Centipede Overview
Centipede for the Game Boy is a fixed-screen shooter where the player, armed with a magic wand, defends against waves of insects in an Enchanted Forest. The primary threat is the Centipede itself, which attacks from the top of the screen in progressively fragmented waves, starting as a connected chain and eventually splitting into numerous independent heads. Hitting a segment turns it into a mushroom and causes the following segment to become the new head, with the creature respawning after destruction.
The environment is populated by mushrooms, which serve as both obstacles and potential cover. These can be destroyed with multiple shots or transformed by enemy actions. Other insects present distinct secondary threats: Spiders destroy mushrooms and are worth more points when hit at close range, Fleas appear to replenish mushrooms if too many are cleared, and Scorpions poison mushrooms, which in turn alters the Centipede's movement pattern.
Scoring is based on defeating enemies, with values differing for Centipede heads versus body segments, and for Spider distance. Bonus wands are awarded at score milestones. The player begins with three wands and loses one upon being bitten by an insect, which also causes temporary paralysis. The game ends when all wands are lost.
Multiple game structure variations are offered, including solo play, alternating turns for two players, and simultaneous two-player modes that feature either competitive or cooperative scoring rules. Four difficulty settings are available, ranging from easy to challenging.
