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Megamania - Activision - Atari 2600     HTML Manual   

Megamania
                               ACTIVISION
                                MEGAMANIA
                              INSTRUCTIONS

If you think MegaMania is just another space game, you're dreaming.  And that
dream will become a nightmare.  A space nightmare.  So, prepare yourself for
one of the most unreal experiences you'll ever encounter.  Read these 
instructions before you begin.  Give yourself a fighting chance.

-----------------------------MEGAMANIA BASICS----------------------------------
You control a fleet of mobile blasters at the bottom of the screen, under 
constant attack by wave after wave of outrageous objects.  Your goal is to
accumulate points by knocking our as many enemy objects as possible, before 
your fleet is destroyed.  Here's how to start:

1.  Hook up your video game system.  Follow manufacturer's instructions.

2.  With power OFF, plug in game cartridge.

3.  Turn power ON.  If no picture appears, check connection of your game system
    to TV, then repeat steps 1-3.

4.  Plug in Joystick Controller/s.  Solo player uses left Joystick.

5.  Set both difficulty switches to b to begin.

6.  Select game with the game select switch.

         GUIDED MISSILES                         STRAIGHT MISSILES
         Game 1: one player                      Game 3: one player
         Game 2: two players                     Game 4: two players
                 taking turns                            taking turns 

    In games 1 and 2, you can control the direction of your missile after it
    has been fired by "steering" it with your Joystick Controller.  Also, you
    can fire continuously by holding the red button down on your Joystick.  In
    Games 3 and 4, fired missiles streak straight up and your blaster will 
    fire single shots only.

7.  Use of Joystick Controller.  Hold Joystick Controller with the red button
    in the upper left position.  Fire missiles by depressing red button.  Move
    your mobile blaster left or right across the screen by moving your Joystick
    left or right.

8.  To begin or start a new game.  Press game reset.  Your energy bar will
    charge completely.  Once it is charged, the enemy attack will begin.

9.  Difficulty Switches.  Difficulty switches affect the speed of the missiles
    only.  With switches in the b position, missiles travel at high speed.  In
    the a position, missiles travel at slow speed.

[Note to owners of Sears Tele-Games Video Arcade:  Difficulty is called skill,
left (or right) player, and a is expert, b is novice]

10. Reinforcements.  You begin each game with three blasters in reserve.  For
    each 10,000 points you score, you're given an additional blaster.  You can
    only have up to six reserve blasters on the screen at one time.

11. Scoring.  Each time you destroy an attacking object, you score points.
    The point values for each object are listed below:

                      MegaMania Point System
                                        Point Value of Each Attacker
       Attacking Object                 (First Cycle Only)
       ----------------                 ----------------------------
   -----
===========
##  ###  ##      Hamburgers                   20
===========
   -----


-----------
##  ###  ##
===========      Cookies                      30
##  ###  ##
-----------


##  ##  ##
==========       Bugs                         40
##  ##  ##



===-----===
---=---=---      Radial Tires                 50
---=---=---
===-----===

    #####
  #########
###       ###    Diamonds                     60
  #########
    #####


 #_________#
 ##_______##     Steam Irons                  70
|   |   |   |
`---^---^---'



  #\    /#
  ###\/###       Bow Ties                     80
  ###/\###
  #/    \#

  
   /#\
 /###  \
 \####/##        Space Dice                   90
  /##\### /
 |  ###\/


    These point values apply for the first attack cycle only.  After the first
    cycle, each object is worth 90 points.  Each attack cycle consists of all 
    eight waves of objects (see "MegaCycle" under "Special Features").

    Bonus Points. You receive bonus points for each energy unit you have
    remaining at the moment you destroy the last object in an enemy wave.
    Each energy unit is worth the point value of each attacker in bonus
    points. For example, in the first wave, if you have 30 energy units
    left after destroying all the attacking hamburgers, you will be awarded
    600 bonus points. There are 80 total energy units in your energy bar
    in the beginning of each wave.

SPECIAL FEATURES OF MEGAMANIA BY ACTIVISION

The Energy Bar. Always keep an eye on your energy bar. It indicates
the expenditure of energy with the passage of time. If the energy bar
reaches zero, and you still haven't wiped out an attacking wave, you
lose your blaster. But, when you completely wipe out a wave, the
energy bar will recharge and the next wave will appear.

MegaCycle. When you have destroyed all of the objects in all eight of
the enemy waves, you're just beginning. All eight of the waves will
return for a rematch. And the better you get, the better they get. The
shapes will be the same, but the colors will be different and the
objects will take on more sophisticated motion patterns and evasive
actions with each new cycle.

MegaSphere. Each of the enemy objects travels in an orbital path. When
an object disappears off the bottom of the screen, it will return at
the top of the screen. If an object goes off screen on the right
side, it will be back to get you from the left.

GETTING THE FEEL OF MAGAMANIA BY ACTIVISION

To learn to play this game successfully, you'll have to develop a
sense of rhythm and anticipation. You do this by becoming expert at
the tactics of "Hit and Run."

Always be aware of your position in relation to enemy fire. It takes
only a subtle move to dodge enemy disintegrators, but you must move,
or you're fried.

Also, if an attacker touches your mobile blaster, you lose that
blaster. But, DON'T PANIC! Even though the enemy gets very close, you
can still destroy them.

Once you have wiped out an entire wave, you have a brief rest while
the energy bar recharges. Try and recall the next wave, anticipate
and prepare your attack strategy.

HOW TO JOIN THE ACTIVISION "MEGAMANIACS"

If you reach a scare of 45,000 points or more, you are eligible to
become an official MegaManiac. Simply send us a picture of your TV
screen showing your score along with your name and address, and we'll
send you an official MegaManiac emblem.

HOW TO BECOME A MEGAMANIAC
Tips from Steve Cartwright, designer of MegaMania

Steve Cartwright is a Senior Designer at Activision. His first
release, Barnstorming set a new standard for brilliant graphics in
the video game industry

"I hope you enjoy my latest work, MegaMania. Here are a few pointers
that I'd like to share with all of my fellow MegaManiacs.

"I recommend that you try to stay in the center of the screen. This
keeps you from getting trapped in a corner and also gives you the
side-to-side flexibility necessary to guide your missiles
effectively.

"And here's a piece of advanced strategy to really help boost your
scores: bonus points are awarded depending an your energy remaining
at the time you destroy the last object in a wave. So, if you have
built up your reserve ships, and you're nearing the end of a wave, go
ahead and sacrifice a ship. Your energy will be fully recharged, and,
if you can quickly destroy the last attacker in a wave, you'll pick
up maximum bonus points.

"It's really wild out there, but please take a couple of minutes and
let me know how you're doing. Remember, all of us MegaManiacs are in
this thing together!"

Steve Cartwright

ACTIVISION(R)

Activision, Inc., Drawer No. 7287, Mountain View, CA  94042

Atari(R) and Video Computer System(TM) are trademarks of Atari, Inc.
Tele-Games(R) and Video Arcade(TM) are trademarks of Sears, Roebuck
and Co.


(c)1982 Activision AX-017-03                         Printed in U.S.A.

-------------------Atari 2600 Instructions Archive-------------------

This document obtained from the History of Home Video Games Homepage, �1997-1998 by Greg Chance