Barker Bill's Trick Shooting (NES) Guide  Flying Saucers

How to Play

Barker Bill and Trixie throw 20 saucers into the air. Shoot the saucers before they hit the ground or leave the screen.

• There are 20 saucers (or diamonds) thrown per round.
• If a saucer or diamond hits the ground, you lose a life.
• If you shoot the green bird that appears, you lose a life.
• You start the game with 10 lives.
• If you shoot one of the Diamonds thrown by Trixie, you gain an extra life.

Scoring

• Each saucer is worth 100, 200, 300, 400 or 500 points depending on how high it is when shot. The top of the screen is worth 100 points and the bottom is worth 500 points.
• If you shoot a saucer that's been caught by the bird, you earn 500 points.
• Shoot two saucers at the same time for 1000 points.
• If you hit every saucer in a Round, you earn a bonus 5000 points.

Progression

As you progress through the rounds, the bird will appear and the saucers will move faster.

• From Round 2, the bird will appear. If it catches a saucer, it will try to fly away with it.
• From Round 4, the saucers move faster.
• From Round 6, the bird appears more frequently.

The rounds stop increasing at Round 99. You can continue playing, but the round number does not go up.

Techniques

• Saucers are easier to hit at the top of their arc than they are when they are coming back down, but they do not score as highly.
• You can take the risky approach and shoot the saucers as they approach the bottom of the screen, or you can stay near the top and try to shoot both plates as they cross paths (which is tricky, but a much safer way to get 1000 points).
• Watch out for saucers being flung off the side of the stage, or straight into the claws of the bird. You won't have long to shoot them.
• Aim slightly below the saucer, especially if the bird is carrying it. Aim too high and you might miss and shoot the bird.