Shoot 1UP (7 day sketch)

Shoot 1UP is my entry into the Experimental Gameplay Project contest for October entitled "Numbers".
(Note: this is version is free, but unpolished--read about the nice, fancy version of the game here.)

In Shoot 1UP, you control a fighter attacking enemy aircraft infected with creepy, machine-controlling alien parasites. Your ship harnesses the alien power and is using it against them!

The twist on the vertical shooting action is that instead of gaining extra lives and taking them in turn, any time you gain an extra life that ship comes into play right then!

Inspired by the Numbers theme, when you kill an enemy ship, a new 1UP powerup is released based on the total number of player ships currently available.
For example, as you start the game you have one ship. Shoot the first alien, and you get a 1UP! Now you have 2 ships, and to get another 1UP, you have to kill 2 enemies ships... with 17 player ships, you have to destroy 17 alien fighters to increase to 18 ships!


Controls are simple with a Xbox 360 controller or the keyboard.

• Shoot: A button / Space bar
• Move: Left stick/ Arrow keys
• Menus: Start and Back / Enter and Escape
• Contract phalanx: X button / M key
  
• Expand phalanx: B button / N key
  

Try to beat your high score with higher points, but the real challenge is getting more simultaneous ships!

Here's the free PC download for Shoot 1UP.
(Sorry folks, my ftp ate my file and it's not longer available--long story. If you have a back-up copy of this email me so I can get it back online--thanks!)
(And here's the winrar download if you need it.)
Install walkthrough:

• Open the folder and click Startup.exe
• This is an XNA game, as such it will need to download a Redistributable from the web.
• If needed, it will download the Microsoft XNA Framework 3.0 Redistributable (takes a few minutes).
  
• Then it asks you if you'd like to Install the Application or not. If you click yes, the game will start running.
• If you have any tech problems, I'll try to sort them out. You can write in the comments or email me.
  

Shoot 1UP gameplay tips

• The longer you play the faster the fighters attack.
  
• Always collect powerups if you can squeeze through the bullets.
• If a fighter dies, it explodes in a cyan fireball for a few seconds. This explosion destroys enemy fighters and their bullets--hide inside for temporary protection!
  

This version of Shoot 1UP was made in 7 days, as per the Experimental Gameplay Project contest rules.
A more polished, prettier version will soon be making its way to the Xbox 360 Indie Games section. Read about the ALL NEW pretty version to be released in January 2010!
Please enjoy!