Tempest 2000 - Gameplay

Gameplay

Tempest 2000 modifies the gameplay of the original Tempest by adding bonus levels, collectible power-ups, more sophisticated enemy types, and wildly varying web (level) designs.

The game contains a total of 100 webs, with new frame colors and variations every 16 levels. In all versions, the player's progress is saved every couple of levels, and players are allowed to resume by using "keys" to return to the last stage the game saved at.

Power-ups appear as small floating polygons that appear after shooting a number of enemies. Catching the polygon will activate one of a number of progressively more useful capabilities:

• Particle Laser

  Particle Laser enhances the ship's firepower and allows it to destroy spikes much more quickly.

• Points

  Between certain power-ups, the player can gain bonuses of 2000 points.

• Jump

  Allows the player to jump off of the web, useful for avoiding enemies that travel along the edge, and for avoiding the attack of Pulsars.

• A.I. Droid

  An autonomous polygonal ship appears floating above the web, and shoots at enemies.

• Warp Token

  Collecting three tokens gives access to a bonus stage following the current web.

• Outta Here!

  Collecting this power-up will destroy all enemies on the web and warp the player to the next stage. However, spikes are not destroyed, and it is still possible to lose a life by hitting one as the player warps down the web.

If a power-up is caught while warping off of a completed web, the increasingly high-pitched sound of a woman saying "Yes! Yes! Yes!" is played, and the first power-up received in the next stage will be the A.I. Droid.

If the player successfully completes all 100 levels, a special "Beastly mode" is unlocked. This is a harder difficulty setting where the enemies move faster and fire more often.