Denaris
Alternative title: Katakis  (Original version)
Platform: Commodore 64
Gametype: Undefined
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Due to legal problems Katakis was sold under the name Denaris in some countries. Except for parts of the graphics (e.g. title screen, pod sprite, colours in level 2) Denaris is identical to Katakis.

Description 

Denaris is the story of the planet Katakis. It was once a booming paradise for researchers, scientists and inventors. But always have the humans been the victim of their own intelligence. So the inhabitants of Katakis created fantastic machines, that should facilitate life. But the technical wonders developed their own life and devastated the planet. 

Now you are called upon to end this going-on. With a DS-H75 Eaglefighter, which can be upgraded with a satellite and different extra weapons, you try to get into the centre of the machine town and to destroy the mechanical enemies. 

You control this spacehip through altogether 12 levels, whereby at the end of each level a huge end boss waits for you to be defeated. Collisions with asteroids, flying enemies, ground troups and the background need to be avoided. 

Game modes 

In the title screen you see in turns the highscore list and an options menu, in which you can choose the following: 

F1   1 player: single player. 

F3   2 player: two players compete in turns. The 2-player mode allows to play with two in turns, i.e. that one person steers each only one spaceship. If the glider has total loss, the next one gets his chance to get through. (Both players use the joystick in port #2). 

F5   Teamwork: 2 players together (player 1 controls the spaceship, player 2 the satellite). The teamwork mode is remarkable. Two players can play at the same time; one player controls the glider, the other the satellite. Both can complement one another. The satellite is indestructible, but cannot pick up items. The glider is very vulnerable, but can upgrade itself as well as the satellite by picking up crystals. (player 1 - port #2 - glider, player 2 - port #1 - satellite) 

2D screen with its background scrolling from right to left. The spacehsip can be moved freely into all directions in the screen. At the end of each of the 12 levels a huge end boss must be defeated. Each level has its own design. Enemies fly mostly in straight lines. Unfortunately, there are many bugs in the display, e.g. sometimes shots keep "stuck" or colour mistakes happen. The tiling of the sprites or charsets that were used for the graphics is relatively distinct. 

Controls 

Joystick movement = moving the spaceship into the corresponding direction 

Fire button = shoot 
Keep fire button pressed = beam (more destructive power, lower shooting frequency) 
Space = the satellite is docked on or off 
F7   = pause, continue game with fire button 

Upgrading the Eagle-fighter 

Upgrading the Eagle-fighters is mainly done by shooting the space containers and picking up the so-called Geega-crystals that are left and collecting the multi-coloured balls that appear after shooting whole formations of enemies. 

Symbols 

Geega-crystals 

One Geegacrystal - makes a small satellite (Zykon). 
Two Geegacrystals - make a middle-sized satellite (Celest). 
Three Geegacrystals - make a big satellite (Gemega). 
Blue Geegacrystals - Iron Reflecton Lasers (with a fine beam). 
Green Geegacrystals - Gyroscopic Mines (running on the surface). 
Red Geegacrystals - Power Moai (nothing more to say). 

Zeela Stars

(red) raises the speed of the glider 
(grey) reduces the speed of the glider 

Balls 

The number of the collected balls is shown at the lower rim of the screen (red = shooting power, green = missiles, blue = shield). 

When the display is full, the corresponding option is improved, (e.g. red display full - shooting power is upgraded). 

If the fighter gets destroyed, you lose the displayed balls.  Raises the shooting power raises the number of missiles activates the shield for a short time destroys all visible enemies on the screen 1000 bonus points 

Enemies and end bosses 

The enemies and end bosses of each level always react in the same way, i.e. you can remember the formations and movements and master each oh so tricky passage in the game sooner or later (mostly later). The end bosses react especially sensitive to a certain weapon type (find out for yourself). 

Highscore 

If you reach a high enough score, you can enter your name into a highscore list, which comprises ten entries and can also be saved on disk. For this you type your name over the keyboard and confirm it by pressing the "RETURN" key. After that you are asked, if the list should be saved on disk. Press the key "F1" so save the list on disk, but 

CAUTION !! If Jiffy-Dos (or another disk drive speeder) is active and shall speed up a drive which is connected to the serial bus, you need to switch off this speeder before saving (due to the switched on sprites) and switch it on again after saving. 

Tips 

Look closely at the formations and the movements of the enemy, as they repeat themselves at the same position. 

If a container appears, shoot it and pick up the Geega-crystal, as it almost always carries the correct upgrade for the next section. 

If your fighter gets destroyed you always start at one of 2-3 preset locations in the level! 

Beware of the triangle-shaped gliders, as the have the unpleasant talent to close up also from the left side of the screen and also change the flying direction. 

Gyroscopic mines (stem from green Geega-crystals) are a perfect weapon against enemies that are located or move on the ground. 

Every end boss has a weakness. It shortly flashes when you hit it there. 

Every end boss has a special sensitivity for a certain type of weapon and its use (super shot, short laser hits, etc.) 

The 2- player (in turns) mode is faulty in all available versions on the internet (last state of knowledge). Do not use it. 

There is also a 64'er-longplay of Katakis, in which alle levels and enemies are described closely. 64'er Longplay 

Do not get discouraged, play - play - play . . . 

Strategies 

Level 1 

At the start stay a bit below the middle of the screen and shoot from there. Fly just over the first piece of rock and then shoot the container. Pick up the Zeela-star. Fly above the big rock, shoot the container, pick up the crystal, it contains a Zykon-satellite. Dock it on (space key) and stay in the lower part of the screen. After the meteorite hail stay in the middle of the screen, shoot the container, pick up the crystal (Celest-satellite with Power Moai). The first part of the level is done. 

Stay in the middle of the screen and fire. After the last peak steer full down and destroy the tank at the ground. Before the next mountain peak hold fully to the upper right (due to the tank). Notice the shooting order of the next tank (3 shots, then a short break). During the break you have time to pass it. The second part of the level is done. 

The end boss enters the screen from the right. He has to be hit a bit above the eyes (about 8x with the Celest-satellite, if you shoot normal) so he will resolve in an explosion. The first of twelve levels is done. 

Level 2 

At the start stay low as far as possible and shoot the three machines walking on the ground. (These machines have a diagonly shot and hit rather precise, therefore they are utterly dangerous. They can be found in the whole level.) Shoot the containter, it has a blue Geega-crystal. Pick it up and you have gyroscopic mines. (They are indispensable for this level.) Beware of the machines walking on the ground towards you. In front of the part, that looks like a drive gear nozzle, there are three machines on the ground which lift off when the glider comes near and fly towards it very fast. After the nozzle follows a formation, which is easy to shoot. But after the next elevation there are again machines that walk on the ground and shoot diagonally up. Without gyroscopic mines this section is almost unsolvable. Now keep to the middle of the screen. When the drive gear nozzles get visible at the upper and lower rim of the screen, the first part of the level is finished. 

Keep to the middle of the screen and fly between the drive gears. Watch out for the small yellow cannonry, which are at the upper and lower rim of the screen. The following passages are very narrow, you need to steer the glider very exact and fire permanently. Do net let yourself get irritated by the approaching formations. Take care of the machines on the ground again. When entering the hall, the second part is done. 

The end boss enters the screen from the right again, stays a while at this place and then moves a bit to the left and so on. So you should not need too much time to destroy it. It needs to get hit directly into the mouth. After about eight fully loaded super shots it resolves into its parts in an explosion. (You should only use super shots, as it is relatively immune against the others and you need to much time!) The second of twelve levels is finished.


http://www.c64-wiki.com/index.php/Katakis
