How to play Space Canyon online
- Move left and right: left and right arrow keys
- Fire upwards: Space bar (hold it for continuous fire)
- Fire to the left or right: up or down arrow
- Choose a game variation: F11 (the console’s Select switch)
- Start a new game: F12 (the console’s Reset switch)
- Speed of the enemy shots: F4 (Player 1 difficulty switch); position B slows them down, A speeds them up
Gameplay
Panda’s version tells a new story: your armoured tank is trapped in a canyon, with enemy ships attacking from above and tanks closing in from both ends. The rules follow Space Cavern. Dodge the shots raining down while you return fire, and keep an eye on both edges of the screen, because the side attackers have to be hit with your sideways shot before they reach you. Space Cavern’s manual scores large flying enemies at 115 points, smaller ones at 165 and the side attackers at 200, and gives a replacement for a lost life every 20,000 points, up to a maximum of four. The variations change the number of enemies above, whether their shots come straight down or at random, whether the side attackers appear at all, and the level of play. Two players take turns, swapping each time one loses a life.
Tips
- Move, stop, shoot. Slide under a target, let go of the direction key, fire, then slide away before the return shot lands.
- Check the sides after every shot. The side attackers are worth the most, and they are the easiest to forget while you aim upwards.
- Start without side attackers. Pick a variation without them to learn the dodging before you add the extra threat.
