Shooter guide
Platform Shooter Tips From Level 1 Spikes and Coins
Key takeaways
- Holding only Right, the soldier ran onto the first spikes and the health ran out within about 3 to 4 seconds in three runs.
- With jumps about every 0.8 seconds the first spikes were cleared and the coin counter read 2, 4, 5 and 7 in successive screenshots.
- Firing for about 5 seconds took the ammo bar down to roughly a quarter.
- The Tutorial lists the keys: arrows or WASD to move, L or X to shoot, K or Z to attack, S to crouch.
The first platform shooter tip is to jump early instead of holding Right: in Voltmarch the soldier ran onto the first spikes and the health ran out in about 3 to 4 seconds in three runs, while jumping about every 0.8 seconds got us past them. The Tutorial lists the keys in one place.
How the game works
Voltmarch is a side-scrolling platform shooter. You pick level 1 on the level screen and steer an armored soldier through a metal base. The top of the screen shows a health bar, a star counter, a coin counter, a green skull bar and an ammo bar, and on-screen buttons for moving, jumping and attacking are drawn in the game as well.
The controls, read from the Tutorial
The Tutorial panel lists every key. Move with WASD or the arrow keys, shoot with L or X and attack up close with K or Z. S crouches and W jumps.
| Action | Keys |
|---|---|
| Move | WASD or the arrow keys |
| Jump | W |
| Crouch | S |
| Shoot | L or X |
| Melee attack | K or Z |
Holding Right ends on the spikes
In our first test we pressed only the Right key on level 1. In three runs the soldier ran onto the first floor spikes, the health bar emptied within about 3 to 4 seconds and the game over panel followed. In one run the panel was up at 3.1 seconds.
Jumping and firing
In a second test we held Right, pressed jump at about 0.65, 1.45, 2.25 and 3.05 seconds and tapped the fire key all the time. The soldier got past the first spikes and the coin counter read 2, 4, 5 and 7 in successive screenshots, with a spider robot and sparks on the screen. The ammo bar shrank as we fired and after about 5 seconds it was down to roughly a quarter.
Ten levels
The level screen shows ten squares. Only level 1 is open at the start. The other nine show padlocks, and every square has three empty circles for stars.
4 tips that follow from the numbers
- Do not hold Right. The first spikes ended the run in about 3 to 4 seconds.
- Jump about every 0.8 seconds on the first stretch. That got us past the spikes in one run.
- Fire in bursts. Steady fire for about 5 seconds left roughly a quarter of the ammo bar.
- Read the Tutorial once. It has all five actions in one place.
Where to try it
Try it yourself in Voltmarch. For more running and shooting, Goldstride is an endless runner and Lanternbow is an archery game.
Frequently asked questions
What are the controls in Voltmarch?
The Tutorial says WASD or the arrow keys move, L or X shoots, K or Z attacks, S crouches and W jumps.
What happens if you only hold Right?
In three runs on level 1 the soldier ran onto the first floor spikes and the health bar emptied within about 3 to 4 seconds, followed by the game over panel.
How do you get past the first spikes?
In one run we held Right and pressed jump at about 0.65, 1.45, 2.25 and 3.05 seconds while shooting, and the soldier got past them.
Does the ammo run out?
The ammo bar shrank while we fired. After about 5 seconds of steady firing it was down to roughly a quarter.
How many levels are there?
The level screen shows ten levels. Only level 1 is open at the start and the rest show padlocks with three empty circles.
Does Voltmarch work on a phone?
On-screen buttons are drawn in the game, but it is made for a keyboard, so it plays best on a computer.