1,000 Game Manuals/1000gamemanuals.iso/Atari 2600/Space Invaders.txt

Text File | 1996-07-29 | 13KB | 363 lines

1.ENGLISH SECTION                              112 VIDEO GAMES

SPACE INVADERS*

ATARI
A Warner Communications Company                         CX2632

*SPACE INVADERS is the trademark of Taito America Corp. 1980

Use your Joystick Controllers with this Game Program TM. Be
sure the controllers are firmly  plugged into the LEFT and
RIGHT CONTROLLER jacks at the rear of your Video Computer
System TM. Hold the controller with the red button to your
upper left toward the television screen.

Use the Joystick plugged into the LEFT CONTROLLER jack for
one-player games. See Section 3 of your Video Computer System
Owner's Manual for further details.

NOTE: Always turn the console power switch off when inserting
or removing a Game Program. This will protect the electronic
components and prolong the life of your ATARI (R) Video
Computer System.

GAME OBJECTIVE

Each time you turn on SPACE INVADERS you will be at war with
enemies from space who are threatening the earth. Your
objective is to destroy these invaders by firing your "laser
cannon." You must wipe out the invaders either before they
reach the earth (bottom of the screen), or before they hit you
three times with their "laser bombs."

Your long-term objective is to score as many points as
possible. Points are scored each time you hit one of the SPACE
INVADERS. They are worth different amounts of points,
depending on their initial position on the screen. (See
SCORING)

If you  destroy all 36 SPACE INVADERS before they reach the
earth, a new set of invaders will appear on the screen. Each
time the invaders are reset on the screen they will start from
a position closer to the earth until they reach the closest
position possible. The SPACE INVADERS can be reset on the
screen indefinitely during a game.

USING THE CONTROLLERS

Move the Joystick to the right or left to manuever your laser
cannon across the bottom of the screen. Do this to avoid being
hit by the laser bombs, which the invaders will continually
drop from the sky, and to aim your own "laser beams." Each
time your cannon is hit by one of the laser bombs the game
pauses temporarily, and the number of hits you have remaining
is displayed at the bottom of the screen.

Press the red controller button to fire your laser cannon.
Each time you fire the cannon you may not fire it again until
you hit a target, or until the laser beam disappears off the
top of the screen.

Depress the game select switch to choose the game variation
you wish to play. The game variation number is displayed at
the top, left side of the screen. The number opposite on the
top, right side of the screen represents the number of players
for each game.

TO BEGIN PLAY Console Controls

The SPACE INVADERS move faster on the screen as their numbers
decrease, making them more difficult to hit. The fastest speed
occurs when only one invader remains on the screen.

Since there are 112 game variations to SPACE INVADERS, a quick
look at the Game Matrix in the center of this instruction
booklet is helpful when choosing or locating a game.

NOTE: Holding the game select switch down will cause the game
number to increase continually on the screen. However, to
increase the game number rapidly, depress and hold down both
the game select and game reset switches. As you near the
desired game number, release the game reset switch and bring
up the game number you want using only the game select switch.

Depress the game reset switch to begin a game.

Difficulty switches

The difficulty switches control the size of the laser cannons
on the screen. In the b position, the cannon is smaller, and
therefore easier for the beginning player to use. In the a
position, the cannon is twice as large, and therefore more
susceptible to enemy fire. In a one-player game, use the left
difficulty switch to control the size of the cannon. In two-
player games the left player uses the left difficulty switch,
and the right player uses the right difficulty switch to
control the cannon size.

GENERAL INFORMATION

By now you know that you must hit and eliminate the SPACE
INVADERS before they reach the earth, or, bottom of the
screen. You also know that you must evade their falling laser
bombs in order to save the earth and keep the game going.

Here are some other bits of information which will help you to
play SPACE INVADERS.

Periodically during a game, the COMMAND ALIEN SHIP will fly
across the top of the screen (sometimes from left to right,
sometimes right to left).

The COMMAND SHIP is worth 200 points* whenever you hit it,
which is considerably more than any other target (see
SCORING). You will be pleased to know that the COMMAND SHIP
does not drop laser bombs or anything else, and is therefore
harmless to you and your laser cannon. The COMMAND SHIP is
simply a bonus if you are able to hit it. Be careful not to
concentrate so much on hitting it that you get hit with an
enemy laser bomb.

There are SHIELDS (screen diagram) positioned on the screen
between your laser cannon and the SPACE INVADERS. At the
outset you are safe behind the SHIELDS. However, as you and
the enemy hit the SHIELDS, they become damaged, allowing laser
beams from your cannon and laser bombs from the enemy to pass
through them. As the SPACE INVADERS get close to the SHIELDS
on their way to the earth, the SHIELDS disappear altogether.

Remember, if the lowest SPACE INVADERS reach the earth (bottom
of the screen), the game ends.

The small lines or bars at the bottom of the screen (see
screen diagram) indicate the farthest points to which you may
move to the right or to the left. Be careful not to get caught
at the edge of these points when hemmed in by enemy fire.

*In games "C" and "D" the COMMAND SHIP is worth 100 points.
(See ONE-PLAYER/TWO-PLAYER OPTIONS)

GAME VARIATIONS

There are several GAME VARIATIONS programmed into SPACE
INVADERS. Again, check the Game Matrix for a specific
breakdown of the variations for each game number. The
variations are intended to challenge the experienced player,
as well as to provide variety in general.

The variations include:

Moving Shields- the SHIELDS move back and forth on the screen,
as opposed to remaining in a fixed or stationary position.
Using them for protection becomes hazardous.

Zigzagging Laser Bombs- the laser bombs "zigzag" back and
forth as they come down the screen. It is difficult to know
exactly where they are going to land, and thus, stay out of
their path.

Fast Laser Bombs- they drop quickly and are much more
difficult to avoid. (When the laser bombs are both zigzagging
AND fast, even the experienced players will have their hands
full.)

Invisible Invaders- the invaders are invisible on the screen
after game play begins. Each time one is hit, the remainder of
the invaders appear momentarily on the screen, and then
disappear until one is hit again.

NOTE: When you're in the mood for a serious challenge, try
Game 16.

ONE-PLAYER/TWO-PLAYER OPTIONS

In addition to the GAME VARIATIONS, there are several ways in
which one or two players may play SPACE INVADERS.

A.   The "normal" or basic game for one player. (GAMES 1-16)
     GAME VARIATIONS are optional, but one player always
     competes against the computer.

B.   Two opposing players taking alternate turns. (Games 17-
     32) Left player goes first (starts on left side of
     screen), then the right player takes a turn (starting
     from right side). The screen display changes so that each
     player has his or her own set of invaders. The SHIELDS
     are completely restored for each new turn. The COMMAND
     ALIEN SHIP is worth 200 points. Play ends for each player
     after three enemy hits, or when invaders reach the earth.
     Highest score wins.

C.   Two opposing players competing at the same time. (Games
     33-48) Both players fire away simultaneously and compete
     for a higher score. The COMMAND ALIEN SHIP is worth 100
     points. Whenever you are hit, you opponents is awarded
     200 points. Play ends after three hits are taken between
     the two players, or when the invaders reach the earth.

D.   Two opposing players competing at the same time, taking
     alternate shots. (Games 49-64) If you wait too long, your
     laser cannon is fired automatically and your opponent can
     set up a shot. All other game play characteristics are
     the same is in C above.

E.   Two player partnership game. (Games 65-80) Both players
     control a common laser cannon. Each player can move in
     one direction only. Right player moves the cannon to the
     right, left player moves it to the left. Either play may
     fire. Otherwise, this version is like a one-player
     "normal" game (one score display, COMMAND SHIP = 200
     points, etc.)

F.   Two-player partnership game with alternating firing and
     controlling of the cannon. (Games 81-96) The left player
     starts and may move the cannon in either direction. After
     ONE shot by the left player, the right player then has
     control and fires one shot. Both players are striving for
     a common (high) score, as in the E version above.

G.   Two-player partnership game with one player controlling
     cannon movement and the other player firing laser beams.
     (games 97-112) Left player moves the cannon, right player
     fires. Otherwise, this version is the same as the other
     "partnership" games.

SCORING

The SPACE INVADERS are worth 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 points in
the first through sixth rows respectively. (See diagram.) The
point value of each target stays the same as it drops lower on
the screen. Each complete set of SPACE INVADERS is worth 630
points.
Although scoring can be infinite, there is only room for four
digits on the display, so that the highest score any player
will ever see on the screen is 9999. This does not represent
the highest score possible, but rather the highest score that
can be displayed on the screen.

In a one-player game the score is displayed at the top, left
side of the screen. In a two-player game the left player's
score is on the left; the right player's score is on the
right. The score or scores disappear when the COMMAND ALIEN
SHIP flies across the screen, then reappear when the ship
leaves the screen or is hit.

                                        Points
                                      per target

          ##      ##
        ##  ##    ##
        ##    ####
            ########
Row 6     ###  ##  ###                    30
         ###########
         ###########
         ##       ##
         ####     ####


          ##########
        ##############
        ####  ##  ####
        ##############
Row 5   ##  ##  ##  ##                    25
        ##    ##    ##
        ##  ##  ##  ##
        ##  ##  ##  ##


        ##          ##
        ##  ##  ##  ##
        ##  ##  ##  ##
          ##  ##  ##
Row 4         ##                          20
              ##
            ##  ##
        ####      ####


            ######
          ##########
        ####  ##  ####
          ##########
Row 3       ######                        15
            ##  ##
          ##      ##
          ##      ##
        ##          ##


            ######
          ############
        ####  ########
        ####  ########
Row 2   ##############                    10
            ####  ##
            ##    ##
            ##    ##
        ###### #####


              ##
          ##  ##  ##
        ####  ##  ####
        ##############
          ##      ##
Row 1     ##      ##                       5
            ##    ##
              ##    ##
              ##    ##
                ##  ##





Basic Game       A.  1  2  3   4   5   6   7   8   9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16

Alternating      B. 17 18 19  20  21  22  23  24  25  26  27  28  29  30  31  32
Turns

Competing at     C. 33 34 35  36  37  38  39  40  41  42  43  44  45  46  47  48
Same Time

Competing at     D. 49 50 51  52  53  54  55  56  57  58  59  60  61  62  63  64
Same Time
Alternating shots

One Player       E. 65 66 67  68  69  70  71  72  73  74  75  76  77  78  79  80
Moves Right
Other Player
Moves Left

Alternating      F. 81 82 83  84  85  86  87  88  89  90  91  92  93  94  95  96
Fire & Control

One Player Moves G. 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112
Other Players
Fires

MOVING SHIELDS       -  X  -   X   -   X   -   X   -   X   -   X   -   X   -   X

ZIGZAGGING BOMBS     -  -  X   X   -   -   X   X   -   -   X   X   -   -   X   X

FAST BOMB            -  -  -   -   X   X   X   X   -   -   -   -   X   X   X   X

INVISIBLE            -  -  -   -   -   -   -   -   X   X   X   X   X   X   X   X
INVADERS


SPACE INVADERS

ATARI (R)

A Warner Communications Company

ATARI, INC., Consumer Division, P.O. Box 427, Sunnyvale, CA
94086, U.S.A.

Manual, Program and Audiovisual (c) 1980 Atari, Inc.

C016973-32-REV. 1                            Printed in U.S.A.-------------------Atari 2600 Instructions Archive-------------------