****************
* Introduction *
****************
Math Blaster was originally an educational game created for the PC that required
basic mathmatical skills to play successfully. There are now numerous versions
of the game available for both the PC and Macintosh computers. There were,
however, two little known ports of the game to both the Sega Genesis and the
Super Nintendo. These ports are pretty much identical (although the graphics on
the Genesis version seem to be slightly sharper). This guide explains the
aspects of gameplay and gives point values for all actions to aid the player in
getting a high score.
***********
* Options *
***********
Blasternauts: 3-5
The number of lives you begin with. Can be set from three to five.
Math Difficulty: 1-12
This option determines the type of problems you will be presented with.
One through three will give you addition problems, the lower the setting
meaning the easier the problems. Four through six gives you subtraction,
seven through nine presents multipication, and ten through twelve give
you division problems.
Game Difficulty: Normal or Practice
This option determines whether or not you will be attacked by the Trash
Aliens while you solve the problems. Practice turns them off, but if
you set it to Normal they will appear and attempt to attack you.
Sound Effects: On or Off
Turns the sound effects on or off.
Music: On or Off
Turns the music on or off.
Select Controls:
Three (Genesis) or eight (Nintendo) configurations are available. In
the Genesis version Thrust and Shield are placed on two seperate buttons
while on the Super Nintendo they are the same button.
About
Shows you the credits for the game.
Start Game!
This option is (hopefully) self-explanatory. In any given run-through,
you will play three stages of Trash Zapper (plus three Bonus Rounds),
followed by the Platform Chase, and ending with three stages (plus two
Bonus Rounds) of the Final Battle.
****************
* Trash Zapper *
****************
In the first mini-game, your goal is to shoot the trash floating about that
displays the correct number that answers the mathmatical problem you are facing.
___________
/ \ 1: Main Screen
| (1) | This is where you move your cursor around and attempt
| | to shoot at the space grabage and alien attack ships.
|_____________|
|(2)| (3) |(4)| 2: F-Gauge
|___|-----|___| Each time you answer a problem successfully, this gauge
|(5)__(6)__(7)| will fill a little. Fill it up to complete the stage.
3: Problem Viewer
This displays your current problem.
4: S-Gauge
This gauge displays your current shielding level. When it runs out, you
can no longer block enemy fire.
5: Score
Displays your current score.
6: Blasternauts
Displays the number of lives (Blasternauts) you have remaining.
7: Energy
Displays your energy on a scale of eight. Each time you get hit by enemy
fire or shoot the wrong answer to a problem it decreases by one.
Move your cursor on the Main Screen to the trash that displays the correct
answer to the problem in the Problem Viewer and hit fire to destroy it. The
problems in the viewer come in two varieties: (A) a basic equation such as
2 + 3 = ?, or (B) a fill-in-the-blank equation such as 2 + ? = 5. Shooting the
correct answer gives you points and fills your F-Gauge. Only correct answers
give you points, so don't try shooting the trash with wrong answers in an
attempt to gain more points.
There are also molecules floating around that can be shot. These refill some of
your S-Gauage, but they do not give you any points. Only go after them if you
need the energy for your S-Gauge.
On Normal mode Trash Alien vessels will attack you. They generally appear every
five to ten seconds and hover in one spot. After another second or two they
will fire at you. They fire small pellets that travel down the Main Screen. To
deflect these shots, hit the shield button right as they reach the bottom of the
screen. The ships themselves can be shot and destroyed for points. Shooting the
correct answer on a piece of trash will freeze every alien ship on the screen,
but they will not freeze you. Take advantage of this and move your cursor onto
their ships while the next problem loads and fire as soon as you can for an easy
kill.
After filling the F-Gauge you will move on to a Bonus Stage. In this stage there
are no aliens and no trash, only asteroids. Shoot as many asteroids as you can
before time runs out. Each is worth an extra one hundred points, so get as many
as you can.
Here is a breakdown of the points you get for shooting different things. Be sure
to remember, however, that shooting the incorrect answer on a piece of trash
does not give you any points:
Asteroid (100 Points)
Space Trash (200 Points)
Apple Core
Boot
Cardboard Box
Chicken Wing
Coke Can
Comb
Donut
Fish Bones
Juice
Milk Carton
Paper Airplane
Paper Cup
Pizza
Tin Can
Wine Bottle
Molecule (0 Points)
Trash Alien Ship (150 Points)
******************
* Platform Chase *
******************
The second mini-game has you attempting to fly upwards to the exit.
_____________
| (1)| 1: Blasternauts
| | Displays the number of lives (Blasternauts) you have
| (2) | remaining.
| |
| | 2: Main Screen
|_____________| Displays your character, ledges with numbers or
|(3)_______(4)| problems, items, and enemies.
3: Score
Displays your current score.
4: Energy
Displays your energy on a scale of eight. Each time you get hit by enemy
fire or try to fly through an area with the wrong answer, it decreases
by one.
Scattered about are ledges with either numbers or problems that are split by
openings. On your character is a number, while drops of water with positive and
negative numbers drip downwards. You need to hit these drops of water and get to
a number between the numbers and/or problems on the ledges on either side of the
opening.
For example, if the ledge on the right says [11] and the ledge on the left says
[2 + 3] then you need to have a number displayed on your character between six
and ten (equaling a number on the ledge will result in getting shocked). Touch
the drops of water to either increase or decrease your current number.
As you progress higher and higher, the stage number will increase every so
often. The higher the stage, the more enemies and hazards appear. They include
drops of fire that will fall intermittenly from the places where the water
falls and a number of enemies. The enemies all behave in roughly the same way,
although some crawl and some fly. They will move back and forth above or below
you, but if they are on the same level as you then they will move towards you.
A single shot will kill any enemy and gain you fifty points.
At the top you will find the lead Trash Alien who is holding your buddy hostage.
Fly up to him to move on to the next mini-game.
Here is a breakdown of the points you gain by collecting the various items or
killing the enemies. You only get the points from an enemy if you shoot it,
while you get the points for jewels and water by touching them:
Enemy (50 Points)
Bat
Bee
Caterpillar
Red Alien
Trash Alien
Jewel
Blue (50 Points)
Green (200 Points)
Pink (100 Points)
Red (100 Points)
Water Drop (10 Points)
****************
* Final Battle *
****************
For the third and final mini-game you need to fly through the vents with the
correct answer on them to damage the alien ship.
_____________
| _____ (1)| 1: Blasternauts
| __/ (2) \__ | Displays the number of lives (Blasternauts) you have
||(3)_(3)_(3)|| remaining.
| |
| (4) | 2: Problem Viewer
|_____________| This displays your current problem.
|(5)_______(6)|
3: Solution Vents
Each of the four vents has a number on it. You can fly upwards into any
vent, but you want to try and go through the vent with the answer to
the problem on it.
4: Space Trash
Space trash floats across the screen at three different levels here.
5: Score
Displays your current score.
6: Energy
Displays your energy on a scale of eight. Each time you get hit by enemy
fire or try to fly through an area with the wrong answer, it decreases
by one.
As you attempt to fly through the correct vent, space trash will float from
either side across the screen and the ship itself will drop balls of fire down
upon you. You can shoot the trash to get rid of it, but that requires flying
upwards and firing mid-air. It's worth fifty points, so it might be worth it.
The problems in the viewer come in two varieties: (A) a basic equation such as
2 + 3 = ?, or (B) a fill-in-the-blank equation such as 2 + ? = 5. Shooting the
correct answer gives you points and fills your F-Gauge. Only correct answers
give you points, so don't try shooting the trash with wrong answers in an
attempt to gain more points.
Each time you go through the correct vent, you will reappear from off the left
side of the screen. This means you don't have to worry about falling out of the
vent and back on to space trash if you go into the correct vent. Entering the
correct vent gives you two hundred points.
After you have done this enough times, the stage will be complete and you'll
enter a Bonus Stage. Here you fly around under the ship and collect the jewels
as they appear. While you do this space trash continues to float by, so shoot
it for extra points as well.
Like the first mini-game this area is composed of three stages (but only two
bonus stages). After you've beaten all of them the game ends. Sadly there is no
high score screen, so your last chance to view your score is with the completion
of stage three.
Here is a point breakdown for this mini-game. Remember, you only get points for
entering the correct vent. Also, the Jewels only appear during the Bonus Round:
Jewel
Blue (300 Points)
Green (200 Points)
Pink (100 Points)
Red (400 Points)
Space Trash (50 Points)
Apple Core
Boot
Cardboard Box
Chicken Wing
Coke Can
Comb
Donut
Fish Bones
Juice
Milk Carton
Paper Airplane
Paper Cup
Pizza
Tin Can
Wine Bottle
Vent (200 Points)
**************
* Copyrights *
**************
Math Blaster is (c) Davidson & Associates
