Shadow Switcher

Starting a Game

Game configuration screen

After selecting ‘Play the game’ the the game configuration screen is shown. Here, you can choose between a 1-player or 2-player game, and if User levels (levels made in the level editor) should be used instead of the regular levels.

Note that in order to select ‘User levels’, you are required to have made and saved at least one level in the level editor in the current game session, without closing the game in-between.

Gameplay

Shadow Switcher puts the player in control of a lone explorer trapped in an abandoned facility, tasked with collecting all of the rings in each of the facility’s rooms and reach the exit door, while avoiding the evil robot zombies.

The explorer has a shadow counterpart, displayed by a black silhouette version of himself. While moving around, the explorer can swap place with this shadow. The robot zombies cannot detect the explorer’s shadow, so swapping places with it can be vital to make quick getaways from their patrols! Press the joystick fire button at any time to swap places with the explorer’s shadow.

Robot zombies patrol each level chasing the survivor. They can use ladders and conveyor belts, and destroy the survivor when touching them. Avoid contact with the robot zombies at all costs!

Each level contains a number of rings which must be picked up by the explorer before being able to escape. Once every ring has been picked up, the level exit door will open - move the explorer to the door to escape the room!

The explorer can use ladders and conveyors to reach higher platforms, and can drop from any height. Some areas are blocked by blinking electrical barriers - carefully time movement through these barriers, touching them will destroy the explorer and reset the level!

Some areas are blocked by a black metal cage door. To open these areas, find a key pickup in the current level. The current number of keys the explorer has is shown in the bottom right-hand side of the screen next to the lives count. A key can only be used once - look for multiple keys in levels with more than one cage door.

Level editor

Due to the number of buttons the level editor utilises, it is not possible to create a level using just the joystick. Utilise the on-screen keyboard, or an external USB keyboard plugged into the console alongside the joystick to use the editor.

The level editor is controlled by a flashing cursor which can be moved by the joystick. A list of items that can be placed is shown in the bottom right-hand side of the screen. Use the , and . keys to

Controls

Saving a level

IMPORTANT NOTE: Levels which are saved through Shadow Switcher’s in-game save utility are lost when closing the game. One level can be saved inside a save slot by following the following instructions:

• Create a level using the level editor
• Keep this level present inside the level editor
• Use THEC64’s Save/load state function by pressing menu and saving the game into a slot
• When re-loading this save state, the level in the editor will still be present and can be ’re-saved’ via pressing S in the editor.
• Reset the level editor by pressing the N key, and create more levels, saving them into a separate save slot.

Interface

1. Score
2. Lives
3. Keys
4. Current level