React developers now have a tiny, one‑button arcade component called react‑waiting‑game that keeps users entertained while long tasks run. The library ships five monochrome 1‑bit pixel games—jellyfish, runner, gravity, invaders, and rhythm—each rendered on a single canvas with no runtime dependencies. A single key, pointer, or touch triggers the active action.

Each game shares a common framework: combo multipliers, near‑miss bonuses, milestone flashes, and three power‑ups. The component is SSR‑safe and auto‑pauses when the tab hides, making it ideal for server‑side rendered React apps. Developers can persist high scores and achievements in localStorage with per‑game namespaces, so user progress survives page reloads.

Installation is a single npm command, and the example app demonstrates an LLM call, live game switching, and achievement tracking. Backward compatibility is preserved via the legacy <WaitingGame /> component, while new projects should use <WaitingArcade game="…">. With 151 unit tests and an MIT license, the library offers a lightweight, plug‑in solution for keeping users engaged during idle periods.

Because the games are pure canvas drawings, developers can swap skins via the provided skin ID lists, adding visual variety without extra assets. The component exposes callbacks for score changes, game over, combo updates, pickups, and achievements, allowing integration with analytics or UI overlays. Its modular architecture lets contributors add new games by implementing a simple GameModule interface.