StepFever-20260125-2x.mp4
StepFever is a free, open-source rhythm game that runs entirely in your web browser. Play StepMania and DDR-style charts (.sm, .ssc) with your keyboard, USB dance pad, or gamepad. No installation required—just open and play!
Perfect for fans of Dance Dance Revolution (DDR), StepMania, In The Groove (ITG), and Etterna looking for a modern, browser-based alternative.
- Play Instantly - No download, runs in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge
- StepMania Compatible - Load your existing .sm/.ssc song library
- Dance Pad Support - Connect your USB dance pad and play like arcade DDR
- Local Multiplayer - 2-4 players compete on one screen
- Local-First - All data stays on your device, works offline
- 100% Free & Open Source - MIT licensed, no ads, no tracking
Play Now at stepfever.vercel.app - no installation required!
Or run locally:
# Install Bun runtime
curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash
# Clone and run
git clone https://github.com/religa/stepfever && cd stepfever
bun install && bun devOpen http://localhost:5173 and start playing!
StepFever plays standard StepMania song packs. Download songs from:
- StepMania Online - Song search engine
- Zenius-I-vanisher - Simfile database
- Etterna Online - Etterna community charts
Extract song folders into charts/ and restart the dev server:
charts/
└── my-song/
├── my-song.sm # Chart file (.sm or .ssc)
└── my-song.ogg # Audio (.ogg, .mp3)
| Direction | Arrow Keys | WASD | Numpad |
|---|---|---|---|
| Left | ← | A | 4 |
| Down | ↓ | S | 2 |
| Up | ↑ | W | 8 |
| Right | → | D | 6 |
StepFever supports USB dance pads and game controllers:
- Connect your dance pad or gamepad
- Go to Settings → Controller
- Use Learn Mode to auto-detect button mappings
- Start playing!
- Select a song from the menu
- Choose a difficulty (Beginner → Expert)
- Press keys when arrows reach the receptor line
- Better timing = higher score!
| Judgment | Window | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Marvelous | ±22.5ms | 100% |
| Perfect | ±45ms | 100% |
| Great | ±90ms | 67% |
| Good | ±135ms | 33% |
| Boo/Miss | >135ms | 0% |
| Grade | Accuracy |
|---|---|
| AAA | 99%+ |
| AA | 95%+ |
| A | 90%+ |
| B | 80%+ |
| C | 70%+ |
| D | 60%+ |
- Speed Modifiers - X-Mod (0.5x-3x) and C-Mod (constant scroll speed)
- Audio Calibration - Sync offset adjustment for your setup
- AutoPlay Mode - Watch perfect play for learning charts
- Offline Support - Play without internet connection
- 2-4 Players - Split-screen competitive rhythm battles
- Mixed Input - Keyboard + dance pad players together
- Versus Scoring - Accuracy-based rankings and winner announcement
- Noteskin Themes - Multiple visual styles
- Stage Backgrounds - Customizable backgrounds
- Per-Song Settings - Individual audio offset per song
If notes feel early or late:
- Go to Settings → Calibrate
- Tap any key on each beat (10 times)
- Offset is automatically calculated and saved
Built with modern web technologies (local-first, no server required):
| Component | Technology |
|---|---|
| Runtime | Bun 1.2+ |
| Graphics | PixiJS 8.x (WebGL) |
| Audio | Tone.js 15.x |
| State | Zustand 5.x (localStorage persist) |
Browser Support: Chrome 90+, Firefox 90+, Safari 15+, Edge 90+
See docs/DEVELOPMENT.md for:
- Development environment setup
- Architecture and codebase overview
- Contributing guidelines
- StepMania - The original open-source dance game
- Etterna - Keyboard-focused StepMania fork
- In The Groove (ITG) - Popular StepMania mod