I put the original arcade game on a Garmin watch. Pong – the game that started it all back in 1972 – now runs on your wrist, complete with an AI opponent that fights back harder the better you play.
How It Works
You control the left paddle, the AI controls the right. The ball bounces between you. First to 5 points wins the round. Miss the ball, lose a point.
Controls
- Up button / Tap upper half: Move paddle up
- Down button / Tap lower half: Move paddle down
- Select / Enter / Tap: Start game or restart after game over
- Back button: Exit
Features
- Adaptive AI: the opponent gets harder as you pull ahead, and eases off when you fall behind
- Ball physics: the ball speeds up 3% with each volley, and the angle changes depending on where it hits your paddle
- Winning streak tracking: your best streak is saved between sessions
- Clean retro visuals: black and white, dashed center line, just like the original
- ~30 FPS game loop: smooth paddle and ball movement
- Works on all screen shapes: round and rectangular displays, all sizes
The AI
The AI is not just a bot that tracks the ball perfectly. It has a base skill level of 70%, which scales up by 5% for every point you lead, capped at 92%. When the ball is heading away from it, the AI drifts lazily back to center instead of tracking – so there is a window to exploit if you play smart angles.
Supported Devices
Wrist Paddle supports 65+ Garmin watches including:
- Fenix 7/8 series
- Forerunner 165/255/265/570/955/965/970
- Epix 2 / Epix 2 Pro
- Venu 2/3/4 series
- Vivoactive 4/5/6
- Instinct 2/3/E series
- Enduro 3
- MARQ 2 series
Get It
Search for Wrist Paddle on the Garmin Connect IQ Store
Search for “Wrist Paddle” in the Connect IQ Store on your phone or at apps.garmin.com.
If you enjoy the game, a review on the store would be much appreciated!