Zillion/Getting Started

The goal of Zillion is to infiltrate the Norsa base, steal some confidential information and destroy the compound by programming the enemy's main computer to self-destruct. In order to accomplish this mission, you'll need to find five floppy disks scattered throughout the labyrinthine underground base, make your way to the main computer, and hopefully rescue your imprisoned comrades on the way.

At the start screen, your only options are to press the SMS 1 or SMS 2 buttons, or watch recorded gameplay. You can press a button at any time during the recordings to return to the start menu. When you begin the game you are briefed by Director Gord on your mission, after which you will have the option to display all available commands or skip them. These commands can be entered into the computer consoles found in rooms in the base, as well as the destruct and abort destruct sequences used on the main computer.

After the briefing you are in control of JJ outside your Mother Ship. At any time in the game you can come back here and go up the steps to the Mother Ship to be healed and receive an ID card. Once inside, you are unable to leave until you head into Power Recovery Device, a green cylinder in front of the woman's desk. Once your power is replenished and you have a new ID card, you will once again be outside.

Controls
The controls are simple, but are dependent on your situation. In normal gameplay you can move around, jump, shoot, ride elevators or change stances. In computers, you can select buttons, input commands and exit. In the start menu you can look at your characters' stats and choose a different character if they're available.

Characters
You start playing as JJ, and along the way you can find two more characters, your team members Apple and Champ. Apple is faster and weaker than Champ, who is the slow but powerful character. JJ's abilities are between the two. You can check your character's status by entering the start menu with SMS Start. This status screen tracks your characters' level, max life, Zillion power, jumping power, whether you have acquired the scope and how many ID cards you have. As your characters level up, their stats increase. In addition to the traits in the status screen, your character will also get faster and take less damage as his or her level increases.

These are the two positions your character can take: standing and prone. You are able to shoot and move from both positions, but can only jump from the standing. The prone position moves much slower, but will protect you from the early Norsa drones, who can't kneel and shoot. Move between the two positions with the SMS Up (Dpad) and SMS Down (Dpad) buttons.

JJ

 * Height: 168 cm (5'6″)
 * Weight: 53 kg (117 lb)
 * Blood Type: O
 * Birthday: March 18, 2371

Apple

 * Height: 165 cm (5'5″)
 * Blood Type: A
 * Birthday: April 13, 2370

Champ

 * Height: 178 cm (5'10″)
 * Weight: 68 kg (132 lb)
 * Blood Type: B
 * Birthday: August 8, 2369

Non-playable
Emi: Support character stationed on Mother Ship. She runs the Power Recovery Device to heal you.
 * Height: 155 cm (5'1″)
 * Blood type: AB
 * Birthday: May 16, 2371

Opa-Opa: White Knights mascot/friend. Opa-Opa was also Sega's mascot and starred in the Fantasy Zone games.
 * Height: 38 cm (14.96 in)
 * Width: 40 cm (15.75 in)
 * Each Wing: 19 cm (7.48 in)
 * Length: 52 cm (20.47 in)
 * Weight: 16.8 kg (37.04 lb)

Director Gord: Commander of the White Knights. (Not pictured in game.)