Controls

• Use the directional arrows to move your ship
• Press the X button to fire your gun.  Keyboard users can press X, V, or M.
• Press the O button to fire the BOLTSHOT! Keyboard users press Z, C, or N
• The boltshot is your strongest attack.  Harness the power of lightning to rend enemies asunder!

• You are invincible for a short time while firing the Boltshot.  Use it to escape sticky situations.
• Watch your Bolt Meter at the top of the screen.  If you run low, you won't be able to use the Boltshot.

 

Rules

• Vanquish waves of sea creatures and robots in space.  There are 9 waves in total.
• Reach Wave 9 to fight the boss.  Defeat the boss to unlock a new challenge.
• Grab Coins, Hearts, Lightning Bolts, and Gems to power up!  

 Coins

• Each coin will increase the strength of your weapons.  Grab enough to upgrade your firing power and frequency.

 Hearts 

• These will refill your health.  Collecting a heart while your health is full will activate your shields.

 Lightning Bolts 

• Collecting these will refill the Bolt Meter.  Grab as many as you can!

 Red Gems 

• The ultimate source of power.  These will temporarily increase your ship's guns to their maximum firing power.  You will also be invulnerable for a short period of time.

Enemies

Hordes of space-faring sea creatures and their mechanical creations are invading your home planet.  Take to the starry expanse and destroy them all to save humanity!  (or whatever, it's just a space shooter game yo...)

  Crabby

• These minions of the crab nation are weak, but persistent!  They serve a much larger crab boss.  Also -  they are delicious with extra butter.

  Squiddy

• Squiddies are fast!  Once they lock eyes on you they will charge with extreme speed.  Take them out before they get a chance.

  Drones

• Drones will patrol their area and fire multiple homing shots at you.  They can even fire at you from behind so watch out!

  Bladespinner

• These fiery, metallic creations of the crab nation are of utmost annoyance!  Bladespinners will quickly find your location and try to home in on you.  (Hoisted by your own petard Krystman!)

 Plasmorb

• These orbs of pure plasma energy often accompany Bulwarks.   Be careful!  Plasmorb technology can be incredibly unstable and these can explode if left unattended for too long.

 Bulwark

• These giant ships are controlled by smaller creatures of the space-sea.  They are tanky and boast a tremendous amount of fire power.  Defeating them will often leave behind their Red Gems and Lightning Bolts used to power their weapons.  

 Serpent

• These sea, *ahem, space serpents are very territorial.  They will swarm you if you enter their lair.  

 Giant Enemy Crab

• A general of the crab nation.  They are much more fearsome than their small, crabby counterparts.  However, they are not quite as delicious.  Defeating a giant Enemy Crab is no easy task!  

????

• Are the crabs really the leaders of the space-sea?  It seems a more sinister sea creature might be in charge of it all.

Behind the Scenes

• Hello!  My name is Fox, I am a teacher who makes games in my spare time as a hobby.  I'd like to make this a more full time thing in the future.  If you like my game or if you have feedback, I would love to hear about it.  
• Boltbender is my first Pico-8 game.  Check out my other project, Callisto.

Credits

• Special thanks to Krystman from LazyDevs Academy for his tutorial on YouTube that helped me learn how to use Pico-8.
• Music loops provided by Snabisch
• Boss music provided by the basic shmup tutorial from Krystman