Space Hunter [Model KSC-HT]

Space Hunter © 1986 Kemco

Space Hunter is an action game set in the year 2199 AD, after a nuclear war has left humanity reliant on cyborgs and robots for survival. However, a group of cyborgs has now begun a rebellion against their human masters, and Earth is under heavy bombardment from space. To stop the threat, a 16-year-old female cyborg named Altiana is sent on a mission to explore six maze-like planets and defeat the ferocious guardians that inhabit them. Once all six guardians have been defeated, Altiana can access the final, seventh level, the enemy space fortress.

Players can access all six planets from the beginning of the game, and each one consists of a large grid of interconnected screens. Altiana must navigate these screens while avoiding obstacles and enemies, as well as exploring underground shrines. Most shrines reward the player with new weapons or special items, such as health cells that increase Altiana's maximum health, but one leads to the guardian's lair. Once the guardian is defeated, the planet's self-destruct mechanism is activated, and Altiana must escape before the planet is destroyed.

Altiana is equipped with a jetpack-like device that allows her to fly around each area, as well as 2-way bombs, her primary defense system. She can also collect additional weapons such as a laser beam, light-saber, and boomerang-laser, as well as shield crystals. These weapons drain Altiana's power energy, which she must recharge by collecting moon-shaped items left behind by defeated enemies. Star-shaped icons also refill her health.

Although players can visit the six planets in any order, certain special items are required to explore some of the later worlds. For example, Altiana must retrieve swimming gear before exploring the ocean planet. The player's progress can be saved at any time by writing down the password displayed in the status screen.