Hungry astronaut

Floats around eating your balls, then jets to a new spot after every shot. Knock it away with a bomb, laser or rocket to rescue it: it gives back the balls it ate that shot, plus 2 extra balls.

From level: 30
Levels: 318
Options: 12
Price: Tier 2

On this page5 parts

How it works
In detail: how each part reacts
Tip
In real space
Customise the Hungry astronaut: 12 options

How it works

A hungry astronaut floating around the board. It eats balls until it is full for that shot, then jets to a new spot after every shot.

Effect on your game: Each ball it eats is lost for that shot, so fewer balls reach the bricks. A bomb, laser or rocket knocks it off the board for the rest of the stage and rescues it: it gives back the balls it ate that shot, plus 2 extra balls for the rest of the level.

In detail: how each part reacts

Body: about half a brick across. Any ball that touches it is eaten and lost for the shot (it costs points).
Appetite: 10 balls a shot, plus 1 for every 20 levels. Then it shows "Full!" and eats nothing more that shot.
During a shot it drifts slowly (under half a brick a second). After every shot it jets to a new open spot.
A bomb blast, laser beam or rocket that passes close knocks it away and rescues it: it floats off for the rest of the stage, gives back the balls it ate that shot (they fly out of it again) and adds 2 extra balls to every shot for the rest of the level.
Lazy (Tame): drifts at half speed and stays put after every other shot. Small appetite (Tame): full after 5 balls.
Restless (Challenge): also jets to a new spot every 1.2 s during the shot.
Thrown at the bricks / randomly / in a circle, and Given back (Twists): eaten balls aren't lost. They're kept in its belly and thrown back out when it's full, 0.7 s after its last meal, or when the shot ends: straight up at the bricks, in random directions, in an even circle, or back from your launcher along your aim.

Tip

Fire along the side walls, away from it. Break a bomb, laser or rocket near it to knock it away. Once it has eaten its fill it stops, so a second wave of balls gets past.

In real space

An astronaut is a person trained to travel and work in space. In orbit they float weightlessly and use small thrusters to move around outside their spacecraft. Read about it on Wikipedia ↗

Customise the Hungry astronaut: 12 options

Open it from the level card (the hazards row, then this hazard), from the Hazard guide in ⚙ Settings, or from the out-of-shots card. How customising works.

Option	What it does	Price
Activity
Lazy Tame	Moves only every 2nd shot and floats slowly.	◆ 8 this stage ◆ 23 this level ◆ 75 for 24 h ⭐ 30 for 7 days ⭐ 80 forever (Mastery)
Restless Challenge	Jets around during the shot as well. Free, with bonus points.	Free · +10% points
Appetite
Small appetite Tame	Eats at most 5 balls a shot, then sleeps.	◆ 15 this stage ◆ 45 this level ◆ 150 for 24 h ⭐ 60 for 7 days ⭐ 160 forever (Mastery)
Eaten balls
Kept (today) Today	Eaten balls are lost for the shot.	The game's normal version (free)
Thrown at the bricks Twist	When full it throws the eaten balls up at the bricks.	◆ 18 this stage ◆ 54 this level ◆ 180 for 24 h ⭐ 70 for 7 days ⭐ 190 forever (Mastery)
Thrown randomly Twist	Throws them out in random directions (some will hit bricks).	◆ 9 this stage ◆ 27 this level ◆ 90 for 24 h ⭐ 40 for 7 days ⭐ 100 forever (Mastery)
Thrown in a circle Twist	Spins and throws them out evenly in every direction.	◆ 14 this stage ◆ 41 this level ◆ 135 for 24 h ⭐ 50 for 7 days ⭐ 140 forever (Mastery)
Given back Twist	Eaten balls come back to you at the end of the shot.	◆ 18 this stage ◆ 54 this level ◆ 180 for 24 h ⭐ 70 for 7 days ⭐ 190 forever (Mastery)
Colour / skin
Gold Skin	Looks only. Works in every mode.	⭐ 20 for 7 days ⭐ 60 forever free 1-level try
Ruby Skin	Looks only. Works in every mode.	⭐ 20 for 7 days ⭐ 60 forever free 1-level try
Emerald Skin	Looks only. Works in every mode.	⭐ 20 for 7 days ⭐ 60 forever free 1-level try
Sapphire Skin	Looks only. Works in every mode.	⭐ 20 for 7 days ⭐ 60 forever free 1-level try