power-ups
mechanic · 9 power-ups
Power-ups in Asteroid Pong are icons that bounce across the table, and you grab them by touching them with your paddle. There are 9: they grow your paddle, give lives, catch the ball, double your points or change the balls in play. They unlock between level 1 and level 8.
All 9 power-ups
These are the 9 power-ups, in the order they unlock.
| icon | power-up | from | effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| L+ | Long paddle ×1.5 | level 1 | Your paddle is 1.5 times longer for 10 s. |
| ♥ | Extra life | level 1 | +1 life. At 7 lives (the cap) it gives 250 points. |
| L++ | Super paddle ×2 | level 2 | Paddle twice as long for 10 s. |
| MAG | Magnet | level 2 | Pulls and catches up to 3 balls for 10 s. |
| ×2 | Double points 10 s | level 3 | Every point is worth double for 10 s. |
| DBL | Second paddle up front | level 3 | A second paddle further up the table for 10 s. It also blocks shots and lasers. |
| B | Bomb | level 5 | Blows up every ball in play (+50 points each) and serves again after 1.1 s. |
| XL | Giant paddle ×2.5 | level 6 | Paddle 2.5 times longer for 10 s. |
| BIG | Giant ball | level 8 | One ball turns giant for 7 s, deals double damage to everything and then explodes into 2 or 3 balls. |
How and when they spawn
A power-up spawns every 6 to 10 seconds (the first one between 6 and 9 s), and there are never more than 2 on the table at once.
- Each one stays on the table for 9 s, travels around bouncing and blinks for its last 2 s before it leaves.
- You grab it by touching it with your paddle.
- Paddle powers (L+, L++, XL, DBL and MAG) last 10 s, and a new one replaces the previous one. The paddle never gets wider than 90% of the table.
- In single player, while a paddle power is active no other paddle power spawns.
- The bomb doesn't spawn with fewer than 3 balls, the giant ball doesn't spawn if there is already one, ♥ doesn't spawn at 7 lives and ×2 doesn't spawn while it is active.
- None spawn during frenzy.
- In 2 players ♥ and ×2 never spawn, and power-ups alternate toward each player.
- Meteors and black holes affect them too: impacts push them, craters block them and black holes bend their path.
How the magnet works
The magnet (MAG) pulls in balls heading your way and sticks them to your paddle, up to 3 at once, for 10 seconds.
- Wait for the ball. It pulls in balls heading for your goal once they get close to your paddle.
- Aim by moving. The ball leaves based on how it arrived, where it sits on the paddle and which way you are moving when you release it, at up to about 63°.
- Check the guide. A dotted line shows the bounce. You can turn it off in settings with "magnet guide".
- Release it. Tap the screen, press space, ✕/A or OK on the TV remote. If you don't, it leaves on its own after 3 s.
It is the best tool for bank shots: a magnet shot that hits a wall counts as a "magnet bank shot".
Giant ball and bomb
The giant ball is the strongest power-up against bosses and blocks, and the bomb clears the table in one go.
- Giant ball (BIG): lasts 7 s and deals double damage to everything. It breaks each block cube in one hit, takes 2 health off a titan when it goes through the reticle, ignores craters, isn't affected by black holes, doesn't use portals and titans can't catch it. Only one can exist at a time.
- Bomb (B): only spawns with 3 or more balls in play. It blows them all up (+50 points per ball, "BOMB!" banner) and serves again 1.1 s later.
Frequently asked questions
How do you pick up a power-up?
Touch it with your paddle while it crosses the table. Each power-up stays on the table for 9 seconds and blinks for the last 2 before it leaves.
How long does the magnet last?
The magnet lasts 10 seconds and catches up to 3 balls. Each caught ball is released with a tap, space, ✕/A or OK, or on its own after 3 seconds.
Why don't I get another paddle power-up?
In single player, while a paddle power (L+, L++, XL, DBL or MAG) is active, no other paddle power spawns. They come back once it ends after 10 seconds.
What happens if I grab an extra life at 7 lives?
The cap is 7 lives: at 7 the ♥ doesn't spawn, and if you still grab one it gives you 250 points instead of a life.
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