Space Invaders: Virtual Collection

******************************************************************************* Space Invaders: Virtual Collection for Virtual Boy FAQ by BHodges Version 1.2 Created 10/02/04 Updated 12/07/08 This document Copyright 2004 - 2008 by Brian Hodges. This FAQ is not to be posted without explicit permission by me. All trademarks and copyrights contained in this document are owned by their respective trademark and copyright holders. ******************************************************************************* Table of Contents I. Introduction II. Adjusting the Virtual Boy III. Automatic Pause IV. Background Story V. Game Modes A. Virtual 3D 1. Space Invaders 2. Space Invaders Part II B. Original 2D 1. Space Invaders 2. Space Invaders Part II C. Challenge 1. Time Attack 2. Score Attack VI. Playing the Game A. Basic Gameplay and Controls B. General Strategies C. Scoring VII. My Best Scores VIII. Game Review IX. Special Thanks X. Version History XI. Contact Information ******************************************************************************* I. Introduction This is a FAQ for the Virtual Boy game Space Invaders: Virtual Collection. It contains a list of controls, strategies for playing the game, and a mini- review. ******************************************************************************* II. Adjusting the Virtual Boy If you have never used a Virtual Boy before, here is how to adjust the screen. On the screen that says 'Virtual Boy' and has squares in the corners, turn the dial on top until you can see all four squares. Then use the sliding bar until the screen is in focus. ******************************************************************************* III. Automatic Pause If you leave this on, the game will pause every 30 minutes or so reminding you to take a break and rest your eyes for a bit. ******************************************************************************* IV. Background Story The instruction booklet is in Japanese, so I don't know what the background story is. From the title I am guessing that you are trying to repel an attack by invaders from space. ******************************************************************************* V. Game Modes Press Start at the title screen to go to the selection screen. If you stay on the title screen long enough, you will be treated to 3D animations of the invaders. There are three different modes of play, each with two games to choose from. Press left and right on the selection screen to scroll between the three modes and press A to select it. Then press up and down to highlight the game you want and press A to start. If you want to go back to the selection screen, press B. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A. Virtual 3D ............................................................................... 1. Space Invaders In this mode, the view has been tilted about 45 degrees so it looks like the invaders are coming right at you. A cool 3D background has also been added. Note that there is a heading for a 2nd player's score, could two player link cable support been planned for this game? It could just be me, but it seems like it is a lot easier to line up your shots in this mode than it is in 2D. ............................................................................... 2. Space Invaders Part II Just like above. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- B. Original 2D ............................................................................... 1. Space Invaders This is just like the original arcade game, except instead of white and black, it is red and black. There is also a place for a 2nd player's score. ............................................................................... 2. Space Invaders Part II A more or less straight port of the arcade sequel. The first thing you will notice is now the barriers have the level number on them. The saucers now will carry in more invaders, so you have motivation to go after them. There is also now a blinking saucer that can only be destroyed between blinks. Finally, there is new type of invader that will split in two when hit. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- C. Challenge The Challenge games are actually just single stage version of 3D Space Invaders and Space Invaders Part II. Both games keep track of your score and time. ............................................................................... 1. Time Attack The goal here is to clear the screen of enemies as quickly as possible. You only get a single life to do this. There is only one stage, after completing it, you are shown a brief animation then go to the high score screen. Afterwards you are taken back to the title screen. ............................................................................... 2. Score Attack The goal here is to get a high score. You are given three lives. If you score more than 1,500 points, you will earn an extra life. Like Score Attack, there is only one stage. ******************************************************************************* VI. Playing the Game ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A. Basic Gameplay and Controls The object of the game is to destroy all of the invaders. You can only have one shot on the screen at a time. There are four barriers you can hide behind. These barriers can be slowly destroyed by your or the enemies shots. The game is over when you lose all of your lives or the invaders reach the bottom of the screen. You move by pressing left or right on either control pad. You shoot with A, B, R, and L. Pressing Select, Start, A, B, R, and L simultaneously will take you back to the title screen. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- B. General Strategies - Make your shots count! Your rate of fire is very slow, make sure you will hit your target. - You can block an enemy's shot with one of your own. - The invaders speed up as their numbers diminish, so be sure to take out the ones in the front rows first. - You get an extra life when your score reaches 1500 points. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- C. Scoring The invaders in the first two rows are worth 10 points each. The invaders in the next two rows are worth 20 points and the invaders in the last row are worth 30 points. The saucer's point value is supposedly based on the number of shots fired. On virtual-boy.org it says that if you hit it with your 23rd shot, then your 15th shot after that you get 300 points. According to War Doc's FAQs, this is known as the Furrer trick, named after the guy who discovered it. In Part II, the blinking saucer is worth 500 points. ******************************************************************************* VII. My Best Scores Virtual 3D Space Invaders 2,890 Space Invaders Part II 2,450 Original 2D Space Invaders 1,470 Space Invaders Part II 2,220 Challenge Time Attack 1,140 1'34"17 Score Attack 1,980 1'49"30 ******************************************************************************* VIII. Game Review Even though my favorite top-down shooter of all time is Galaga, I still enjoy Space Invaders and have been playing it since the days of the Atari 2600. This game not only includes faithful ports of the arcade versions of Space Invaders 1 & 2, it also includes a 3D mode where the invaders come right at you! The biggest drawback with SI:VC, as with most of the Japanese VB games, is that it is hard to find these days and will cost you an arm and a leg. If you ever come across a cheap copy, I would definitely recommend you pick it up. Pros - Space Invaders is fun no matter what platform you play on. - Includes the arcade original and its sequel. - The backgrounds in the 3D mode look fantastic. - Very challenging. Cons - Very challenging. - Very little music and the sound effects are straight from the 70s arcade machine. - The invaders themselves could have used more of a graphical update in 3D mode. - The game doesn't save your high scores. - This game is EXTREMELY rare and expensive. ******************************************************************************* IX. Special Thanks Special Thanks go to Ferry for his awesome site at www.virtual-boy.org which was the source of some of the scoring information involving the saucers. Special Thanks go to War Doc for his FAQs on the arcade originals. ******************************************************************************* X. Version History 1.0 10/02/04 Created FAQ. Hopefully there will be better strategies and more information on scoring in the next update. Also will try to find out more specific information about the individual modes. 1.1 09/18/08 Updated High Scores section. 1.2 12/07/08 Fixed typos in General Strategies and Game Review sections. Updated My Best Scores section. Updated Time Attack and Score sections. ******************************************************************************* XI. Contact Information You can contact me at Bhodges080@aol.com I would appreciate hearing what you thought of this guide and any thoughts you have for improving it. Be sure to let me know if I have missed anything. ******************************************************************************* End