THE SPECTRUM GAMES DATABASE

STARSTRIKE II

PUBLISHER
Realtime 1986

AUTHOR

CATEGORY
Arcade

DESCRIPTION
3D Starstrike 2 is a 3D Shoot'em-up.

CONTROLS
Keyboard, Kempston, Cursor
      Up             -  Q
      Down           -  A
      Left           -  O
      Right          -  P
      Fire           -  B, N, M, Space
      Accelerate     -  X
      Decelerate     -  Z
      HUD on         -  H
      Automatic HUDs  -  J
      Dock           -  D

INSTRUCTIONS
After the failure of the Outsiders' invasion plans (in
STARSTRIKE) the aliens retire to their homeworlds to rebuild
their strength. The Federation decides to launch a pre-emptive
strike and sends in a new model starfighter, the Starstrike II,
piloted by (guess who?) you...
 
Your task is definitely non-trivial - 22 planets to be
neutralised, divided into Agricultural, Industrial and Military
categories. Each planet has a control system in charge of the
work droids and factories of that world; destroy the control
system and the planet is put out of action.

Since the Outsiders' planets are spread across five solar
systems, your first task is to choose in which system you want
to begin your campaign. Your ship is not itself capable of
interstellar travel, having to rely on a support module which
carries fuel and makes the hyperspace jump for you, using up its
fuel supply as it does so. Your own onboard engines can handle
interplanetary travel, though. Later in the game, you'll need to
find fuel supplies so that you can get to the next star and
planets.

Your ship is equipped with shield, lasers and a computer to aid
you.  The console of your ship shows laser heat, fuel and shield
gauges (all of which it's worth watching). The lasers have a
nasty habit of cutting out when they overheat, which usually
tends to be in the midst of a fierce battle with the enemy
defences. Your shields can be drained by enemy shots and
collisions, but energy can be transferred from your fuel to your
shields. You only have one life which will be lost if fuel or
shields reach zero - so be careful!

There are a number of different types of defences. On military
and industrial worlds the huge Space Wheel, a giant pentagonal
structure protected by defence pods, has to be neutralised by
shooting off the five pods of the perimeter. If this is done a
door appears in the centre of the Wheel, giving access to a
hanger which can be entered (beware the Outsider ship inside!).
To escape from this hanger, you must shoot away the three
controllers that operate the exit door. You must be careful in
doing this, as the door remains in the position it reaches at the
instant when the third door controller is destroyed - you could
end up trapping yourself.

The Outsider planets are protected by Defence Fields which
consist of of a number of gridded force barriers in space. Small
openings in the force shields allow Outsider craft to cross, but
these are obscured by spinning energy squares and are defended
by missile batteries. As you reach the more important planets,
the barriers become increasingly stronger and more difficult to
penetrate. After traversing the barriers, the Starstrike II goes
into orbit, where an Outsider fleet lurks. A head-up display
tracks the enemy using two windows; the right-hand one displays
the relative vertical position of ann object or ship in the
vicinity, while the left hand one gives a plan view of the
surrounding area of space. When an enemy craft comes within
range, the scanners flip off and combat begins.

Some Outsider ships release a fuel pod when they are destroyed,
and the pods must be collected to gain enough fuel for you to
travel to the next planet and star. The pods are only around for
a short time, before Outsider fuel scoops recover them. Once the
fighters have been defeated the Ground Attack sequence begins,
where a cross imposed over the planet's surface targets the laser
system. The Ventilation Duct is the next stage; inside the duct
your lasers won't work and survival is dependent upon your being
able to dodge the trench constructions and other obstacles.

The last stage varies according to the type of planet, but is
generally similar; a reactor system, battle computer or
agricultural control centre has to be destroyed as you fly along
a computer-controlled course. A successful attack opens a door
at the far end of the course, which marks the completion of that
planet. Then it's on to the next world... 


SEQUELS/PREQUELS
This game is the prequel to 3D Starstrike.

SCORES RECEIVED:
Crash: "A brilliant game". RATING : 96% (CRASH #28, May 1986)

GENERAL FACTS
Its authors, Realtime, were to write the classic CARRIER COMMAND
only a couple of years later.