Crossbow (video Game) - Gameplay

Gameplay

Gameplay requires the player to protect a band of adventurers from afar by shooting objects that threaten them. The adventurers enter from the left-hand side of the screen and attempt to cross the screen unharmed. If the player helps them reach the opposite side of the screen safely, the adventurers survive to the next scenario, and new adventurers are occasionally granted between scenarios.

In addition to the obstacles, the adventurers are vulnerable to the player's shots. The first time the player shoots an adventurer, an on-screen message is shown: "DON'T SHOOT YOUR FRIENDS!" Thereafter, shooting an adventurer will cause him/her to emit a cry of pain, and to walk at a slower pace the rest of the way. A second shot will kill the adventurer.

Scenarios are chosen by shooting a destination on a map screen, which include: town, desert, volcano, cave, bridge, jungle, and castle. The goal is to reach the final scenario, past the castle, in which the player confronts the Master—who presumably created the dangers in the game. Defeating his manifestation (a huge face which shoots projectiles from the eyes) wins the game. The player is treated to a brief congratulation and a challenge to defeat the Master again. Following this screen the player starts over with however many adventurers survived the confrontation.

This game can be played with the MAME video game emulator, using a mouse instead of the crossbow-shaped light gun.

An iPhone version was released in 2010 by Mean Hamster Software.