Secret Agent (video game)

Secret Agent (also called Secret Agent Man) is a side-scrolling platform game that Apogee Software both developed and published. It runs on the same game engine as the earlier title Crystal Caves. The first episode is distributed as shareware, and the other two episodes are sold directly by the publisher.

Plot

The player controls a secret agent known only by his codename, Agent 006½. The story involves the Diabolical Villain Society (D.V.S.), which has stolen the blueprints for an orbital ruby laser weapon called "Red Rock Rover." These blueprints are held in three island strongholds, each containing 15 radar installations. The agent must destroy all 15 radar dishes on an island before he can enter the main fortress and recover the blueprints.

The first mission is "The Hunt for Red Rock Rover," where the agent parachutes in and later escapes by hidden boat. The second is "Kill Again Island," from which he slips away using scuba gear. The third is "Dr. No Body," where he faces the head of the D.V.S.

Gameplay

Each of the three episodes is divided into 16 levels. The player can play the 15 radar levels in any order, but cannot access the main fortress until all 15 are completed. Every level is a maze-like structure.

The goal is to find and destroy a radar dish, then exit. To open the exit doors, the player must use a bundle of dynamite. Locked doors and laser beams require key-cards or a floppy disk brought to a computer terminal. Enemies include robots and humans, and hazards include spikes and acid pools.

Agent 006½ starts each level with three health points. Losing all three causes death and restarts the level, resetting the score to what it was at the start. Most enemies and hazards cost one health point, but landmines kill instantly.

The player can push barrels to reach higher areas. Special goggles, when collected, reveal hidden platforms. Power-ups include ammunition, speed-boosting sneakers, and a faster-shooting gun. There are also point-scoring items.

Killing a human enemy leaves a gravestone; the player can destroy it for 100 points or pay respects for 1,000 points. Each level contains the letters S, P, and Y. Collecting them in the correct order awards 10,000 points, and completing a level without taking damage gives 25,000 points. Some items cause ailments: a "½" item slows the agent, and a question mark reverses the left and right controls temporarily.