Ion Fury, the retro FPS once known as Ion Maiden until the band’s lawyers stepped in, is out now, and it’s an incredibly fun old-school challenge. As part of that old-school feel, there is an absolutely huge list of secret areas, hidden spots, Easter eggs, and even potentially extra levels to find in the game. However, it’s really tough to find all the Ion Fury secrets, especially if you’ve never played an FPS like this before. We’re here to help as best as we can.
How to find Ion Fury secrets
If your most recent exposure to single-player first-person shooters with secret areas is 2016’s Doom, you’ll at least have some idea on how to find Ion Fury‘s many secrets, but it can be far harder. The first thing you need to do is explore every part of the game. If it’s not on the direct path to your objective, branch off. If an area looks like it should have something important in it but doesn’t, look again. Try shooting targets that stand out. If there’s a crack in any wall, blow it up. Keep an eye out for secret switches behind objects, and especially what they do.
In general, look for parts of the level that stand out, or maybe you’ll see an opening and have no idea how to easily get to it. See the open door in the blue container above? How can you possibly get there? In this case, there’s a narrow path to the left. You’ll have to get on that circular metal pillar, which has a thin lip at the top you can walk on, and the jump off and hug the wall, but it’s possible. Make sure you save first before any risks like that are taken.
Are there any Ion Fury Easter eggs?
Just like classic Build engine games like Duke Nukem 3D and Blood, Ion Fury isn’t just filled with secrets, but it’s filled with awesome secret Easter egg areas too. For example, in the level “Sewer Slam” if you follow some large pipes into a tunnel with a dead end, you can blow up a wall here to gain access to the hideout of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (above). We’ve found rooms like this dedicated to Portal, Hellraiser, Aliens, Barbarella and more. Beyond that, there are references all over the game to the likes of Duke Nukem, Shadow Warrior, Blade Runner, Tetris and Street Fighter. You just need to keep your eyes out
Is there an Ion Fury secret level?
Now here’s the big question. While there are definitely Easter eggs in the game, and many secret areas, are there any actual secret levels? There’s at least one, called “Grand Slam”. You access it through the level “Executive Disorder,” the level where you fight a huge gunship. In one area there is a piano you can play, which you’ll need to do, but what exactly do you need to play?
In an amusing twist, the piano key code you need to press is located on the level previous to this, but that can only be found in a secret area, which also serves as an Easter egg to the movie Barbarella! You can see the keys above if you missed this secret, but then of course there’s a big problem if you’ve never played a piano in your life, because the keys aren’t marked. The ‘D’ key on the piano is the ninth key along, then work backwards and remember that ‘F’ will be the key before ‘A’. Otherwise just press these keys:
9 8 6 9 8 5
You’ll get a purple keycard for your trouble. After you’ve defeated the gunship and started leaving the level after the elevator ride, you’ll spot the purple door. Go through it for the secret level.
