Parasite

Parasite is a platform-adventure game released July 2009. The player takes control of a parasitic alien whose mission is to drain the planet of its natural resources. Throughout the game the player must take control of various creatures of the planet to traverse the terrain. The player must pass checkpoints and reach the end of the level.

Controls
left right Left and right - Move

up Up - Jump

X key - Destroy possessed creature (if controlling one). If the squid is not controlling a creature, it (he?) will pass gas.

Z key - Perform a certain action with possessed creature

Level 1
In this level skip the intro if you need to. The Parasite will hop out of his ship go forward. A bunch of trees will come in view. Jump on them and climb to the top. Go left and you will see a forest spirit. Walk past it and a check point will be made (If the parasite is killed he will re spawn there). There is another tree near there jump up on it and walk across it. More trees are there climb down them and another forest spirit will be found. Up ahead is a Winged Cats. Jump only on it's head or it will destroy the parasite. Now it is possible to fly. Fly up strait and trees will be at the side. Go right and there will be a a forest spirit marking the end of the level.

Level 2
Move forward and there will be chunks of land ,and in between them water. Jump over the water onto the chunks of land (for the water will kill the parasite). After clearing that, there are thorns that should be jumped over. Some trees will be ahead. At the top of the trees is a Winged Cat. Jump on it and fly to the right side. There are more trees. Fly up and a forest spirit will be encountered. Fly to the left and avoid the other cat flaps (for they can kill the parasites enslaved cat flap and send him to it's death). Some spikes appear at the end. Fly over them and another forest spirit is at the end of the level.

Level 3
A Winged Cat is close by and so is a group of trees. Fly up beside the trees and there will be a small maze of platforms. Maneuver the cat around the platforms (Thorns cling to some parts of the platforms) and a forest spirit will be next to another Winged Cat. Fly past him and fly down wards. There many other Winged Cats flying back and forth. If you get hit by some and the parasites Winged Cat dies, don't worry just fall to the bottom. Grab another cat (If it was destroyed) and fly to the right. A barrier of wood is to the right. Fly up and next to a Forest spirit is a Bear (Bear are very useful creatures and can smash the barrier and punch enemies). Once it is enslaved smash a barrier to the right by using the z key. Next are some more barriers but they are on the ground. Use the up arrow key to smash it. Another is next then go forward and another bear is there. use the z key to punch it. After it is defeated smash a barrier. There will be a ledge to high to jump. Press the x key and the bear will self destruct allowing the parasite to reach the platform. Another bear is near. Jump on it and punch a bear next to it. Destroy another barrier, one last bear, and walk to the last Forest spirit to complete the level.

Level 4
Go to the right and there will be a bear. Jump on it to enslave it and destroy a bear that is next to it. Break a barricade and you will find the enemy called a snail. Snails can not be enslaved and are easily destroyed. Up ahead are many snails. After that there is a Forest spirit. To the right are three bears. After defeating them happy gas will be encountered. Happy gas destroys whoever you have enslaved but can't hurt the parasite. Move through it. drop down onto a small platform below and a bear will be encountered. Use him to smash a barricade on the ground. More happy gas will destroy him. There is some some trees and also snails on them. Jump from tree to tree avoiding snail. At the end of the level is a Forest spirit.

Level 5
In this level the first thing encountered will be thorns. First a flat patch of thorns that can easily be crossed, then a group of thorns that may cause some difficultly to get over. Once that is hopped over a box will be seen. Climb up a bunch of trees to reach a Winged Cat. Fly the Winged Cat down to the place with the box then press z to pick it up and move it. A object will move and the parasite can now gain access to the rest of the level. A Forest spirit is near by. Fly up a small maze of platforms to find another Forest spirit and a Winged Cat. There is a box nearby pick it up and bring it down on the snails nearby. Carry the box over to where some happy gas is (located to the right) and there will be a bear. Use the bear to push the box and it will hit the side of a place making two objects to rise up allowing the parasite to  go further. Drop down onto a small platform where to one side will be a Forest spirit,and to the other a bear. Make a check mark then enslave the bear. Walk forward and there will be a button. Crush it using the bear. A place will open up. Kill the bear and jump through it. Be very quick though for this on closes faster then normal. Go forward and enslave a Winged cat. Fly right and avoid the rest of the Winged cats. Once a area with two buttons is reached fly to the right or left and fly up. Some trees should be near to the side. At the top of the trees is a box. It is the same on both sides. Put the boxes on the buttons and go below. A forest spirit is marking the end of the level.

Level 6
There will be a bunch of trees near the start of the level. Climb up them and jump onto the floating platform. You will see a new enemy called a pig. Jump onto it to enslave it. Now press z to fire deadly goo balls. Use the up and down arrow keys to change the angle in which you fire. Jump down onto a platform below you and fire the goo balls (for there are multitude of snails near by). After destroying the snails move forward and some more trees will be seen. Change the angle so it is pointing up and fire (There are also snails in the trees). Destruct the pig for (you can not jump) then climb up the trees. A forest Spirit will be found There is another pig. Jump on it and shoot the rest of the snail on a small clump of trees. Self destruct the pig and hop out of the hole. Outside the hole is another pig. Take over him then walk forward. There will be a button. Ami the pigs goo at it and a area will open. Shoot it's goo again and take out some snails. After the snails is some happy gas. Drop down to the bottom and a Forest Spirit will be found. Go forward and there will be another pig. Enslave it and keep going. Drop down onto another platform and there will be another pig. The same for the next platform. Next is a clump of trees with many snails on them. Destroy them with the pig. At the bottom of is a blocked area with two buttons. Shoot a goo ball at them and a Forest Spirit marks the end of the level.

Level 7
In this level head right and you will find a acorn cannon. The acorn cannon will shoot acorns in a medium pace. Work your way through them and a clump of trees will be encountered. Climb up them and moe acorn cannons will be found. After going past them you will find a winged cat. Enslave it and another row of cannons will be seen. Go through them if that is desired or by pass it. To by pass it fly up to where some happy gas is. Fly the closets you can get and your cat will be destroyed. And the parasite will land on some platforms and be able to cross safely. There are some more acorn cannons. Jump down and another winged cat will be found. Fly up and around the cannons and a forest Spirit will be encountered. Happy gas is around it and your winged cat will be destroyed. There are some more cannons. Time your jumps to get pass them. Climb up some trees and another Forest spirit will be encountered. After that is a out of order cannon. Jump into it change the angle with the up and down arrow keys then press z to fire. A acorn holding the parasite will be shot. Change it's angle using the up and down keys. That acorn will explode when it hits the happy gas at the end. Another will be found. Don't change the angle, shoot forward. A forest spirit marks the end of the level.

Level 8
Walk forward and a enemy called a beetle. It cannot be enslaved. Avoid it and hop from one platform to the other. A cannon will be found. Follow the line of small forest spirits to direct the missile. It will be destroyed by happy gas. A forest Spirit is near by. Hop into another cannon and fire away. It is okay if you destroy the missile there are more cannons near by. At the end of the level is a forest spirit.

Level 9
Walk to the right and magical moving tree stumps will be encountered. Follow them down till you get to the bottom. Run quickly for a gigantic tree stump will crush you. A smasher squirrel will be encountered. Jump on his head and use the right, left arrow keys to control how fast and what detection the spiked end of the smasher squirrel goes. Use the down arrow key to bring it close in. After destroying all the beetles around him destruct him and move forward. A pig will be found. Enslave him and shoot the snail in front. Turn the angle so it faces up then shoot the goo balls up taking out the beetles. There are some trees with snails on them. Use the pig to take them out. Don't destroy the pig but move onto the moving stump. Once at the top shoot the beetles there and move onto the stumps. Don't destruct the pig! Move onto the big stump shoot a beetle and a button to open a door. Jump onto a box and up onto a tree. Jump onto a nearby smasher squirrel and kill all beetles. Destruct him and go to the right and grab a winged cat. Weave under the smasher squirrel grab the bow and fly up. Fly up till a bunch of stumps and spike are near. Go through them and a button will be seen. Put the box on the button and a area will open up with a box. Grab the box in the area and make your way back. Put the box on the right where there is four buttons. Put the box on two of them. Go back for the other and put it on the remaining two. A area will open up with a forest Spirit marking the end of the level.

Interactive Objects

 * Out-Of-Order Cannons - These let the player fly around on an acorn.
 * Acorn (Parasite) - A rocket is simply an acorn that is shot out from an Out-Of-Order Cannon.

Enslavable Creatures
Some creatures seen in Parasite can be possessed by the alien for their special abilities.


 * Winged Cat - Winged Cats are cat-like creatures with four pink butterfly wings. Once turned into a slave, a Winged Cat can help the player fly to high places and also carry things with their tails.
 * Bear - Bears are large blue bear-like creature that is super-strong. Once enslaved, Bears can be used as heavy weight,  They can brake wooden barriers, and punch enemies.
 * Gobber - Goober are Pig like creatures that can shoot goo-balls. Once turned into a slave, Gobbers  can be used to shoot enemies with deadly goo-balls. The parasitic alien calls the Gobbers "Pig-powered goo guns".
 * Smasher Squirrel - Squirrel-like creatures that ride in machines with a large spiky controllable ball. When inhabited it is the ball you control.
 * Crusher Squirrel - Squirrel-like creatures that control blocks of wood.

Hazards

 * Acorn Cannons - These shoot at the player.
 * Love Gas - Although non-harmful to the alien, it will automatically destroy any possessed creatures once in that zone.
 * Water - Found underneath platforms sometimes, the water will instantly kill the alien.

Enemies
Enemies refer to creatures that the alien cannot enslave.


 * Snails - Snails can not be enslaved because of their snail shells. However, when enslaving a Brute, the player can punch the Snails to death, when enslaving a Cat Flap, the player can pick up boxes and drop them on Snails, and when enslaving a gobber they can be shot to death.
 * Beetles - Ladybug-like giant insects that can't be enslaved because of their hard shells. But, the player can still smash them, punch them and shoot them.
 * Space Bees - The Parasite's feared enemies. A long time ago, he barely made it off of their hive planet. These yellow fiends cannot be enslaved because of their hard, spiky shells. Space Bees can be punched, smashed, or shot.
 * Armadillos - Armadillos can not be enslaved because of their tough, hard shells. They can roll into a ball and roll after the player. They can be punched to death.
 * Elite Cat Flap - It has a helmet and cannot be enslaved.

Pick Ups

 * Flies - They are worth 50 points.
 * Little Pink Creatures - They are little pink creatures on the ground. They are worth 50 points.

Trivia

 * The game was unusually released on Saturday, as Nitrome games are only released on weekdays (Monday - Friday). Parasite was not the first game to be released on the weekend, Cosmic Cannon was released on Sunday.