For the record, I don't play for score either. I also don't play for endings. I just like conquering games.
I bet one reason this game is overlooked is the terrible name. The only thing it makes me think of is maybe I'll need to take my Zanac when my hand cramps up after playing it for too long.
Hey, I was reading gamefaqs and discovered this:
"Zanac, the game, reacts to the player's actions. In its simplest sense, a
player that is highly aggressive and wastes ammunition will face tougher
opposition as the System reacts as if it is facing a larger fleet."
Kit O'Connell, vulpine@pobox.com
http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/nes/file/zanac.txt
(copy and paste, don't click the link)
Did anyone else know this? If you're playing without a manual like me you should definitely check out this FAQ. It gives lots of good tips and tells you things that you would never figure out on your own (like how to play "box roulette").