welcome to the tsunami2010-faq(tiny version)v0.1.. by toxie^ainc. but beware: this is just a small(!) overview of some(!) of the gameplay-aspects to help newbies and to give some hints to the hardcore-bonus+score-hunters on how to play the game more "professionaly".. (while trying to not spoil some of the hidden features) ----------------- 1: basic gameplay ----------------- the player can just move (Left/Right) on the top of some strange-looking tubes/grids and fire shots ('A'/Joy1) down the lanes of these tubes/grids.. different enemies appear on the opposite site of the grid and fly/crawl up onto the player.. some are also trying to shoot or electrify or spike the player with various weapons.. one hit/collision of an enemy directly kills the player.. ------------------------------- 2: special weapons and powerups ------------------------------- on any new level/new live you'll get the chance to use the zapper ('Q'/Joy4) for exactly one time, which will blow up every enemy on the screen.. well.. not exactly any enemy(-type).. but you'll find out soon enough by yourself.. :) after shooting a certain number of enemies a powerup (a kinda twirling "star") will appear which also flies up the grid.. the first powerup you'll collect will give you more powerful/faster shots.. the second enhances your score and will auto-blast some of the enemies.. the third enables you to jump off the grid ('S'/Joy3).. the fourth enables the tremor ('W'/Joy2).. the fifth.. .. .. the sixth.. .. .. the seventh.. .. .. the eighth.. .. .. .. .. .. :) jumping off the grid is an ESSENTIAL helper in destroying certain enemy-types.. so use it often, but nontheless carefully.. the tremor-powerup is kinda like the standard-zapper you always have.. but it isn't limited to destroy just certain enemy-types.. as a drawback it has some other disadvantages instead.. :) ----------------- 3: the multiplier ----------------- the thin bar you might have seen beneath the score- and lives-display is the score-multiplier.. affected by how much shots you fire and the enemies/shots you kill with them, the multiplier will go up or down.. so always shooting will reduce the received score dramatically.. another important factor to enhance the multiplier are the particles which are blown out of every killed enemy.. they also move up the grid and can be collected by the player just like the powerup-"stars" mentioned above.. hint: what might happen if that multiplier reaches x1.33? or even more than that? :) one thing is for sure: if you try to reach the minimum of x0.1 you'll get some very sick screen-rotating which doesn't really help to concentrate onto the enemies.. :) -------------- 4: bonus-level -------------- after finding out how to collect 3 warp-icons (come on.. it isn't THAT hard..) you'll enjoy a different bonus-round.. try to stay on the highlighted track located inside a tunnel by moving Left/Right.. any time you miss to stay on the twinkling track the thin bar on the upper side of the screen will get smaller.. moving directly with and on the track will make the bar grow bigger again.. reaching the goal will give you big points and a 5 level warp.. ---------------------------- 5: enemies and their weapons ---------------------------- basic enemy-types can just move up the grid and shoot while doing so.. enhanced enemies can also split up into more enemies.. others built spikes up the lanes which block your shots and will kill you when the player collides with them as a level ends.. there are also reflectors to mirror your shots.. electro-zappers won't let you pass certain lanes when they are shooting.. mushrooms firing their body parts onto the player when shot.. thunderpads hovering over the player and nudging you with their massive fire-power.. and some pretty more to make you go completely mad.. :) ------------------------- 6: various gameplay hints ------------------------- rule nr.1: DON'T KEEP THE SHOOT-BUTTON PRESSED! a) the score will be lower than "normal"! (->rule nr.2) b) you won't be able to collect certain powerups! (-> rule nr.2) c) some stuff will be "harder" to collect! (anyone played zerogunner2? ;) d) you won't see any enemies/shots or powerups/bonuses after a while, cause everything will be full of light and particles caused by the shots! rule nr.2: KEEP AN EYE ON THE SCORE-MULTIPLIER! a) you'll receive nifty things which will make life easier in certain levels! b) your score will be higher! c) the screen rotating can be stopped with it! (although some levels are easier when they're rotating like hell!) rule nr.3: USE THE JUMP-POWERUP (CAREFULLY)! a) some enemies will be SO easy to shoot while jumping above them! b) you'll be more difficult to hit, cause you'll get a bit more time to react on enemy actions while you're up in the air! c) jumping too much will harm rule nr.2! hint nr.1: NOT MOVING ON THE GRID CAN BE HELPFUL! a) as enemies reach the players side of the tube, some of them follow you until your death.. so try to keep cool and just shoot 'til they reach you! (while praying.. although the jump-powerup would be better.. ;) b) collecting bonuses and powerups will be easier.. ;)) hint nr.2: WATCH THOSE SPIKES! a) they might kill you on level ending (as you fly through the level).. b) some enemies are able to block complete lanes with a spike.. only passable by jumping over them.. c) so try to keep at least one lane free of spikes (shoot!!!) for a happy level ending / landing from jumps.. hint nr.3: TRY TO COLLECT THE K.I.PYRASHOOTER-POWERUP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! a) how? (find out by doing "something" in the previous level.. :) hint nr.4: COLLECT THOSE WARP-ICONS WISELY! a) want to pass that one stupid level you ALWAYS fail on / loose dozens of lives? then try to collect some warp-icons on previous levels which you find easier to play and win the appearing bonus-level.. as this will warp you +5 levels you'll pass the hated level with "ease".. ;) as said.. this is very basic.. there's so much stuff in the gameplay you need to "feel" about.. just play the game.. after a while you'll be learning so much bout gameplay and how the enemies behave.. and discovering lots more stuff then mentioned in here.. :)