Cosmic Collector
Abduct. Evade. Upgrade. Conquer the Skies!

Pilot your UFO on a thrilling intergalactic mission to collect exotic specimens for the Galactic Zoo! Descend to Earth, activate your tractor beam, and gather creatures while evading an increasingly hostile military. Upgrade your ship, unlock powerful abilities, and explore bizarre special stages in this retro-inspired arcade adventure!

New Player Quick Start

1. From the title screen, press Enter to begin.
2. Use Arrow Keys to move. Hold Space to tractor-beam targets up into your UFO.
3. Start with lighter targets (Chickens, Penguins, Humans). Heavy targets lift much faster after a few Beam Power upgrades.
4. Watch the HUD:
   • HULL doesn't regenerate during a mission.
   • SHIELD regenerates slowly over time.
   • VIS affects how accurately enemies can target you.
   • THREAT rises the longer you stay in the atmosphere.
5. Need upgrades? Fly off the top of the screen to enter the Shop.
6. First purchases recommended: Hull Repair (if damaged), then Beam Power and Engine Speed.

Gameplay Overview

In Cosmic Collector, you're a Class-4 UFO pilot tasked with a crucial mission: fill the Galactic Zoo with unique biological specimens. Each mission takes you to a different Earth location or a special stage, where you'll find various creatures to abduct. But beware – the longer you stay, the higher the threat, and the more aggressive the Earth's military becomes!

Key Features

• Dynamic Missions: Explore a variety of Earth locations like Farms, Woods, Cities, the North Pole, and more.
• Special Stages: Unlock unique stages by collecting specific cargo thresholds. Once triggered, they can keep appearing until you Drop Off Cargo at the Galactic Zoo or restart your run.
  • Chicken World: 50+ Chickens
  • Penguin World: 150+ Penguins
  • Woodland Stage: 50+ Deer & 10+ Bears
  • Alien Stage: 100+ Aliens
• Abduct Diverse Specimens: From tiny Chickens (Weight: 0.5) to massive Cows (Weight: 6.0) and rare Aliens (Weight: 10.0), each creature has a unique weight affecting how easily your beam can lift them. (Deer: 4.0, Bear: 8.0)
• Evade the Military: Face off against a growing threat of Infantry, fast-firing Jeeps, heavily armored Tanks, and high-speed Jets. Some military units can even be abducted for extra points!
• Strategic Upgrades (Shop): After each mission, escape to the Shop to spend your hard-earned funds on upgrades:
  • Hull Repair: Repairs mission damage.
  • Beam Power/Width: Lift heavier targets faster and grab multiple specimens at once.
  • Engine Speed: Boost maneuverability.
  • Max Shield/Stealth Tech: Improve defense and reduce visibility.
  • Lure Beacon: Spawns more targets each mission.
  • Unlock Abilities: EMP, Boost, and Decoy.
• Dynamic Environment: Navigate through a day/night cycle, changing weather conditions (sunny, cloudy, rain, fog, storms with lightning), and varying visibility levels. Clouds offer stealth, but beaming makes you fully visible.
• Galactic Zoo Drop-Off: Find the Galactic Zoo building during the Alien Stage to store your collected cargo permanently and reset special-stage progression.

How to Play

• Movement: Use the Arrow Keys (Up, Down, Left, Right) to pilot your UFO.
• Tractor Beam: Hold Space to activate your tractor beam and abduct targets. Release to drop.
• Abilities (Unlock in Shop):
  • Z EMP Blast: Stuns military units for a short time.
  • X Turbo Boost: Temporary speed boost.
  • C Decoy: Distracts enemies and draws fire away from your UFO.
• Shop/Menus: Press Enter to confirm selections in the shop or start the next mission.
• Escape: Fly off the top of the screen to return to the Shop.
• Developer Cargo Editor (testing): Press ~ or D to open a debug menu for adjusting cargo.

Survival Tips

• Hull vs. Shields: Shields regenerate, but Hull does not. Prioritize Hull repairs in the shop.
• Weight Management: Heavier targets are harder to lift. Upgrade Beam Power.
• Stealth is Key: Use clouds and the night cycle to your advantage, but remember your beam makes you fully visible.
• Lightning: Watch out for storms; lightning can freeze your controls and damage your hull.
• When in doubt, leave: If THREAT is climbing and your hull is low, fly up to the Shop and cash in upgrades before things get worse.

Are you ready to become the ultimate Cosmic Collector?