Hint:
There are 3 difficulty levels in Nova 9. As you move up to more advanced levels
the enemies will become more aggressive and difficult to destroy. On Easy, you
have 3 opportunities to win on each world, on Regular there are 2
opportunities, and on the Hard level, you get only one chance.
Problem: Access to Preferences Menu.
Hint:
You can access the Prefs Menu, Credits, and Score at the bridge console. A
limited Prefs Menu can be accessed during sim play; it does not include the
ability to set difficulty levels. Alt-G will take you directly to sim play.
Problem: Display graphic and sound options.
Hint:
Typing INSTALL M at the command line gives all possible Graphic and Sound
options.
Problem: Skipping intro screens and S.A.R.A.H.
Hint:
Hitting the spacebar during the intro or S.A.R.A.H.'s initial message skips
intro scenes and takes you directly to the bridge. Spacebar in other instances
will advance the text.
Problem: Powers - General Description.
Hint:
Powers are available on each world. Some are generated when an enemy or object
is destroyed, others are located within puzzles and are only available when
these are solved, and a few are just there for the taking. The powers are in
the form of colorful, floating, geometrical shapes.
Problem: Powers - Types.
Hint:
There are 15 powers in all:
Fast Reload Smart Bomb 5-way Shells
Rotational Velocity Thruster 3-way Shells
Velocity Heavy Shells Invincibility
Seek Shield Recharge Decoy
Shell Speed Exploding Shell Electric Shield
Problem: Power activation.
Hint:
Fast Reload, Rotational Velocity, Velocity, Seek, and Shell Speed are
automatically activated when picked up. All other powers are activated with the
joystick in combination with the right joystick button or the keyboard keys
that correspond with their position in the cockpit power panel:
Q W E
A D
Z X C
Problem: Weapon Upgrades.
Hint:
Weapon upgrades are given when the Raven II returns to the base. If the Raven
has suffered a lot of damage, the upgrades may be limited. Weapons include:
cannons, mines, lasers and rockets. The game starts with cannons and mines
available. These can be accessed with the +/- keys or the keyboard #'s 1 and 2
respectively. Lasers and rockets are upgrades and are accessed with the +/-
keys or the keyboard #'s 3 and 4.
Problem: Switching views.
Hint:
Different playing views are available using the function keys. Playing views
can also be customized and set using the floating camera view (toggled on and
off with the F key), and the numeric key pad or the joystick. Views can be
saved using a Ctrl and function key combination and restored with Alt and the
corresponding function key.
Problem: Teleporters and Warp Links.
Hint:
There are purple teleporters on 4 of the worlds: Hydros, Searon, Typhieus, and
Matricon. These will return you to base for upgrades and repairs. When the
guardian of a world is destroyed, a yellow Warp Link will appear allowing you
to advance to the next world.
Problem: Guardians.
Hint:
Each guardian takes several shots to destroy, depending on what type of shells
are used to shoot them, difficulty level, and whether or not they get damaged
by any other enemies. (Except for the guardians on Typhieus and Matricon.)
(2) ... Kryon, Hydros, and Sauria ...
Problem: Special features of Kryon.
Hint:
No base teleporter. 3 puzzles.
Problem: List of Kryon puzzles.
Hint:
(1) Large block inside force field. (2) Small block on hot spot (3) Hot spot
inside laser gates
Problem: Large block, puzzle solution.
Hint:
Shoot block through either of the two gaps in the force field and the force
field will turn off, allowing you to get the two powers.
Problem: Small block, puzzle solution.
Hint:
Push block off of hot spot and the force field near the hot spot will turn off,
allowing you to get the power.
Problem: Hot spot, laser gate, puzzle solution.
Hint:
Park on hot spot, the laser gates will turn on. Pick up the power inside the
gates to trigger kamikaze sleds. Then stand on hot spot to make them run into
laser gates.
Problem: Defeating the Kryon Guardian.
Hint:
Guardian [Snowplow]: The snowplow is invincible to attacks from the front. The
snowplow is vulnerable to attacks to the rear or either side.
Problem: Special features of Hydros.
Hint:
There is a teleporter back to base on this world. No puzzles.
Problem: Defeating the Hydros Guardian.
Hint:
Guardian [Large boat]: To destroy the boat, simply shoot it several times.
Problem: Special features of Sauria.
Hint:
There are no special features on Sauria.
Problem: Defeating the Sauria Guardian.
Hint:
Guardian [Lizard]: To destroy the lizard, shoot it in the mouth when it opens
to shoot at you.
(3) ... Searon and Pestula ...
Problem: Special features of Searon.
Hint:
There is a teleporter back to base on this world. There are 2 puzzles on
Searon.
Problem: List of Searon puzzles.
Hint:
(1) Large block Inside force field. (2) Four transmitting towers.
Problem: Large block, puzzle solution.
Hint:
Large block Inside force field: Use thruster to go over jump and drop mine on
the block when you are above it. (Jumping over the block also allows you to get
the power that is in the air.)
Problem: Transmitting towers, puzzle solution.
Hint:
The transmitting towers are arranged in a square and can be destroyed in
sequence by starting with the tower nearest to the lump and continuing in a
clockwise direction around the square. When a tower is destroyed, it turns off
the force field around the next tower. Destroying the last tower also turns off
the force field around the big block, allowing you to shoot or move the big
block. (The towers can also be hit with seeking shells when the force fields
are on.)
Problem: Accessing the base teleporter.
Hint:
After getting rid of the large block, the force field around the teleporter
will turn off. The teleporter MUST be used before destroying the guardian.
Problem: Defeating the Searon Guardian.
Hint:
Guardian [Large tank]: To destroy the tank, you must take the purple teleporter
back to base and Sparky will give you shells that can destroy it. After coming
back, just shoot the tank several times.
Problem: Special features of Pestula.
Hint:
There are no special features on Pestula.
Problem: Defeating the Pestula Guardian.
Hint:
Guardian [Centipede]: Shooting any section of the centipede, besides the front
or back section, will cause the centipede to split and generate a new head.
Shooting the head takes more shots than shooting a rear section.
(4) ... Typhieus and Teflar ...
Problem: Special features of Typhieus.
Hint:
There is a teleporter to back base on this world. There are 3 puzzles on
Typhieus.
Problem: List of Typhieus puzzles.
Hint:
(1) Teleporter to base and laser gates. (2) Large block and one laser cannon.
(3) Large block and two laser cannons.
Problem: Teleporter to base and laser gates, puzzle solution.
Hint:
Push the large block onto the hot spot to start the laser gates cycling. Go
through the laser gates and shoot the block through the gap in the force field.
Go back through the laser gates and drive over the hot spot outside of the
force field. The puzzle and the force field around the base teleporter will
turn off.
Problem: Large block, 1 laser cannon, puzzle solution.
Hint:
Push the small block onto the hot spot to turn the force field into a red,
reflecting force field. Park Raven where the cannon will shoot the large block
with a ricochet. After the large block explodes, park Raven where the cannon
will shoot itself with a ricochet. The puzzle will turn off, allowing you to
get the powers.
Problem: Large block, 2 laser cannons, puzzle solution.
Hint:
Push small block onto the hot spot nearest to the block. There will be an
opening in the force field and you can go in and push the large block against
the wall near the two laser cannons. Exit the puzzle and push the small block
onto the other hot spot. Go to end of the puzzle and make the cannons shoot the
large block. The large block will destroy the cannons and the puzzle will turn
off, allowing you to get the powers.
Problem: Defeating the Typhieus Guardian.
Hint:
Guardian [Electro-man]: To destroy Electro-man, you must shoot the four shorter
electric towers that turn on when the guardian appears. The towers have blue
lights on their tops when they are on. The towers are off otherwise and can't
be damaged. They are arranged in a square with large electric towers between
them.
Problem: Special features of Teflar.
Hint:
No base teleporter. One puzzle on Teflar.
Problem: List of Teflar puzzles.
Hint:
(1) Attractor mine and laser gates.
Problem: Attractor mine and laser gates, puzzle solution.
Hint:
To turn off the force field around the attractor mine, go through the laser
gates and over the hot spot.
Problem: Defeating the Teflar Guardian.
Hint:
Guardian (Bouncing ball]: Shooting the ball will cause it to split up. When the
balls are red, they will split in two when they are shot. When the balls become
yellow, they will be destroyed when shot.
(5) ... Matricon and Malevolon ...
Problem: Special features of Matricon.
Hint:
There is a teleporter back to base on this world. There are 4 puzzles on
Matricon.
Problem: List of Matricon puzzles.
Hint:
(1) First puzzle and base teleporter. (2) Laser gates and floating mine. (3)
Laser gates and power module. (4) Eight cannons.
Problem: First puzzle and base teleporter solution.
Hint:
When you first arrive on Matricon, go through the base teleporter. You have to
go through the base teleporter before touching the first hot spot after
arriving on Matricon. You won't be able to go through at any other time because
there will be a force field around it. Next, go through the orange teleporter.
You will cross a hot spot which will generate a laser cannon. Stand on the hot
spot in the middle of the puzzle and the cannon will shoot itself. Go across
the hot spot behind where the cannon was. Exit the puzzle through the orange
teleporter and the puzzle and first gate in the spiral will turn off.
Problem: Laser gates and floating mine, puzzle solution.
Hint:
This maze is to the right after finishing the first puzzle. Go into the puzzle
through the opening and go to the hot spot that is just around the corner from
the opening. This hot spot will turn on two diagonal walls and turn off the
laser gates. Get right next to the wall and face the laser gates. The mine will
float right next to you and go back and forth across the hot spots behind you.
After the mine bounces off of the diagonal wall behind you, get off the hot
spot and wait by the laser gates. The mine will turn the laser gates off and on
in a pattern. Follow the laser gates when they turn off the way you want to go.
Cross the hot spot on the other side of the laser gates and go through the
orange teleporter. Turn left and go across the two hot spots and pick up the
power. Use the power and back up to the end hot spot. Stay here and shoot
straight ahead with lasers. The lasers will bounce off of the diagonal wall and
destroy the mortar launcher. Turn left and exit through the orange teleporter.
The puzzle will turn off and so will the second gate in the spiral.
Problem: Laser gates and power module, puzzle solution.
Hint:
Go straight through the laser gates and the power module will recharge your
shields. Go through the orange teleporter and park on the hot spot. Two cannons
and a number of walls will appear. Go forward to the wall, quickly back up and
the cannons will destroy each other. Go shoot the floating mines, then shoot
the cannons that appear. Now, go activate the hot spot nearest the jump, then
the hot spot on the other side. Go back to the middle hot spot and park on it.
Shoot your lasers at the wall at an angle to hit the mine behind the
teleporter. Exit through the teleporter. Part of the puzzle will remain and the
third gate in the spiral will turn off. (if the last mine leaves a power
module, you won't be able to get it.)
Problem: Eight cannons, puzzle solution.
Hint:
Go to the opening just counter-clockwise from the orange teleporter and drive
straight through. Let the cannons shoot themselves or use rockets or anything
else you want to try. Activate the hot spot clockwise from the orange
teleporter and go through the teleporter. Turn right, go forward to the hot
spot, and quickly back up to the hot spot next to the teleporter. Stay there
until the mine bounces off the diagonal walls towards the cannon. Now activate
the hot spot that was in front of the cannon and exit through the orange
teleporter. This will turn off the puzzle and the last gate in the spiral.
Problem: Defeating the Matricon Guardian.
Hint:
Guardian [Generator]: To get through the spiral to destroy the generator, the
four puzzles should be solved. Simply shoot the generator through the gaps in
the force field to destroy it. Then, exit the spiral and go over the jump to
get to the warplink.
Problem: Special features of Malevolon.
Hint:
There are no special features on Malevolon.
Problem: Defeating the Malevolon Guardian.
Hint:
Guardian [Gir Draxon]: When Gir first appears, he has the Sardiax crystal,
which pulls you towards him. To destroy the crystal (the red eye), you must hit
it with a rocket, exploding shell, or a smart bomb. When the screen turns red,
your unguided shots will turn away from Gir, but they are unaffected when the
screen is its normal color. After destroying the crystal, you have to destroy
Draxon's teleporter. To do this, drop a mine behind you as far away as Gir is
when he teleports behind you after you shoot at him. When the mine is the
correct distance away, directly behind you, shoot at Gir and he will teleport
onto the mine and his teleporter will be destroyed. After destroying his
teleporter, Gir will stay in one place until you face directly at him, then he
will shoot at you and chase you. After you have destroyed his teleporter,
simply shoot him several times to defeat him.
