Figured I would put this up as WIP for now because I'm not sure if I'm going to put the finishing touches on it. This was intended to be a "quick little game" but it keeps growing and I think I'd rather spend time on a new idea. Anyway...
Fly as far as possible without hitting the walls above/below, and don't get crushed by the spikes behind you. Shooting baddies will build up the floor and ceiling. Enemies that get by you will grow the spikes.
Use Z to shoot. Use X to put on the brakes. Note the limited brake meter at the bottom.
When the brakes are on, bad guys will reduce the walls/spikes when you shoot them.
Collect the little dudes to build up brake time. Collect stars to change weapons.
Given this is a WIP cart, here are things you won't find:
- Sound
- Music
- Alternate color palettes
- A good death transition
- Title screen
- Game over screen
I'll probably come back to this one at some point but might be chill on it for a while...we'll see.
Either way, your feedback is welcomed and thanks for playing.
Marvelously original ! I like how when you defeat an alien, it becomes a tombstone and part of your scrolling map. If you took out the back part that overwrites, this game could go on for quite a-ways and be an especially cerebral puzzle.
... very interesting. Never seen a shooter like this. Don't be surprised if some other people write their own version of this game idea.
You definitely get a STAR for this ! 
Thanks for giving it a play.
I had debated the back spikes for a while when I started, thinking it would just be a "cave building" type of thing when you kill the bad guys. But once the goal became about distance, the spikes were necessary. But removing the spikes would be an easy modification...maybe could be good as a mode to unlock.
Or maybe instead of using the brakes to reduce the cave, it's an item that you collect that reduces every column by 1 block...hmmm...choices, choices...
Although, I don't hate the spikes. I do think it adds another piece to the puzzle about what you worry about - the spikes or the cave.
Thanks for the feedback, it's sparking some ideas that might push me to finish it properly.
Lots of interesting ideas here! In fact I could imagine two separate experimental games, one based just on the brake/spikes mechanic and one on the growing floor/ceiling.
Maybe it's just that I'm not very good at it, but I feel like the spikes are filling half of the screen most of the time that I'm playing, which makes it difficult to do any productive shooting. Maybe the spikes could grow slowly to being with, then more quickly once they start to fill the screen?
Of course, being the sort of person who doesn't read the instructions, I didn't realise at first that the stars and the little dudes were meant to be collected. Perhaps if you found a third colour, the enemies and the collectibles could be distinguished? ;)
@dishmoth - The spikes take over more screen every time an enemy gets by you...so shooting them before they get there is primary, then using your X brakes to reduce it.
When the brakes are on, enemies that you let go by will reduce the spike wall. Shooting them will reduce the floor/ceiling...so it's a balancing act.
And yeah...no instructions is just part of WIP :) When I get around to capping this one off, there will be a proper title, etc. Thanks for trying it out and for your feedback!
@geistvonpa - Thanks also for playing...and I'll take a Salamander comparison any day, one of my all-time favorite shooters.
> When the brakes are on, enemies that you let go by will reduce the spike wall.
Ah! Even after reading the instructions I hadn't realised that.
Playing again, that does balance out the tactics quite nicely.
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