VOLTECCER!

Gameplay Overview
Pulseman plays like any side scrolling action game of its time, or most any time really. Your objective is to merely complete stages and get to the end of the game. Pulseman has a total of seven stages, given three at a time with the seventh coming last. Each stage is generally composed of four or more areas. Areas can be cleared by either stepping on red teleport pad with the word "IN" or simply by walking off the edge of the screen. In some cases both types of exiting will be available. Each stage concludes with a boss battle; a couple stages have multiple boss battles. Stages do not have time limits or any specific goals outside of completing the stages, with the exception of bonus stages.

Pulseman has all the typical moves of a platforming hero including running, jumping and attacking. Because Pulseman builds energy by running and dashing, a lot of the gameplay is focused on moving fast without running into obstacles or enemies, although the stages are generally more open ended than what you might find in, say, an older Sonic the Hedgehog game. Many stages are large and wide open, and there is no demerit from taking the time to explore them.

Most of Pulseman's attacks are short-ranged so they require you to get up close to enemies. Normally this isn't a big deal because most enemies are felled with one hit, but bosses can tend to be tricky. It only takes three hits for Pulseman to lose a life so caution is needed when maneuvering around quickly. All in all, however, Pulseman is a fairly easy to moderate in difficulty.

Game Controls

Walk/Run: Press right or left on the directional pad to make Pulseman walk in that direction. If held down, Pulseman will soon start to accelerate and run. When he reaches a certain speed he will create an electric charge.

Duck: Press down on the directional pad to duck. This may help you avoid enemies or attacks.

Dash: Tap whichever direction you're facing (right or left) on the directional pad twice to make Pulseman do a quick dash forward. Pulseman can dash through enemies without taking any damage (but it doesn't hurt enemies either). This will also automatically create an electric charge, and is probably the preferred way to do so.

Attack: Pulseman's basic attack is a small electric slash. Although it is rather short range, most of the enemies in the game can be destroyed with one hit. If Pulseman has an electric charge when he attacks he will unleash his Slash Arrow, which fires an electric blast straight forward. It can go through enemies but does not do anymore damage than the basic slash.

Jump: Pulseman will jump, a staple in most platforming games. Pulseman has pretty commendable jumping distance, but his jumping is a little hard to control, especially when he has momentum from running.

Volteccer: This is Pulseman's trademark ability. Pulseman must have an electric charge to do this. When performed, Pulseman will turn into an electrified ball and soar off upward diagonally. He will eventually stop, but if he hits a solid object like a wall, ceiling or block, he will bounce off and keep going. If there is enough solid material around, Pulseman can stay in Volteccer form infinitely. He is invulnerable in this form, and will destroy enemies by slamming into them (and hitting an enemy does not stop the attack). If Pulseman is not charged his body will just spark a moment if you try to use the Volteccer. This can still destroy enemies if they are standing right next to you. Aside from attacking, the Volteccer is also useful if not necessary to get through areas of certain stages.

** Attack, Jump and Volteccer can be assigned to the A, B and C buttons on the Genesis pad in any desired configuration.

Low Kick: Holding down and attacking will make Pulseman deliver a low kick along the ground. This is good for taking out very short enemies.

Jump Kick: Holding up and attacking will make Pulseman jump into the air and deliver a somersault kick. Good for attacking enemies above you, but a little slow to execute.

Power Ups

Spark Ball: These orange balls are strewn about stages, usually up on higher ground where they might be missed. Each Spark Ball gives you 500 points, and collecting ten of them awards you a 1-Up.

Energy Repair: This capsule will restore one unit of life of Pulseman's hit points. Try not to grab it if you don't absolutely need it. Also gives 500 points.

1-Up: This capsule awards you a 1-Up and 500 points. 1-Ups can also be obtained by collecting ten Spark Balls and by accruing 50,000 points.

Voltec Power: Aside from giving you 500 points, this will also make you constantly charged, so you do not need to run or dash to make a charge. It will last until you leave the area.

Obstacles

Blocks: Many stages contain colorful blocks or similar obstacles which can be destroyed either by slashing them or hitting them with a Volteccer. Oddly, a Slash Arrow will go right through blocks without breaking them. There are two types of blocks. There are solid blocks, which you will bounce off of if you hit one with a Volteccer, and transparent blocks, which you can smash through many of with a Volteccer without bouncing.

Destruct Blocks: A few stages have these gray blocks with a lightning bolt on them. If you destroy one it will clear out all the enemies on the screen. However, you may not want to act so fast as these blocks could be helpful for moving on in the stage.

Wires: Wires are an integral part of moving through some stages. When Pulseman is in Volteccer form and comes in contact with a wire, he will automatically attach to it and follow it wherever it leads. You can also ride a wire by using the Volteccer while touching it, even if you are not charged. Some wires have ending points, while others are loops. Furthermore, if two wires are in close proximity of each other, Pulseman can "jump" from one to another by pressing the directional pad in the direction of the wire. Moving along wires in this matter takes quick and careful timing.

Bolts: These round objects are floating in a couple stages, such as Stage 3. Like a wire, Pulseman will stick to one if he touches it in Volteccer form and revolve around it infinitely. Pressing Volteccer again will make him shoot off in one of four diagonal directions, depending on where he is on the bolt.

Panels: These are only found in bonus stages. When Pulseman is in Volteccer form you can move them right or left with the directional pad. He will also stick to them in Volteccer form, and you can launch him off again.

Water: A few stages have water and/or watery enemies (and Stage 6 is mostly submerged in water). Water is perhaps Pulseman's greatest bane, because he loses all of his electric charge if he touches it. You cannot use the Volteccer if you are touching water, build a charge, or even attack with the slash. Instead Pulseman will just slap with his hand, which does half damage. If Pulseman hits water while in Volteccer form he will stop automatically.

Stages
As previously mentioned, Pulseman contains seven stages total, and a respective bonust stage for the first six. At this moment I don't have stage guides ready. I do intend at some point to have rundowns of stages, what the areas are like, and boss strategies. It's doubtful I'll be making comprehensive walkthroughs, since that would take more labor and such a thing deprives the fun of playing the game anyway. For now I present what stages are available, and the "objective" behind each.

Stage 1 (Japan)
"Galaxy Gang appears to be running a scheme manipulating people with the electric waves at the TV station!!"

Stage 2 (India)
"The tropical rainforests are being destroyed!! They intend to convert nature into machinery..."

Stage 3 (USA)
"Doc Waruyama appeared at the casino!! Surely he'll try to steal the money."

Stage 4 (Thailand)
"Ancient ruins have surfaced from the Indian Ocean!! Is this another sinister scheme of Galaxy Gang's?"

Stage 5 (Alaska)
"I've discovered a secret base in Alaska!! ... I have a bad feeling about this one."

Stage 6 (Australia)
"Galaxy Gang is creating a submarine. This time they're at the bottom of the ocean... Are you alright Pulse?"

Stage 7 (Japan)
"Listen listen, Pulseman!! I've found Galaxy Gang's headquarters!"

Bonus Stages
When you clear each of the first six stages, you are then treated to a specific bonus stage for that stage. The format is similar to the old Gameboy game Alleyway. You are dropped in a room with blocks and you have 60 seconds to break them all. Each bonus stage contains a Panel for you to springboard from in Volteccer form (though whether it actually helps you is relative). Bonus stages may also contain Spark Balls, and at least one has a Voltec Power. Each subsequent bonus stage is more difficult to clear than the former. If you do not break all the blocks in time you will still get points for the amount of blocks you did break times 100. If you do break all the blocks in under 60 seconds, you will get points for the total number of blocks times 100, the number of remaining seconds times 100, and a bonus 10,000 points for clearing the stage.