Zenith Axiom: Complete Strategy Guide

Overview

Zenith Axiom is a fast-paced arcade space shooter by solo developer jubislayer. You pilot a ship through endless waves of increasingly dangerous enemies, earn credits for every kill, and spend those credits in a shop between fights to upgrade four weapon systems. There is no final boss and no ending screen. Survival is the only objective, and your only score is how long you last and how much you bank.

The game runs free in your browser on itch.io, with a mirror on gd.games, plus Android APK and Windows desktop builds (name your own price). The current build is version 0.7.1, and the developer keeps shipping updates, so expect balance changes to land mid-run.

The movement system is what separates Zenith Axiom from the arcade-shooter crowd. Your ship is a physics object with real momentum: it accelerates under thrust, coasts when you release input, and bleeds speed slowly through damping. Stop holding a direction and you keep drifting. Every directional change is a commitment, so positioning becomes a planning exercise rather than a pure reflex test. Players who fight the drift die in the first few minutes. Players who predict it push deep into the run.

Sessions are short. A decent run lasts 15 to 30 minutes, and the difficulty curve is engineered to spike hard as the clock runs.

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Getting Started

Controls (Desktop, verified in-game)

On desktop the ship auto-rotates toward the mouse at up to 240 degrees per second, so aiming is a matter of where you point, not what you press. W always pushes you toward the cursor, S pulls you away, A and D orbit you around it. That is a huge difference from a twin-stick shooter: your movement input is relative to your aim, not to the screen. Hold W to chase, tap S to back off, use A/D to circle a target while keeping fire on it.

Controls (Mobile)

Mobile ships auto-fire, which frees your thumbs for movement. The trade is that you cannot hold fire selectively. You are always committing to engagement range.

First Session: What to Expect

1. You start with 1,000 credits and a stock ship. Cannons are selected by default.
2. Enemies spawn from off-screen, drift in at random angles, and hunt you: they rotate toward your ship, close in, and fire when they get a bead.
3. Kill them for credits. Every enemy pays a fixed bounty based on its class.
4. Open the shop (P) anytime to buy upgrades: damage, fire rate, and weapon levels, per weapon.
5. There is no ending. The spawn rate ramps forever. Survive as long as you can.

Most first runs end between minute 2 and minute 6. That is normal. The game is a loop: die, learn the class mix, adjust your buying plan, go again.

Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

• Dumping credits into every weapon. Four half-upgraded weapons clear nothing efficiently. Put your first credits into one weapon and make it a workhorse, then spread.
• Holding the center of the screen. The center is a kill box. Enemies spawn from all angles and converge there. Stay near an edge with room to retreat.
• Ignoring Scouts in the first minute. They are cheap kills (50 HP) but fast (they rotate at 720 deg/s). A pack of Scouts closing from two sides ends runs fast. Clear them before they reach you.
• Wasting the Destructor Ray on small fry. It fires once every 7 seconds. Use it on Frigates, Battlecruisers, and Dreadnoughts, not on a Scout.
• Sticking to one weapon all run. Every weapon has a role and a coverage gap. Switching (1–4) mid-fight based on the threat roughly doubles your effective output.
• Fighting the momentum. The ship coasts after you stop thrusting. New players tap opposite directions frantically and fight the physics. Embrace the drift. Predict where your ship will be, not where you want it to be.

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Core Mechanics

Your Ship

• Health: 1,000. Enemy contact and enemy projectiles both hurt.
• Passive regen: 10 HP per second, after 5 seconds without taking damage. Getting out of the line of fire for a few seconds is a real heal.
• Speed cap: 300. Thrust only applies while your velocity is below the cap, so top speed is fixed; what you control is direction and acceleration.
• Momentum: physics damping (linear damping 2.0) means you coast and decelerate gradually. Short taps give micro-drifts; held keys commit you to a vector.

The Four Weapon Systems (verified base stats)

Cannons are your default. Rapid fire with a 0.3 s interval and 20 damage per shot means a 50 HP Scout dies in three hits (about 0.9 s of fire) and a 100 HP Fighter in five. Cheap to upgrade (10 credits base) and forgiving when you miss. Late-game armored hulls shrug them off, though.

Plasma Blasters hit for 30 every 0.45 s, roughly one and a half times the cannon's damage-per-shot for a slower cadence. Two shots kill a Scout, four kill a Fighter. Bullet speed matches Cannons at 400, and they punish missed shots less than the missile or the ray, so they are the upgrade path for players still working on aim.

Missile Launchers deal 60 damage with splash on a 2.0 s interval. One missile one-shots Scouts and two-shots Fighters, and the explosion clears clustered groups. The cost is a slow rotation and long reload: if a missile misses, you have a 2-second gap with no output.

Destructor Ray is the panic button: 300 damage every 7.0 s at projectile speed 1,000. It one-shots a Fighter, drops a Frigate (300 HP) in one hit, and is your only practical way to chew a Dreadnought (3,000 HP) in reasonable time. Never spend it on a single Scout.

Damage per Second: Realistic Early-Game Numbers

The takeaway: Cannons and Plasma have the same single-target DPS at base, so the real deciding factor is feel and upgrade cost. Cannons are the budget pick, Plasma the slightly punchier one. Missiles trade single-target DPS for group clearing. The Ray is pure burst.

The Shop and Upgrade Math (verified)

The shop (P) lists all four weapons with a level and a price. Each purchase:

• Subtracts the displayed cost from your credits
• Multiplies that weapon's cost by 1.01 (costs creep up slowly, not exponentially)
• Multiplies its damage by 1.01
• Divides its fire interval by 1.001
• Adds 0.1 to its displayed level

Base costs per weapon: Cannons 10, Plasma 10, Missiles 100, Ray 200. Because the cost multiplier is only 1.01 per buy, a Cannon that starts at 10 credits stays affordable for a long chain of upgrades. Ten buys cost roughly 105 total, one hundred buys roughly 1,300 total. Early on, that makes Cannons the strongest compounding investment per credit.

Enemy Roster (verified from build 0.7.1)

Three factions (Klaed, Nairan, Nautolan) share six ship classes. The faction is cosmetic; the class dictates stats.

Scouts are the swarm: fragile, absurdly quick to turn, and they hunt you directly. Fighters are the baseline threat. Torpedo Ships and Frigates are mid-tier: more HP, slower, worth real money. Battlecruisers are the first serious wall. 1,000 HP demands focused fire, so this is where the Destructor Ray starts to earn its keep. Dreadnoughts are the boss class: 3,000 HP, slow, worth 1,000 credits. They are the biggest single payout in the game and the biggest single risk.

Enemy weapons vary by faction: Klaed ships fire torpedoes and rays, Nairan ships fire rockets and bolts, Nautolan ships fire bullets, bombs, spinning projectiles, and waves. Enemy rays hit the player for 400 damage per shot, roughly 40% of your health pool, and the reason you never want to hold still in the late game.

Spawn System (verified)

There are no discrete waves. Enemies spawn on a timer that accelerates as the run progresses:

• Spawn interval formula: max(0.2, 5 − run_time / 100) seconds
• At the start: one spawn roughly every 5 seconds
• After 2 minutes: roughly every 3.8 seconds
• After 5 minutes: roughly every 2 seconds
• After 8 minutes: the 0.2-second floor: a constant stream

Each spawn roll picks a class by weight: Fighter 30%, Scout 40%, Frigate 10%, Torpedo Ship 10%, Battlecruiser 6%, Dreadnought 4%. Spawns appear at a large radius around the screen and drift in from a random angle.

The practical result: the first two minutes are a gentle trickle of Scouts and Fighters. By minute five, small packs arrive constantly. Past minute eight, evasion is the whole game and every credit you have not spent is a liability.

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Progression Strategy

The Credit Path That Works

You start with 1,000 credits. Spend them before the ramp bites.

Minute 0-1  → Buy Cannon damage to ~40/shot (first 5-6 buys)
Minute 1-2  → Buy Cannon fire rate (2-3 buys)
Minute 2-3  → Bank ~300 credits for the Frigate influx
Minute 3    → First Missile or Plasma upgrade (whichever fits your aim)
Minute 5    → Destructor Ray online for Battlecruisers
Minute 8+   → Everything into one weapon; evasion first, damage second

This path keeps you ahead of the curve. The early Cannon investment turns the 40%-Scout early game into a credit printer, which funds the mid-game weapons before the spawn interval tightens.

What to Upgrade First

1. Cannons damage. Raw kill speed compresses the early game and banks credits faster.
2. Cannons fire rate. Once damage per shot is respectable, cadence doubles your sustained DPS.
3. A second weapon. Missiles for groups or Plasma for accuracy.
4. Destructor Ray damage. Only once Battlecruisers and Dreadnoughts are showing up; the Ray is a boss tool, not a wave tool.
5. Missiles/Ray fire rate last. The multipliers are small (1.001 per buy) and the credits are better spent elsewhere.

Why Focused Spending Beats Spread Spending

One weapon at level 3 with damage and fire-rate buys will outperform two weapons at level 1.5 each, because the per-buy multipliers compound on one pool. Concentrating your first 300-500 credits into Cannons gives a single high-damage, high-rate tool that clears everything the early game throws at you. Spreading the same credits makes every weapon mediocre exactly when the spawn interval starts accelerating.

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Step-by-Step Strategy

Phase 1: The Opening (Minute 0–2)

1. Select Cannons (1). Fast, cheap, perfect for the Scout/Fighter flood.
2. Spend immediately. Open the shop (P) and buy Cannon damage twice, then fire rate once. Do not hoard.
3. Learn the spawn angle. Enemies drift in from off-screen at a random angle but always converge on you. Note which direction they enter from and pre-position toward the open side.
4. Practice wide arcs. Circle the screen edges. Wide arcs give more reaction time than tight circles, and your momentum carries you smoothly.
5. Kill Scouts on sight. They are 40% of spawns and the only thing fast enough to punish you this early.

Opening sequence:

1. Spawn → drift toward bottom edge
2. First enemy appears → identify class
3. Scout → burst it down (3 hits with base Cannons)
4. Circle clockwise along the edge, firing at anything inbound
5. Minute 0-1 → back to shop, two more Cannon damage buys
6. Keep moving; never sit still for more than a second

Phase 2: The Mid Game (Minute 3–5)

1. Watch for Torpedo Ships and Frigates. They pay 50 and 100 credits respectively. A single Frigate kill funds two Cannon upgrades.
2. Bring a second weapon online. If groups of 3+ are common, that is Missile time. If you prefer surgical removal of Frigates first, go Plasma.
3. Use the Destructor Ray on cooldown against Frigates only. One Ray shot kills a Frigate outright; that is 100 credits per 7 seconds if you keep it on rotation.
4. Bank a cushion. Keep 200-300 credits unspent for the Battlecruiser phase, when you will want to move into the Ray and a heavy weapon in one shopping trip.

Mid-game buying sequence (optimal):

Minute 3: Buy Missile damage once (~100 credits)
Minute 3.5: Buy Cannon fire rate again
Minute 4: Buy Ray damage once (~200 credits)
Minute 4.5: Buy Plasma damage once
Minute 5: Rebuy whatever is cheapest; keep a 200-credit float

Phase 3: The Late Game (Minute 6+)

1. Stay mobile constantly. One stationary second at this point is a hit. Enemy rays deal 400 damage.
2. Prioritize threats: Scouts (fastest, closest) → Fighter packs → Torpedo/Frigate → Battlecruiser → Dreadnought.
3. Swap weapons per threat. Cannon or Plasma for singles, Missiles for clumps, Ray for anything with 1,000+ HP.
4. Use the perimeter, cut through center. Circle the edges between attacks, then cut across when a shot is clear. Enemy AI drifts toward where you were, not where you are.
5. Keep the Ray on a mental cooldown timer. Every 7 seconds you can delete one high-value target. Miss that window and a Battlecruiser lives 10 more seconds.
6. Use momentum offensively. A held key released mid-motion slides you past a projectile stream while you keep firing. Bait Scouts into overshoot and they line up for the missile.

8 Actionable Combat Sequences

Sequence 1: Clean Opening

1. Select Cannons
2. Shop once immediately (2 damage buys, 1 fire-rate buy)
3. Kill every Scout as it spawns (3 hits each)
4. Arc counter-clockwise along the screen edge
5. Re-shop at minute 1 for the second wave of damage

Sequence 2: Group Clearing with Missiles

1. Kite a pack of 3+ enemies into a loose cluster (2-3 seconds)
2. Switch to Missiles (3)
3. Fire at the center of the cluster
4. One missile clears most of it (60 damage + splash)
5. Switch back to Cannons/Plasma for stragglers

Sequence 3: Frigate Delete

1. Identify the Frigate (300 HP, medium size)
2. Switch to Destructor Ray (4)
3. Fire once → Frigate dies instantly
4. Collect the 100-credit bounty
5. Repeat on cooldown (7 seconds)

Sequence 4: Battlecruiser Protocol

1. Switch to Ray (4). It does 300 of the 1,000 HP
2. Fire ray, then immediately switch to Plasma (2)
3. Keep distance with S (thrust away from cursor) while firing
4. Circle with A/D to avoid its projectiles
5. When the Ray is back off cooldown, finish with a second blast

Sequence 5: Dreadnought Grind

1. Recognize the 3,000 HP boss class (slow, huge, 1,000-credit bounty)
2. Open with the Ray. First 10% of its HP gone instantly
3. Switch to your highest-DPS weapon (Cannon if leveled, else Plasma)
4. Kite in wide circles; only fire when facing it cleanly
5. Every 7 seconds, re-apply the Ray
6. A leveled Cannon does ~100+ DPS; expect a 20-30 second fight

Sequence 6: Swarm Evasion

1. When 6+ enemies close in, stop shooting
2. Hold W toward the open side of the screen, then release
3. Coast through the gap while enemies converge on your old position
4. Re-engage once the pack spreads
5. You heal 10 HP/s while you are out of the fight

Sequence 7: Weapon Swap Dance

1. Primary (Cannons/Plasma): hold to sustain fire
2. 3+ enemies cluster → 3 (Missiles) → one shot → back
3. Frigate/Battlecruiser visible → 4 (Ray) → blast → back
4. Master the rhythm and you never stop dealing optimal damage

Sequence 8: Endgame Desperation

1. When the screen is 70%+ enemies and projectiles, stop trying to kill
2. Focus on survival: wide perimeter laps, S-thrust backouts
3. Use the Ray to carve a path in a direction you want to escape to
4. Only kill what is directly between you and open space
5. Stay alive long enough for the swarm to thin, then re-engage

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Advanced Tips

Movement Techniques

Your ship rotates to the cursor at up to 240 deg/s and accelerates under thrust with a speed cap of 300. The skill is in using momentum as a tool.

The Coast Slide is the most underrated technique. Hold W for two seconds, release it, and your ship keeps drifting at speed while you fire. Projectiles aimed at your previous position miss. You get full firing accuracy during the coast because aiming is mouse-only.

Enemy Pattern Recognition

Read the first spawns of the run:

• All Scouts → Swarm pressure. Fast turns, low HP. Kill them fast, stay mobile.
• Scouts + Fighters → Standard mix. Kill Scouts first, then Fighters.
• Frigate appears → Mid-game has begun. The Ray is worth switching to on cooldown.
• Battlecruiser spawn → The first real DPS check. If your damage is still cannon-only at base, expect a long, dangerous fight.
• Dreadnought spawn → Boss window. Everything else can wait; there are 1,000 credits on the table, but only if you survive the 20-30 second grind.

Score-Run / Credit Strategy

1. Maximize bounties, not kills. A Dreadnought pays 1,000 credits, a hundred Scouts pay the same and take far longer. Target the high-value classes when you can do so safely.
2. Never die with a big bank. Credits spent are power; credits held are potential that dies with you. Before a dangerous engagement, dump your float into the cheapest useful upgrade.
3. Learn the minute-8 wall. That is when the spawn interval hits the 0.2-second floor. Everything before it is preparation: your weapon levels, your positioning habits, and your Ray discipline.

Practice Routine

Five-minute drills that improve survival faster than full runs:

1. Coast drill (2 min): Hold W, release, track where the ship drifts. Repeat until you can place the coast exactly.
2. Scout drill (1 min): Restart until you clear the first minute without taking a hit. Goal: every Scout dead within 2 seconds of entering screen.
3. Swap drill (1 min): Force yourself to cycle 1→3→4→2→1 every few seconds during minute 2, even when unnecessary. Build the habit.
4. Frigate drill (1 min): Play to minute 3 and Ray-delete every Frigate on cooldown. Goal: never miss a Frigate window.

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Common Mistakes: The 5 Killers

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FAQ

Where can I play Zenith Axiom? Free in your browser at jubislayer.itch.io/zenith-axiom, with a mirror on gd.games. Android APK and Windows desktop versions are also on the itch.io page.

What are the controls? W/S/A/D move relative to the mouse cursor (toward, away, strafe left, strafe right). Left mouse fires. Keys 1–4 select the four weapons. P opens the shop, Esc closes it.

What are the four weapon systems? Cannons (20 damage, 0.3 s interval), Plasma Blasters (30 damage, 0.45 s), Missile Launchers (60 damage, 2.0 s, splash), and Destructor Ray (300 damage, 7.0 s). These scale with shop upgrades.

How much money do you start with? 1,000 credits. Spend them early. Enemy bounties (10 to 1,000 credits by class) flow in as you kill.

Is there an ending? No. It is an endless survival game. The spawn interval compresses from 5 seconds toward 0.2 seconds as the run goes on.

How many enemy types are there? Three factions (Klaed, Nairan, Nautolan) share six classes: Scout (50 HP), Fighter (100 HP), Torpedo Ship (200 HP), Frigate (300 HP), Battlecruiser (1,000 HP), and Dreadnought (3,000 HP).

Can I play on mobile? Yes. The Android version and the web build support touch controls: left stick moves, right stick aims, and the ship auto-fires.

Does the ship regenerate health? Yes. It regens 10 HP per second after 5 seconds without taking damage. Backing out of a fight is a real heal.

Is the game free? The web version is completely free. Android and desktop are name-your-own-price, including $0.

Who made the assets? Ship assets by zintoki, sound and music by alkakrab, enemy assets by Foozle, backgrounds by Screaming Brain Studios. No generative AI was used.

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Challenge Goals

Start with Cannons and spend early. Once you can reach minute 5 consistently, add Missiles for group work and the Ray for Frigates. The game reveals its depth as the spawn interval tightens. What looks like a simple shooter has real layers in credit compounding, weapon matchups, and momentum-based movement.

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Quick Reference Card

CONTROLS:
  W = thrust toward mouse    A = strafe left
  S = thrust away from mouse D = strafe right
  LMB = fire   1-4 = select weapon   P = shop   Esc = close

WEAPONS (base):
  Cannons 20 dmg / 0.3s   Plasma 30 dmg / 0.45s
  Missiles 60 dmg / 2.0s splash   Ray 300 dmg / 7.0s

UPGRADE MATH:
  cost x1.01, damage x1.01, interval /1.001, level +0.1 per buy
  Base costs: Cannon 10, Plasma 10, Missiles 100, Ray 200

ENEMY BOUNTIES:
  Scout 10, Fighter 20, Torpedo 50, Frigate 100,
  Battlecruiser 250, Dreadnought 1000

SPAWN RAMP:
  interval = max(0.2, 5 - minutes/60*100 / 100) seconds
  Minute 0-2: trickle   Minute 5: ~2s   Minute 8+: 0.2s floor

THREAT PRIORITY:
  1. Scouts (fastest)  2. Fighters  3. Torpedo/Frigate
  4. Battlecruiser  5. Dreadnought (use Ray on 3-5)

MOVEMENT:
  Default: wide perimeter laps
  Evasion: coast slide (hold W, release)
  Boss: orbit with A/D, S-backout on pressure
  Heal: 10 HP/s after 5s out of combat