Explore the internet!
When you get the glider, press space to fly around.
The Tabventure popup has some useful information.
It's easy to launch Tabventure on any site.
Interact with the merchant (at the train) to buy equipment.

Inspiration

We wanted to transform everyday web browsing into a fun, interactive experience while embracing the theme. We came up with the idea of turning the internet itself into a steampunk-inspired platformer, but with the twist of building it in a browser.

What it does

Tabventure is a Chrome extension that transforms virtually any webpage into a playable 2D platformer. Players can run, jump, and navigate across actual webpage elements. They collect coins, earn XP, level up, and discover rare equipment that enhances their abilities. Progress persists across websites and browser sessions.

How we built it

We built the extension using TypeScript. We used DOM geometry extraction to turn webpage elements into platforms. We also implemented procedural item generation and persistent player progression using Chrome’s local storage.

Challenges we ran into

The biggest challenge, with no doubt, was converting unpredictable webpage layouts into reliable platforming environments. Handling moving elements, scrolling, collision detection, and different types of rendered content (especially graphics types) required extensive debugging. We also had to balance accurate platform detection with performance on complex websites (such as YouTube).

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We’re especially proud of building the platforming engine in such a way that we avoid modifying the original layout of the websites themselves. We also implemented dynamic terrain detection, collectible rewards, and persistent progression (all without a backend or external game framework).

What we learned

We gained experience with browser extension development, DOM manipulation, game physics, collision detection, and performance optimization. Most importantly, we learned how challenging it can be to build a consistent interactive experience on top of webpages that were never designed to function as games.

What's next for Tabventure

We'd love to expand Tabventure with enemies, combat, additional equipment, and an overall deeper progression system. We also envision website-specific challenges, achievements, and a larger exploration system that transforms the entire internet into an interconnected game world