SubTerrania (USA)

Getting Started

SubTerrania drops you into a deep-space mining colony overrun by aliens. Your ship is a small craft that uses a unique rotate-and-thrust control scheme: you press left or right to rotate your ship on the spot, then the designated thrust button to accelerate in the direction your nose points. Gravity pulls you downward constantly, and inertia keeps you drifting when you let off the throttle. This makes navigating the caves and tunnels a constant balancing act between speed and control.

The core loop is simple but demanding: fly through procedurally laid-out caverns, dodge hazards, and shoot alien enemies that swarm from all directions. You need to rescue trapped miners by flying over their locations, which usually triggers a short cutscene. Fuel and health pickups are scattered around, but resources are scarce, so every shot counts. The game uses a lives system with no continues, so a single mistake can end your run.

Start by selecting a difficulty from the title screen (Easy is recommended for first-timers). The first level introduces the basic controls and low gravity, letting you get a feel for the ship's handling before the difficulty ramps up. Keep your speed moderate and always watch for incoming projectiles - the screen is relatively small and enemies can appear from any direction. There is no radar or map, so memorizing room layouts helps a lot on later attempts.