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Mountain King - CBS Electronics - Atari 2600    Manual Scan icon HTML Manual   

Mountain King
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|   '  \  / _ \ | | | ||  _ \ |_   _| / _ \ | ||  _ \
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|_||_||_| \___/  \___/ |_| |_|  |_|  |_| |_||_||_| |_|
 _   _  _  ____    ____
| | / || ||  _ \  / ___|   For the Atari 2600
| |/ / | || | | || | __    For one player.
|   |  | || | | || ||  |
| |\ \ | || | | || |_| |   GAME PLAY INSTRUCTIONS      CBS Electronics
|_| \_||_||_| |_| \___/ ______________________________________________

Program Copyright 1983 E.F.Dreyer, Inc.  Program created by Robert
Matson and programmed for CBS Electronics by VSS Inc., Dallas, Texas.


SETTING UP YOUR VIDEO CONSOLE
1. Hook up your video game system, following the manufacturer's
   instructions.
2. With the power OFF, plug in the video game cartridge.
3. Turn your power ON.  If no image appears, check the connections of
   your game system to the TV, then repeat steps 1-3.
4. Plug in Joystick Controller _firmly_ into the LEFT CONTROLLER jack
   of your video system.
5. Use the GAME SELECT switch to select Skill Level.  Skill Level
   distinctions are detailed in the back of this manual.
6. To start the game, press GAME RESET after which you may begin to
   maneuver your intrepid Explorer throughout the mountain in his
   quest to become MOUNTAIN KING!

STRATEGY HINTS are located on the back cover of this manual.

Note: Never remove your video game cartridge from the console unless
      the power is turned OFF.


 ____
|  _ \eep inside a long-lost diamond mine is the secret Temple Chamber
| | | |  of a forgotten civilization.  There, a priceless Golden Crown
| |_| |  sits high on a pedestal, vulnerable to plundering explorers
|____/   seeking to control its power.  but this treasure is jealously
         guarded by the denizens of the mountain, and whoever has the
daring and courage to challenge them, seize the Crown, and escape to
the mountaintop with it will become MOUNTAIN KING!

OBJECT OF THE GAME
The object of MOUNTAIN KING is to capture the Golden Crown of the
Temple and carry it safely to the top of the mountain before your
time expires and/or you are destroyed.


 ...............  THE EXPLORER
 .......#.......
 ......#.#......  In MOUNTAIN KING you play the part of the Intrepid
 .......#.......  Explorer.  Use your Joystick Controller to maneuver
 .....######....  him throughout the mountain, making him run to the
 ...#####..#....  left or right and jump from plateau to plateau.  To
 ......###......  jump, push the joystick away from you at a 45-degree
 .....##.##.....  angle to the left or right; the Explorer will leap
 .....##..##....  in the respective direction.  If you jump or fall to
 ....###.##.....  a lower plateau, you won't be hurt.  But if you fall
                  too far, you'll be momentarily stunned and unable to
proceed for a few seconds.  To climb ladders, push the Joystick away
from you.  Pull towards you to go down ladders or to kneel.

You must kneel in order to claim the Flame Spirit, open Treasure
Chests and gain entry to the Temple.

Your Explorer is equipped with a flashlight used to find Treasure
Chests and to confirm the location of the Flame Spirit.  to activate
the flashlight, press down on the red button on your Joystick
Controller.  The flashlight may only shine in the direction in which
your Explorer is headed.  It cannot shine up or down.

 ...............  DIAMONDS & THE FLAME SPIRIT
 .......#.......
 ......##.......  In order to gain entry to the Temple, you must first
 ....######.....  be in possession of the Flame Spirit.  To qualify
 ..#########....  for possession you must collect over 1,000 points
 ..###.....##...  worth of diamonds.  Diamonds are embedded in the
 ..##...........  cavern walls throughout the mountain.  Merely pass
                  over them to pick them up.  Each cluster of five
diamonds is worth 25 points.

Once you have earned over 1,000 diamonds points, you score at the
bottom of your screen will turn from green to yellow, indicating that
the Flame Spirit is now available for capture.

LOOK FOR: a very brief flame flicker.  This marks the location of the
Flame Spirit.  _The Flame Spirit itself is only fully visible with the
flashlight on it._

LISTEN FOR: the theme music.  The louder the music, the closer you are
to the Flame Spirit.  On Level 1, you'll have an unlimited amount of
time to capture the Flame Spirit.  On Levels 2 through 8, the theme
music will only play through a few verses.  If you fail to capture the
Flame Spirit before the music ends, it will disappear. before it comes
available again, you'll have to collect at least another 1,000 points
worth of diamonds.

The Flame Spirit is randomly hidden within the mountain and is not
likely to pop up in the same position more than once.

 .................  Once you have successfully located the Flame
 ...##...#...##...  Spirit, position your Explorer directly on top of
 .##....#.#....##.  it and pull the Joystick towards you to kneel down
 ...##...#...##...  and pick it up.  The Explorer will then be
 .##..#######..##.  surrounded by a glittering halo and you'll score
 ...#.#.###.#.#...  bonus points.  The faster you get the Flame
 .##....###....##.  Spirit, the larger the bonus.  You'll also earn an
 ...##.#####.##...  additional minute of playing time every time you
 .##...##.##...##.  gain possession of the Flame Spirit
 ...#.###.###.#...  
                    Note: Some players may find locating the Flame
Spirit to be the hardest part of the game.  For them we have prepared
some notes designed to ease the frustration of this quest.  These
notes are located in the back of this manual.

 ...........  CAVE BATS
 .....###...
 ....###....  Gray Cave Bars inhabit the caves of the mountain,
 ...###.....  serving to protect both the Temple and its Golden Crown.
 ...##......  On Levels 2 through 8, Cave Bats will try to steal the
 ...#.......  Flame Spirit from you before you make it into the
              Temple.  On all levels, they'll try to steal back the
Golden Crown before you're able to get it to the mountaintop.

 ...........................  THE GIANT SPIDER
 ........##.......###.......
 ......######...######......  Lurking at the bottom of the mine is a
 .....########.########.....  Giant Spider waiting to wind your
 ...####.#.#############....  Explorer in its web.  If you get caught,
 ...#.#...################..  you'll be able to escape the web by
 ..#.#...##.#########.#..##.  rapidly moving the Joystick forward and
 .#.....##..####...###.#..#.  back.  You must do this quickly; if the
 .....##.....##..###.#..#...  Spider returns to find you struggling,
 .....#.........#....#..#...  he will eat you and end the game.  The
                              Spider will also steal back the Golden
Crown should you possess it when caught and will take back the Flame
Spirit as well.  You may escape the Spider all together by leaping over
him or jumping to a ladder or higher plateau.

 ...............  TREASURE CHESTS
 .....#####.....
 ....##...##....  Randomly hidden throughout the depths of the
 ...#########...  mountain are Treasure Chests, visible only with the
 ...#########...  flashlight.  Each one is loaded with diamonds and
 ...#########...  should you open one, a short fanfare will sound and
 ...#########...  250 diamond points will be awarded to your point
                  total. 
To open a Treasure Chest, position the Explorer directly on top of it
and pull the Joystick towards you.  A new Treasure Chest will always
be hidden for every one opened.

 ...............  THE SKULL SPIRIT
 ..###########..
 ..###########..  Guarding the entrance to the Temple is the ominous
 ..###########..  Skull Spirit, visible only with the flashlight.
 ..###########..  Offer him the Flame Spirit and he will grant you
 .#############.  entrance to the Temple.  To do this position your
 ...#...#...#...  Explorer directly under the Temple entranceway and
 ...#...#...#...  pull the Joystick towards you.  The Skull Spirit
 ...#########...  will take the Flame Spirit and become visible only
 ...####.####...  long enough for you to dash into the Temple.  Be
 ....#######....  fast; if the Skull Spirit disappears before you
 .....#...#.....  enter, you'll have to bring him the Flame Spirit
 .....#####.....  again.

 ...............  THE GOLDEN CROWN
 ..###.....###..
 ..###.###.###..  Once inside the Temple, you must scale the walls to
 ..###########..  get to the Golden Crown.  Position your Explorer
 ..###########..  directly under the golden Crown.  Move the Joystick
                  forward to place it on your head and then pull it
towards you to remove both you and the Crown from the pedestal. You'll
recieve 5,000 bonus points for obtaining the Crown.


ESCAPING
Once the Golden Crown is on your head, the MOUNTAIN KING theme music
will begin to play, indicating that it's time to make tracks.  Drop
to the floor of the Temple and back out into the mine.  Your challenge
is now to get to the top of the mountain where the Perpetual Flame
burns before time runs out or before the Cave Bats steal the Crown
from you.  If you make it to the mountaintop, you'll receive 9,000
bonus points and play will then continue on the next highest level.

                                                       [ screen shot ]

SPECIAL FEATURES
_Ladders_
Use these to go up and down.  Your Explorer cannot jump from the top
of a ladder.

_Flashlight_
Your flashlight has inexhaustible power.  Use it to see the Flame
Spirit, Skull Spirit and Treasure Chests.  You cannot use it and pick
up diamonds at the same time, nor will it work when you are being
chased by the Spider or are in possession of the Flame Spirit or
Golden Crown.

_Temple_Force_Field_
Woven around the outside of the Temple is an invisible force field
guarding it against illegal entry.  Trying to enter or exit the
Temple from any plateau other than the entrance will momentarily stun
your Explorer.  Remember: you may only enter the Temple by offering
the Flame Spirit to the Skull Spirit at the Temple entrance!

_Scoring_Display_
The score display at the bottom of your screen indicated your current
score and, below that, the amount of time remaining in the game.


MUSIC & SOUNDS                                          [ short tune ]
Music is one of the most critical and exciting elements of MOUNTAIN
KING.  Listen carefully to the theme music when the Flame Spirit
becomes available.  The closer you are to the Flame Spirit, the louder
the music will be.  Once you get the Golden Crown, you'll hear the
theme music again.  As you attempt to escape, the music will play for
a period of time based on the Skill Level you're playing.  If you've
failed to get to the mountaintop when the music stops, the Crown will
immediately disappear from atop your head and you'll have to begin
your quest anew.

Among the assorted sounds heard throughout the game, one to remember
is the sound of the oncoming Giant Spider.  If you stay alert to this
sound, you just may have enough time to get out of the way before the
Spider snares you.


TIME
Time is another critical element.  Depending on the level you're
playing, you have a limited amount of time to complete your mission.
With only 59 seconds left to play, the time display below your score
will turn red, alerting you to the fact that you and better get a
move on if you expect to become MOUNTAIN KING.


END OF GAME
The game ends when your intrepid Explorer runs out of time of becomes
lunch for the Giant Spider.  To restart the game on the same level,
simply press down on the red button on your Joystick Controller or
use the GAME RESET switch.


SKILL LEVEL DISTINCTIONS
 _______ _______ ___________________ ______________ _______________
|       |       |                   |              |               |
|       |       |  Point range of   |              |               |
|       | Total | bonus for finding | Time to find | Time to reach |
| Level | Time  |   Flame Spirit    | Flame Spirit |  mountaintop  |
|-------|-------|-------------------|--------------|---------------|
|   1   |  8:00 |     3000/50       |  Unlimited   |     1:30      |
|   2   |  6:00 |     3500/1500     |     1:20     |     1:20      |
|   3   |  5:00 |     4000/2250     |     1:10     |     1:00      |
|   4   |  4:00 |     4500/3000     |     1:00     |     1:00      |
|   5   |  3:00 |     5000/3750     |     0:50     |     1:00      |
|   6   |  3:00 |     5000/4400     |     0:44     |     1:00      |
|   7   |  3:00 |     6000/4900     |     0:44     |     1:00      |
|   8   |  3:00 |     6500/5500     |     0:40     |     1:00      |
|_______|_______|___________________|______________|_______________|


MOUNTAIN KING SKILL CLINIC
_Finding_the_Flame_Spirit_
While the object of MOUNTAIN KING is to capture the Golden Crown and
get it to the top of the mountain, new players find that the most
challenging and, at times, frustrating element of the game is finding
the Flame Spirit.  The following additional hints and reminders have
been prepared to assist you in this quest.

a. Remember that once you've collected over 1,000 diamonds points,
   your score will change color from green to yellow.  This indicates
   that the Flame Spirit is available for capture.

b. The key to success in finding the Flame Spirit is in using the
   musical score as your guide to it's location.  When you come to the
   point where you feel the melody is loudest, STOP!  Look around the
   screen and _then_ concentrate on finding a flash of golden light.
   That flash is the flickering Flame Spirit and as you become more
   experienced with the game, you'll have an easier time spotting it.
   If you move up to it and shine your flashlight on it, you'll see it
   more readily.

c.  Once you have located the Flame Spirit, you must position your
    Explorer directly on top of it and pull the Joystick towards you
    to gain possession of it.

                [ CBS Electronics warranty statement... your cart is
                  likely to be waaaaaaay past the 90-day period. =^) ]


STRATEGY HINTS
1. Practice maneuvering the Explorer to become familiar with the way
   he moves and how he jumps.  You'll need to be both fast and agile
   when you're trying to escape with the Crown.

2. Listen carefully to the sounds and the music.  They let you know
   when the Spider is approaching, how close you are to the Flame
   Spirit and how much time you have left to reach the mountaintop.

3. Keep track of where Treasure Chests are located and wait until
   later in the game to open them up.  You'll soon discover your
   dependence on them as you begin to deplete the mountain's supply
   of diamonds.


          CBS Toys, A Division of CBS Inc., Newark, NJ 07105
____________________________ 4L-2641-0000 ____________________________
   manual typed by Galen Komatsu  [email protected]  [1996.5.14]


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