👾 An Introduction to Solarian II

Welcome Speedrunners and Speedrun enthusiasts!

Here we celebrate the classic Macintosh game and best thing to grace your eyes and ears since MTV learned about Prince:

![](/static/blob/dz4wd4e6.png)

**About the game**

Winner of countless awards and accolades, Solarian II is a Galaga-inspired space shooter, and one of the first colour/color games for the Macintosh. Today it can be [emulated](https://www.speedrun.com/solarian_ii/guides/sngtm) on a variety of platforms.

On its initial shareware release in 1988, Solarian II quickly became renowned for its quirky sounds, tricky enemies, and polished gameplay. Remarkably, creator Ben Haller of [Stick Software](http://www.sticksoftware.com/archive/Solarian.html) was in high school (16 years old) at time of development, an age most of us can barely tie our shoes.

The game has 16 levels, 6 (optional) challenge rounds and a final boss. A full playthrough takes around 20 minutes, and is frustratingly hard to beat.

![](/static/blob/1n53xmz3.png)

The YouTube link below is stamped at Level 15 where you will see some of the more intense gameplay:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpKBaHtg-T4?t=1090

This game was extremely popular on release, and many remember it as a staple of the platform. It has brought players back repeatedly over the years, tempting them to run the gauntlet once again and sate that lust for a fiesty challenge. Legend tells of those who have completed this game and defeated the nefarious final boss, but online proof of this was for the longest time absent.

On 22 July 2023, after more than three decades, a win on video was finally recorded and uploaded for posterity.

By that metric, this was the fastest speedrun of Solarian II
Of couse, by the same token it was also the slowest. So... you know. Swings and roundabouts.

![](/static/blob/rz2vxkn0.png)

Since that run, the time has been improved, and there exists great potential to optimise further, through a combination of skill and favourable RNG. With some early power-ups and deft attendance to enemies, a sub 14 minute run is easily possible for a skilled player.

Nostalgia junkies and newcomers alike are invited to play. It's highly re-playable and warranted by the 90s aesthetic alone, spurred on by its mercilessly difficult yet rewarding gameplay.

The bar has been set, and it's ready for someone to take on the mantle. Will it be you?

Head to the next section for tips on 

# **[How to Play Solarian II TODAY](https://www.speedrun.com/solarian_ii/guides/sngtm)**

👾 How to Play Solarian II TODAY

Solarian II was built for the first color/colour Macintosh computers in the late 80s / early 90s. This hardware is now obsolete and difficult to find, but thankfully through the marvels of emulation technology, anybody can play this decades-old game TODAY. Here's a few ways:

- Use an in-browser version (for casual players)
- Use a local emulator (for dedicated players) **recommended**
- Use the v1.1 port on Cocoa (for all you arcane weirdos)

and of course, there is always the option to:

- Use an actual classic Macintosh (for all you hipster technowizards)

__________________________

**👾 In-browser emulator**

If you want a quick and easy game for nostalgia's sake, there's a browser-based emulator available at [Infinite Mac](https://infinitemac.org/). The System 7.5.3 option from 1996 works on a Quadra ROM, which you can launch from: Infinite HD/Games/Solarian II

Note you may experience lag between keypress and action. Not ideal for a fast-paced game that demands time-sensitive input.

So if you're serious about playing you will therefore want a...

__________________________

**👾 Dedicated emulator**

It is highly recommended to download an emulator. There's a few different (but similar) options that will run Solarian II on the classic Mac environment, including Basilisk II, SheepShaver and MinivMac.

And good news, these emulators run on most modern **Windows**, **Mac** or **Linux** machines.

Follow this link to get started:

# [Emulator Instructions for Solarian II ](https://www.speedrun.com/solarian_ii/resources/c9w3e)

This will guide you through the necessary downloads, including an image of the classic Mac system **with Solarian II already pre-installed**.

The suggested setup uses Basilisk II, System 7.5.3 and a Quadra ROM. You can of course use other emulators, systems and ROMs, but these have been picked for the sake of ease and simplicity.

For those who dislike ease and simplicity, you are welcome to install the classic system (and Solarian II) from scratch, but please be aware there's a bit of work setting it up. You will need to download the required DiskTools and Installer Parts before formatting and installing the system to disk. Once the OS is running, an image of the game can be shared from the host system to the emulator, and unarchived with [Stuffit Expander](https://macintoshgarden.org/apps/stuffit-deluxe) and [DiskCopy](https://macintoshgarden.org/apps/disk-copy) (versions 5.0 and 6.0 are recommened respectively). It's a few hurdles to jump, so I'm hoping to save you all that headache.

Getting a copy of the game would usually be done via floppy disk, but as it turns out the creator/developer Ben Haller keeps his website alive and hosts an image in the pre-OS X section of the [archive](http://www.sticksoftware.com/archive.html) page at StickSoftware.com. The file is [SolII.sit](http://www.sticksoftware.com/archive/preosx/SolII.sit) and mirrors are available at (1) [Macintosh Garden](https://macintoshgarden.org/games/solarian-ii) and (2) [Macintosh Repository](https://www.macintoshrepository.org/3206-solarian-ii).

But seriously, just follow the instruction guide above, and if you run into any problems check the official guides at Emaculation.com

__________________________

**👾 Classic methods**

Naturally the game can be played on old hardware circa 1988-1999.

The difficulty in this, for those wishing to record a run, is capturing clean video. Even if you find a way to do it on older hardware, we're not going to recommend it since it's a barrier to entry for most users.

Therefore in the interests of making speedrunning as accessible as possible, **players are expected to use an emulator.** This makes it easy to use modern hardware and allows players to use their own preferred recording software (such as [OBS Studio](https://obsproject.com/)).

__________________________

**👾 Version 1.1 for OS X**

The developer also released a port of the game [version 1.1](http://www.sticksoftware.com/archive/Solarian.html) for early versions of OS X (10.3-10.5) circa 2004, which ran as a Cocoa application. Due to limitations with Macs switching to Intel chips however, it will not run on MacOS X 10.6 and above.

The 1.1 port is faithful to the original, and other than a few cosmetic changes appears to be an exact clone.

And really, one should expect no differences across any of the versions or platforms, whether the game is original, ported or emulated. It's assumed all are equal, but please advise if you discover something that sets one apart!

__________________________

Thanks for reading. Reach out if you see anything that need fixing or updating.

📌 THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO SOLARIAN II - Part 1

Welcome to this guide on Solarian II! It's the last one you'll ever need. If you're playing seriously, you might find something useful here.

However, a word of caution:
I recommend that you **don't** use this guide if you're new to the game.

One of the biggest rewards is figuring this game out on your own, and learning your own style of play. It is challenging but rewarding as you progress. Reading this guide may spoil some of that fun.

So read on only if you're *really* looking for some extra info that *might* improve your gameplay. And if you have your own suggestions, please sent them in!

WIthout further ado, I present...

# 📌 THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO SOLARIAN II - Part 1

In this section:

- General Gameplay
- Know Thy Enemy
- Timing of Rewards
- Supply Ship Strategy
- Present Strategy
- Evasive Presents 

# General Gameplay

This game rewards precise movements.

Keep your eye on the marker (it's inevitably your next destination) and be very deliberate about where you travel.

The temptation (for beginners) is to evade enemies and find "safety" at the sides of the screen, but you will often have better control in the central column of the screen where all the action is. As the saying goes, keep your enemies close! Speaking of which...

# **Know Thy Enemy:**

The list of enemies from the game's help screen:

![](/static/blob/dz4w1de6.png)

Most enemies have an "attack" mode were they follow a path expertly designed to kill Solarian ships, so it pays to learn these movements. Shooting enemies when they're in standard mode gets you standard points. Shooting an attacking enemy gets you bonus points (in addition to standard points).

By now you'll be familliar with the rules of regeneration, but if not, take note of which enemies regenerate after attacking:

| **Do Regenerate** 	| ....... 	| **Do Not Regenerate** 	| ....... 	| **Static**                                	|
|-------------------	|---------	|-----------------------	|---------	|-------------------------------------------	|
| Bluebottle        	|         	| Pentagon              	|         	| Swarm Leaders (Krushu, Udie, Sly the Eye) 	|
| Delta             	|         	| Kamikaze Arrow        	|         	| Bodyguards (Rotor, Star, Triangle)        	|
| Bee               	|         	| Flagellate            	|         	| Shock Troops (Bird, Eyedroid)             	|
| Dots              	|         	| Oing                  	|         	|                                           	|
| Spike             	|         	|                       	|         	|                                           	|

__________________

Non-regenerative enemies each have one shot at trying to kill you and that's it, their purpose has been fulfilled (oh my god) and you never have to worry about them again (so that's nice!).

The 3rd column enemies stick to their post, i.e. they have no means of attacking.
It's feels weird calling the Birds enemies, they literally cannot hurt you, but you still have to shoot them to finish a level. It feels inhumane. I find them peaceful, calming... vaguely maritime. BLAM BLAM. Take that you non-threatening space gull.

Bodyguards disappear once all other enemies are defeated. Shooting them is not required to finish a level.

Now, Bluebottles. Trying to outrun them isn't always recommended, nor is staying in the corner. They tack at 45 degrees, often to the corner of the screen, or bounce off the side, dropping fire all along the way. So rather than waiting and hoping for the best, look for a gap in the curtain of fire, and put the marker there. Easy.

Otherwise, shield is your friend. Shields last only a few frames. Holding the key down makes your shield last longer, but it rapidly depletes, so you only want a quick tap. Getting the timing right takes practice. Aim to tap in that fraction of a second before you're hit.

The swarm leaders shoot to where you are, not where you will be. And sometimes their aim isn't even that good, depending on which phase of the game you're in. So really, the strategy is to move, or not move. There's no advanced strategy, just evade their fire. The most common mistake for beginners is panicking and changing direction which usually results in moving INTO their fire. Instead, stay calm, pick a line and hold it.

And by the way, when a swarm leader shoots from one side of the screen to the other, its fire will sometimes appear to hit you. However the hit box is at the *base* of the ship, so you're actually OK. This isn't so much a tip as it is a reason not to panic. Not panicking is good advice for the whole game.

# Timing of Rewards

I haven't timed this but approximately:

- Bonus blip gives you about 5 seconds
- Challenge stars last about 7 seconds
- Multipliers about 10 seconds

You can use this knowledge to prioritise your movements

# Supply Ship Strategy

Catching the 'Movement' and 'Speed' presents will greatly improve your chances of shooting the Supply Ships and catching more presents. It helps to hover around the middle of the board so you have less distance to chase presents. But then, generally the middle has a higher density of enemies, and thus harder to slip a shot through the hoard. In which case you might be better shooting on the flank. It really depends on the level and timing.

Presents are key to winning, so chase them where you can, but don't forget you still need to contend with all the other nasties. As YesterYear's MacGames [puts it](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZI1K1sCBQw):

>Giving the present your undivided attention, will frequently lead to DEATH.

So watch out for that. You know. Death. It's not great. For the whole staying alive thing. It's actually kind of the opposite of that. So don't do that and you'll be fine.

Anyway the Supply Ships come in 6 forms, changing every other level:

Levels 1 & 2

![](/static/blob/4zjwky9e.png)

*Stork / Great Egret*

Presents are given freely on Levels 1 and 2, so get as many as you can, both from Supply Ships and Challenge Rounds. You can get 4 easy presents here. 5 with 100% on the challenge round.

Levels 3 & 4

![](/static/blob/1n8k9g4n.png)

*Goodyear Blimp*

Every Supply Ship from Level 3 onward needs to be shot. Missiles and Scissors will do the trick, but it's usually better to hold onto them for the swarm.

Levels 5 & 6

![](/static/blob/3nv1gypn.png)

*Biplane*

Same as the Goodyear Blimp, perhaps slightly faster.

Levels 7 & 8

![](/static/blob/dz486l4e.png)

*Chopper*

Same as the Biplane, perhaps slightly faster.

Levels 9 & 10

![](/static/blob/wzxx1yvz.png)*Space Shuttle*

Fast moving so catch it while you can.

Levels 11-16

![](/static/blob/rz25kqkz.png)

*Satellite*

The satellite bobs up and down as it goes, in a sinusoidal movement. It can make it a lot more difficult to hit.

# Present strategy  

This is probably the most important element of the game. That, and not dying.

YOU NEED PRESENTS. You cannot beat this game without them. I would love to see a present-less run. But it's very very very unlikely a regular mortal can achieve this without TAS.

Now, try to become zen with the fact you're not going to catch every present. Going after them in a rush can be reckless. The risk is sometimes worth it for the right present (e.g. Protect when you've got a full house of power ups), and usually only under the cover of shield.

Know your presents. Learn the colours! The best prize depends on the situation:

![](/static/blob/pzm9rynk.png)

If you're low on **Shield** that's your first priority.

If you're loaded up with other powerups, getting **Protect** is supremely good. You now have an insurance policy.

**Speed** and **Movement** are a very effective combo. Speed is usually the first I'd pick. Shooting enemies faster is often easier than evading them faster. And there's two modes. I call them "Speed 1 - Anthony Hopkins" and "Speed 2 - Willem Dafoe"

Note that Speed and Movement both make you "faster" at something:

- Speed is your firing rate / how fast your shots travel
- Movement is how fast your ship moves left and right

Skilled players are rewarded with a choice of present in Challenge Rounds. In order of preference, I generally go for:

- Shield (if needed)
- Speed 1
- Movement
- Speed 2
- Protect 

Note this depends on your goal, whether it's speedrunning or points, or simply finishing the game. But in essence, those are the "good' powerups.

Now. **2x shots** is a mightily bodacious powerup...at first glance. You soon find out it's a double-edged sword: sure, you get twice as many shots, but it slows down your firing rate. For that reason I tend to leave it. I'd rather have the extra speed, but it depends on your preference. 2x shots is helpful for Levels 1-4 and 9-12, but for the rest of the levels it's a poisoned chalice. Yes it's a sword and a chalice. What of it?

The Flagellates tend to sneak through. So, unless you're quick to move and react, or you're trigger happy on the shield key, you're vulnerable to getting spunked when the Flagellate slips between your pair of shots. That sounds bad in more ways than one.

You *might* pick one up if it's offered in Levels 1-2 or 8-10, in which case you're teetering along the the risk/reward tightrope. But any other level, I reckon it's best to leave it at the table because you're stuck with it until you die. Most certainly though, try to pick one up at Level 16, knowing what awaits beyond.

**Missiles** and **Scissor Snips** are good to have, especially in the later levels. You only get one scissor, and it's best used on L16, but you can of course use it earlier and resupply from presents. They drop fairly reliably when you have none.

Once you've hit the max no. of missiles (3), and maxed out the other powerups, the only remaining prizes are bonus points, bombs and duds.

- **Bonus** is 6k points. Better than a kick in the gametes.
- **Duds** are duds. Spot the grey (gray for you freedom spellers) wrapper, and now you know not to chase them.
- **Bombs** are the only actively bad presents. The explosion will hurt you, so avoid. You can tell them apart from good presents because they drop faster and they're red orange and yellow. It's nature's way of saying "watch out". Fascinating creatures. So maligned. So misunderstood.

# Evasive Presents

If you're reading this far, you're usually well enough into the game that presents start displaying odd behaviours that make them trickier to catch. Some will actively avoid being picked up. It's kind of fun trying to chase them down. But can be a pain in the patookie too.

Get familiar with their two main evasion tactics, it will help in later levels.

Their first trick is they will defy gravity if you travel beneath their path. If this happens, you may need to travel away from them (the ol' reverse psychology trick), and allow them to descend at a regular rate. AND THEN NAB 'EM just before they disappear through the floor.

The second trick is they go on a bizarre curvilinear path going all over the screen like a mad hatter at a circus. I would love to know the maths behind this, it very spline-y. I bet it involves some funky trig functions or cubics.

It appears the path is based on the relative position between your arrow and your ship. The path is constantly updating as you move. You CAN catch these presents by the way. And there's a trick that means you can get them reliably. The code is very intentional, according to Ben Haller, and quite rewarding when you succeed. I haven't fully got the hang of it, but players smarter than me will be able to get the present more often than not.

One other tip on catching these slippery boys is to clear the nastiest enemies from the screen first. The presents take a zany path, and gift-hunting requires lots of back and forth (and potentially getting yourself hurt). It's like playing frisbee on a highway: don't do it unless you enjoy turning into a smear. I'm not gonna yuck your yum.

And, if it's the second present to deploy in a level, you can try wipe out all but a couple of Shock Troops to preempt clearing the level. And look at that, bonus points be damned, you're now INVULNERABLE. It's an open highway baybeeeee.

Don't get too drunk on that feeling though, there's always more waiting on the next screen. Speaking of which...

# [CONTINUED IN PART 2](https://www.speedrun.com/solarian_ii/guides/gfrlk)

📌 THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO SOLARIAN II - Part 2

Game Reviews

> One of the best and most ridiculous shareware games out there.

MacUser (1990)

__________________

> The action is furious, unpredictable, and challenging, in the classic arcade-game style.

MacWorld (July 1990)

__________________

> Solarian II by Ben Haller dominates the list

Macworld (Aug 1991)
__________________

> Go home. You don’t want to play this game. You don't even want to think about unpacking it. Solarian II is bad for your mind; it’s bad for your body; it’s bad for your kids; it’s bad for your dog; it’s bad for your pet rabbit; and it’s bad for the neighbor's dog. **This is the game that your mother warned you about.** This is also the game that your father warned you about. In fact, this is the game that your ninth grade English teacher told you would come along and suck out your brains unless you did your homework.

Cool Mac Games Plus! (1992)

__________________

> ...the undisputed king of all the Macintosh shareware arcade action games. 

> World-class... nothing I could possibly put on paper could do justice to it

Bob Brant's Best of Macintosh Shareware (1993)
__________________

> It's loud and boisterous and insane and frenetic.

> You can't do without this one. Boasting spectacular graphics, sound and animation, Solarian II is the pinnacle of shareware games.

The Mac Shareware 500 (1994)
__________________

> One of the greatest shareware Macintosh games ever created.

Mac Tricks (1995)
__________________

> A game for masochists.

Anonymous User (2004)
__________________

> The definition of nostalgia

> Timeless 

YesterYear's MacGames (2012)

__________________

> This game is a lot more difficult than it lets on... don't be surprised if it destroys you.

Gamer Mouse (2019)
__________________

In-game help screens

The default help/scoring screens:

![](/static/blob/wzxjpver.png)![](/static/blob/pzm9lknk.png)![](/static/blob/yzrmx4e4.png)

Know Your Enemy!

### 

I love some of these comments... "the blood on it isn't just symbolic."




### Swarm Leaders:

```
Krushu obeys only one command: fire at will.
```

```
Udie is a very energetic type (ho, ho.)
```

```
Sly the Eye is very annoying. He blinks too much, is all.
```



### Body guards:

```
The Rotor is the strong, silent type.
```

```
As a musician of our times has said, "Baby , I'm a Star"
```

```
The Triangle is tougher than she looks. A lot tougher.
```



### Divers:

```
The Kamikaze Arrow is a little too friendly for most people.
```

```
The Flagellate may remind you of something. But he's no fun anyway.
```

```
Oing sure isn't square, but she's probably not your type.
```



### Sweeps:

```
This one is called The Pentagon. And the blood on it isn't just symbolic.
```

```
To Bee or not to Bee...sorry.
```

```
Spike is a twisted, erratic sort. And very dangerous.
```



### Strafers: 

```
The Bluebottle buzzes around, and he's (at least) a nuisance.
```

```
Delta may not look so hard, but he can shoot a lot more than you.
```

```
Spots is one of the most deadly around, so look out. 'Nuff said.
```



### Shock troops:

```
The Bird is an example of how silly video games are. Why is there a bird?
```

```
Eyedroid Model E67 is a robot manufactured to keep you busy. It works.
```



![](/static/blob/dz4w1de6.png)




Know Your Presents!

Mouse Emulation Tip

# A note about using a mouse on an emulator

# 

**Short version:**

Press Ctrl+F5 to confine the host system mouse to the extents of the emulated screen




**Long version:**

The cursor position resets to the middle every level. This is intentional and the developer addresses it in the version notes. 

The issue on emulation is that this 'reset' mechanism isn't pulled through to the host system.

So, when the ship position resets after clearing a round, your host mouse might be way out in wherever-the-heck-you-left-it-last-land, but the game tells itself the mouse is in the middle. The instant you move the mouse, the emulator whips over to the OG system position (sometimes in the nether regions beyond the emulated screen). The triangle (chevron? marker? arrow?) indicator below the ship whips over there too. Meaning the ship immediately goes in that direction whether you like it or not. This can be disastrous if you need to dodge nasties in a hurry.

Out of habit, I move the chevron to the central mark after clearing a round¹, during those few seconds between clearing the last enemy and seeing the 'level complete' screen. That way, the mouse position is the same on both host OS and emulation, and the 'reset' has no practical effect.

¹ The exception is challenge rounds. When the challnge starts the mouse is not reset. Your ship position at <end of level> is the same as <start of challenge round>. So if you have the challenge medal, get your ship into prime position for best performance.

In any case, it turns out there's a very easy solution. There's a toggle on emulators (tested on Sheepshaver and Basilisk II) that allows you to preempt all of this by pressing:
`Control + F5`

This "grabs" the mouse, essentially syncing up the mouse position in both host and emulator. The mouse is now confined to the extents of the emulated screen. Et voila!

Problem solved. Robert's your cousin's father.

SolarianGS for the Mac IIGS

Did you know there was a port of Solarian II for the Apple IIGS?

# ![](/static/blob/7z383j6n.png)

Here it is in action, made to fit on the smaller 320×200 screen:

![](/static/blob/1n7jvp0n.gif)

and a longer video (with sound) on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wok85uF1YT4

# __________

Comparisons

The sounds are mostly the same — the "drip" audio is a little more toned down compared to Haller's. Notably the Game Over sound (stamped at [7:10](https://youtu.be/Wok85uF1YT4&t=430)) is a great addition. A fun adaptation of the original.


In the original, you get new waves of enemies at Level 5 and again at Level 9 but in the GS version they are limited to the first wave characters i.e. Pentagons, Kamikaze Arrows, Bluebottles, Rotors, Birds and Krushus. So no Deltas, Oings or Daggers etc, but the swarm patterns are similar to their original counterparts.

A few other differences: Rotors and Birds have to be shot to clear the level and the supply ships are comically large. And when you get a dud present, it informs you. NOTHING! 

![](/static/blob/1n83jy4z.jpg)
As far as I'm aware there's no boss fight, since the pre-packaged High Scores seem to go above Level 17. We can therefore assume it loops, since the game files only appear to go up to Level 12.

While it lacks a few polished details of the original, it's pretty faithful in most regards, and still fun to play.

Found at [MacGUI](https://macgui.com/downloads/?file_id=10740) - Vault | Apple IIGS | GS Games

_______________

# SolarianGS

v1.0.1 released for the IIGS in December 1992 by David Tolson | Coloureez

### History

This game was originally written for the Macintosh computer by Ben Haller and
after having played it at a friend's house and becoming totally addicted, I
decided I wanted it on my GS. The only way to solve this problem was to write it
myself! Needless to say my Mac owning friend thought I didn't stand a chance of
keeping up with the speed of the Mac. The gauntlet had been thrown down! I had
written a number of programs for the GS but nothing which included
animation or even digitized sound. I studied a few articles which were
interesting but after trying out the few samples bits of code included realised
that something a bit more ingenious was required. I guess none of the game
programmers want to give away too much of their secrets! After a few months of
refining my code I finally hit on the answer. Actually it could go a bit faster
still, but I think the result is adequate. I hope you agree.

### The Game

The game is close to the Mac original but leaves out a few features. Maybe I will release a version 2 someday with everything in, but I think this is good enough for release now. It is basically a complicated Space Invaders type game. A full explanation of how to play is given in the on-line help available from the main menu in the game.

_______________

And here's a contemporary review from the March 1993 issue of inCider/A+ magazine

![](/static/blob/ynlx9gqn.jpg)

![](/static/blob/7e9w3o4z.png)

**Solarian GS,** by David Tolson. $10 Shareware. Based on a Mac shareware title, this version
gives you three lives and several seconds of shield protection to start with. Your colorful
enemy flies in a circular formation; with unlimited mouse-activated fire-power, you'll try to
blast everything that moves. Watch out, though — the enemy shoots back. Complete with
lots of digitized sound effects, Solarian is like a super Space Invaders with bombs and
fireballs. Released in December 1992, this one quickly became one of the most popular GS
games thus far. While high on the mayhem meter, Solarian sports a socially responsible
aspect, as well: Players are directed to submit the shareware fee to Tolson's favorite
elementary school.

*Review by Joe Kohn*

Trivia and Sounds

Some tidbits and easter eggs:

- There was once a warp sequence - but it got taken out because it got too repetitive seeing it each level.

- The end game sound by default is "damn" - but this upset parents (of children presumably now bereft of their innocence) and/or fundamentalist Christians. People wrote in to complain. So in a newer version, to appease the "fundies" as he so fondly calls them, Ben added two new sounds: one saying "you lose", the other an emphatic "praise Jesus" like a southern pastor.

Many of the sounds in Solarian II were sampled from 80s songs. Here's the full list from the game files:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/RfVKQRm9K10

And with some help from reddit (and Ben himself), I've tracked down sources for many of them already:

- Present Bounce 
→ [Prince - I Would Die 4 U](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGCIdHrRXW0)

- Damn! 
→ [Prince - Housequake](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dd9v8eJ_8Ow?t=3)

- Supply Ship Alert 
→ [Peter Gabriel - Not One of Us](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEpFBN9MbME)

- Yes 
→ [XTC - Is This Pop?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6136FbKI04g)

- Synth Twang 
→ [George Michael - I Want Your Sex](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3AP26ywQsQ)

- Laugh 1 
→ [New Order - Confusion](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFj1n0fdgVs)

- More Fun with Trumpets 
→ [Oingo Boingo - Little Girls](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8B_a0ZHNj8)

- Cash Register 
→ [Pink Floyd - Money](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aW7HweAf3o)

- Hey, Hey, Hey! 
→ [Sananda Maitreya (Terence Trent D'arby) - Who's Loving You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=72&v=OvPo_4DEfZg)

________

According to [The Secret History of Mac Gaming](https://secrethistoryofmacgaming.com/), one of the sound engineers shared with Prince that this game sampled his songs. "He reportedly thought it was funny."

ManicShot

Solarian II

Macintosh

## This is the place

The fine folks at Speedrun.com have given us a home for running Solarian II.

If this game tickles your nostalgia bone, feel free to show your support by following the page.
Have a look around, we've got runs, leaderboards, resources and guides galore.

New to the game? See our

Nombre	Autor
👾 An Introduction to Solarian II	ManicShot 1 year ago
👾 How to Play Solarian II TODAY	ManicShot 6 months ago
📌 THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO SOLARIAN II - Part 1	ManicShot 1 year ago
📌 THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO SOLARIAN II - Part 2	ManicShot 1 year ago
Game Reviews	ManicShot 1 year ago
In-game help screens	ManicShot 1 year ago
Know Your Enemy!	ManicShot 1 year ago
Know Your Presents!	ManicShot 1 year ago
Mouse Emulation Tip	ManicShot 1 year ago
SolarianGS for the Mac IIGS	ManicShot 6 months ago
Trivia and Sounds	ManicShot 1 year ago