In this guide, I’ll walk you through all the important details and secrets about Planet Zoldath in UFO 50. Zoldath is one of the more challenging levels, filled with dangerous enemies and hidden treasures.
UFO 50 Zoldath Overview
Planet Zoldath is particularly brutal, with enemies that explode and hidden secrets scattered throughout. Your goal is simple: collect all 3 pieces of a treasure map while navigating through various challenges. Along the way, you can pick up items and red squares that increase your max HP and provide full heals.
Planet Zoldath
This is a top-down game where your primary objective is to gather 3 treasure map pieces. As you explore, you can also collect 8 different items (6 of them are free, while 2 require trading). There are two main types of NPCs (Non-Playable Characters) you’ll encounter:
Friendly NPCs
At the beginning of the game, it’s random which NPCs will speak English and which will speak an alien language. To communicate with all NPCs, you’ll need the Translator item. Some NPCs hold treasure map pieces, while others will trade items or allow you to swap collectibles.
Aggressive NPCs
These NPCs either shoot at you or explode. Be cautious when dealing with them because learning their behavior each run is key. Explosive enemies can help you clear paths, but they deal heavy damage (3 points), so use them wisely.
Items
Throughout the game, you’ll come across various items that are essential for progressing and unlocking secrets:
- Translator: Allows you to communicate with all friendly NPCs and trade with them.
- Nail Gun: A powerful and fast weapon. One NPC will tell you where to use it to reveal a secret room with valuable resources.
- Metamorpher: Neutralizes enemies and lets you shrink to sneak past them. It’s also used in the snail quest and for accessing small spaces.
- Work Boots: These let you walk on poisonous grass and use teleport spots to enter or exit dungeons.
- Boomerang: A weapon that allows you to grab items floating over pits.
- Meat Machine: Uses resources to create healing meat. Meat can be eaten or used to lure enemies.
- Bomb: Destroys areas and helps reveal secrets. It also makes backtracking easier.
- Pulse Generator: Clears large groups of enemies and breaks blue blocks to allow passage. It costs resources to use but can kill all enemies, including snails.
Treasure Map Locations
To complete the game, you’ll need to find 3 treasure map pieces. Here’s where you can find them:
- Trading with a Friendly NPC: You’ll need the Translator and a lot of a specific resource (for me, it was 32 units). The NPC will trade you a map piece in return.
- Crab Encounter: There’s a crab blocking one piece. You can either bribe it with meat (this can be buggy) or use the Pulse Generator to kill it. After that, use the Metamorpher to shrink yourself and sneak into the area. Make sure you have both items to escape, or you could get stuck.
- Dungeon or Pit: The final piece is located in a dungeon or pit. You may need the Work Boots to cross poisonous grass to reach an underground dungeon, or the piece could simply be in a pit, which you can retrieve with the Boomerang.
Final Step: Escape
Once you’ve collected all 3 treasure map pieces, return to your ship. If you can escape in under 20 minutes, you’ll unlock the Cherry Cart.
Good luck navigating Planet Zoldath, and keep track of where you leave items and encounter NPCs to make your run more efficient!