For the Atari 2600 and all compatible systems T H U N D E R G R O U N D official arcade version S E G A Video Game Cartridge Tunnel your way upwards. Closer and closer to the enemy targets, vicious Vector nuclear bases which you must destroy at all costs. Suddenly, atomic cannon fire obscures the blackness. Dreaded "Core Ranger Tanks" have discovered your presence. But there's no turning back. Vaporize them with your atomic laser cannon. Better yet, trick their blue "Digger Tanks" into eliminating their own forcefield. The only thing standing between you and the enemy bases. It worked! Now FIRE! USING YOUR CONTROLLERS Thunderground is played with the LEFT JOYSTICK. Moving the joystick up, down, right or left will cause your capsule to move in the same direction. The fire button will cause the capsule to fire its laser cannon in the same direction the capsule is facing. USING YOUR VIDEO SYSTEM Push the Thunderground cartridge into your system, turn on the system, push the fire button on the joystick or the reset button on your system and go. No other switches on your system affect this game. HOW TO PLAY Mission Objective: Destroy all enemy nuclear bases located on the planet surface. Bases are protected by two deadly "Core Ranger Tanks" standing guard beneath the enemy base force field. You must outmaneuver or eliminate tanks, strip away the force field with your core capsule, then shoot the bases with your atomic laser cannon. Careful planning can force the blue enemy "Digger Tanks" to strip away the force field for you. But you must hurry. You only have a limited amount of time to complete the mission or you'll lose one of your reserve core capsules. Battle Plan: You are faced with 12 levels of difficulty with four rounds per level. A round ends when all six bases on the surfaces have been eliminated. After level 1, the difficulty increases with bases appearing one at a time. The last or sixth base in a round is displayed in multiple colors. Enemy supplies are hidden on the playing field during each round. Uncovering these supplies with your core capsule will give you bonus points. Their location is random. But, careful observation may reveal a secret as to their position. Obstacles: There are two types of "Core Ranger Tanks" determined to destroy you. White "Sentry Tanks" which can only move in existing tunnels. And blue "Digger Tanks" which can dig their own tunnels to pursue you. Either tank can destroy your core capsule with their atomic cannons or by ramming into you. You can eliminate tanks by blasting them with your laser cannon, but be careful, destruction of both tanks results in the appearance of a replacement tank that could catch you off guard. Once a tank is destroyed you can drive through the remaining tank debris. But neither you nor the remaining tanks can shoot through it. At the bottom of the playing field a third enemy tank begins moving towards your remaining capsules as soon as a round begins. You must destroy all six enemy bases before this tank reaches and destroys the first capsule in its path. You begin with only six capsules, although only three are displayed at a time. A bonus capsule is awarded after completion of each level (every 4 rounds). Your last capsule is displayed as an outline for timer purposes. STRATEGIC TIPS 1. Don't destroy enemy tanks unnecessarily. There may be far better ways to score points. 2. Watch enemy tank movement carefully. Strategic placement of your core capsule can lead them away from the bases. It can also cause enemy blue tanks to strip away sections of the force field lying in front of the bases. 3. Don't risk yourself in search of enemy supplies in early rounds. It is much more important to stay alive in order to score bonus points for the destruction of bases in higher rounds. SCORING Points are scored by destroying tanks (always 50 points), destroying bases (see table 1) and by capturing enemy supplies (see table 2.) And by the timer (movement of the third enemy tank at bottom of screen). 40 points are awarded for every "tick" left on the timer when all the bases have been destroyed. The two digits at the bottom right of the screen show the round you have achieved in the game. Table 1 The Bases Score The Following: Round Without With Token Token 1 50 150 2 50 250 3 150 350 4 250 450 5 50 250 6 150 350 7 250 450 8 350 550 9 150 350 10 250 450 11 350 550 12 450 650 13 250 450 14 350 550 15 450 650 16 550 750 17 550 1550 18 550 2550 19 1550 3550 20 2550 4550 21 550 2550 22 1550 3550 23 2550 4550 24 3550 5550 25 1550 3550 26 2550 4550 27 3550 5550 28 4550 6550 29 2550 4550 30 3550 5550 31 4550 6550 32 5550 7550 Rounds 33 and up score the same as rounds 17-32. Table 2 The Tokens Score The Following: Shovel = 1000 Walkie Talkie = 2000 Key = 3000 Flag = 4000