Cadet
For learning. Half as many enemies, half damage, two extra lives. Half ions.
Difficulty & mutators
Four difficulty levels change the density, speed, toughness and damage of enemies — and how many ions you take home. You unlock Veteran by reaching sector 6 as a Pilot, and Legend by reaching sector 10 as a Veteran. The levels differ above all in damage: on Legend, a bare ship survives two hits.
Difficulty levels
Pilot
The intended experience. Doable without the hangar, comfortable with it.
Veteran
Two and a half times the damage, half as much cover. Without a half-upgraded hangar, sector 3 is the end. Triple the yield, because more enemies come.
Legend
Four times the damage, twice as many projectiles. Only playable with an almost fully upgraded ship — a bare one survives two hits. Almost seven times the yield — which is also why people fly there.
In co-op every difficulty level adds even more: more and denser volleys, harder hits, less time to salvage. Details in the co-op article. Co-op →
Mutators
Optional before take-off. Every active mutator makes things harder and grants more ions. Which ones you can pick depends on the difficulty levels you have unlocked. Double Time only applies to Track mode, which is still in development.
| Rapid Fire | Enemy projectiles 20 % faster. | +20 % Ions |
| No Nova | No novas, not even from the hangar. | +20 % Ions |
| Wide Core | Hitbox twice as large. | +30 % Ions |
| Mirror World | Left and right controls are swapped. | +25 % Ions |
| Double Time | Track mode only: the song plays 1.25× as fast. | +25 % Ions |
| Open Reactor | The shield does not recharge. | +35 % Ions |
| Glaskanone | Du machst 25 % mehr Schaden und nimmst 50 % mehr. | +30 % Ions |
Enemy tiers
Every ten sectors the squadrons get stronger and change their patterns. The step-up is staggered: drones and swarms first, orbs two sectors later, then spinners and finally fortresses. The extra damage ramps in over four sectors.
ELITE SQUADRONS
Drones fire fans, orbs denser rings, spinners three arms, fortresses double walls.
VETERAN FLEET
Faster, tougher, swarms in pairs, guardians with reinforcements.
HELL SQUADRON
Everything at once. Good luck.