Solar Jetman: Hunt for the Golden Warpship/Gameplay

Controls

 * : Turn the ship counter-clockwise
 * : Turn the ship clockwise
 * : Lower shields
 * : Raise shields
 * : Boosters
 * : Fire gun
 * : Pause
 * + : Stronger boost
 * + : Special weapon
 * + : Map

Ships

 * Solar Jetman pod.gif Pod: The small craft in which you will be flying around, unless it is destroyed and you are left in your spacesuit. Only the pods have shields and tractor beams. You can upgrade your pod twice during the game, at level 4, 8 and 12. The two options are the Nippon Sports Jetpod (costs 10000) and the Italian Racing Jetpod (25000). These have increased rate of fire and in the case of the Nippod Sports Jetpod can transport wormholes or other ships, and in the case of the Italian Racing Jetpod, the wormholes can be traveled between one another in order. There seems to be a random effect on your main weapon as well as the increased fire rate, which produces a "destroyed" sound effect occasionally. If you lose your pod, but manage to get back to the ship you get another one, so you only lose a life if your spacesuit is destroyed. However, any purchased special weapons equipped on the destroyed pod will be lost except for the engine upgrades.
 * Solar Jetman spacesuit.gif Spacesuit: If your pod is destroyed you are left in your spacesuit, which has zero defensive and very weak offensive capabilities. The only benefit of your suit is that moving is easier, and you can still use the stronger booster. If you are in your spacesuit, do not try and fight anything; just retreat. The spacesuit is able to use the small wormholes to get back to the ship.
 * Solar Jetman ship.gif Ship: Your mobile base which can travel between planets once you find enough fuel for it to be able to take off. Returning to your ship refuels/replaces your pod, gives your full special weapons, lets you select your equipment, and dropping equipment (such as shields) into it will equip your pods with it.

Equipment

 * Solar Jetman equip shields.gif Shields: The single most important item in the game. Always have these on unless you are carrying something. These keep bullets from destroying you in one hit and greatly reduce the amount of fuel you lose when hitting things. Your human form does not have shields. Found on Preludon and can be enhanced with Super Shields.


 * Solar Jetman equip tractor.gif Tractor beam: A short energy beam that can carry items as long as your shields are down. The tractor beam engages as soon as you are in range and don't have shields up. If you want to drop an item, just raise your shields. The beam automatically disengages when the cargo reaches your ship, either by being positioned directly over it or by being towed to a small wormhole. When you upgrade your pod you can carry different things. Equipped from the start of the game.


 * Solar Jetman equip gun.gif Main gun: A somewhat automatic gun that fires directly forward. Weak, but you have unlimited ammo. Upgraded pods have better firing capabilities. Always equipped, and can be enhanced with Bullet Packs.


 * Solar Jetman equip booster.gif Thrusters: Accelerates your pod forward. How much you accelerate depends on what direction you are going, gravity, and if you are carrying anything. Using the thrusters consumes fuel, so don't use it if you can just drift to where you want to go. Using the stronger boost accelerates you faster and may be necessary to build up enough momentum to overcome gravity, but burns fuel very rapidly. Always equipped, and can be upgraded with Boosters and enhanced with Double Strength Thrusters


 * Equipment: Equipment you can buy from the store in between worlds. These items have a limited use, but can be refilled when you go to the ship. If your pod is destroyed, you lose whatever specials you had on you.
 * Map/Radar: A large map of the planet you are currently on. The planet is automatically mapped, so you can see all areas, even if you haven't explored them yet. Later on you can get radar which will show you where all of the items and wormholes are located. The map is found on Mexomorf and the Radar upgrade can be purchased in Store #3.

Planets

 * Solar Jetman small wormhole.gif Small wormhole: A small, glowing circle that is connected to your ship. You can either drop items into it to deliver them to the ship or fly into it with your spacesuit to return to the ship quickly. Once you upgrade your pod you will be able to carry it with your tractor beam. A second upgraded pod will allow you to travel from one small wormhole to another by flying through them.


 * Solar Jetman large wormhole.gif Large wormhole: A large black hole-like vortex that leads to the special area containing the piece of the Golden Warpship. You will not be able to enter until you have enough fuel cells.


 * Gravity: Gravity can be an ally in the right situation, but 99% of the time it will cause more of a problem than all of the enemies on the planet. Gravity can vary from almost non-existent, too so strong it feels like you are dragging a piece of the Warpship, even when you are not. To make things even more interesting some planets have reversed gravity, and certain enemies can create small gravity fields.
 * Solar Jetman cyberzone.gif Cyberzones: Certain Planets have special blue wormholes that take you to a secret zone where you can collect up to ten $100 crystals with a $1000 bonus for getting them all. The wormholes are usually along an edge of the planet and start to disappear as soon as they are in sight. After collecting a Piece of the Golden Warpship you go to a special Cyberzone where you have ten seconds to collect 10 crystals.


 * Warpzones: Invisible wormholes that take you to a special Cyberzone with a number of wormholes. Each wormhole will advance you to a certain stage, and one warpzone will take you to a secret stage that is otherwise inaccessible.