Fernhawk GamesIn Space Rocks you fly a little rocket through a field of drifting rocks. Shoot them, and they break into smaller ones. Clear every rock, big and small, to finish a wave. Fly off one edge of the screen and you come back on the other side, and so do the rocks.
How to play
You turn the rocket, push it forward, and fire.
- On a phone or tablet: hold the Left and Right buttons to turn. Hold Thrust to fly the way the nose points. Press Fire to shoot. An Auto-fire switch lets the rocket shoot by itself while you concentrate on turning.
- On a computer: use the left and right arrow keys to turn, the up arrow to thrust, and Space to fire.
The rocket keeps drifting after you let go of Thrust, and it slows down by itself. You do not need to thrust much: turn, shoot, and let it coast.
A big rock splits into two medium rocks, and a medium rock splits into two small ones. Small rocks are worth the most points, at 100 each, then medium at 50, then big at 20. A wave you clear gives a bonus of 100.
If a rock hits the rocket, you lose a life. When all your lives are gone, the game is over. On the harder levels, a flying saucer crosses the field now and then and fires paint at you. Shooting the saucer scores 150 points, or 250 for the smaller one that appears on Expert.
The levels
- Easy: 3 waves of slow rocks, 5 lives, and the rocket slows down quickly by itself.
- Medium: 5 waves with more and quicker rocks. 3 lives.
- Hard: 6 waves with quicker rocks, and a saucer that crosses the field and shoots paint. 3 lives.
- Expert: 8 waves of fast rocks, the rocket drifts for a long time, and a smaller, sharper-eyed saucer comes often. 3 lives.
The number of shots you can have on screen at once also drops from level to level, from 6 on Easy to 3 on Expert, so each shot counts for more.
Today's game
There is a Medium game each day, where the rocks start in the same places for everyone. If you leave, the game is saved on your device.
Tips
- Turn and shoot more than you thrust. Staying near the middle of the field gives you time to see where the rocks are heading.
- Break the big rocks first. One shot makes two medium rocks, so the field gets busier before it gets quiet. Do this when you have room to move.
- Small rocks are quick, and they are the ones worth the most. Take your time to aim at them, rather than firing wildly.
- Remember the screen wraps. A rock that leaves on the right comes back on the left, so keep an eye on both sides.
- If a rock is heading straight at you, a small sideways nudge of thrust is usually better than a big dash.
- When the saucer shows up, deal with it quickly. Its paint is as dangerous as a rock, and a hit on the saucer is worth a lot.
- Do not waste all your shots at once on the harder levels. Only a few can be in the air at a time, so aim before you fire.
Questions
Do I need to keep thrusting? No. The rocket drifts on its own, and slows down. Short pushes are enough.
Why are small rocks worth more? They are harder to hit. Big rocks give 20 points, medium 50 and small 100.
What does Auto-fire do? It makes the rocket shoot by itself, so you can focus on turning and flying.
Where does the saucer appear? Only on Hard and Expert. It crosses the field and shoots paint.