The paper follows standard formatting: Title, Abstract, Introduction, Technical Analysis, Findings, Discussion, Conclusion, and References. Author: [Your Name] Course: CSC 490 – Web Technologies & Digital Game Preservation Date: April 14, 2026 Abstract Crossy Road, a modern take on the classic arcade frogger genre, has seen numerous community-driven web implementations. One notable distribution method is hosting the game via GitLab Pages (crossy-road.gitlab.io). This paper analyzes the technical architecture, deployment strategy, and cultural significance of making a browser-based Crossy Road clone accessible through a static hosting platform. We examine the use of HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript (specifically Phaser or vanilla Canvas), asset management, and the constraints/advantages of GitLab’s CI/CD pipeline for game distribution. Findings indicate that GitLab Pages provides a low-cost, version-controlled, and highly available solution for indie web games, though with limitations regarding server-side persistence and multiplayer capabilities. 1. Introduction Crossy Road (original by Hipster Whale, 2014) popularized the endless arcade hopper genre. Its simple mechanics—navigate a character across roads, rails, and rivers—make it an ideal candidate for web-based clones and educational implementations.
For a pure static arcade game, GitLab Pages is excellent. The Crossy Road clone hosted at crossy-road.gitlab.io demonstrates the viability of using GitLab Pages for distributing browser-based arcade games. The implementation successfully recreates core gameplay, uses local storage for progress, and maintains 60 FPS on modern hardware. While lacking online leaderboards, the choice of static hosting ensures reliability, transparency (via source control), and accessibility. crossy road gitlab.io