How Power-up Selection Works

• Selections are weighted, not fully random.
• The system avoids immediate repeats across recent pickups.
• The game also prevents very long same-polarity streaks, so you do not get endless positives or negatives.
• Some effects are intentionally rarer than others, especially high-impact specials.

Positive Power-ups

• Extra Life: immediate life gain. Use it to stabilize long runs rather than short panic pushes.
• Samwich: major survivability spike with contact-smash behavior while thrusting. Rare and high value.
• Explosive Barrier: collision-triggered clear potential. Best when screen density is high.
• Blaster: unlimited shots while active. Great for converting control into destroyed score.
• Slow: hazard speed reduction. Use the window to reposition and rebuild lane control.
• Force Field: pulses clear nearby asteroids. Strong in clustered hazard patterns.
• Wingman: friendly ally contributes offensive pressure and helps with cleanup.
• Star Storm: burst-style hazard shredding. Good for chaotic mid-run spikes.
• Orbital Laser: periodic sweeping pulses around the player. Strong space-creation tool.
• Ball Lightning: charged shots with chained forward clearing after impact.
• Seeker Missiles: periodic homing pressure that removes random threats.
• Missile Barrage: delayed high-impact clears that can reset dangerous board states.
• Multiplier: temporary score multiplier increase. Best used during dense scoring moments.

Negative Power-ups

• Asteroid Splitter: hazards fragment into smaller threats, increasing tracking load.
• Space Dust: reduced visual clarity. Slow down your decision cadence and prioritize safe lines.
• Space Debris: extra debris pressure from satellite fragments and clutter.
• Event Horizon: faster hazard behavior and tighter timing windows.
• Black Hole: gravity-driven path bending that disrupts normal movement reads.
• Wormholes: teleport-style hazard displacement that can invalidate obvious safe lanes.
• Mega Alien: sustained boss pressure with projectile threat and forced positioning checks.
• Solar Flare: larger hazards with tighter corridor control.
• Gravity Wave: bobbing motion patterns that alter expected travel paths.

When To Accept Negative Effects

• Accept negatives when you already have stable movement lanes.
• Avoid stacking new risk while recovering from a recent mistake.
• If your coin balance is low, favor consistency over high-volatility score pushes.
• Treat each negative timer as a mini survival challenge with a clear end state.

Loadout Mindset For Strong Runs

• Stability layer: Slow, Extra Life, and Force Field style effects that reduce chaos.
• Conversion layer: Blaster, missiles, and burst tools that convert control into points.
• Risk layer: negative windows taken deliberately for better score velocity.
• Timing layer: use multiplier windows where pickup density and target density overlap.

Common Power-up Mistakes

• Using burst tools while out of position, then losing the run before value lands.
• Taking negatives repeatedly without checking board control first.
• Ignoring movement fundamentals because a temporary effect feels strong.
• Wasting multiplier windows on low-event, low-density moments.

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