Descpription:
Bosconian is a multi-directional shooter arcade game
that was made by Namco in 1981. It runs on Namco Galaga hardware but
with a video system like that used in Rally-X.
The object of Bosconian is to score as many points as possible by
destroying enemy bases and ships. The player controls a small fighter
ship that can move in eight directions and can fire both forward and backward.
Each level consists of a number of green space stations that must all be destroyed to
advance to the next level (a semi-transparent mini-map helps identify their location).
Each station consists of six cannons arranged in a hexagon, surrounding a
central core. The player must either destroy all six cannons or shoot the
core to destroy a station, and in later levels the core is capable of defending itself.
Additionally, the player must avoid or destroy asteroids, mines, and a variety of enemy
missiles and ships that attempt to collide with the player's ship. Enemies occasionally
launch formation attacks — destroying the leader causes all remaining enemies to disperse,
but destroying all enemies in a formation scores extra bonus points.
A spy ship (worth a random bonus value) also appears occasionally,
which must be destroyed or the enemies will go berserk.
Throughout the game, a digitized voice alerts the player to various events:
1)"Blast off!" (level start)
2)"Alert! Alert!" (enemies attacking)
3)"Battle stations" (enemy formation approching)
4)"Spy ship sighted" (spy ship appears)
5)"Condition red!" (enemy attacks become more aggressive; occurs when the player takes
too long to complete a level)
6)Like many games made during the Golden Age of Arcade Games, the game has
no definite end, continuing until the player has lost all of his/her lives.
Similar to Galaga, Bosconian "rolls over" from Level 255 to Level 0, causing the
game to behave abnormally during this level. If the player can successfully complete
Level 0, the game continues to Level 1 as though the player had started a new game.
Also, after the first ten levels, some of the previous levels will repeat
in placement of boss ships (the only differences are the direction of the
opening in the bosses, the number of asteroids astray in the levels,
and an increase in the number of enemy ships needed to be fought off).
