Crosswize

In the sequel to Sidewize the call is out once again to save a planet to from invading aliens. Armed with a jetpack and laser gun, it's the player's job to go to Luna Sys Ref 7091 and save its inhabitants. Like its predecessor, Crosswize is a horizontally-scrolling shoot 'em up. Alien attack waves must be blasted or avoided and obstacles evaded over three levels. The starting weapon is a simple laser, which can be upgraded by flying over one of the occasionally appearing weapons icons and pressing fire. Options include laser fire (firing multiple shots straight forward) and surround fire (firing multiple shots forward at an angle). Also available are smart bombs and shields. The power ups exist in two varieties, one more powerful and longer lasting than the other. An eye must also be kept on the energy meter, which slowly runs out, slowing the player down. It can be refilled by picking up energy capsules. Each level ends with a boss battle against a guardian alien. The game can be played by two players: each player waits for the other player to lose all their lives before playing. Unlike SideWize, CrossWize was exclusively released on the Spectrum.