You serve first.
- Running. Drag a finger and your player runs to it. Hold a finger still on the left or right half of the court and it runs that way. On a keyboard, the arrow keys or A and D.
- Jumping. A tap, a flick up or a second finger while the first one steers. On a keyboard, the up arrow, W or Space.
- The serve. Tap to toss the ball. Let it drop onto you for a float serve, or tap again and jump into it for a faster jump serve.
- Passing. The ball bounces off your body, and where it meets you decides where it goes. Right under it, it goes straight up, which sets it up for you. From behind it, it carries on toward the net and over. In front of it, it flies back behind you.
- Spiking. Be in the air by the net when the ball comes down on top of you and your touch becomes a spike, driven down into the far court. The more the ball is in front of you, the steeper and shorter the spike.
- Blocking. In the air at the net, a ball coming over at you bounces back down into the other court. A block counts as one of your touches, as on the beach.
- Touches. Your side has at most three touches before the ball must go over. The three dots above each half count them; a fourth touch loses the point.
- Points. A ball that lands in a court is a point for the other side. A ball that lands out is a point against the side that touched it last.
- The set. Every rally is a point and whoever wins it serves next. The set goes to 15, or to 11 on easy, and must be won by two clear points.
- On a phone held sideways the court fills the screen and the score and the levels move to the side. Upright, the court is scaled to the width and the space under the sand is for your thumbs.
Tips and strategy
- Watch the shadow. The ball's shadow on the sand shows where it will come down; the smaller and fainter it is, the higher the ball. Run to the shadow early, then fine-tune.
- Stand a little behind the ball. A pass from just behind the ball goes forward over the net; right under it, it only goes up. Use that to set yourself up near the net.
- Set, then spike. Use your first touch to pop the ball up close to the net, then jump as it comes down. A jump at the top of the ball's fall is a spike; too early or too late, it is only a pass.
- Read the computer's attack. When it jumps by the net, a spike is coming. Get behind where it will land, or jump at the net to block it.
- Let long balls go. A ball heading past your end line is the computer's mistake if you do not touch it. The shadow shows you whether it will land out.
Frequently asked questions
Is Beach Volleyball free?
Yes. Like every game on Play, it runs free in your browser, with no download and no account.
Why did my pass fly backwards?
The ball met the front of your body while you were behind where it fell, or you ran into it. Get under it a little earlier and stand just behind it, and it goes forward.
Why was my jump not a spike?
A spike needs you in the air near the net with the ball coming down on the top of your body, high enough to be hit down over the net. Jump a moment later, closer to the net, or set the ball higher first.
How is my score worked out?
10 points for every point you win and 300 for winning the set. In a set to 15 at most 25 of your points count, so a win is worth up to 550; in a set to 11 at most 21 count, up to 510.
What is the Daily set?
Every day everyone plays the same medium computer, started from the same seed, so the scores compare on the leaderboard.
Can I play with a keyboard?
Yes. The arrow keys or A and D run, and the up arrow, W or Space jump (and toss the ball when you serve).
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