ChatGPT vs Claude: Lumina Drift — a single-file arcade game
One prompt, one HTML file, no libraries — build a Flappy Bird successor worth playing. Both entries run right here.
GPT 5.6 Sol (Extra High)vsOpus 5 (Ultracode)

No single winner
Both entries met all 14 stated requirements and passed every automated check, so the technical scores are level. What separates them is feel — which is exactly what the community vote is for.
GPT 5.6 Sol (Extra High)
- Technical score
- 100
- Web app completion time
- 8m 27s
- Requirements met
- 14/14
Opus 5 (Ultracode)
- Technical score
- 100
- Web app completion time
- 29m 40s
- Requirements met
- 14/14
Word for word, as both models received it
Create a complete, polished, single-file web game called "Lumina Drift" using only HTML, CSS and vanilla JavaScript (no external libraries). Game Concept: - The player controls a glowing light particle called "Lumina". - The game is an endless side-scroller with continuous gravity. - Instead of classic flapping, the player uses a "Pulse" mechanic: every click / tap / spacebar creates a short energy ring around Lumina that pushes it upward smoothly. - The pulse has a short cooldown and a satisfying visual + slight screen shake effect. Visual Style (very important): - Dark, modern, minimalist aesthetic. - Background: deep space with subtle parallax stars and soft nebula gradients. - Lumina: a soft glowing cyan-magenta orb with a beautiful particle trail that follows its movement. - Obstacles: geometric portals and energy bars in neon cyan and magenta. They should feel clean and futuristic, not pixel-art. - Smooth animations, particle effects, and a clean neon UI. Core Gameplay: - Start screen with title "Lumina Drift", short instruction, and a "Tap to Start" button. - Gravity constantly pulls Lumina down. - Pulse gives upward velocity (smooth, not too floaty). - Obstacles scroll from right to left with increasing speed over time. - Collision detection must be precise but fair. - Score increases with distance + combo multiplier when the player pulses in rhythm. - High score saved in localStorage. - Game over screen with final score, high score, and "Play Again" button. - Progressive difficulty: obstacles get closer and move faster the longer you survive. Technical Requirements: - Everything in a single HTML file (embedded CSS + JS). - Use HTML5 Canvas for the game rendering. - Fully responsive (works perfectly on both mobile and desktop). - Touch controls + mouse + keyboard (spacebar). - 60fps smooth performance. - No external assets or CDNs — pure code only. - Clean, well-commented code. - Add subtle screen shake on pulse and on collision. - Particle system for Lumina’s trail and for pulse rings. Extra Polish: - Soft glow effects using canvas shadows or multiple layers. - Smooth camera follow on Lumina (slight lag for modern feel). - When the player dies, Lumina explodes into particles. - Combo text that appears when the player gets consecutive good pulses. Make the game feel modern, fluid, and addictive — better and more original than classic Flappy Bird. Focus heavily on visual polish and satisfying feedback.
Scroll inside the box for the rest of the brief.
Requirements met
| Requirement | ChatGPT | Claude |
|---|---|---|
| Everything in a single HTML file (embedded CSS + JS) | Met | Met |
| Rendered with HTML5 Canvas | Met | Met |
| No external assets or CDNs | Met | Met |
| Keyboard control (spacebar) | Met | Met |
| Mouse control | Met | Met |
| Touch control | Met | Met |
| Responsive to viewport size | Met | Met |
| High score saved in localStorage | Met | Met |
| Start screen with instructions | Met | Met |
| Game over screen with a replay button | Met | Met |
| Particle system for the trail and pulse rings | Met | Met |
| Screen shake on pulse and on collision | Met | Met |
| Combo multiplier for rhythmic pulses | Met | Met |
| Difficulty increases the longer you survive | Met | Met |
Automated checks
GPT 5.6 Sol (Extra High)
GPT 5.6 Sol (Extra High) · web app
- File size
- 45.3 KB
- Lines of code
- 1,369
- Comment blocks
- 34
- HTML tags outside canvas
- 58
- Canvas elements
- 1
- External assets
- None
- Inline event handlers
- None
- requestAnimationFrame
- Yes
- Technical score
- 100
Opus 5 (Ultracode)
Opus 5 (Ultracode) · web app
- File size
- 61.7 KB
- Lines of code
- 1,815
- Comment blocks
- 172
- HTML tags outside canvas
- 52
- Canvas elements
- 1
- External assets
- None
- Inline event handlers
- None
- requestAnimationFrame
- Yes
- Technical score
- 100
Timings are measured in each provider’s consumer web app, so they include network and interface conditions — they are not model inference latency.










