TEMPEST
12 Achievements
200
Xbox 360
Shimmer
Reach the yellow waves Evolved game - Normal difficulty
20
How to unlock the Shimmer achievement in TEMPEST - Definitive Guide
KMetalmind
TrueAchievements
TrueAchievements
To get this achievement, you must reach level 33 in Normal Evolved (Yellow circle shape). That means beating blue levels and red levels first. You can start from the last chekpoint (level 9) and you will be able to unlock it, so I would advice starting from there.
This achievement can be achieved easier if you have tried other harder achievements first, but you can try it before them too. I would advice to play some Throttle Monkey before though, as once you play a few times on that mode, Normal Evolved moves like a snail. That doesn´t mean you won´t die though. Personally, higher sensibility on the controls is better, although you should try the best setting for you yourself.
The checkpoint system in this game is irritating: If you start on level 9, and you want to reach the next checkpoint at level 11, you must beat levels 9, 10 and 11. If you die on any of them, you will have to restart from 9. If you reach level 12 and you die, you will get the level 11 checkpoint. If you restart on that checkpoint and you lose all your lives on level 11, you will lose that checkpoint too and you will have to start over from 9. That means priority number 1 is beating the checkpoint level before losing all your lives. Don´t overdo it, or you will regret it.
I should add here than you can plug in two controllers for a 2 players mode. On that mode, once just one of the players beats a checkpoint level, it will be available for both of them. If just one of them survive after restarting the checkpoint, none of them will lose it. Use this tip if you want, although the problem is that you play on turns, so if you are already into a level, you will have a break after each death, which personally screws me a lot more than it helps.
Lastly, if you go back to the main menu, you close the game, etc, you will lose all your checkpoints, so plan ahead and try to get it on a day when you have plenty of hours to spare. Depending on your skill, you may get it in less than an hour or you could need some more.
All the checkpoints until level 33 are:
* Level 1
* Level 3
* Level 5
* Level 7
* Level 9
* Level 11
* Level 13
* Level 15
* Level 17
* Level 20
* Level 22
* Level 24
* Level 26
* Level 28
* Level 31
That means the toughest points are from level 17 (beat levels 17, 18, 19 and 20) and from level 28 (beat levels 28, 29, 30, 31). Personally I spent most of the time in checkpoint 17, and 24 gave me too many problems too.
Now to the basics. I would advice you to read and learn as many tips from the game on the internet as you can. Read and read a lot. Even if you think that tip or that other one aren´t that good, believe me, they help. If you don´t learn how to play the game, you won´t reach level 33, because you will keep losing checkpoints and going backwards. Some good links for that:
http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=tempest-upright-model&p...
http://www.smalltalksystems.com/clayberg/arcade/tempest....htm
http://strategywiki.org/wiki/Tempest/Walkthrough
http://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=238630
Now I´ll try to help you on each cluster of levels, telling you what the problem was for me beating them, which things I had to learn, etc:
Levels 9-10 (blue): These are by far the easier levels, as the only enemies are Flippers, Tankers and Spikers. Take your time and use spikes when you need to kill many Flippers on the rim. I would look at the Throttle Monkey strategies, because they work great on Normal too. Just know what are you doing, and don´t play randomly.
Levels 11-13 (blue): On these levels you will start facing the Fuseball. Don´t underestimate them, as they are the number 1 reason for dying at the end of the stage if you are careless. Always use the second superzapper for the point when the Fuseball reaches the rim. You will have to use this strategy on all levels with a Fuseball up to level 33. Always keep the second superzapper for the Fuseball. These levels can be a pain if you are careless, so focus on trying to kill enemies before they reach the rim, and if they do, focus on using Spikes. Use the first superzapper ONLY when you are in a big danger with many enemies on screen or you are on your last life. If the Fuseball reaches the rim, using the first superzapper will end the level, so try not to crash into spikes. Be careful too about the angle of the incoming Flippers: the wider the angle, the easier you will kill them.
Levels 14-15 (blue): These ones are personally a lot easier than the previous ones, as long as you keep the "kill everything when nothing is near you on the rim", "be on spikes when enemies are near you on the rim" and "use second superzapper when the Fuseball reaches the rim".
Level 16 (blue): Personally this level is a pain, because you can´t see incoming enemies easily, and it feels awkward moving through the level. I personally would focus on the right part of the level, as the controls are normal there (on the left side they are inverted). Don´t shoot spikes until there´s enemies on the rim and try to kill anything else on the right part. Keep the first superzapper for when there´s a real danger in the level.
Levels 17-19 (red): These levels will be a huge pain until you learn how to manage Pulsars. These little fuckers move slowly, but pulse with a rhytm and can kill you easily. Mix that with incoming Tankers, Flippers and their shots, and you have all the needed things for easy deaths. Turn down the music and turn up the sound effects. Learn and focus on the rhythm of the Pulsars. Don´t be near one when they pulse, and focus on killing them when they are preparing for the next pulse. Don´t underestimate Flippers: They actually kill you more often than Pulsars, because once you focus on Pulsars you won´t be able to kill them before they reach the rim. Use the first superzapper when the screen is filled with enemies and try to use the second one for the last part, as sometimes you must survive a lot of time until the last enemy reaches the rim. Beware: Pulsars act like Flippers on the end of the level, so they will cluster the rim with them.
Level 20 (red): This level is special because Spikers start to show up again, and there will be less Pulsars on screen at once. That makes this one easier IMO, but you will have to beat it to get the level 20 checkpoint. Spikes are blue and hard to see, so be REAL careful. Sometimes you will think you will be able to kill that Pulsar and you won´t see that it´s protected by the Spike, and sometimes you will end the level thinking you don´t have a Spike in front on you, but there´s one. I would focus on killing Tankers and Flippers and being far away from Pulsars. Long spikes aren´t needed, so don´t have many of them or Pulsars will give you trouble.
Levels 21-22 (red): These two are easy as long as you are careful. Try to use the blue levels strategies, but keeping Pulsars as far away as possible. If one is near you, try to kill it as soon as possible so it doesn´t screw you up.
Levels 23-24 (red): Fuseballs will start appearing again. That won´t be a problem until the end on the level. Anyway, these levels are harder, so keep the previous strategy, but be careful. Personally, level 24 was really tough and I lost on it plenty of times. I don´t know exactly why, but it kept screwing me even if it seems to be an easy one.
Levels 25-28 (red): Play like in the blue 9-10 levels, but again, being careful about Pulsars. 26 and 28 gave me some trouble too, like 24. A pain being checkpoint levels.
Levels 29 (red): This is the level which will screw you a lot. Thankfully, the checkpoint is on the previous one, so as long as you keep beating 28, you will eventually beat 29 down. It feels a lot like the Throttle Monkey level 13, as you will have trouble keeping enemies away from the rim, and once they are there, you will have high chances of dying due the bad angles of the level. Focus on killing enemies before they reach the rim, and use the superzapper wisely.
Levels 30-31 (red): These are a lot easier than the previous ones, just like the blue ones. Play carefully and you will be able to beat them easily. 31 is a checkpoint too, so once you reach it, you have really high chances of getting the achievement.
Level 32 (red): This is the last level between you and your achievement. I´ll personally use the same strategy as level 16, but being careful about Pulsars like in most red levels. Play safe and you will beat it.
Once you reach level 33 (yellow circle), the achievement will pop up. Feel free to keep playing, although Tankers with Fuseballs and Pulsars will start showing up, which are deadly (there can be like 4 Fuseballs at once, and unlike the previous levels, they alternate between being away from the rim AND on it). Visuals are really bad on these levels too, so you have trouble seeing the enemies and what they are. Anyway, congratulations for the achievement, it isn´t an easy one ;)
Feel free to ask if you get stuck on any level.
This achievement can be achieved easier if you have tried other harder achievements first, but you can try it before them too. I would advice to play some Throttle Monkey before though, as once you play a few times on that mode, Normal Evolved moves like a snail. That doesn´t mean you won´t die though. Personally, higher sensibility on the controls is better, although you should try the best setting for you yourself.
The checkpoint system in this game is irritating: If you start on level 9, and you want to reach the next checkpoint at level 11, you must beat levels 9, 10 and 11. If you die on any of them, you will have to restart from 9. If you reach level 12 and you die, you will get the level 11 checkpoint. If you restart on that checkpoint and you lose all your lives on level 11, you will lose that checkpoint too and you will have to start over from 9. That means priority number 1 is beating the checkpoint level before losing all your lives. Don´t overdo it, or you will regret it.
I should add here than you can plug in two controllers for a 2 players mode. On that mode, once just one of the players beats a checkpoint level, it will be available for both of them. If just one of them survive after restarting the checkpoint, none of them will lose it. Use this tip if you want, although the problem is that you play on turns, so if you are already into a level, you will have a break after each death, which personally screws me a lot more than it helps.
Lastly, if you go back to the main menu, you close the game, etc, you will lose all your checkpoints, so plan ahead and try to get it on a day when you have plenty of hours to spare. Depending on your skill, you may get it in less than an hour or you could need some more.
All the checkpoints until level 33 are:
* Level 1
* Level 3
* Level 5
* Level 7
* Level 9
* Level 11
* Level 13
* Level 15
* Level 17
* Level 20
* Level 22
* Level 24
* Level 26
* Level 28
* Level 31
That means the toughest points are from level 17 (beat levels 17, 18, 19 and 20) and from level 28 (beat levels 28, 29, 30, 31). Personally I spent most of the time in checkpoint 17, and 24 gave me too many problems too.
Now to the basics. I would advice you to read and learn as many tips from the game on the internet as you can. Read and read a lot. Even if you think that tip or that other one aren´t that good, believe me, they help. If you don´t learn how to play the game, you won´t reach level 33, because you will keep losing checkpoints and going backwards. Some good links for that:
http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=tempest-upright-model&p...
http://www.smalltalksystems.com/clayberg/arcade/tempest....htm
http://strategywiki.org/wiki/Tempest/Walkthrough
http://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=238630
Now I´ll try to help you on each cluster of levels, telling you what the problem was for me beating them, which things I had to learn, etc:
Levels 9-10 (blue): These are by far the easier levels, as the only enemies are Flippers, Tankers and Spikers. Take your time and use spikes when you need to kill many Flippers on the rim. I would look at the Throttle Monkey strategies, because they work great on Normal too. Just know what are you doing, and don´t play randomly.
Levels 11-13 (blue): On these levels you will start facing the Fuseball. Don´t underestimate them, as they are the number 1 reason for dying at the end of the stage if you are careless. Always use the second superzapper for the point when the Fuseball reaches the rim. You will have to use this strategy on all levels with a Fuseball up to level 33. Always keep the second superzapper for the Fuseball. These levels can be a pain if you are careless, so focus on trying to kill enemies before they reach the rim, and if they do, focus on using Spikes. Use the first superzapper ONLY when you are in a big danger with many enemies on screen or you are on your last life. If the Fuseball reaches the rim, using the first superzapper will end the level, so try not to crash into spikes. Be careful too about the angle of the incoming Flippers: the wider the angle, the easier you will kill them.
Levels 14-15 (blue): These ones are personally a lot easier than the previous ones, as long as you keep the "kill everything when nothing is near you on the rim", "be on spikes when enemies are near you on the rim" and "use second superzapper when the Fuseball reaches the rim".
Level 16 (blue): Personally this level is a pain, because you can´t see incoming enemies easily, and it feels awkward moving through the level. I personally would focus on the right part of the level, as the controls are normal there (on the left side they are inverted). Don´t shoot spikes until there´s enemies on the rim and try to kill anything else on the right part. Keep the first superzapper for when there´s a real danger in the level.
Levels 17-19 (red): These levels will be a huge pain until you learn how to manage Pulsars. These little fuckers move slowly, but pulse with a rhytm and can kill you easily. Mix that with incoming Tankers, Flippers and their shots, and you have all the needed things for easy deaths. Turn down the music and turn up the sound effects. Learn and focus on the rhythm of the Pulsars. Don´t be near one when they pulse, and focus on killing them when they are preparing for the next pulse. Don´t underestimate Flippers: They actually kill you more often than Pulsars, because once you focus on Pulsars you won´t be able to kill them before they reach the rim. Use the first superzapper when the screen is filled with enemies and try to use the second one for the last part, as sometimes you must survive a lot of time until the last enemy reaches the rim. Beware: Pulsars act like Flippers on the end of the level, so they will cluster the rim with them.
Level 20 (red): This level is special because Spikers start to show up again, and there will be less Pulsars on screen at once. That makes this one easier IMO, but you will have to beat it to get the level 20 checkpoint. Spikes are blue and hard to see, so be REAL careful. Sometimes you will think you will be able to kill that Pulsar and you won´t see that it´s protected by the Spike, and sometimes you will end the level thinking you don´t have a Spike in front on you, but there´s one. I would focus on killing Tankers and Flippers and being far away from Pulsars. Long spikes aren´t needed, so don´t have many of them or Pulsars will give you trouble.
Levels 21-22 (red): These two are easy as long as you are careful. Try to use the blue levels strategies, but keeping Pulsars as far away as possible. If one is near you, try to kill it as soon as possible so it doesn´t screw you up.
Levels 23-24 (red): Fuseballs will start appearing again. That won´t be a problem until the end on the level. Anyway, these levels are harder, so keep the previous strategy, but be careful. Personally, level 24 was really tough and I lost on it plenty of times. I don´t know exactly why, but it kept screwing me even if it seems to be an easy one.
Levels 25-28 (red): Play like in the blue 9-10 levels, but again, being careful about Pulsars. 26 and 28 gave me some trouble too, like 24. A pain being checkpoint levels.
Levels 29 (red): This is the level which will screw you a lot. Thankfully, the checkpoint is on the previous one, so as long as you keep beating 28, you will eventually beat 29 down. It feels a lot like the Throttle Monkey level 13, as you will have trouble keeping enemies away from the rim, and once they are there, you will have high chances of dying due the bad angles of the level. Focus on killing enemies before they reach the rim, and use the superzapper wisely.
Levels 30-31 (red): These are a lot easier than the previous ones, just like the blue ones. Play carefully and you will be able to beat them easily. 31 is a checkpoint too, so once you reach it, you have really high chances of getting the achievement.
Level 32 (red): This is the last level between you and your achievement. I´ll personally use the same strategy as level 16, but being careful about Pulsars like in most red levels. Play safe and you will beat it.
Once you reach level 33 (yellow circle), the achievement will pop up. Feel free to keep playing, although Tankers with Fuseballs and Pulsars will start showing up, which are deadly (there can be like 4 Fuseballs at once, and unlike the previous levels, they alternate between being away from the rim AND on it). Visuals are really bad on these levels too, so you have trouble seeing the enemies and what they are. Anyway, congratulations for the achievement, it isn´t an easy one ;)
Feel free to ask if you get stuck on any level.
