Rust Bucket

Rust Bucket is a puzzle roguelike game released for iOS on the Apple App Store on December 17th, 2015, for Android on Google Play on December 16th, 2015, and for browser on January 28th 2016, with an Amazon App Store release planned. The game is the sequel to Turnament.

The player plays as Rust Bucket and advances through dungeons. The game has both a pre-made level-based mode and an endless mode with procedurally generated dungeons.

Level-based mode
For the level based mode, the player has to navigate Rust Bucket to the staircase found at the end of the level. All levels are arranged in packs of ten. The first level of each each pack is unlocked by default, therefore the player is not required to finish one pack to play the next.

Endless Mode
In the endless mode the player advances through rooms trying to achieve a high score. Different enemies, hazards, interactive objects, and hazards are introduced as the player's score increases. Each room contains two doors: a regular door that does not give points, and a golden door that grants points.

If the player dies, he/she can buy a continue by paying 5 coins (up to 20 coins) or by watching a video advertisement. Players that have bought the "Remove ads" in-app purchase or are playing the browser version are given one free continue in every endless mode game.

RustBucket_menu_tutorial.png Tutorial levels
The Tutorial levels of the game are set in a natural area with lots of vegetation and sculpted scenery. The ground is mostly composed of grass or cobblestone and the walls are made of carved stones with wild greenery and bushes. Thin paves consist of wooden piers, and lush trees as well as gargoyles can be seen hanging from the side of the levels.

Level 1
The first level serves as a short tutorial to help the player familiarize themselves with turn based mechanics. The level is very short, only composed of two rooms with three slimes and a few pots the player has to destroy.

Level 2
This level introduces buttons and gates to the player. It also introduces scripted events, such as enemies that spawn once a button is pressed.

Level 3
In this level, like in the third level of Turnament, fire tiles and skulls, as well as checkpoints are introduced to the player. The fire tiles are laid out in lines, sometimes synchronized and sometimes not, to help the player understand their behavior.

Level 4
In this level, pigs, armoured pigs, villagers and keys and locked gates are introduced to the player. The level is composed of three rooms in which the player has to rescue a villager from one or more attacking pigs. Saving the villager will grant the player a key to access the next room. The villager of the last room cannot be saved, as the armoured pig always reaches him faster than the player. This is also the only armoured pig the player will find in the tutorial levels.

Level 5
This level starts off with a section almost identical to the middle section of the third level of Turnament, except that slimes have been replaced by more challenging skulls. This level mainly focuses on teaching the player more advanced ways of avoiding fire tiles and how to kill skulls.

Level 6
This level introduces crates, heavy buttons, pig statues and fire cannons to the player. The level heavily focuses on teaching the player how to use crates to trigger heavy buttons and to block fireballs, as well as the basic mechanics behind pig statues.

Level 7
This game introduces green knights to the player. First, the player has to lead a green knight through some obstacles whilst keeping it alive. After that, the player has to face multiple slimes at the same time with four green knights. This level demonstrates how these knights can be used for both strategic and combat purposes. This is the only tutorial level in which green knights are used.

Level 8
This level starts off by showing that keys and slimes can be hidden in pots. Then, the player is introduced to winged creatures, which the player has to kill in order to gain keys to progress further into the level.

Level 9
This level contains more advanced mechanics regarding pig statues. The player has to use them to trigger heavy buttons whilst avoiding being crushed. This level also introduces bombs, which the player has to use to kill some pig statues.

Level 10
The last level of the tutorial mode serves as a boss level. First, the player has to face nine slimes, eight pigs and six skulls in a single room. After this, the player walks on a very long bridge that passes giant skull statues, to finally reach the boss room, surrounded by fire tiles. The boss is a giant 22 segment centipede which Rust Bucket has to defeat to finish the level.

RustBucket_menu_castle.png Castle levels
The castle levels of the game are much more similar to the level design from the original game or Endless Mode than from the tutorial levels. The theme is wildly dark blue, with every architecture element being seemingly made out of stone. The floor is made of simple checkered tiles and the walls are very reminiscent of medieval stone walls with crenels. There are also towers with purple flags on top of them. Thin paves are covered in purple carpet and supported with stone arches. Some rooms contain very large chess pieces such as pawns, bishops and kings which are actually taller than Rust Bucket.

This level pack introduces squids, skull statues, brain monsters, medusas, living stumps, and slime towers.

RustBucket_menu_firetemple.png Fire temple levels
The fire temple levels of the game are set in a very red and industrial environment. The colour scheme is mainly dark beige and brown, with some oranges and a dark red tone to the entire levels. The walls appear to be made of metal, and multiple industrial chimneys are spread out throughout the levels, blowing large smoke rings. Giant chains serve as thin paths for the player, and some gargoyles can be seen spilling out boiling lava.

This level pack introduces invisibility tiles, wooden keys, and weapons. The weapons introduced are battle axe, warhammer, bow, spear, and daggers.

Level 21
In this level the player is introduced to the battle axe and to red pots, which have to be broken in order to progress further in a level. First, the player learns how to use the weapon and that it can attack multiple targets at once. After that, the player has to go through various rooms which are entirely filled with pots and skull statues, having to take a specific path in order to clear the rooms without freeing the statues. At the end of the level, Rust Bucket has to face multiple slimes, slime towers, skulls, squids and medusas in a single room using the battle axe.

Level 22
This level introduces the warhammer weapon, which allows the player to destroy statue enemies. Rust Bucket first has to face skull statues in various setups that use the weapon, then twelve pig statues using multiple hammers. Lastly, the player has to go through various rooms filled with skull statues and various hazards.

Level 23
Rust Bucket has to use the bow in this level. Learning first how the bow is used in various situations, the player faces some slime towers and skulls that have to be killed with the ranged. The rest of the level consists of platforms with teleporters at their center and enemies right next to them which will defeat Rust Bucket if the character tries to use the teleporters. Before teleporting, the player has to get rid of all enemies by using the bow. The player also has to be wary of his/her moves, as most of the paths in this later part of the level are made out of fire tiles.

Level 24
In this level the player is introduced to invisibility tiles and the spear weapon. The player first has to travel through various rooms separated by invisibility tiles, learning how to deal with enemies using those. Then, Rust Bucket has to use the spear and the ability to become invisible to deal with larger and more difficult groups of enemies. Eventually, the player has to activate three buttons protected by statue enemies by using the invisibility tiles to the player's advantage.

Level 25
At the beginning of the level, the player faces a large group of slimes while being constantly pushed by a skull statue. After this the player has to destroy various normal and red pots without getting crushed by the statue. The following rooms use the same mechanic of having to deal with a skull statue pushing Rust Bucket around while trying to deal with enemies or activate switches.

Level 26
This level orientates the player how to use daggers, which allows Rust Bucket to attack enemies from two directions at once. Rust Bucket will then face a large pack of slime towers, and activate red pots while being pushed by skull statues. After that, the player will have to go through a room filled with pots and enclosed skull statues that are near red pots which need to be destroyed. Rust Bucket will have to use invisibility tiles as well as crates to clear this room without getting crushed. At the end of the level, the player will have to deal with a pack of slime towers and squids.

Level 27
This level revolves around the usage of normal and wooden keys to open locks and block enemies. The player first learns that keys can block enemies, and how wooden keys act differently from normal ones. Then, the player will face a puzzle involving three keys, fire tile paths and a skull statue. After this, the player has to use keys as a shield against various enemies.

Level 28
Green knights are reintroduced as a core mechanic of this level. The player has to synchronize his/her movement and position relative to each green knight in order to complete various puzzles involving buttons, fire tiles and the usage of daggers.

Level 29
In this level the player has to carry wooden keys around while avoiding the fireballs which can destroy them. To do so, Rust Bucket will have to block the fire cannons throughout the level by using crates. The player, armed with a bow, will also have to face some living stumps while carrying a wooden key around, trying to burn the enemies while avoiding burning the key.

Level 30
The last level of the Fire temple pack consist of multiple fights against hordes of enemies while using the battleaxe. Much like in the last tutorial level, giant skulls can be seen in the scenery, pouring out lava from their mouths.

Enemies
Unless otherwise noted, all enemies move a tile every turn and will kill Rust Bucket if both the character and the enemies move into the same tile or they move into Rust Bucket.
 * Slimes- Move one tile every two turns.
 * Slime towers- These enemies are a tower of three slimes. Hitting it will cause all the slimes to fall on the ground, whereupon the slimes act like regular slimes.
 * Pigs - Can only move in the direction they are facing and have to rotate themselves to face a different direction.
 * Armoured pigs - Acts like regular pigs but wears a helmet that takes one hit to destroy.
 * Pig statues- Acts like pigs but can only be killed with bombs. If they are right behind the player, they will push them.
 * Golden pig statues - The same as pig statues, but leave coins when destroyed.
 * Skulls - Takes one turn to move and kills the player on contact.
 * Skull statues - Same behaviour as skulls but can only be killed by bombs.
 * Golden skull statues - The same as skull statues, but leave coins when destroyed.
 * Demons - Jumps over a tile/wall every other move. While jumping, it cannot be harmed and the player can move under it.
 * Squids- Only moves diagonally.
 * Ghosts- Can go over pits and through walls.
 * Brain monsters - These enemies can create other enemies.
 * Mimics - Resemble treasure chests and will start moving when the player is two steps away from them.
 * Centipedes - Are made of multiple body parts, which all have to be destroyed to defeat the centipede.
 * Living stumps - Becomes petrified for a few turns when attacked.
 * Medusas - Can move in any direction, both horizontally and vertically.

Hazards

 * Fire tiles - Will shoot out fire every three turns, damaging everything that stands on it.
 * Fire cannons - Shoots fireballs that travel in a straight line.

Release version
This version was released on Google Play on December 16th, 2015, and the Apple App Store on December 17th, 2015. It is labelled Version 2 on the Apple App Store. This version was the game's initial release version.

Android update version 1
Released on December 18th, 2015, this update fixes a bug with the player losing all of his/her coins in Endless Mode upon closing the game.

Android update version 2
This update was released on January 5th, 2016, and fixes a bug with the game's music still playing when the Android device's home button is pressed.

Android update version 3
This update was released on January 6th, 2016, and is labelled version 16.0. This update fixes a glitch regarding button states.

Update 1
This update was released on January 27th, 2016 on Google Play and the following day on the Apple App Store and is labelled Version 3 on there and Version 21 on Google Play. This update adds levels 11-20 and introduces slime towers, living stumps, and medusas in both the level-based mode and Endless Mode.

In Endless Mode the continue system was added and a fifth scenery type was added. The "Remove ads" in-app purchase was also updated so that it removes Nitrome's cross promotion advertisements and also gives players a free continue in every Endless Mode game they play.

This update also made minor changes to the game, improved aspects of it, and fixed various bugs. One of these changes was that selecting the restart icon would respawn players at the last checkpoint they passed instead of at the start of the level.

Bug fixes update version 1
This update was released on the Apple App Store on February 1st, 2016, and on Google Play on February 2nd, 2016, and is labelled Version 4 on the Apple App Store and Version 25 on Google Play. According to the update's description, this update fixes minor glitches.

Update 2
This update was released on March 2nd, 2016, on the Apple App Store and Google Play. This update adds the fire temple levels and weapons to the game. The level select menus were also changed: the square academic cap in tutorial levels menu was removed, and all level packs automatically have their first level unlocked. Checkpoints were also changed so that they remember the players' spot even after the app is closed and will allow players to continue from that spot when they return to the game. Due to a glitch, this feature did not work in this update.

Golden slime towers, weapons, and the shop were introduced into Endless Mode. Treasure chests were also updated to that they can contain weapons.

Update 3
This update will be released the week of March 27th - April 2nd and will include new levels and introduce the crab enemy.

Save data update
This update was released on March 3rd, 2016, on both the Apple App Store and Google Play and is labelled Version 6 on the Apple App Store and version 35 on Google Play. This update fixed checkpoints so that they save players' progress and remember it even after the app is closed.

Previews

 * September 16th, 2015 - Nitrome released a Twitter post revealing Rust Bucket and a GIF of gameplay.
 * September 17th, 2015 - The game is announced on the Nitrome blog, with more information about it given.
 * September 21st, 2015  - Aaron Steed posted on Twitter an image of one enemy type in the game.
 * October 9th, 2015 - Nitrome posted a preview that showed some enemies and a villager.
 * November 13, 2015 - Nitrome posted a preview of Endless Mode.
 * December 22, 2015 - Nitrome announced the addition of new enemies, levels and mechanics in an upcoming update.

Development
Rust Bucket was announced on Twitter on September 16th, 2015 and revealed on the Nitrome blog the following day. Another preview was posted on October 9th, and another on November 13th, 2015. On this same day, Nitrome also said that they plan to release the game on mobile devices before December 25th, 2015. On December 22nd, Nitrome announced an upcoming update for the game that would add new levels, enemies and mechanics. On January 7th, Jon Annal tweeted about a new update coming soon, with a preview showing a new way of defeating Pig statues by teleporting onto them.

Nitrome did not name the game after its predecessor, Turnament, because it was deemed too difficult to search for as it was hard to spell.

Glitches

 * In browser version, rapidly clicking the button to enter a level or Endless Mode will result in the level loading screen showing twice in quick succession, with the level number only appearing the first time. With Endless Mode, this glitch can also be performed on the Game Over screen and the room layout will be different both times the level loads.


 * It was possible for armoured pigs to die on fire hazard by landing on them when the tiles are activated and when the pigs are turning. This bug was fixed.

Trivia

 * The game's release date for the Apple App Store version is exactly one year after the release of Platform Panic.