XZAP (Amiga)

Original Game by Mark Wirt,
released by Commodore Business Machines (UK) Ltd. in 1984
for Commodore 16 and Plus/4.

Amiga version by ElectricBlackSheep (2025.06.15.)
Amiga music is thanks to No9.

This project aims to recreate the XZAP shoot-em-up game, by Mark Wirt on Amiga computer. It was the first game we (EBS) ever played on a computer. The game was originaly released with the Commodore 16, Plus/4 in 1984 and has never been faithfully ported for any other platform. The graphics and the audio have been improved a bit, but only enough so that it doesn't affect the original gameplay. In the absence of the original source code, the interpretation of the gameplay is based solely on observation. So... despite our intentions, we cannot speak of 100% conversion, in this case either "our best guess". If anyone has more information about the game mechanics, please let us know.

OBJECTIVE

You are a lone XZAPPER, last survivor of an advanced civilization. Many centuries ago, your planet was besieged by alien hordes. Now only You remain. The aliens have the advantage of numbers but you are on home territory.

Your objective is to destroy all the aliens on each level, and so progress through 140 different levels.

Your score is displayed in the top left-hand corner of the screen. Next to your score is the Point Per Hit Super Bonus, this is start of at one  hundred times the current level (so for level 11 it start off at 1100) and decreases like a count-down timer. So, the quicker that you XZAP the aliens, the more points you get! Displayed next to the Super Bonus are the number of lives that you have left. You start off with three lives and gain an extra life with every fifth level, up to a maximum of three. You lose a life if you collide with an alien , or are hit by a rebounding bullet. The high score is displayed at the top right of the screen. 

HOW TO PLAY THE GAME

Every alien has a voulnerable state in which they can be destroyed. Sometimes they can turn invisible, sometimes the bullet will bounce off them. You have to find their weak point!

 PLAYER

 HEARTS
   Can be destroyed at any time.

 SPINNING CROSSES
   Can only be destroyed when they're black, otherwise your shots pass through them.

 CHASERS
   Cannot be detroyed.

 FAKE CHASERS
   Just for confusion, they can be destroyed at any time. 

 MUTATIONS
    Can only be destroyed when the're black. Your shots pass through when the're fade out and bounce off when it is red.

 BARRELS
   Can be destroyed at any time. Can turn invisible.

 INVISIBLE HEADS
   Can only be destroyed when they're black and bounce off when it is red or invisible.

 ROLLING HEADS
   Can only be destroyed when they're black and bounce off when it is red.

 SKULL MONSTERS
   Can only be destroyed when they're invisible, otherwise your shots pass through them.

FACES
   Can only be destroyed when they're invisible, otherwise your shots bounce off them.

 NUCLEI
   Can only be destroyed when they're visible, otherwise your shots bounce off them.

 STICK INSECTS
   Can only be destroyed when they're visible and shot  perpendicular.

  MINES
   Mines count down from 9 to 0 and then produce a force-field. If your ship caught in this force-field, then you lose a life. A force-field can only be produced from the solid sides of a mine. Mines can only be destroyed once all the alienshave been eliminated. Green mines must be destroyed first. You must hit a green mine on one of its solid side in order to destroy it. As each green mine is destroyed, another turns green. Your shots bounce off red mines. Your ship can touch the red mines, but not the green mines. They are unpredictable mines and fake red mines that can be destroyed at any time.

HAPPY XZAPPING!