Dearborn After Hours
A free 8-bit adventure through a fictional, not-to-scale Dearborn and Dearborn Heights. Walk the town like an old-school RPG, then throw hands with the most Dearborn bosses imaginable in side-view arcade fights.
Play free How to playRuns in any modern browser on desktop or phone. No download, no account, no sign-up. Your progress saves on your own device.
What is it?
Dearborn After Hours is a short, silly, love-letter of a game about the city a lot of us grew up in. You start outside your mom's house on Kendal St with one job: get through the night. Along the way every corner of town has a boss who has been waiting for this moment their whole life, from a trust fund kid in the Heights to a butcher who has heard every auntie haggle there is.
The exploration plays like a classic handheld RPG: walk around, talk to everybody, read the signs. The fights switch to a side-view arcade brawler where you jump, punch, dash and fire an energy burst while the boss throws matcha, soccer balls, ice cream scoops, tires, or worse. Every boss has a tell and an opening, so fights are about reading patterns, not grinding stats.
What's in the game
Seven local bosses
Jabal, DHS, La Gelati, Hype Athletics, Speedy Gas, the Fresh Market and the Heights. Beat them in any order.
A secret final boss
Humble all seven and somebody shows up on Kendal St with a vocabulary problem in two languages.
Reckless traffic
Cars on Ford Rd and Warren Ave floor it, brake-check and change lanes without a signal. Listen for the screech.
Cherry Hill Rd
The most treacherous road in the game: potholes, sinkholes that open under your feet, rolling tires and stray cartoon pews.
The $0 Tip Delivery
Pick up a Good Burger order (it's an ambush), cross the worst roads in town, and deliver it to Mahmoud on Doxtator St.
Chill or Normal
Chill mode is the default and much more forgiving. Normal mode is for people who think they can drive on Warren Ave.
Frequently asked
Is it free?
Yes. The game is free to play in your browser. The site shows a few ads to cover hosting; there are never ads inside the game itself.
Does it work on my phone?
Yes. On touch screens the game shows an on-screen D-pad and buttons automatically. Landscape works best.
Is it suitable for kids?
It's cartoon slapstick with no blood or gore, and clean language is on by default: the rudest boss says things like "fudge" and "get lost". There's an optional UNCUT language setting for adults that turns on real swearing. With the default settings we'd call it fine for teens and up.
Are these real people?
No. Every character is fictional comedy. Real street and place names are used for local flavor only, and the game is not affiliated with any business, school, or city. See the About page for more.
Can I suggest something?
Please do. Use the suggestion form or the SEND AN IDEA option in the game's menu.