+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
                         | S U P E R   Z A X X O N |
                         +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

              GAME:  SUPER ZAXXON
          PLATFORM:  ARCADE
             GENRE:  ARCADE SHOOTER
           CREATOR:  SEGA Copyright 1982
AUTHOR OF THIS FAQ:  Kevin Butler AKA War Doc
            E-MAIL:  kevinb(at)technologist(dot)com
       FAQ VERSION:  1.0

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                              TABLE OF CONTENTS

    UNIT   I:  INTRODUCTION

1.  Legal Stuff
2.  Version Information
3.  Acknowledgements
4.  Welcome
5.  Overview

    UNIT  II:  GAME INFORMATION

6.  The Game

    6.1  The Controls
    6.2  The Playing Fields
    6.3  Scoring
    6.4  Differences Between Zaxxon and Super Zaxxon
    6.5  The Areas

    UNIT III:  STRATEGIES

7.  Playing the Game

    7.1  Area 1
    7.2  Area 2
    7.3  Area 3

    UNIT  IV:  CONCLUSION

8.  Conclusion

_______________________________________________________________________________

To find a particular chapter or subchapter do the following:

1.  Highlight the chapter or subchapter name you wish to find.
2.  Press CTRL-C
3.  Press CTRL-F
4.  Press CTRL-V
5.  Press CTRL-F
5.  You will arrive at the desired chapter or subchapter.

_______________________________________________________________________________

                                **************
********************************* U N I T  I **********************************
                                **************
+=================+
| 1.  LEGAL STUFF |============================================================
+=================+

This guide may not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal
private use.  It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed
publicly without advanced permission from the author.  Use of this guide on
any other web sit or as part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and
a violation of copyright.  All content in this guide is Copyright 2003 by
Kevin Butler.  Only the sites listed below have permission to publish this
work or to display it:

www.gamefaqs.com
www.cheats.de
faqs.ign.com

If you wish to put this guide on your site, e-mail me and ask.  Save yourself
the headache of putting up with lawsuits and whatnot because you failed to ask
a simple "Can I post your guide on <insert site>?".  If you wish to use info
in this guide, please acknowledge that you have done so.

If you see this guide on any other site then the one listed above, please
e-mail me.  If you wish to ask questions or give input to this guide, please
e-mail me.  Just have Super Zaxxon as the subject so I know it isn't another
kooky vendor trying to sell me hair gel or another XXX site telling me I have
new friends.

+=========================+
| 2.  VERSION INFORMATION |====================================================
+=========================+

Version 1.0   9/28/03:  A guide is born.

+======================+
| 3.  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS |=======================================================
+======================+

The following are a list of people or organizations that have made this FAQ
possible:

My wonderful family (who has had to put up with the tapping on the keyboard)
Sega for making a great arcade game
GameFAQ's for putting up this FAQ

+=============+
| 4.  WELCOME |================================================================
+=============+

Welcome to my FAQ for Super Zaxxon.  Since the game has you continuously
playing through rounds until all your men are killed, there is no walkthrough
per se.  Instead it will be broken up into the game itself and strategies for
survival.  Input is appreciated along with constructive criticism.  If you wish
to e-mail me thoughts on this FAQ, better ways of doing things, other
strategies, etc., feel free.  Make sure you put Super Zaxxon as the subject.
If you don't, I'm liable to discard the e-mail as spam.

+==============+
| 5.  OVERVIEW |===============================================================
+==============+

After the release of Zaxxon, Sega realized it had a hit on its hands.  The
unique nature of the game featuring its three-quarter perspective was one of
the first (if not the first) games to add depth and some feeling of perspective
to a space game.  Sega was quick to follow up on this success with Super
Zaxxon.  Super Zaxxon built on the Zaxxon model by creating a more challenging
game.  Although Super Zaxxon didn't do as well as its predecessor, it still
created a respectable niche as far as arcade games went.  Sega went on to
produce other games such as Star Trek, Buck Rogers, Pengo, and Tac/Scan to name
a few.  Good luck in destroying the Super Zaxxon's.

                               ***************
******************************** U N I T  II **********************************
                               ***************

+==============+ 
| 6.  THE GAME |===============================================================
+==============+ 

Super Zaxxon is a three-quarter perspective, space shooter style game.  You must
first go over a base on an asteroid.  Things located on this base include gun
implacements, fuel tanks, radar stations, missiles, and fighters.  After you
successfully navigate this base, you will go through a tunnel to tangle with
enemy fighters, mine layers, and mines.  You then will have to navigate through
a series of barriers on another asteroid in order to take on the Super
Zaxxon's, the enemy robot dragons.  After you do this, the cycle begins anew.
Sitting behind a desk pushing paper never looked so good.

 ____________________
/ 6.1  The Controls /__________________________________________________________
--------------------

The controls on this game are very easy.  It may, though, take just a little
bit of time to get used to them.

-  An eight-way joystick with a fire button. (The Y-axis are reversed so that
   when you push up on the joystick, your fighter descends while pushing down
   causes it to ascend)

 __________________________
/ 6.2  The Playing Fields /____________________________________________________
--------------------------

Super Zaxxon actually consists of three playing fields.  Two fields occur over
the asteroid bases while one occurs in a tunnel.  After making it through these
three areas, the next round has you go through the same areas again.  I have
included an example of what these fields look like:

                                 +--------+
                                 | AREA 1 |
                                 +--------+

    +-------------------------------------------------------------------+
    |                  /                                                |
    |                /                                                  |
    |              /                                                    |
    |            /                                                      |
    |          /                                                        |
    |        /                                 /\                       |
    |      /                                 /    \<-BARRIER            |
    | |\ /                                  |\      \                   |
    | | \                                   |  \      \                 |
    |/| |         //<-YOUR FIGHTER          |    \      \               |
    | |\|      /|//                         \      \      \             |
    | | |     _|/_\                           \      \      \          /|
    | | |                                       \      \      \      /  |
    | |\|                                         \      \      \  /    |
    | | |                 ___                       \      \     /      |
    | | |<-ALTIMETER    ( ___ )                       \      \ /        |
    | |\|               |     |<-FUEL TANK              \    /          |
    | | |               |     |                           \/            |
    | \ |                \___/                           /              |
    |  \|                                              /                |
    |                                                /                  |
    |-------------------------------------------------------------------|
    |  // //<-FIGHTERS LEFT               |\                            |
    |                                     |/<-PRESENT LEVEL             |
    |                                     |                             |
    | FUEL  E>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>F                          |
    +-------------------------------------------------------------------+

                                 +--------+
                                 | AREA 2 |
                                 +--------+

    +-------------------------------------------------------------------+
    |                               /   |     /                         |
    |                             /     |   /                           |
    |                           /       | /                             |
    |                         /         /       /|_                     |
    |                       / |       /       _|/_/                     |
    |                     /   |     /         //                        |
    |                   /     |   /          // <-                      |
    |                 /       | /               ENEMY FIGHTER-> /|_     |
    | |\            /         /                               _|/_/     |
    | | \         /|        /                                 //        |
    | | |       /  |      /                                  //         |
    | |\|     /    |    / ________                                     /|
    | | |   /      |  /   \ /-\  /                                   /  |
    | | | /        |/      \\_//<-MINE LAYER                       /    |
    | |\|         /         \/                                   /      |
    | | |       /                                              /        |
    | | |<-ALTIMETER                           //<-YOUR      /          |
    | |\|   /                               /|//   FIGHTER /            |
    | | | /                            /   _|/_\         /              |
    | \ |                            /                 /                |
    |  \|                                            /                  |
    |                                              /                    |
    |-------------------------------------------------------------------|
    |  // //<-FIGHTERS LEFT               |\                            |
    |                                     |/<-PRESENT LEVEL             |
    |                                     |                             |
    | FUEL  E>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>F                          |
    +-------------------------------------------------------------------+

                                 +--------+
                                 | AREA 3 |
                                 +--------+

    +-------------------------------------------------------------------+
    |                  /\      \      \                                 |
    |                /    \      \     /\                               |
    |              /        \      \ /../ \<-HOLE IN BARRIER            |
    |            /            \      \./   /\                           |
    |          /                \      \  /   \                         |
    |        /                    \      \      \                       |
    |      /                        \      \      \<-BARRIER            |
    | |\ /                            \      \      \                   |
    | | \                               \      \      \                 |
    |/| |         //<-YOUR FIGHTER        \      \      \               |
    | |\|      /|//                         \      \      \             |
    | | |     _|/_\                           \      \      \          /|
    | | |                                       \      \      \      /  |
    | |\|                                         \      \      \  /    |
    | | |                 ___                       \      \     /      |
    | | |<-ALTIMETER    ( ___ )                       \      \ /        |
    | |\|               |     |<-FUEL TANK              \    /          |
    | | |               |     |                           \/            |
    | \ |                \___/                           /              |
    |  \|                                              /                |
    |                                                /                  |
    |-------------------------------------------------------------------|
    |  // //<-FIGHTERS LEFT               |\                            |
    |                                     |/<-PRESENT LEVEL             |
    |                                     |                             |
    | FUEL  E>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>F                          |
    +-------------------------------------------------------------------+

You control your fighter through these three screens.

 _______________
/ 6.3  Scoring /_______________________________________________________________
---------------

Scoring is pretty straight forward in this game.  Some variable scoring does
exist for a couple of things.

Gun Implacements (Green and Gray)        :    200 or 500 points (random)
Fuel Tank                                :    500 points
Radar Tower                              :  1,000 points
Missile (Ground-to-Air)                  :    300 points
Missile (Air-to-Air)                     :    200 points
Fighters (on runway)                     :    100 points
Fighters (in air)                        :    200 points + (50 points/level
                                                  after level 1)
Mine Layer                               :    200 points + (50 points/level
                                                  after level 1)
Mines                                    :    200 points + (50 points/level
                                                  after level 1)

Super Zaxxon (destroyed (all colors))    :  2,000 points
Super Zaxxon (not destroyed (all colors)):    500 points
Destroying all planes in the tunnel      :  2,000 points

You start the game with 3, 4, or 5 lives.  You are awarded bonus lives every
10,000, 20,000, 30,000, or 40,000 points.

 ___________________________________________________
/ 6.4  Differences Between Super Zaxxon and Zaxxon /___________________________
---------------------------------------------------

Although both games look the roughly the same in design, this is where the
similarities end.  Super Zaxxon was made to be a more challenging game.  It
achieves this by the following differences:

-  Your fighter moves much faster.  This makes going after ground targets a
   big challenge.

-  The graphics are different.  Although this is more of a viewing difference,
   it can still change ones perspective after they have gotten used to the
   Zaxxon graphics.

-  There is no more outer space battle.  Instead, you must go through a narrow
   tunnel to get to area 3.

-  Instead of 20 fighters, you now have to tangle with 25 fighters in area 2.

-  A new enemy, the Mine Layer, is introduced.  As the name implies, this ship
   lays mines in your path.  You can destroy the mines but it takes a few hits.

-  Instead of encountering one Zaxxon robot, you now have to deal with three
   Super Zaxxon, dragon looking robots.

-  The placement of things (fuel tanks, gun implacements, etc.)in areas 1 and
   3 is different then in Zaxxon.

-  There are now indestructible, elevated guns in area 1.  These guns sit on
   the right side and they are 2.5 units in altitude.

 _________________
/ 6.5  The Areas /_____________________________________________________________
-----------------

The areas in Super Zaxxon are arranged in a specific order.  After you complete
area 3, you will start a new level back at area 1.  The differences are that
you burn fuel faster, the openings in the barriers become smaller, and the
enemy fighters move quicker.  When I reference the altimeter, I will only be
using the four full bars at the top to indicate altitude.  I won't use the
lower half since you can't go below one unit on the altimeter.  Below is what
is in each area:

+--------+
| AREA 1 |
+--------+

This is the run over the asteroid base.  You must navigate around many
obstacles in order to make it through this area.  In addition, if you fly too
high over the base (in other words, fly at maximum altitude), Super Zaxxon will
launch an air-to-air missile at your fighter.  Below are the maps for this
area.  I have made the maps overhead views and divided this area into two
parts:

The legend for all parts is:

 O = Opening in wall (entrance or exit)
 M = Missile Silo (for ground-to-air missile)
FT = Fuel Tank
 R = Radar Tower
FI = Fighter
 G = Gun Implacement (line indicates direction)
EB = Electronic Barrier (fly at an altitude above one unit to clear)
SW = Short Wall (fly above an altitude of one unit to clear)
 T = Tunnel Entrance
EG = Elevated Gun

/========\
| PART 1 |
\========/

This will take you from the entrance wall into the asteroid base to the
electronic barrier on the base.  The entrance is at the top, left side of the
entrance wall.  Altimeter should be at max (four units):

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|                             EG   EG               EG  EG                    |
| | |  --G        FT  M  M     |    |       M  FT    |   |  --G     FI        |
|  0        M M             M    FT               SW      M         M M   M FT|
| | | M  |  M   FT    SW |            M  FT       SW          M  FI     FT    |
| | |    G    M    FT SW G      M               M SW M                        |
| | |         M       SW   M       |     --G       --G                     --G|
| | |                         FT   G M M --G  M        M                      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+

/========\
| PART 2 |
\========/

This will take you from the electronic barrier to the exit wall.  The exit is
at the top, middle of the exit wall.  Altimeter should be at the minimum to
enter the tunnel which is in the middle of the screen.


+----------------------------------------+
|    G   M   G           FI           | ||
|EB  |       |   M  FI                | ||
|EB R                M      FI  M     T E|
|EB    M M  FT       M                | ||
|EB    M                    FT  M   R | ||
|                                     | ||
+----------------------------------------+

+--------+
| AREA 2 |
+--------+

Area 2 puts you in the tunnel take out the enemy fighters, mine layers, and
mines.  You will start with 25 enemy fighters minus any you destroyed on the
ground in area 1.  The maximum altitude you can be in the tunnels is one unit.

Mines require six hits to destroy them.

Your gunsight will activate when an enemy fighter is at your altitude.

+--------+
| AREA 3 |
+--------+

This level is somewhat like area 1.  The main differences are you now have
eight walls and/or electronic barriers to go through, missiles don't launch at
your fighter, and you get to take on the Super Zaxxon's at the end of this
area.  Below are the maps for this area.  I have made the maps overhead views
and divided this area into two parts:

The legend for all parts is:

 O = Opening in wall or barrier
 M = Missile Silo (for ground-to-air missile)
FT = Fuel Tank
 R = Radar Tower
FI = Fighter
 G = Gun Implacement (line indicates direction)
B# = This is the barrier number.  It will be a "B" followed by the number (if
     it has EB + B, that means there is an electronic barrier above the
     opening.  In essence, creating a "hole" in the wall).  Specifics for
     getting through that barrier will be listed below the map in this format:

Alt = Altitude (only counting the four top blocks.  i.e. 2.75 is two full
                blocks and three-quarters of the third block on the altimeter)
Pla = Placement of opening (L=Left, M=Middle, or R=Right)

/========\
| PART 1 |
\========/

This will take you from the entrance wall to the sixth barrier.  The entrance
is at the top, left side of the entrance wall.  Altimeter should be at max
(four units):


+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |    --G   |         --G  O M           | M  G   FT       O  FT --G   FT   O|
| O FT       |              |   FT   M    |    |            |  M      FT     ||
| |   |  FT  | M  FT FT FT  |     FT      O          FT M   |       M     FT ||
| |   G  R   O              |   M   FT |  |       |     --G |                ||
| |          |     M  --G   |          G  |       G   R     |                ||
|                                                                             |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
  B1       B + EB2          B + EB3       B + EB4          B + EB5          B6
  Alt=4    Alt=1.25         Alt=2.5       Alt=Ground       Alt=0.75
  Pla=L    Pla=M            Pla=L         Pla=M            Pla=L

/========\
| PART 2 |
\========/

This will take you from the sixth barrier to Super Zaxxon.


+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| O  M  G  FT   O M       G FT O   FT  FT            /                        |
| |     |       |   FT FT | M  | M                   \                        |
| |       --G   |              |   FT                / Super Zaxxon's         |
| |  M          |         --G  |                     \                        |
| |             |              |                     /                        |
|                                                    \                        |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
  B + EB6       B + EB7        B + EB8
  Alt=2         Alt=Ground     Alt=2
  Pla=L         Pla=L          Pla=L

                               ****************
******************************** U N I T  III *********************************
                               ****************

+======================+
| 7.  PLAYING THE GAME |=======================================================
+======================+

When you start the game, your fighter will be in the middle at the bottom of
the screen.  You will see an asteroid with a wall rising from it.  You will
then see an opening in the wall.  This is how you will enter areas 1
and 3.

 ______________
/ 7.1  Area 1 /________________________________________________________________
--------------

This area is basically ground targets.  You may have to increase altitude to
get over the short barriers but this is basically a ground attack area.

-  The action starts immediately as soon as you go through the opening in the
   wall.  Drop your altitude immediately to not only to avoid the Air-to-Air
   missile, but to take out ground targets.

-  Fuel is a precious commodity.  You must destroy the Fuel Tanks in order to
   increase the amount of fuel in your fighter.  This won't be an easy matter
   as you can see from the maps in Chapter 6.5, many of the Fuel Tanks are
   covered either by Gun Implacements, Ground-to-Air missiles, or both.

-  When you are flying along the ground to destroy targets, watch out for the
   Gun Implacements and missile silos.  Both will fire upon your fighter at
   every opportunity.  The missile silos will usually launch Ground-to-Air
   missiles as soon as your fighter is over them.  Gun Implacements only fire
   when you are at ground level.

-  As soon as you "hop" over the short barriers, get down to ground level again
   to do more destruction.  Try to hit the Radar Towers since they yield the
   biggest points at this point.

-  When you get to the airfields, try to destroy as many fighters as you can
   (you can destroy a maximum of five).  The more fighters on the ground you
   destroy equates to that many less you have to encounter in area 2.  This
   also means you have a better chance at the 2,000 point bonus.

-  Speaking of the airfields, watch out since there are many hidden missile
   silos within them.  Keep moving around or you may be surprised by a Ground-
   to-Air missile.

-  Do not fly at maximum altitude if you can help it.  If you fly too long at
   maximum altitude, your fighter will be met head-on by an Air-to-Air missile
   which is very difficult to destroy (takes six shots).

 ______________
/ 7.2  Area 2 /________________________________________________________________
--------------

This is one of harder areas of the game.  You will be entering a narrow tunnel
where your maximum altitude is only one unit.  In addition, there is very
little maneuvering room.

-  You will be attacked by both enemy fighters and enemy mine layers.

-  Since there isn't much altitude within the tunnel itself, it should be easy
   to pick off enemy air units.  The problem that arises, though, is the con-
   centration of said air units.

-  Be very wary of the mine layers.  They swing from side-to-side within the
   tunnel and have a bad habit of dropping a mine right in your flight path.
   Six shots destroy a mine but it is usually placed so quickly, you don't have
   a chance to shoot it.

-  Enemy air units only come at you from the front.  They don't return from the
   back for more action.

-  The enemy fighters will usually make three to four passes at you before you
   are out of this area.

 ______________
/ 7.3  Area 3 /________________________________________________________________
--------------

This is the area that gives players the most trouble.  Due to the small
openings in the walls plus those openings being at different heights can really
test a player's skill.  In addition, you must still take out Fuel Tanks in
order to keep flying.

-  In order to make sure that you will be able to pass through an opening,
   continue to fire your gun.  If your laser fire doesn't go through, that
   means you have to quickly adjust either your altitude or left/right
   orientation.

-  The barriers are relatively close together which means you have to get
   through one and quickly adjust to where the next one is.  Over a period of
   time, you will memorize where the openings in the barriers are and make your
   trip that much easier.

-  Many of the targets such as Fuel Tanks and Radar Towers are just on the
   other side of the walls.  This means you have to drop and go left or right
   very quickly to have a chance of hitting them.

-  An added bonus of firing through the barriers (especially the ones at ground
   level) is that you can knock off the targets on the other side of said
   barrier making your life that much easier.

-  Chapter 6.5 lists where the barriers are and recommended altitudes and di-
   rections to get through them.

-  After the last barrier, you get to tangle with the Super Zaxxon's.  To them
   every time:

   -  Set your altitude to one and one-half units.

   -  Go to the middle side of the screen.

   -  When he starts to enter, start firing.  Adjust your fire so that you are
      hitting the area where the mouth of the Super Zaxxon is.

   -  You need to get six shots into his mouth before he throws a fireball at
      your fighter.

   -  Once you have either destroyed, or forced the blue Super Zaxxon to
      retreat, you have to deal with the green Super Zaxxon.

   -  Once you have either destroyed, or forced the green Super Zaxxon to
      retreat, you have to deal with the red Super Zaxxon.

   -  After you have either destroyed, or forced the red Super Zaxxon to
      retreat, you go back to area 1 again.

   -  As a reward for killing off the Super Zaxxons, you get 2,000 points
      apiece for them.

Once you complete Area 3, the cycle begins anew.

                               ****************
********************************  U N I T  IV *********************************
                               ****************

+================+
| 8.  CONCLUSION |=============================================================
+================+

Super Zaxxon has to definitely be one of my all time favorite games.  The
action is fast paced and even when you know what's coming, it didn't make a
whole lot of difference.  Skill definitely played a major role in getting
through this game.  Skill, though, only got one so far.  Granted, you could
destroy ground targets and navigate the narrow openings in barriers, it still
sometimes came down to blind luck on how you managed to squeeze through a
serious crossfire situation.  The replay factor was high on this game and a lot
of people used to tie the machine up for hours on end just trying to put higher
scores on it.  Another factor, of course, had to be the graphics gave you the
feeling of actually flying around causing hate and discontent.  Unfortunately,
it is very rare to find this machine anywhere.  However, through the miracle of
emulation, a whole new generation is realizing what we "old" folks enjoyed
those many years ago.  In addition, www.shockwave.com is bringing many of these
classic games back.  Check out their site to see what ones are there.  I hope
this guide helps you in being able to get the most amount of gameplay for this
game.  If you do have other ideas or thoughts, please e-mail me and share them.
Who knows, maybe I'll start a Q&A Chapter in this guide if enough people ask
the same questions.  Anyway, thank you again for reading this guide.

To see other FAQ's I have written please go to:

           http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/recognition/32691.html

           ~~~  No trees were harmed in the making of this FAQ ~~~