Alligator Hunt

Game Details:

Released in 1994, this title showcased the impressive graphical prowess of the Spanish company Gaelco. The game is set in the future, where an alien alligator army has taken over cities and space bases. Instead of just controlling movement, players use the joystick to simultaneously control their character's position and the firing crosshair.

The game's most notable feature is its character animation; the protagonist's rolls and jumps on a skateboard are exceptionally fluid, and there's even a dedicated dodge button. Level design spans from bustling city streets to the interior of an alien mothership. The weapon system supports various upgrades, including spread shots, lasers, and devastating missiles. Enemies range from diverse alligator infantry to complex bosses like giant mechanical crawlers and warships. The highly saturated color palette, paired with a tense electronic soundtrack, creates a unique atmosphere reminiscent of 90s sci-fi comics.

Walkthrough:

Core Controls: Synchronizing Movement and Crosshair

The difficulty in Alligator Hunt lies in its dual-control scheme. Your joystick simultaneously determines both your character's position and where your bullets land. A common mistake for beginners is to focus on the crosshair while ignoring incoming fire near their character. It's recommended to practice "circular strafing": keep the crosshair locked on the enemy-dense center of the screen, while your character makes wide left-to-right movements at the bottom to evade linear projectiles.

Mastering the Invincible Dodge Roll

The game has a dedicated roll/dodge button. During the roll, the player has a very brief window of invincibility. When facing a boss's screen-filling bullet patterns or sweeping lasers, don't try to outrun them. Instead, time your roll for the moment the projectiles are about to connect. This is the golden rule for surviving the higher-difficulty stages.

Weapon Upgrade Priority

• Power-ups: Destroying specific background objects or red enemy units will drop weapon power-ups. Prioritize picking up the Laser. Although its area of effect is small, it deals extremely high damage to single-target bosses, significantly shortening the fight.
• Missiles: The missiles shown at the bottom of the screen are a powerful screen-clearing tool. When facing the swarms of flying alligators from Stage 3 onward, don't hesitate to use a missile to keep the screen from being filled with projectiles.

Exploiting Boss Weak Points

Most bosses have a clearly visible glowing core. For instance, the mechanical alligator tank mid-stage has an invincible head; you'll need to reposition to bait it into opening its mouth or exposing its side armor. In the openings right after a boss unleashes a major attack, concentrate your fire on these glowing parts to deal multiplied damage.