Astro Blaster

Astro Blaster is a challenging multi-wave shooter in which you control a ship at the bottom of the screen. Battle through waves of aliens, navigate an asteroid belt, face a meteor or fireball wave, and dock with a mother ship to refuel.

Gameplay

• Monitor the laser temperature: firing too quickly causes overheating and temporarily prevents the ship from firing.
• Manage fuel throughout the game; running out ends the game even if ships remain.
• Use the warp button to slow enemies and their fire for a limited time.
• Speech acts as an on-board computer and contributes to the gameplay.
• Secret bonuses can be earned through actions such as destroying enemies in a specific order or clearing them without missing.

Two-Player Mode and Versions

Players alternate between rounds rather than between individual ships. A round consists of four or more waves, a meteor or fireball wave, and a docking sequence, so the second player may continue alone if the first player fails to survive the opening round.

The original ROM version had longer waves, an attract screen without instructions, and an option to buy additional ships, but not extra fuel. A later version added attract-mode instructions and shortened the waves. A ROM hack is also available that slows fuel consumption and laser overheating.