In the game Word Zapper, the player takes control of a spaceship-like craft known as the “Zapper”. The Zapper is capable of moving across the screen and firing in three directions – up, left, and right. The objective of the game is to shoot the letters that spell out the current word in the correct order while simultaneously avoiding or shooting asteroids that appear in the lower part of the screen.
There are four types of asteroids in the game, and each has a different effect if it comes into contact with the Zapper. The “Doomsday” asteroid is the most dangerous as it will end the game if it hits the Zapper. The “Scroller” asteroid mixes up the scrolling letters for five seconds, making it more difficult to complete the current word. The “Zonker” and “Bonker” asteroids knock the Zapper to the side, making it temporarily harder to control.
The game ends when the player is hit by a doomsday asteroid, when the 99-second timer runs out, or when the player successfully completes three words. Zapper is a challenging and addictive game that requires players to have quick reflexes and excellent hand-eye coordination.