Changes

==Gameplay Mechanics==

==Gameplay Mechanics==

Journey of the Prairie King is a top-down shooter, resembling [[wikipedia:Shoot_'em_up#Types|"twin-stick"]] shooters such as "[[wikipedia:Smash_TV|Smash TV]]". {{Key|W}}{{Key|A}}{{Key|S}}{{Key|D}} moves the character and {{Key|↑}}{{Key|←}}{{Key|↓}}{{Key|→}} shoots. The player can move and shoot diagonally by combining two keys (''e.g.,'' W and A together move up and left diagonally). While using a controller, the left joystick moves, and the right joystick shoots. The D-Pad can also be used for movement and the button pad can also be used for shooting.

Journey of the Prairie King is a top-down shooter, resembling [[wikipedia:Shoot 'em up#Types|"twin-stick"]] shooters such as "[[wikipedia:Smash TV|Smash TV]]". {{Key|W}}{{Key|A}}{{Key|S}}{{Key|D}} moves the character and {{Key|↑}}{{Key|←}}{{Key|↓}}{{Key|→}} shoots. The player can move and shoot diagonally by combining two keys (''e.g.,'' W and A together move up and left diagonally). While using a controller, the left joystick moves, and the right joystick shoots. The D-Pad can also be used for movement and the button pad can also be used for shooting.

In the mobile version of the game, there are two transparent red circles. The one on the left moves the character and the one on the right aims.

In the mobile version of the game, there are two transparent red circles. The one on the left moves the character and the one on the right aims.

The player begins with four lives (shown as "x3" in the upper left), and is instantly killed upon contact with an enemy or projectile.  Losing every life (when the counter changes from "x0" to "x-1") results in a Game Over.  In each level, a timer bar counts down at the top of the screen while waves of [[#Enemies|enemies]] appear from the edges of the screen and move towards the player.  Enemies stop spawning when the timer bar has counted down completely, and the level is completed when all enemies are defeated, allowing progress to the next area.

The player begins with four lives (shown as "x3" in the upper left), and is instantly killed upon contact with an enemy or projectile.  Losing every life (when the counter changes from "x0" to "x-1") results in a Game Over.  In each level, a timer bar counts down at the top of the screen while waves of [[#Enemies|enemies]] appear from the edges of the screen and move toward the player.  Enemies stop spawning when the timer bar has counted down completely, and the level is completed when all enemies are defeated, allowing progress to the next area.

Enemies will sometimes drop [[#Items Dropped by Enemies|power-ups]], coins and extra lives upon being killed.  One power-up at a time can be stored in a slot in the top-left, and can be activated by pressing {{Key|Space}}.  If a power-up is picked up while another is already being held, the new power-up is consumed immediately.  Power-ups last only for a short time.

Enemies will sometimes drop [[#Items Dropped by Enemies|power-ups]], coins and extra lives upon being killed.  One power-up at a time can be stored in a slot in the top-left, and can be activated by pressing {{Key|Space}}.  If a power-up is picked up while another is already being held, the new power-up is consumed immediately.  Power-ups last only for a short time.

|[[File:JOPK Shotgun.png]]

|[[File:JOPK Shotgun.png]]

|Shotgun

|Shotgun

|Causes three bullets to be fired at once in a cone at a slightly slower rate.  Lasts about 12 seconds.

|Causes three bullets to be fired at once in a cone at a slower rate.  Lasts about 12 seconds.

|-

|-

|[[File:JOPK SmokeBomb.png]]

|[[File:JOPK SmokeBomb.png]]

|Distracts enemies, drawing them towards it and killing them on impact. Does not harm the player and cannot be killed by the player. Disappears after it has fully crossed the screen.

|Distracts enemies, drawing them towards it and killing them on impact. Does not harm the player and cannot be killed by the player. Disappears after it has fully crossed the screen.

Gophers may carry the player on a parade float upon a victory against a boss.

Gophers may carry the player on a parade float after defeating a boss.

|Random

|Random

|-

|-

Each time a harder mode is beaten, the option to start once again is offered, with the game getting progressively harder each time.

Each time a harder mode is beaten, the option to start once again is offered, with the game getting progressively harder each time.

==Saving mechanics==

==Saving Mechanics==

The game saves after each completed level (When entering the next level) as well as each death. When coming back to the game if a ongoing run is saved, you have the option to start over or to load your save.

The game autosaves after each completed level (upon entering the next level, not when the exit opens up) as well as each death. Your held item, upgrades, lives, and time left in the current level will all save. Whenever you exit a run in progress and return to the game later, you can resume playing from the autosave or start a new run from the beginning.

This can be exploited across multiple days to effectively create a savestate system. You can go to sleep after each won level, which will save your ongoing game in the stardew valley game save file, and if you die, reloading the day will effectively reload the previous Journey Of The Prairie King save.

 

The game does ''not'' autosave if you die during a boss fight. You can exploit this to retry the boss fight until you beat it without losing any lives. You can also abuse the save system further by going to sleep after completing each level and restarting the current day whenever you die, so that you can continue from the save before you died. Both of these techniques can allow players to get the Fector's Challenge [[Achievements|achievement]] more easily.

==Trivia==

==Trivia==

* There is a [[Lost Books|Lost Book]] about this game titled ''[[Lost Books#Journey of the Prairie King -- The Smash Hit Video Game!|Journey of the Prairie King -- The Smash Hit Video Game!]]''.

* There is a [[Lost Books|Lost Book]] about this game titled ''[[Lost Books#Journey of the Prairie King -- The Smash Hit Video Game!|Journey of the Prairie King -- The Smash Hit Video Game!]]''.

* [[Options#Graphics|Zoom level]] also influences the portion of screen the arcade game takes up.

* [[Options#Graphics|Zoom level]] also influences the portion of screen the arcade game takes up.

* The title of the game is most likely a reference to the [[wikipedia:List_of_River_King_video_games|"River King" games]] (a series of fishing RPGs made by Marvelous, who also made the Harvest Moon/Bokujo Monogatari series), specifically the Game Boy title released in the US as ''Legend of the River King''.

* The title of the game is most likely a reference to the [[wikipedia:List of River King video games|"River King" games]] (a series of fishing RPGs made by Marvelous, who also made the Harvest Moon/Bokujo Monogatari series), specifically the Game Boy title released in the US as ''Legend of the River King''.

==Bugs==

==Bugs==

* Leaving the game while in the Gopher carrying sequence after defeating a boss, then continuing it, will cause the boss music and health bar to reappear on continuation, with the boss spawning as soon as the next stage begins. If the player dies (the boss will despawn in that case) or the boss dies, the music will keep playing until they reach the next boss. Additionally, performing the glitch again on the next boss will cause the music to carry over out of JotPK and into the rest of the game. This will not end until Stardew Valley is completely restarted.

* Leaving the game while in the Gopher carrying sequence after defeating a boss, then continuing it, will cause the boss music and health bar to reappear on continuation, with the boss spawning as soon as the next stage begins. If the player dies (the boss will despawn in that case) or the boss dies, the music will keep playing until they reach the next boss. Additionally, performing the glitch again on the next boss will cause the music to carry over out of JotPK and into the rest of the game. This will not end until Stardew Valley is completely restarted.

* Leaving the game just before the Gopher carrying sequence begins, then starting a new game, will cause the Gopher carrying sequence to happen anyway before the first level begins while still resetting your upgrades, lives and coin counter as normal for a brand new run.

* Leaving the game just before the Gopher carrying sequence begins, then starting a new game, will cause the Gopher carrying sequence to happen anyway before the first level begins while still resetting your upgrades, lives and coin counter as normal for a brand new run.

==References==

==References==

<references>

<references>

<ref name="CAquote">https://twitter.com/concernedape/status/1094755018945703937</ref>

<ref name="CAquote">Twitter link: https://twitter.com/concernedape/status/1094755018945703937<br />Archive link: https://archive.ph/2YOMU</ref>

</references>

</references>

{{History|1.5|Progress can now be saved and resumed, so it can be completed in multiple sessions. The original difficulty can now be replayed even if the player already completed it. (Previously it would increase difficulty automatically, which is now a New Game+ mode.)}}

{{History|1.5|Progress can now be saved and resumed, so it can be completed in multiple sessions. The original difficulty can now be replayed even if the player already completed it. (Previously it would increase difficulty automatically, which is now a New Game+ mode.)}}

{{History|1.5.2|Fector can no longer instantly be killed with a Tombstone.}}

{{History|1.5.2|Fector can no longer instantly be killed with a Tombstone.}}

[[Category:Mini-games]]

[[Category:Mini-games]]