Operation ShockWave

**Operation ShockWave** is a solo Hard Demon created, verified, and published by NagromX. It was released on December 26, 2021 and was epic rated on January 9, 2022. The level is known for its yellow color scheme and dark atmosphere, featuring pulsing effects and rare gameplay elements. It is one of the more widely respected and appreciated hard demons by the community, though the level has also been called out for its harsh balancing, particularly in its second half.

## Gameplay

#### 0-17%

This level begins with a quarter-speed mini cube section featuring easy, but relatively fast inputs. A move trigger is utilized to shift the entire level to the right, giving the illusion of extremely slow speed. This section features a pulsing gridded block design and a staff of music containing the actual notes of the song as they are heard. The logos of NagromX and WaxTerk (the composer of the music) are shown near the end of the part as it then leads into the drop with the level name pulsing in the background.

#### 17-57%:

The level suddenly increases to 4x speed as the player turns into a ball swingcopter. One icon is rooted to the ceiling and the other is left floating in the middle of the screen to dodge obstacles. While this part is synced to the music, it is rather claustrophobic and features many orbs, pads, and sloped platforms-- unconventional elements for this gamemode. Halfway through the section, the two icons switch roles and the tight gameplay continues. The part ends as the two icons become symmetric on screen and move towards the center with a few more moderately difficult inputs.

#### 57-100%

The 4x speed continues as the player once again becomes a mini cube and is launched into a series of pulsing hexagonal structures and obstacles. In addition, the part features large music note decorations which pulse to the song. This section features many fast paced timings, both off of platforms and orbs, and is still considered to be one of the most challenging parts of the level. After a series of synced yellow orbs and one final pink orb timing, the screen suddenly turns black and the level ends.

## Trivia

* The level is free to copy.
* The level contains 3,675 objects.
* The level is 32 seconds long.
* Before the Great Cycron Purge, this level's ID was 490.
* On February 1, 2022, it was placed at #32 on the Cycron Demonlist.
	+ Operation ShockWave's placement was delayed due to both Lenvaa's inactivity and the Great Cycron Purge.
	+ Three other level placements were announced at the same time, being oooo o oioo oiio ii o, DVD, and CYCRON II.
* On March 27, 2022, Operation ShockWave was made the weekly demon. As of May 2023, it remains the hardest level to ever be made weekly.
* The level was updated five times within the first few weeks of its release in order to help resolve bugfix and balancing issues identified by Xoa and SavageKris.
* NagromX has cited *White Noise* by squizard (nyx) as his main inspiration for the level.
* Due to its atmospheric decoration style, NagromX dedicated it to fellow moderator and friend, Coopertonium.
* SavCat died at 96% twice before completing this level
* As of June 2023, it is tied for the 3th most liked level on Cycron.