Air Fortress
NES-AI-USAAir FortressHAL(tm) America Inc.---The story of Air FortressThe people of the Planet Farmel, located in the center of the Cromat Galaxy,are just now developing their own high technology. They have developed a newtype of spaceship called a Lightship, enabling them to travel to other galaxies. Now they have dispatched Space Frontier Exploration Fleets, to boldly go where no Famellian has gone before.But now their mission of peace has taken a grave turn. While scouting theYubbert Galaxy, the Famellian fleet has come across a group of eight huge space fortressesh, living entities that survive by destroying and feeding ondefenseless civilizations. The invading fortresses are now on a direct collision course with the orbit of Farmel. Receiving an urgent appeal from theFarmellian government, the Federation of Intergalactic Governments immediatelydispatched a defense armada, but it was no match for the tremendous firepowerof the newly discovered fortresses. In desperation, the government of Farmelhas sent our hero, Hal Bailman, on a last-ditch mission to defeat the AirFortresses and save the planet Farmel from certain destruction. The fate ofFarmel hangs in the balance.Air fortress dataThe fleet of Air Fortresses will launch a series of attacks on Hal Bailman'ssquadron. The first Air Fortress is comparatively simple in structure, but theones to follow will be increasingly more difficult. They will have more complex labyrinths and unexpected traps. Learn from your previous encounters,and you will acquire the techniques needed to survive the more difficult AirFortresses.Overview of an air fortressAn Air Fortress is composed of two parts. The battle for each Air Fortress will begin on the Air Base. If you successfully defeat your adversaries on the Air Base, you will be taken through the Air Lock into the main body of theAir Fortress. The final objective is to destroy the Central Reactor of eachAir Fortress.---Operating the controls on the air basePad: Used to operate the Light BlasterStart: PauseB, A: Beams can be fired indefinitelyPick up as many power-boosting items as you can on the air base!Power items can be found in many locations on the Air Base. The number of power items you pick up in this area will determine Hal's initial energysettings once he enters the Air Fortress.---Operating the controls inside the air fortressHal Bailman is moved with the control pad. Beam Bullets are fired with ButtonA. When Beam Bullets are fired, the energy available will decrease. Crash BeamBullets are fired with Button B. The number of Crash Beam Bullets available isdisplayed on the screen.Beware of the fluctuating force of gravity in the air fortress!Energy items (E) and Crash Beam items (B) collected on the Air Base willdetermine the initial power settings once you reach the Air Fortress. You should note that, since the Air Fortress is under the influence of agravitational field, energy will be lost by flying. Resting a moment will restore some of your energy, but you must learn to convserve your energy inthe Air Fortress. You should also keep in mind that the number of Crash BeamBullets you have available is limited. Learn to size up your opponents in order to use your resources as effectively as possible.---Power-up itemsPower-up items found on both the Air Base and in the Air FortressEnergy items:These will boost Hal's energy level when taken.Beam items:Crash Beam Bullets will become available when these are taken.Power-up items found only on the Air BaseFunction items:By taking one of these, it is possible to destroy a whole wave of attackers ina split second.Barrier items:Hal becomes indestructible for a period of time when one of these are taken.---Escape!The Air Fortress is a huge, formidable, living entity. But if Hal is successful in his mission and destroys the nucleus of the Air Fortress, it will start a chain reaction that will destroy it. If Hal is to survive thedestruction of the Air Fortress he must find the hidden escape hatch leadingfrom the Air Fortress, through the Riding Zone, and out onto the next AirBase.Game overThe game is over when three Light Blasters have been lost on the Air Base, orwhen Hal's energy level display has reached zero in the Air Fortress.When the game is over, if you want to restart the game immediately, pushingSTART three times will put you at the beginning of the Air Base of the levelyou were in when defeated. If you plan on shutting the game off and resuming it at a later time, be sure to make a note of the password shown on the GameOver screen.Using the password optionWhen you turn the game on, press Start, then Select, then Start once more. Youcan then enter the password with the Control Pad, press Start, and the game will start from the appropriate Air Base.