Neutron (C64) by SarahJaneAvory

Neutron is a fast-paced vertical shoot-em-up for the Commodore 64 (PAL).
This version was created for RGCD’s C64 16KB Cartridge GameDev Compo 2019.
All programming, graphics, and sound by Sarah Jane Avory.
(C) 2019 Witchsoft.
NB: Although the game has been coded for PAL, it will run quite happily on an NTSC machine, just at a faster speed.
History:
Back in the 80s, after loving playing the arcade game Star Force, I coded my own version on the Commodore 64, one I named Neutron. The game was finished, but never released as Orpheus, the company I was working for at the time, closed down before Neutron could be released…
I still had all the files, but time passed by, and when I moved house many years later, seeing no reason keeping all my old computers, I (rather foolishly looking back now) binned everything, including all my old disks.
Fast forward to the present, and after suffering a bit of burnout while writing lots of novels (I’m also a self-published author), I decided to have a bit of fun and code some C64 games. After coming across the 16Kb cartridge competition, I decided I’d enter that, and thought Neutron would be ideal.
And so I now present Neutron, a re-born version of the game I coded a long time ago. Only this time, with the benefit of lots of coding experience, this game is much improved, in every way.
Features:

• 9 challenging stages of increasing difficulty.
• Player weapon upgrades.
• 3 different background styles.
• Over 18 types of enemies.
• Mid-stage mini-bosses.
• End of stage boss.

Controls:
Joystick in port 2, or Keyboard:

• S – Up.
• X – Down.
• < – Left.

• – Right.

• SPACE – Fire!