King and Balloon/Gameplay

Controls

 * Joystick: Use the 2-way joystick to direct Cannon left and right across the castle battlements. It cannot go any further than the castle turrets on the left and right sides of the screen.
 * Firing Button: Use this button to make Cannon fire shots at those descending balloon-marauders. Much like its cousin, the Galaxip, it can only fire one shot on the screen at a time.
 * 1 or 2 Player Buttons: Push these buttons to begin a 1 or 2 player game.

Cannon
The protagonist of the game. Unlike the protagonists of many other fixed shooters, it can be hit and destroyed any number of times, but it will always be resurrected a second later. Its job is to protect the King by vigilantly patrolling the castle battlements, and keeping the balloons at bay. If a balloon picks the King up, it must be shot down before it carries him away.

King
The King moves randomly back and forth below the castle battlements while Cannon is trying to protect him. As mentioned above, if a balloon manages to pick him up, Cannon must shoot it down before it carries him away or it will cost him a life when he reappears. If it succeeds, his umbrella opens as he descends down to his position beneath the battlements.

Red Balloons
Twelve of these red balloons make up the first (top) row of each formation. Convoy (Formation): 50 points, Charger (Attacking): 100 points, King in Tow (Flying Away): 150 points.

Orange Balloons
Twelve of these orange balloons make up the second row of each formation. Convoy (Formation): 40 points, Charger (Attacking): 80 points, King in Tow (Flying Away): 120 points.

Yellow Balloons
Ten of these Pac-Man-yellow balloons make up the third row of each formation. Convoy (Formation): 30 points, Charger (Attacking): 60 points, King in Tow (Flying Away): 90 points.

White Balloons
Eight of these white balloons make up the fourth (bottom) row of each formation. Convoy (Formation): 20 points, Charger (Attacking): 40 points, King in Tow (Flying Away): 60 points.