HTML5 opens up a plethora of new avenues for application and game development on the web. Games can now be created and interacted with directly within HTML, with no need for users to download extra plugins, or for developers to learn new languages. Important new features such as the Canvas tag enable drawing directly onto the web page. The Audio tag allows sounds to be triggered and played from within your HTML code, the WebSockets API facilitates real-time communication, and the local storage API enables data such as high scores or game preferences to be kept on a user's computer for retrieval next time they play. All of these features and many more are covered within The Essential Guide to HTML5. The book begins at an introductory level, teaching the essentials of HTML5 and JavaScript through game development. Each chapter features a familiar game type as its core example, such as hangman, rock-paper-scissors, or dice games, and uses these simple constructs to builda solid skillset of the key HTML5 concepts and features. By working through these hands on examples, you will gain a deep, practical knowledge of HTML5 that will enable you to build your own, more advanced games and applications. Concepts are introduced and motivated with easy-to-grasp, appealing examples Code is explained in detail after general explanations Reader is guided into how to make the examples 'their own'