Controls
| Control | Robot mode | Truck mode |
|---|---|---|
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Run to the left or right | Drive left or right |
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Transform into truck mode | Not used |
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Not used | Transform into robot mode |
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Jump into the air | Fire ground-to-ground missile |
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Fire beam attack forward | Fire beam attack upward |
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Start a new game, or pause mid-game | |
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Not used | |
Ultra Magnus
A commander could want no finer a soldier than Ultra Magnus. Despite his incredible fighting skills, courage and unmatched talent for improvisation on the battlefield, Ultra Magnus is most comfortable when carrying out orders, and is naturally uncomfortable if the mantle of leadership should ever find itself placed upon him.
In Ultra Magnus's mind, he is a follower, not a commander, and his reluctance to change that will see to it that he expends all options before accepting the idea that he is required to lead. And when that time comes about, there is no question that he has all the exceptional qualities of a leader. Although not interested in overall command, Ultra Magnus is the City Commander for Autobot City on Earth, which indicates that he at least is willing to accept a leadership role in a smaller capacity rather than as supreme commander, a role filled by both Optimus Prime and later Rodimus Prime.
Ultra Magnus is armed with missile launchers capable of hitting a target 30 miles away (evidently not true in the game), and transforms into a car carrier able to transport his fellow Autobot troops. The car carrier composes the battle armor that he wears on a near constant basis. Beneath the armor, he is identical to Optimus Prime in appearance, but with a mostly white colouration.
Energon Cubes
Energon Cubes have two sources. Regular Energon Cubes with no labels are hidden throughout each of the stages. They are only revealed if Ultra Magnus fires his beam rifle in the right locations. Energon Cubes that serve as power-ups can only be obtained from the Seeker jets (either Thundercracker or Skywarp) that fly straight across the screen as opposed to diving. All Energon Cubes, the normal or power-up variety, are worth 1000 points, with the single exception of the D Energon Cube (De-energize) which has no point value.
| Icon | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| P | Power Rifle | If you collect this Energon Cube, Ultra Magnus' beam rifle will shoot in two directions. A second diagonal shot is added to both modes, while the original direction remains. Note that since you can only fire four bullets at a time, this effectively cuts the number of shots that you can fire in any one direction in half. |
| B | Barrier | Once you collect his Energon Cube, Ultra Magnus will gain an invisible barrier that is capable of absorbing three attacks before wearing off. While the Barrier is active the background music will change. When the Barrier wears off, the music will return to the original theme. |
| F | Flight | Collect the Flight Energon Cube to gain the ability to fly. To fly, you must press and hold the button. When you do, Ultra Magnus will jump into the air and remain there. You can then float throughout the remainder of the stage. Like all power-ups, this wears off when you reach the boss. Flight will not appear until the fourth stage.
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| D | De-energize | If you collect the De-energize Energon Cube, you will lose all of the effects from the P, B, and F power-ups. You should avoid collecting this at all costs. |
| 1 | 1-Up | Collect this Energon Cube, you will gain one extra life. |