Top    a_planetoid

title Planetoid (AKA Defender)
year 1982
author Neil Raine
publishers Acornsoft, Superior/Acornsoft
release type Commercial Release
primary genre Space Shooter (Scrolling)
taken from https://bbcmicro.co.uk/game.php?id=11

1Planetoid Written by Neil Raine
2Your laser - ship is patrolling the surface of the planetoid.
3The scanner in the top section of the screen shows the whole planet's surface, and can be used for long-range reconnaissance.
4The lower part of the screen displays the section over which the laser - ship is flying.
5The raiders can be seen hovering around the surface on the look - out for life - forms, which they can drag off into space.
6As a raider ascends with a life - form, you can destroy it with your lasers, or with the ‘smart bombs’ which disintegrate everything hostile within sight.
7Having annihilated the raider, you can intercept the plummetting life - form and set him safely back down on the surface.
8If you don't rescue a life - form before the raider carrying him reaches the top of the screen, the raider will mutate.
9You will then have to contend with a mutant, while also being attacked by bombers, spores and megacytes; all of which are to be avoided at all costs and killed before going on to the next wave.
10Cruisers are also dangerous, but don't have to be destroyed before you move on to the next wave.
11When megacytes are destroyed, they release a cloud of spores - use the smart bombs wisely, as you only have three to begin with.
12Look out when only one life - form remains, since if the raider abducting him reaches the top of the screen the planetoid explodes, and all the raiders become mutants.
13However, after every five attack waves, you get a new planetoid, and a new set of life - forms to defend.
14You start off with three ships, but for every 10,000 points you score, you gain a ship plus a smart bomb.
15Score 500 for each life - form caught in flight and 500 for each one safely returned to the planetoid surface.
16Three numbers are displayed at the top of the screen: the first shows your score and the second and third show the numbers of remaining laser ships and smart bombs respectively.
17Press the SPACE BAR to continue.