ATARI 2600 TM Game Manual XENOPHOBE Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the product documenation in this manual. However, because Atari Corporation is constantly improving and updating its computer hardware and software, it is unable to guarantee the accuracy of printed material after the date of publication and disclaims liability for changes, errors, or omissions. Reproduction of this document or of any portion of its contents is not allowed without the specific written consent of Atari Corporation. Xenophobe is a trademark of Bally Midway Mfg. Co. Copyright (c) 1987, Bally Midway Mfg. Co. Atari, the Atari logo, 2600, and 7800 are trademarks or registered trademarks of Atari Corporation. ATARI Copyright (c) 1990, Atari Corporation Sunnyvale, CA 94089 All rights reserved TABLE OF CONTENTS ALIEN ATTACK! 1 GETTING STARTED 2 Split-Screen Play 2 Controlling Movement 2 PLAYING THE GAME 3 Finishing a Mission 3 Destroying the Aliens 4 Collecting Hardware Weapons 4 Danger to the Player 5 5 STRATEGY 6 SCORING 6 Killing Aliens 7 Picking Up Weapons 7 Picking Up Valuable Hardware 8 Health Points 8 ALIEN ATTACK! Hostile aliens--Xenophobes--are infesting space stations vital to your planet's security. These aliens threaten to overrun the stations, rendering the space stations useless. You are part of an elite team which is ready to speed to these endangered space stations. Your mission is clear: destroy the aliens regain control of the space stations, and pick up any valuable hardware you might discover as you sweep the stations for aliens. The aliens are a swarming band of uglies straight out of your worst nightmare. You'll need to use your talent just to stay alive as you rid each space station of these pests. You don't want to let them catch you. It's them or you. The message has come. It's up to you and your teammates to cleanse each space station of aliens. Your Mother Ship brings you to the vicinity of each overrun space station. You then enter the space station via a transfer disk, which beams you aboard. Another member of your elite squad can work stations too, and you may compete for high score, or work on your own to clear the aliens from an infested space station. Just be careful as you enter a space station. The aliens are everywhere! GETTING STARTED 1. With your television switched on, insert the Xenophobe cartridge into your Atari 2600 (or 7800) as explained in your owner's manual. 2. Plug a controller into the left port for a one-player game. Plug a second controller into the right port for a two-player game. Note: Each player is independent. The death of one player does not affect game play for the other player. 3. Press the console's Power switch to turn on the machine. The Xenophobe title screen appears. 4. Press Select to select a one- or two-player game. 5. Press the left controller's fire button or Reset to begin the game. 6. To restart the game, press Reset. Note: An awards ceremony occurs after each space station adventure. If you die there is no ceremony. During this ceremony point value data is displayed on the aliens you destroyed. The valuable hardware you retrieved displays as the point value is added to your score. Split-Screen Play Xenophobe's split-screen lets two players move independently. You view each player's game action on a separatehalf of the screen. The left controller (player 1 ) corresponds to the top-screen view while the right controller (player 2) corresponds to the bottom. Players alternate their play. Player 1 competes and when done, Player 2 begins playing. Note: The size of a player's viewing screen is the same whether you are playing a one-player or two-player game. PLAYING THE GAME The game begins with you leaving the Mother Ship for one of the eighth alien-infested space stations. Once you finish the eight space station, you return to the first space station which the aliens have reinfested. Each base has a different number of levels as follows: Space Station Number of Levels 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 3 6 2 7 3 8 4 Each space station has eight rooms on each level. To move from room to room, move to the edge of the screen. You automatically move into the next room. To reach a different level, you must use the elevator found on each level. Stand in front of the level number and push up on the controller. When the elevator arrives, step in and move the controller forward or backward to move up or down a level. There are no stairs between levels. Finishing a Mission There are two ways in which you can finish a mission at a space station. Each of the two mission endings offer an increasing number of points. If you take too long in clearing a space station, the aliens overrun the station. The amount of time you have to clear a space station depends upon the space station and the number of floors. If you wait too long, the screen flashes and you are automatically transported back to the Mother Ship as the aliens overrun the space station and the station explodes. If the aliens overrun a space station, you earn 100 bonus points for each alien you destroy at that space station. Then it's back to the Mother Ship and on to the next infested space station. The best ending for a mission is your destroying or driving off all aliens on a space station. You receive a 300-point bonus for each alien you destroyed at the station and a percentage increase equivalent to a 200-point health bonus. Then you return to the Mother Ship and prepare to board the next infested space station. Destroying the Aliens Your first objective is to destroy or drive off all aliens in a space station within the allowed time. Destroying an alien isn't easy. Unless you use the minimum amount of force to destroy a particular type of alien, the alien lives and continues to threaten you and your mission. The minimum amount of force needed to destroy a particular type of alien is as follows: Critter 1 unit of force Pod 2 units of force Tentacle 4 units of force Rollerbaby 4 units of force Snotterpillar 15 units of force Collecting Hardware Pick up any valuable hardware you find strewn around a station you are sweeping for aliens. You can gain extra points or restore lost health points with what you find. (See point values in SCORING.) Weapons You begin play with a Phaser. In addition to hardware, you will also find weapons scattered throughout a space station. (See point values in SCORING.) Pick up these weapons for extra points, then use the weapons to destroy aliens. But remember you can only have one weapon at a time. Switch weapons if the weapon you find is more powerful than the one you arecarrying. When you pick up the new weapon, you drop your current weapon. But be careful, sometimes a weapon will explode when you are knocked down by an alien. Each weapon has a different power level. Plus your weapon won't run out of ammunition. The weapons you can use and their strength are as follows: Fists 1 unit Phaser 1 unit/shot Laser Pistol 2 units/shot Electric Rifle 3 units/shot Poofer Gun 9 units/shot Grenade 10 units/shot Danger to the Player While you're sweeping the aliens from your planet's space stations, those same aliens are after you and can destroy you. Inuries to your player are measured in units, or units/second of contact with an alien. So watch your health bar in the middle of your screen. The health bar is the same color as your uniform. You begin with 100 percent, equivalent to 1000 health units. You can lose units of health through the following injuries or attacks: Attack by a Critter 2 units/second Hit by a Tentacles 4 units/second Attack by a Rollerbaby 8 units/second Hit by a rolling alien 50 units Hit by spit (phlegm) 75 units Hit by a leaping alien 150 units STRATEGY Your primary mission is to locate and eliminate the aliens as quickly as possible. Don't spend too much time searching for valuable objects. The aliens are clumsier and easier to kill at the lower levels of a space station. Save your best firepower for the scariest aliens, and remember that your biggest challenges await at the higher levels. Be ever alert for the aliens' varied means of attack. Shoot tentacles by jumping and quickly firing. Use grenades to destroy aliens rolled into balls. SCORING You receive points for destroying aliens, picking up valuable hardware during your mission in each spacestation, and for finding and picking up health objects which increase your life. Killing Aliens: Tentacle 125 points Snotterpillar 100 points Rollerbaby 75 points Critter 50 points Pod 25 points. Picking Up Weapons: Grenade 500 points Poofer Gun 400 points Lightning Rifle 300 points Laser Pistol 200 points Phaser 10 points Picking Up Valuable Hardware: Clipboard 500 points Transmltter 500 points Skull 500 points Can 500 points Knife 500 points Rope 250 points Health Points: Burger 50 units Flask 50 units ATARI Copyright (c) 1990, Atari Corporation Sunnyvale CA 94089-1302 All rights reserved G.C.4. 1992 C300016-172 Rev. A