Controls[edit]
- Exercycle Handlebars: To make your Raperopter turn left and right, turn the exercycle handlebars to the left or right, and to make it climb and dive, pull the handlebars back or push them forward; in MAME, the handlebars are replicated with the arrow keys, but as the controls for your Raperopter are inverted (in the sense that pushing the up arrow key makes it dive and pushing the down one makes it climb), you may wish to swap the default mapping of the up and down arrow keys (or as of version 0.148u1, released on 11th February 2013, change the "AD Stick Y Reverse" setting in the "Analog Controls" menu to "On"). On an actual cabinet, it is also advisable for you to hold onto the handlebars' grips for safety and optimum control.
- Exercycle Pedals: To increase your Raperopter's speed, pedal the exercycle; for MAME, the pedals are replicated by holding down the key.
- Start Button: Push this button to confirm your choices on the menus and display the overhead map of the current stage (which shows the locations of both your Raperopter and all remaining balloons on the stage) on the screen during gameplay; in MAME, this button is replicated by the key.
Raperopter[edit]
The unnamed rider of this winged bicycle is the protagonist of the game; you'll have to use the cabinet's exercycle to make him pilot it around a single stage of your choice (in Novice Mode), or all three stages in order (in Advanced Mode), and burst as many of the hot-air balloons ahead of it as he can before the timer runs out. There are two types of balloons (the non-flashing ones with just a number on them will add points to your score when burst, and the flashing ones with both a number and the word sec on them will add time to the timer) - and if you push the Start Button during gameplay (which the game encourages you to do when a picture of the button and the word MAP flash up on its screen) the overhead map of the current stage (which, as mentioned above, shows the locations of both the Raperopter and all remaining balloons) will be displayed. The compass at the top of the screen will point you towards the next group of balloons, and in Advanced Mode, a starter shall also be present at the start of each stage, holding a placard with the stage's conditions on it; if you meet the conditions for all three stages in this mode, you'll proceed to Solitar (an extra stage that can't be selected for Novice Mode, or continued from if you run out of time).