As the game starts, a pulsating gold star flies into the stage followed by combustible star-shapes or polyhedrons of different colors and varying velocities that enter from the sides of the screen. The gold star is the player's bomber and the polyhedrons are the targets. Roam around by using the d-pad or analog nub and press any of the face buttons to destroy the star. The goal is to ignite an explosion so that its blast radius touches the polyhedrons which in turn explode to ignite additional explosions with contiguous objects. By chaining together explosions in this manner, outward radiating blasts may be created which destroy nearly everything on screen.

The player starts the game with 12 stars and each detonation destroys a star. However, creating adequate chain explosions replenish life stock while screen-clearing chains add life stock to the player's reserve in addition to replenishing the stock that was used to start the explosion. A "Next Extend" score keeper on the lower-left corner of the screen keeps track of how many points are needed before the next extend (life) is granted. Creating a 60-chain combo generally grants 2 or more lives to the player's stock. The Arcade Mode of E3 is made up of levels called "Drives" which feature 2 parts. The first part concerns the player with star or polyhedron destruction and the second part throws a rainbow-colored boss into the fray.

Jan Code: 4582224491032

View the back cover and screenshots on the main NCSX website.

» Press START and the player is prompted to enter his name. We entered "ICEMA" for our moniker. We wanted "ICEMAN" but the name entry only allows 5 letters.

» Game Modes are as follows:

SINGLE MODE / Arcade or Original Mode. Two ??? modes may be unlocked.
VS MODE / Challenge another player wirelessly
SHARING / Link up with a PSP player within range
OPTION / View ranking, VS History, Play a tutorial, Edit ID, and Clear Data from Memory Stick
CREDIT / View the names of the designers and creative staff that worked on the game in shaky text that ripples off screen after a few seconds.

» The secret unlockable modes in the game are Boss Mode and Caravan Mode. In the former, players may face off against only the bosses that have been conquered in the game. Caravan Mode allows players to select stages to play once they've been conquered in the Arcade Mode of the game.

» Either the D-pad or analog nub may be used to move and any of the face buttons are used to ignite a blast. To charge up for a larger explosion in Arcade Mode, hold any face button for a couple of seconds.

» Arcade Mode Stage 1 : Saturday Night Drive where the star-ship moves into a green area with geometric squares in the background which spin and change color slowly. Four point star shapes in different colors enter the stage from all directions and one has to maneuver around and blast them. When the timer reaches 50 seconds remaining, Mira-Drive opens up where player has to create chains to damage the rotating center circle that shoots out purple, pink, and green shots. As stars rotate in and one explodes them, any star that is near the circle will explode also and then damage the center circle. After creating a 5-blast chain, a 12-blast chain must be created followed by a 30-blast chain. Falter and the game will eventually end as your stock dwindles to nothing.

» On the lower right corner of the screen, the amount of life stock left over is shown. Each game starts off with 12 stock and the goal is to create chains so one's life stock is constantly replenished. In addition to the ever diminishing stock of life, a relentless timer counts down from 2:30 minutes on the upper left. Once time runs out, it's game over regardless of the amount of life stock available. Time extenders may be picked up however to add 10 seconds to one's timer. On the middle-right of the screen is the Max Chain counter which keeps track of your longest chain. On the upper right, the Quicken gauge which lights up one arrow when you pick up a purple quickening upgrade.

» In the Arcade Mode, holding down the ignition button for a couple of seconds increases the blast radius to catch more victims in the vicinity. In the Original Mode, one blast size fits all.

» E3 is difficult but rewarding. Once one gets the hang of the game mechanics, things get slightly more familiar but later levels scale higher in difficulty. In addition to the objective of creating chains to stay alive, boss objects also shoot buckshot and provide challenging obstacles in reaching the later levels.

» After a performance, the game ranks you as a "Dot Eater?" if your bombing skills weren't particularly impressive.

» On the high score table, lead eagle is "Omega" which was the moniker of the programmer who designed the original Every Extend game.

» The second level in Arcade Mode is "Sakura Drive" where stylized bumble bees are the targets of your destruction. As each group of bees are destroyed, they'll explode in starbursts that infect and destroy other bees. The bosses in this level are killer plants which arc from the top and bottom of the screen. At first, two killer plants attack followed by four plants which fill the screen up with blue-colored bullets.

» The third level in Arcade Mode is "Nostalgic Drive" which features a glittering background of neon-lit carnival lights that spin slowly. The objects that fly around in the level are spiky spheres which explode into beautiful fireworks that ignite more fireworks around them. Nostalgic Drive = video eye candy.

» The fourth level is called "Cambrian Drive" which features a hypnotic centerpiece. The boss looks like a rainbow-colored elliptical jellyfish with tentacles on either side of its body.

» The fifth level is dubbed "Melatonin Drive" with a boss which disassembles and reassembles itself out of component parts. It looks like Mr. Peanut and shoots out a fast moving stream of blocks which can be ignited. Therein lies the key to its rapid destruction.

» Players who get to the sixth level are treated to "Big Bang Drive" where planets move towards the viewer/gamer from the background and black atoms with electron accompaniments serve as the objects of ignition. The boss consists of a black atom with a green nucleus which spits out a spiralling wave of bullets. Damage it enough and it cracks open into a slow spinning mess of gnarled "tree branches" that radiate from the center where it was once just a sphere. Bullets stream from the center of the monstrousity and pool in one of the branches before bursting outwards. Destroy the tree branches and it reverts back to being a sphere and rushes around the screen while shooting out bullets.

» The seventh level is "Techno Drive" which features vector graphics for the background and the eighth level is "Maiahi Drive" with a boss named "Iei."

» Powerups and Specials. Create chains near like-colored polyhedrons to release:
● Yellow Sphere: Like napalm that burns for a few seconds longer and explodes at the end to ignite more explosions
● Purple Diamond: Quicken
● Yellow Diamond: +10 seconds
● Green Diamond: Bonus points. Pick them up consecutively for a bonus score multiplier.

This document is ©NCSX 2006. All rights reserved. No reproduction in whole or in part of this document may be made without express written consent of National Console Support, Inc.