GunLord/Gameplay

Game modes
The first screen of the game lets you choose between 2 modes :

Original mode Easiest mode recommended for beginners and get familiar with the game. There are a lot of Extends, no time limit and you can continue endlessly from where you died.

Arcade mode Harder Mode for experimented players. The intro cutscene is removed and there is a timer that can be extended by collecting Diamonds and Time Extend items. There is no One Up items anymore, they are replaced by Time Extend items, the only way to get a life is to collect all the Big Diamonds in a stage. Note that in some levels there are more Time Extends than Extends in Original Mode, you will have to search for these extra items locations. At last, if you lose all your life you will respawn at the beginning of the level.

The third line is to change the buttons mapping (joystick or pad).

HUD
1) Lifes (if it reaches 0 it's Game Over) 2) Score 3) Game mode (Arcade mode only) 4) Health Points (if it goes down to 0 you lose a life) 5) Boss Health Bar 6) Diamonds counter (in green color if all collected) 7) Big Diamonds counter (in green color if all collected) 8) Snake Beam Gauge 9) Credits number (appears only if all Big Diamonds in a stage are collected in Original mode) 10) Super Waves 11) Timer (Arcade mode only)

Controls
Move Shot (autofire if kept pressed, same for Bombs in Wheel mode) Jump (height depends on the pressure length) Snake Beam (360° rotation with the joystick) Super Wave Pause + Wheel mode

Wheel mode


Activation Press down and B on the ground to activate Wheel mode (or when hanging on to a vertical wall). To exit Wheel mode just push the stick up.

Movements The Wheel is always moving really fast and will bounce on every wall if you don't control it. To stay in specific spot you have to alternate left and right really quickly, or you can also stick yourself in a corner by pressing the joystick against the wall. You can still jump with B button.

Protection The wheel gives you an extra protection, so you can pass through shots and some enemies. But you aren't invincible, every hit inflicts damage to your Wheel. If it takes too much damage without having time to regenerate, the protection will nullify and you will lose 1 HP.

Death If you die in Wheel mode, you will respawn where you changed to Wheel for the last time (if it was on a flying platform or a wall, it will be the last solid ground where you were standing upright). It can be used as death warp to go back quickly somewhere.

Damage The Wheel inflicts damage to every enemies you touch. You can also lay bombs with A button to inflict more damage (the autofire works for bombs too).

Special features In Wheel mode, the regeneration of the Snake Beam gauge is stopped. The timers for Power Shots are also frozen. You can pass through a small amount of destroyable blocks horizontally, spamming jumps can help to move through them. If you are stuck use bombs.

Weapons
Spread Shot The default weapon, a 5 way shot with a low firepower.

Phoenix A shotgun with high firepower. The shots can pass through small enemies and flying platforms.

Bounce Blaster A twin type weapon : if A button is mashed it shots some bouncing orbs, if the button is fully pressed it shots a narrow continuous shot.

Power shot (Wave) A powerful temporary upgrade that shots waves and bouncing orbs. You can't fire it vertically.

Power Shot (Missile) A powerful temporary upgrade. The missiles release bouncing orbs at the impact.

Nuclear Wheel Bombs In Wheel mode, press A to lay a bomb. They have a pretty high area of effect, you can jump and lay bombs in the air for extra height.

Snake Beam Press C to use this powerful continuous beam. Use the stick to rotate it at 360°. The initial angle of shot is always 45° up in front of you. This beam can pass through every type of wall/platform and can cancel most of the enemy shots. It uses the purple gauge at the bottom of the screen. It refills slowly automatically when you don't use the beam (except in Wheel mode). If the gauge goes bellow 40%, the length of the beam starts to decrease quickly (until half of its initial size). It doesn't affect the power of the beam, only the size. Even if the gauge is empty you can continue to fire it endlessly.

Super Wave Limited smart bombs, their number is displayed at the bottom right of the screen. Pressing D button release a huge double wave of energy that cancels most of the enemy shots. The damages aren't really high although.

Items
About Power Shots The upgrade effect lasts for 15 seconds, but if you don't shoot the timer is slowed down by 50% and if you are in Wheel mode the timer is frozen. Note that you can't stack 2 Power Shot of the same type, you can do it only if they are different. The second shot will take effect as soon as the first one is finished. However, the timer starts to decrease for the second shot as soon as you pick it up. For example, if you take 2 Power Shots at the same time and fire constantly, the first will last 15 seconds and the second 7.5 (because shooting with the first one is considered as not shooting for the second one so its timer is slowed down to 50%). Be careful to not hang on to any climbing wall/ceiling since it cancels Power Shots.