A flight shooter can feel difficult when the aircraft and camera respond to more than one input at a time. SHOTS FIRED lets you combine basic movement with aiming, firing and a few special maneuvers. The mapping below reflects the keyboard and virtual-button controls present in the current browser build. Some control options may also be adjustable inside the game's settings.
Keyboard and mouse quick reference
| Input | Action | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| W / A / S / D | Movement | Move through the combat area using the directional keys. |
| Mouse | Look and aim | Track moving targets and adjust the center reticle. |
| Left mouse button | Primary shot | Fire your primary weapon when a target is in view. |
| Right mouse button | Plasma attack | Trigger the alternate plasma system when available. |
| Left Shift | Boost | Accelerate your movement to reposition. |
| X | Brake | Reduce speed when you need extra control. |
| Q / E | Roll left / right | Rotate the fighter to change your flight posture. |
| Space | Stunt action | Perform the context-sensitive maneuver provided by the game. |
| Esc | Pause | Stop the action and review your next move. |
Control your speed before worrying about accuracy
If you keep overshooting enemies, the first thing to examine is speed. Boosting can create distance from danger, but it reduces the amount of time you have to line up a short engagement. Braking can make aim correction easier, especially when a target is crossing your view quickly. Neither action is always correct. You want enough movement to avoid attacks and enough stability to finish one clear shot.
Try a short practice cycle: move forward, briefly brake, aim at a visible target, fire the primary cannon and move again. Repeat before adding a boost. This makes it easier to understand which part of the sequence changes how the fighter responds.
Learn to separate aim from movement
Directional movement controls where the fighter goes, while the mouse controls where you look and aim. New players often move and rotate too sharply at the same time. The result is that a target travels quickly across the screen, even when it was nearly aligned with the reticle a moment earlier.
Instead, move through the area with smaller corrections and use brief mouse adjustments to stay on the target. When an enemy passes beyond your view, it may be better to reposition before reacquiring it rather than making a panicked large rotation.
Boost, brake and rolls serve different purposes
Think of boost as a positioning tool. Use it when enemies have converged on your location or when you need to get clear before the next exchange. Think of brake as a precision tool that can steady a difficult shot. Roll controls are useful for changing the fighter's flight attitude, but experiment first in lower-pressure encounters.
Special movement should help solve a specific problem. Repeatedly pressing every maneuver key can make the screen harder to interpret. Choose one action at a time, observe its effect and return to normal movement when you regain space.
How touch controls work
The game's code includes virtual touch inputs and on-screen actions for primary fire, plasma, boost, braking, roll, stunt and pause. A touch movement region translates gestures into directional movement while another area can be used for looking around. Layout and responsiveness can vary with device performance, screen size and browser settings.
On mobile, use a landscape orientation where practical, leave enough screen space for the game area and close other heavy browser tabs. If the controls feel cramped, playing on a computer with a keyboard and mouse is a sensible option.
Use the pause menu to reset your plan
When the screen becomes chaotic, press Esc to pause. Check the mission, score and health situation and decide what to do first when resuming. This is more effective than immediately firing at the closest visible object without knowing where the greatest danger is coming from.
Once you're comfortable moving, continue with the weapons guide to learn how your combat choices fit together.
Related player tools and verified game data
Use the mission atlas, enemy reference, aim practice drill and browser checker when you need a specific answer beyond this guide. The mission and enemy values come from the actual browser build.