Start A Run
Press Enter to begin from the title/wait screen. The current development build may start from a selected stage if Developer Tools were used, but the normal player flow starts at Stage 1.
Aurora Galactica Player Guide
A quick, player-first guide to starting the game, reading the screen, staying alive, and using the key in-game controls.
Guide focus: Help a new player start quickly, understand the cabinet-style HUD, and make sense of the capture/rescue loop without needing developer context.
Start Fast
The shortest path from opening the game to surviving your first run.
Basic Controls
Move with Arrow Left/Right or A / D. Fire with Space. Pause with P or the pause icon on the right rail. Cabinet-style left-hand play is also supported on the web: Ctrl moves left and Command moves right. Mac browsers do not reliably expose the Fn key.
Use The Rail
The right-side icon rail keeps key actions in the game: guide, controls, recent replays, scores, account, bug report, mute, pause, and settings. You should not need to leave the game to learn, review, or report something.
Read The Screen
The HUD follows classic Galaga conventions closely enough that the key signals should be familiar once you know where to look.
- Top-left shows your current score.
- Top-center shows the high score.
- Bottom-right stage markers track your current stage in Galaga-style count markers.
- Reserve ships at the lower-left show how many lives remain after the current fighter.
- Short center-screen banners explain captures, rescues, transitions, and challenge-stage results.
How To Survive
The game is still about lane reading and timing, not spraying bullets constantly.
Prioritize Descending Enemies
The biggest danger usually comes from enemies diving or converging into your lane. Clear close threats early and avoid getting trapped between bullets and a descending enemy.
Move Early, Not Late
The ship rewards small early corrections more than last-second swerves. If a lane is becoming dangerous, slide out before the dive path closes on you.
Know When To Stop Shooting
You have an arcade-style shot limit. If the screen is already carrying your shot, focus on positioning instead of hammering fire and expecting another projectile immediately.
Capture And Rescue
Bosses can capture your fighter, and later you can rescue it for a stronger dual-fighter attack.
- A boss using the tractor beam can pull your fighter upward if you stay in the beam.
- If you break the capture at the right moment, your ship returns and the boss retreats.
- If the fighter is fully captured, the boss may carry it later during an attack.
- Destroying the carrying boss can release the captured fighter and let it rejoin you.
- A successful rescue creates a dual-fighter state with wider firepower.
Challenge Stage
Challenge stages are a scoring break: fewer survival demands, more emphasis on accuracy.
- Focus on clean hits and rhythm rather than panic movement.
- The challenge stage is the best place to recover mentally before the next live combat stage.
- Perfect or high-accuracy clears are valuable, but surviving the normal stages still matters more overall.
Helpful In-Game Tools
The game includes a few player-support surfaces beyond the core action.
Controls Overlay
Use the joystick icon to open a compact controls index without leaving the game.
Recent Replays
Use the movie icon to watch the last few games saved on this device. The first cut is local-only and lets you pause, scrub, rewind, and delete stored replays.
Bug Report
Use the bug icon to report gameplay or visual problems directly from the rail.
Pilot Account And Scores
Use the account and trophy icons to manage your profile and review score tables.