Gauntlet

Table of Contents
      The Power of Magic
      Getting Started
      Optional Game Controls
      Playing the Game
      Windows
        Action Window
        Statistics/Radar Window
        Inventory Window
      Movement and Combat
      Items
      Strategy
      Scoring

The Power of Magic!
The old storyteller in the market square peers at you through rheumy eyes. You 
have spent days here at the fair, mesmerized by his tales of the haunted castle 
on a nearby mountain. The castle looms over your valley, ghostly spires rising 
through the mist. Tales of frightening beasts and enchanted potions, ghosts, 
ghouls and secret passageways have held you spellbound. But what fascinates you 
most of all is the story of the enchanted gem which fell from the stars one 
night to the base of the castle.
This happened many generations ago. Even at that time the castle was deserted. 
The Star Gem landed in an explosion of fire that illuminated the countryside for 
miles. And in the eerie light, loathsome creatures crept forth from the castle 
and transported the bright treasure into the foul depths of the towered 
fortress. All attempts to seek out the gem failed. The seekers were destroyed.
Your eyes closed, you shiver as you listen. Suddenly you jump, and your eyes 
open wide. A bony hand grasps your shoulder. You stare into the eyes of the old 
storyteller. "You have courage," he rasps. "All the others edge away when I tell 
of the Star Gem, but not you. Do you have the courage to hear the reminder of 
the tale?" You nod silently. "The creatures in the castle gain magical strength 
from the Star Gem. Unless the gem is removed from the castle, the evil ones 
within will soon have the strength to venture forth and destroy our world."
The old storyteller releases your shoulder, picks up his rucksack, and turns 
away. He pauses on the edge of the market square and turns to face you. In his 
ancient eyes you see a challenge...and a plea.
You must now take up the quest to rescue the Star Gem... and your world!

Getting Started

Gauntlet is a 40 level fantasy quest game for one to four players.
  With your Lynx system off, insert the game card as described in the Lynx 
  Owner's Manual 
  Follow the instructions for Single Player or Multiplayer to start your system. 

  Single Player
  Press ON. The Gauntlet opening screens appears, followed by the Character 
  Options menu. Press A or B to skip the introductory screens.
  Note: To press a button, press and release quickly. To hold down a button, 
  hold the button down for at least one second. All game instructions assume a 
  lengthwise machine orientation.

  Multiplayer
  Each player must have a Gauntlet game card and an Atari Lynx. With all Lynx 
  systems switched off, follow the instructions in the Lynx Owner's Manual to 
  connect the Comlynx cable.
  Synchronize your sundials and press ON. To successfully unite the machines, 
  switch on all machines at the same time. The machines must unite with the 
  mystical time frame (fifteen seconds.)
  Do not despair if the machines do not unite within the time frame, for the 
  gods are merciful. Switch off the machines and try again.
  Wait until all screens show the meteor screen. Then one player should press A 
  to go to the Character Options menu.
  In Gauntlet you must choose a character to control during play. Press the 
  joypad right or left to scroll through the character choices. To select a 
  character, press A when the desired character appears on screen. 
  Note: Each character can only be selected once. For example, if one player 
  chooses the Pirate, the pirate character will disappear from the selection 
  screen of the other players.
        Characters Speed Strength Missiles
        Android    24    7        9
        Valkyrie   40    3        5
        Gunfighter 32    4        7
        Nerd       26    2        4
        Pirate     28    5        5
        Punkrocker 29    5        6
        Samurai    34    6        5
        Wizard     28    3        8

Optional Game Controls
To enhance play, the following optional game controls allow you to modify the 
display, and pause and restart the game:
  To flip the screen 180 degrees and reverse the controls, press OPTION 2 and 
  PAUSE at the same time.
  To pause the game press PAUSE. Repeat to resume play.
  To return to the title screen and restart the game, press OPTION 1 and PAUSE.
  To skip to a higher level, press OPTION 1 when level 1 appears on every 
  screen. This must be done before any player moves a character. You can choose 
  to start play at level 1, 5, 10, 15, or 20.

Playing the Game
The object of the game is to battle your way through slimes, spiders, ghosts, 
and other deadly foes, and to rescue the Star Gem from the mysterious and deadly 
castle.
You begin the game on the first level of the castle. Others levels may lead you 
through dimension doors and into strange universes.
On every level you just pick up scrolls, potions, gold, keys, and food t help 
you survive. On the final level you must find the Star Gem and discover its 
secret.

Windows
The Gauntlet screen is divided into two sections: the Action window and the 
Statistics/Radar/Inventory window.

Note: The image above shows only the Statistics/Radar option of the lower 
screen.
Action Window
The Action window displays your character, objects and enemies encountered, and 
the area you are currently exploring. If other characters are exploring the same 
area, those characters will also appear in your Action window.
Statistics/Radar Window
The Statistics/Radar window is divided into two sections. When B is held down, 
the Inventory window displays. (See Inventory Window.) Unless B is pressed, the 
Radar section displays a detailed picture of what you are approaching. For 
example, if you are near a big, mean, nasty, ugly monster, the window displays a 
big, mean, nasty, ugly monster.

The window's statistics section displays the following:
      Life Indicates your remaining life force. You begin the game with 20,000 
      life points. Getting hit by enemies (or fellow players!) causes your 
      character to flash and saps your life points. Your life points decrease 
      slowly even when you remain idle.
      Finding and using food, some scrolls, and some potions increases your life 
      points.
      If your life point tally reaches zero and you are not brought back to life 
      with a Revive scroll, your skeleton is doomed to guard the castle entrance 
      throughout eternity. If this seems too long a wait, you can simply restart 
      the game.
      
      Speed Shows how fast your character can scoot out of the way of approaching 
      nasties. Speed points will never fall below your initial speed rating.
      Using Speed scrolls or red potions will increase your speed rating.
      
      Strength Indicates the strength of your character. Stronger characters 
      suffer less damage from enemy attacks, and can carry more items. Strength 
      points will never fall below your initial strength rating.
      You can use Strength scrolls or blue potions to increase your strength 
      rating. The effect of a strength potion vanishes when you proceed to the 
      next level. The effects of the Strength scroll last the duration of the 
      game
      
      Missiles Indicates how much damage your character's missiles inflict on the 
      enemy. Missile points will never fall below your initial missile rating.
      You can use Shots scrolls or green potions to increase your character's 
      missile rating.

Inventory Window
You must hold down B to view the Inventory window. The right section of the 
window displays your life rating and your Inventory. Press the joypad left or 
right to scroll through your inventory
The left section of the window displays a detailed picture of each item as you 
scroll through your inventory. Only the item displayed in this section can be 
dropped or used.
Follow these instructions to view and use your inventory:
  To scroll through your inventory, hold down B and press the joypad left or 
  right.
  To use and item in your inventory, hold down B and press the joypad up.
  To drop an item in your inventory, hold down B and press the joypad down.
For more information about picking up, using, and dropping items, see Items. 

Movement and Combat
Use the following game controls to move your character and battle enemies:

Items
Move over an item to pick it up and add it to your inventory. You can also 
purchase items from some computer terminals.
Some items, such as keys and gold, are automatically used in appropriate 
situations. For other items, such as portions, scrolls, and apples, you must 
select the Use option from the inventory window to invoke their magical powers 
or useful properties.
      
      Apples
      Find and use apples to increase your life ratings.
      The useful properties of food must be invoked before the food has any 
      effect on you life rating. (See Inventory window.) Green apples are worth 
      250 life points and red apples are worth 500 life points.
      
      Keys
      Keys open doors and card keys open laser doors. To use a key in your 
      inventory, walk up to a closed door. The door opens. The key disappears 
      from your inventory.
      
      Potions
      Most potions improve character statistics. The effect of these potions 
      vanish when you proceed to the next level.
      Some potions increase your life rating by 1000 points. Others are 
      poisonous and will reduce your life rating. The effects of these potions 
      are permanent.
      
      Scrolls
      The magical properties of scrolls are more varied and more powerful than 
      potions. To invoke the effect of a scroll in your inventory, display the 
      scroll in your inventory screen and use it.
      The names of each scroll is displayed on the inventory screen when you 
      scroll through your inventory. Refer to the following list for each 
      scroll's magical effect:
      Revive brings your own character back to life. When your life rating is 
      telling you that you are probably not going to make it through your next 
      enemy encounter, bring your Revive scroll to the front of your inventory 
      list. When your character begins to spin in the throes of death, use the 
      scroll to revive your character. You must use the scroll before your 
      character stops spinning.
      You can also use this scroll to bring a deceased comrade back into the 
      game. In multiplayer Gauntlet, you are teleported to limbo when your life 
      rating reaches zero. Until another character uses a Revive scroll to 
      revive you, your Action window displays the game action from the point of 
      view of another character. (Press A to change your point of view from one 
      character to another.)
      
      Invis makes you invisible for 25 seconds.
      
      Farsee allows you to view the entire level. Useful in finding your way out 
      of a tricky situation! You can use your joypad to move your character to 
      any part of the level. Press A to return to normal vision.
      
      Blast kills all enemies displayed in the Action window. Will not harm your 
      comrades
      
      Heal increases your life rating by 2500 points.
      
      Shots increases your missiles rating by 2 points. The effect continues for 
      the remainder of the game.
      
      Speed increases your speed rating by 4 points. The effect continues for 
      the remainder of the game.
      
      Strong increases your strength rating by 2 points. The effect continues 
      for the remainder of the game.
      
      Repel makes your enemies avoid contact with you for 25 seconds.
      Power increases Missiles, Speed, and Strength ratings for 30 seconds.
      
      Gold
      Gold buys potions, scrolls, and food. When you purchase any item from a 
      computer terminal, gold will be automatically deducted from your inventory.
      
      Computer
      Some computer terminals contain vital messages. From other terminals you 
      can purchase potions, scrolls, and food. Items that are available for sale 
      will be in the vicinity of the computer screen. To purchase an item, move 
      your character over the item. The purchase price will be deducted from the 
      gold in your inventory. You cannot pick up a computer terminal.

Strategy

Select your character wisely.
Be careful not to shoot food, potions, or scrolls.
Some walls are not as solid as they appear.
Some enemies will leave you alone if you leave them alone.
Try to destroy the enemy from a distance. Enemies who touch you sap your life 
points.
Slimes divide when hit in the open. To destroy slimes, lure them into a hallway, 
then shoot 'em. They can't divide in a hallway or doorway.
If a comrade just doesn't seem to be playing with that old team spirit, he may 
simply need a little help an advice from a friend. Shoot him. This treatment is 
guaranteed to bring about the desired change of attitude.
When your buddy dies and you can't (or don't want to!) revive him, be sure to 
pick up all the good items he leaves behind. It's a bit cold hearted, but he 
won't be needing that stuff anymore!
Drop unwanted items to create barriers.
You can use your weapons and view your inventory at the same time.

Scoring
The following table list the number of points you receive for accomplishing 
tasks and destroying certain dungeon denizens.
      Slimes         0
      Spider         1
      Ladybug        4
      Ghost          10
      Cactus         15
      Frog           15
      Monk           15
      Scorpion       20
      Land Shark     40
      Opening a Door 100
      Boulder        255