This update targets two things players told us about: enemy waves that felt either crowded or empty, and not knowing why a run ended. It also makes the roguelike side of Iron Bird easier to read at a glance.
Waves and pacing
- 12 new wave formations across Acts 1-3: wider spreads, side entries, and enemies that rarely appeared before.
- Formations no longer dump every ship on screen at once. Spawn spacing was widened so waves roll in over 1-2 seconds instead of a fraction of a second.
- The Pressure phase now follows its opening squad with a second, lighter wave, a real step up between Opening and Assault.
- The pause before each boss is shorter when the screen is already clear (minimum wait 7s to 3s).
Firepower rating (new)
- Your HUD now shows a firepower rank (C / B / A / S) under the POW/SPD indicators. Cosmic powers, sub-units, and weapon power-ups all raise it.
- Each Act banner tells you the recommended rank for that Act and where you stand.
- Rank-ups get a short call-out.
Run report
- If you were shot down with firepower below what the Act demands, the report now says so ("Low firepower: enemy armor x1.8, your firepower x1.0") with a hint for the next run, instead of blaming the last bullet.
- New FIREPOWER line in the end-of-run stats.
Onboarding
- The first Cosmic Power choice explains that this is where you get stronger, and marks a recommended pick during your first two runs.
- A successful run now shows a proper mission-complete screen instead of "Game Over", with a dedicated line for each King and an extended sequence for the true ending.
Fixes
- The S08 Beam Overload fork now fires from the ship instead of floating beside it.
- Enemies no longer drift along or outside the play-area edges, and stray bullets outside the field are removed.
- A small red marker that could linger on screen after an enemy enraged has been removed.
- The Bazaar info card for Cosmic Powers now shows the enhancement condition and whether you have met it.
- Fixed an unlock notification that could appear as a black box.
- Gamepad note: if your controller rumbles but does not respond, disable Steam Input for Iron Bird in the game's Steam properties (Controller > Disable Steam Input). Steam Input is now off by default for new installs.
Thanks for playing. Keep the feedback coming.