日本語版（Japanese）

Clap, clap, move!

Charge, Barrier, Attack | The Japanese Clap-Clap Hand Game (Shotgun-Style), Free in 3D

Play the tutorial (5 moves)

Clap twice (“clap, clap”), then show Charge, Barrier or Attack at the same time: the hand game Japanese kids play at lunch break, turned straight into a 3D versus game. (In English-speaking schoolyards a similar game goes by “Shotgun”, “Load, Shield, Shoot” or “Reload, Block, Shoot”.) Hit your rival with an attack while they're charging to win a point; first to 3 points wins. If you press nothing, you Charge and build up energy.

There are 4 attack levels, Lv1 to Lv4 Attacks, using 1 to 4 energy. Lv2 beats Lv3, Lv3 and Lv4 pierce Barrier, and Lv4 beats everything except another Lv4. You face 10 CPU rivals; from Rival 2 the beat never stops and speeds up from BPM 60 to 180. Plus a new “Today's Rival” every day (Japan time). Free, no sign-up, and it plays right in your phone's browser.

What kind of game is Charge, Barrier, Attack?

Two players face each other, clap twice (“clap, clap”), and on the third beat show a Charge, Barrier or Attack pose at the same time. It was a hit in Japanese elementary school classrooms at lunch break and recess in the Heisei era. The more energy you charge, the stronger the attack you can fire, but if your rival's attack hits you while you're charging, you lose. Like rock-paper-scissors, both players move at once and try to read each other, but because energy builds up like savings, the fun is in reading your rival's next move from how much energy they have.

What else is it called?

Names and rules differ by region and school. In Japan it's also called “Chāji” (charge), “Jūden” (recharge), “Sendame”, “Bē-bē-bō”, “Shōbu” (showdown) or “Sensō” (war). Similar games are played in English-speaking schoolyards as “Shotgun”, “Load, Shield, Shoot” or “Reload, Block, Shoot”. After its clapping rhythm, we also call it the “pan-pan waza” (clap-clap move) game, or the clapping game.

What are the rules?

1. The three beats “Clap, Clap, Move” repeat. On the Move beat, you and your rival show your moves at the same time.
2. Press the button for the move you want before the Move beat (the move you press is queued). If you press nothing, you Charge and gain 1 energy (shown as E). You can hold up to 4 energy.
3. A Lv x Attack (x = 1 to 4) uses x energy. If your attack hits a rival who is Charging, you win the point.
4. Barrier blocks Lv1 and Lv2 Attacks. Lv3 and Lv4 Attacks pierce Barrier. You can use Barrier up to 8 times per point.
5. When two attacks meet, the same level clashes and cancels out, and play continues (both players still spend the energy). Lv2 beats Lv1 and Lv3, Lv3 beats Lv1, and Lv4 beats everything except another Lv4.
6. The first to win 3 points wins the match (up to 9 points). A point with no winner after 30 turns is a draw.
7. You have 4 move slots. Charge is always in one of them; fill the other 3 from 5 moves: Barrier and Lv1–Lv4 Attacks (10 combinations).

Move matchups (rows: you, columns: your rival)

A Lv x Attack uses x energy. Each Charge adds 1 energy, up to 4. Barrier uses no energy, but you can use it only 8 times per point.

The 10 CPU rivals and their BPM

Rival 1 waits after “clap, clap” until you choose a move. From Rival 2 the beat never stops, and the BPM (beats per minute) rises by 15 from 60, up to 180 for Rival 10. You can play any of the 10 rivals from the start, and every rival you beat gets a “Cleared” stamp.

Rival 1 “Loves to Block”

BPM: none (waits for your pick)

Charge · Barrier · Lv3 Attack · Lv4 Attack

Uses Barrier a lot, so your Lv1 Attacks get blocked. Charge up 3 energy and pierce it with a Lv3 Attack. It has no Lv1 or Lv2 Attack, so it can't shoot you while it has 2 energy or less.

Rival 2 “Always Charging”

BPM 60

Charge · Lv1 Attack · Lv3 Attack · Lv4 Attack

It has no Barrier and does nothing but charge. As soon as you have 1 energy, fire a Lv1 Attack.

Rival 3 “Loves to Charge”

BPM 75

Charge · Lv1 Attack · Lv2 Attack · Lv4 Attack

It has no Barrier and charges a lot. Once you have 1 energy, fire a Lv1 Attack. Wait too long and a Lv2 Attack (beats Lv1) or a Lv4 Attack comes flying.

Rival 4 “Aims for Lv4”

BPM 90

Charge · Barrier · Lv1 Attack · Lv4 Attack

Once it has 2 energy, it keeps charging to go for a Lv4 Attack (the strongest move, which pierces Barrier too). Stop it with a Lv1 Attack before it reaches 4.

Rival 5 “Can't Pierce”

BPM 105

Charge · Barrier · Lv1 Attack · Lv2 Attack

It has no Barrier-piercing attack (Lv3 or Lv4). When it has energy, Barrier blocks all its attacks (up to 8 per point). Attack when it has 0 energy.

Rival 6 “Goes Big”

BPM 120

Charge · Barrier · Lv2 Attack · Lv4 Attack

It has no Lv1 Attack, so it can't shoot you while it has 0–1 energy. Attack then. When it fires, it tends to pick its biggest available attack. When it has 2–3 energy a Lv2 Attack is coming, so block it with Barrier.

Rival 7 “Charge & Blast”

BPM 135

Charge · Barrier · Lv2 Attack · Lv3 Attack

It has no Lv1 Attack, so it can't shoot you while it has 0–1 energy. When it fires, it tends to pick its biggest available attack. Once you have 1 energy, fire a Lv1 Attack before its energy builds up.

Rival 8 “No-Barrier Lv2”

BPM 150

Charge · Lv2 Attack · Lv3 Attack · Lv4 Attack

It has no Lv1 Attack and no Barrier. It can't shoot you while it has 0–1 energy, so fire a Lv1 Attack if you have energy. Once it has 2+ energy it uses Lv2 Attacks a lot, so block with Barrier.

Rival 9 “Lv2 Master”

BPM 165

Charge · Barrier · Lv2 Attack · Lv3 Attack

Once it has 2+ energy it uses Lv2 Attacks a lot. Barrier blocks a Lv2 Attack, but your Lv3 Attack loses to it. It has no Lv1 Attack, so it can't shoot you while it has 0–1 energy. Fire a Lv1 Attack then, and use Barrier when it has 2 or more.

Rival 10 “Mind Reader”

BPM 180

Charge · Barrier · Lv1 Attack · Lv3 Attack

Same slots as the default, the strongest set, and the fastest tempo. It plays expecting the auto-Charges you make when you press too late. It counts the moves you chose in the same situation (both players' energy) and fires back whatever beats them. The count carries over to your next match (fading a little each match). Repeat the same move in the same situation and it will read you.

How do I win? (Tips)

• When your rival has 0 energy, no attack can come, so it's safe to Charge.
• If you Charge while your rival has even 1 energy, you can get shot. When in doubt, use Barrier.
• When your rival reaches 3 energy, watch out for a Lv3 Attack (it pierces Barrier). A Lv2 Attack beats it.
• The Lv4 Attack is the strongest, but you're easy to hit during the 4 turns you spend charging. Go for it while your rival's energy is low.
• Barrier works only 8 times per point. Once it's used up, you can't defend.
• Against fast rivals, press early to queue your move instead of waiting for the Move beat, so you're never late.

What is Today's Rival?

For each date in Japan time, everyone faces the same rival (its move slots and habits change every day). The BPM is 90. Only your first match of the day is recorded, and playing every day extends your daily streak.

Frequently asked questions

What is Charge, Barrier, Attack?

It's a hand game for two: both players clap twice (“clap, clap”), then show a Charge, Barrier or Attack pose at the same time. The more energy you charge, the stronger the attack you can fire, but if you get hit while charging, you lose. It was a lunch-break favorite at Japanese elementary schools in the Heisei era (1989–2019), and depending on the region it's also called Chāji (charge), Jūden (recharge) or Sendame; a similar schoolyard game is known in English as “Shotgun”. On this page you play against the CPU.

What happens if I don't press anything?

If you press nothing, you Charge and gain 1 energy. But if you Charge while your rival has energy, you can get hit by an attack.

Is the Lv4 Attack the strongest?

The Lv4 Attack beats everything except another Lv4 and also pierces Barrier, so it's the strongest move. But while you charge up 4 energy, you risk getting hit. A Lv2 Attack beats a Lv3 Attack, so it's a good counter against rivals who use Lv3 a lot.

Why does the beat stop against Rival 1?

Rival 1 is a practice partner, so after “clap, clap” it waits until you choose a move. From Rival 2 on, the beat never stops: it starts at BPM (beats per minute) 60 and gets 15 faster with each rival, up to 180 for Rival 10.

The beat and the sound feel out of sync

Use “Timing Offset” in Settings: tap 8 times along with the light and sound, and the game measures your device's audio delay and adjusts the timing of your presses.

Is it free? Do I need to sign up?

It's free, with no sign-up or install. Play right in the browser on a phone, tablet or computer. Your records are saved only in your own browser.

Play the tutorial (5 moves)

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