some new things I've learned on playing Tempest.

vintagegamer

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This may be common knowledge to the experts, but until watching a YouTube vid recently, I did not realize that

1. you could kill bowtie things that were in the row right next to you by firing. I thought you could only kill them either when they are coming up the row at you, or otherwise using the super zapp thing. I've learned that if you are quick enough while they have surfaced and are in the row *next* to yours, you can get them there too.

2. I kept looking for a predefined row without a "spike" to use as my doorway to the next level. Little did I realize you can just shoot the spikes and make another *door*.

3. I can start at the level now which starts at *I think* 52000 and by using that I was able to beat my long-standing high score on the machine.

It's great to still be learning more about these classics!
 
Thought I was gonna learn something, here! Funny you just discovered these things now. :)

Another small tip: as the last enemies emerge, don't feel obligated to shoot them. As the last couple "flippers" reach the outer edge, they will not attack you, the level will be considered finished and you will being your warp.

As you progress into later stages, you will be able to warp ahead to the even-numbered levels you have completed if you start another game soon after your game is over. Trade in those blue levels for red! Maybe yellow!
 
Thought I was gonna learn something, here! Funny you just discovered these things now. :)

Another small tip: as the last enemies emerge, don't feel obligated to shoot them. As the last couple "flippers" reach the outer edge, they will not attack you, the level will be considered finished and you will being your warp.

As you progress into later stages, you will be able to warp ahead to the even-numbered levels you have completed if you start another game soon after your game is over. Trade in those blue levels for red! Maybe yellow!

Hey, don't mock the elderly LOL

Thank you for the additional tips about the flipper things!
 
Also, you only get 1 full super zap per level, but you also get one "hail mary" after using it once. It'll kill the enemy that's closest to you. Starting with level 11 (where the fuseballs start) I try and save this toward the end, when the fuseball comes up to the edge of the lane by you. Once you get to in the higher red (maybe not until yellow) levels, this doesn't really help though, as you get multiple fuseballs coming out.
 
How long have you had this game? Also, the wider the angle that the flipper has to flip, the easier it is to kill it. To see what I mean, start on level 9 and stay on the second to last column on the right. The flippers have to move 270º from the left side to get you as opposed to 90º if you were all the way to the right.

Also, continuing after level 9 is considered cheating by high score aficianados
 
Also, if you position yourself just right when those flipper things have made it to the edge, instead of flipping on top of you and killing your guy, they will run into the edge of your guy and be killed themselves. It's hard to do; to find that exact position on each level. You have to be quick. I'm not so sure every level allows those positions.
 
Here is a tip...

When starting on the default highest level (9 I think?), DO NOT score more then 5,999 points. If you keep your score under 6,000 points, you get an extra guy due to the bonus, which then puts you really close to your 2nd extra guy, and after shooting a few things on the next level, you get ANOTHER extra guy.

If you score over 6,000 points on the first level, the bonus will make you skip past the 2nd extra guy mark and you'll only get awarded ONE extra guy instead of TWO.
 
Also, if you position yourself just right when those flipper things have made it to the edge, instead of flipping on top of you and killing your guy, they will run into the edge of your guy and be killed themselves. It's hard to do; to find that exact position on each level. You have to be quick. I'm not so sure every level allows those positions.

What?

They're not going to be killed unless you shoot them. I've never seen a flipper die just from me sitting still or sliding under him.

Also, I know a guy, that until only recently, that did not know there were more than just the blue levels... :)

Kerry
 
Yeah, I didn't know there weren't any levels other than blue either. I tend to fix Tempest more than play it. That will soon change.
 
Oh one more tip. Resist the urge to hold down the fire button. Tap it sparingly. You'll not want to be defenseless when a flipper is inching its way around to you because you shot your load down the hole and are left with a limp crescent. (I think the maximum shots that can be on-screen at once is four)

This tip carries over to lots of games, especially Centipede where you can only have ONE shot on the screen at a time.
 
Actually, I think it's 8 shots. At least that's how it looks in MAME. If I blow all the shots out and pause it, I can see 8 bullets.
 
Most people don't know that you get 2 super zappers per level. The second one only kills the closest fireball thingy...
 
Hate to be captain obvious here, but most of these "secrets" and more are clearly written in English on the CPO.

I have owned Tempest for about a year and a half now, and I just read the hints on the CP for the first time after reading this. :)
 
Most people don't know that you get 2 super zappers per level. The second one only kills the closest fireball thingy...

Yeah, I already mentioned that :D It doesn't necessarily just kill the fuseball. For example, if there's only one of any enemy left on the screen and you use the super zapper a second time, it'll kill it.
 
Here is a tip...

When starting on the default highest level (9 I think?), DO NOT score more then 5,999 points. If you keep your score under 6,000 points, you get an extra guy due to the bonus, which then puts you really close to your 2nd extra guy, and after shooting a few things on the next level, you get ANOTHER extra guy.

If you score over 6,000 points on the first level, the bonus will make you skip past the 2nd extra guy mark and you'll only get awarded ONE extra guy instead of TWO.

Didn't know this, good tip.
 
What?

They're not going to be killed unless you shoot them. I've never seen a flipper die just from me sitting still or sliding under him.

Also, I know a guy, that until only recently, that did not know there were more than just the blue levels... :)

Kerry

Yes, you can kill them if your guy is positioned just right without firing. I would find it hard to believe I am the only one that has ever done this. I thought this was common knowledge. I've done this many many times.
 
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