Helmet (Game & Watch)

Helmet is one of the various games from the Game & Watch series and was released as a part of the Gold series on February 21, 1981. It was released as Headache in Europe, due to vulgar connotations of the word "Helmet" in the region. In this game, the player has to run across from the exit of one building and into the entrance of another while avoiding the various hardware tools that fall from the sky. The game is featured in the Gallery Corner of Game & Watch Gallery. It was later remade for Game & Watch Gallery 2 in which it could be played in either Classic Mode or Modern Mode. The microgame GAME & WARIO in WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase is based on Helmet.

Classic version
A construction worker attempts to get from one house to another while avoiding falling tools. However, the man can only enter the house at the right when its door is open. The man cannot return to the house on the left after he exits it. The player scores by crossing the screen and waiting for five tools to drop. As the game progresses, the tools will start to fall at a faster speed, making it harder for the man to escape harm. Getting hit by a tool will result in a miss. At 200 or 500 points, any misses the player has will be removed. When the player gets three misses, they receive a Game Over. In Game B, the tools fall faster, and the door to the house on the right stays closed longer.

Classic Helmet also appears in WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! as one of 9-Volt's microgames.

Modern version
In the Modern version, the game has the player control Mario (or Wario if replayed immediately after a game that ends with a score that is less than 100 points). There will also be a P-Switch that will make coins appear. The coins can be collected for extra points and an increased entrance bonus, but collecting too many coins will make the player's character move more slowly. In addition, a Super Star will occasionally appear at or above the entrance, rewarding the player with at least 20 points if they get it.

The Modern mode of Helmet also features three different areas (Toad invites the player to a different area after 500 and 1,000 points). The first area is a forest that features a Koopa Paratroopa tossing hammers, Spiked Balls, and Lava Bubbles at the player. The next area is a meadow that features a Fly Guy dropping Spiked Balls. Cannons will constantly appear to make any Spiked Balls that fall into them drop faster or get fired off in 45-degree angles. The last area is a castle of sorts with three Lava Bubbles bouncing up and down and two Thwomps. The Thowmps will eventually fly up towards the ceiling (which has spikes hanging from it) if the player is standing on either one for a few seconds. If the player never moves when this happens, that player will get squished into the ceiling and penalized with a miss. At 200 and 500 points, the Koopa Paratroopa will toss a Heart for the player to remove a miss; at 700 points, the Fly Guy will drop a Heart.

Unlike the Classic version, music is featured, with the tempo changing depending on the speed of the game. When the player goes to a different area, the music changes.

Controls

 * (left and right): Move
 * and : Move left or right