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Defender - Atari - Atari 2600    Manual Scan icon HTML Manual   

Defender
1. ENGLISH SECTION                              20 VIDEO GAMES

DEFENDER*

*Trademark of Williams Electronics, Inc.

ATARI (R)

A Warner Communications Company                         CX2609

                        SPECIAL FEATURE

This Game Program TM contains additional versions for your
children.

ATTENTION: ATARI (R) DEFENDER 
Game Program TM Cartridge Owners:

ATARI DEFENDER is very similar to the Williams coin-operated
DEFENDER game. However, you will find some differences in the
game play as well as in the graphic images and game controls.
For example, in the coin-operated DEFENDER game, two or more
Alien Landers can kidnap Humanoids simultaneously, whereas in
the ATARI version, Landers can abduct only one Humanoid at a
time. In the coin-operated game, you can accidentally kill a
Humanoid with your own missile fire while attempting a rescue,
and even lose a life in Hyperspace. Such tragedies cannot
happen in ATARI DEFENDER. ATARI Humanoids are invulnerable to
missile fire, and Universal Space Ship Defender will always
emerge from Hyperspace intact.

Scoring is the same in the ATARI and coin-operated DEFENDER
games, with one exception: ATARI gives you 500 points instead
of 150 points for blasting a cluster of Alien Swarmers with
your laser missiles. 

The game differences are mostly minor and technical. We feel
sure that they will not detract from the fun you will have
with this exciting and popular ATARI game.

    *DEFENDER is a Trademark of Williams Electronics. Inc.

                        SPECIAL FEATURE
 This Game Program TM contains additional versions for young 
children.

NOTE: Always turn the console POWER switch OFF when inserting
or removing an ATARI (R) Game Program TM cartridge. This will
protect the electronic components and prolong the life of your
ATARI Video Computer System TM game.



RESCUE THE HUMANOIDS

Earth's "friendship" signals, beamed into deep space and
beyond the Milky Way, have attracted extraterrestrial beings,
all right, but not the ones we expected. Now wave after wave
of warlike Aliens from some unidentified solar system "home
in" and attack. In the cockpit of Universal Space Ship
Defender, you wait tensely, watching your scanner for
approaching aliens. There they are! First comes a lone Bomber,
laying space mines. You pick that off with your laser 
missiles with no trouble. But an innocent-looking Pod ship
explodes when you hit it, releasing clusters of missile-
splitting Swarmers. Whew! That was close! Now what? Your
Scanner shows a convoy of saucer-shaped Baiters coming fast
and escorting a squadron of Landers. Space Intelligence has
informed you that the Landers' diabolical mission is to kidnap
Earth's Humanoids and transform them into hideous flying
Mutants programmed to destroy the cities and take over the
Earth.

In the city below, Humanoids run helter-skelter through the
streets like frightened ants. Some cower in doorways, hoping,
no doubt, that the Landers will overlook them. No chance!
Look! See that terrified Humanoid wriggling helplessly in the
force of the Lander beam? No time to lose! Thrust out and
blast that Lander with your laser missiles. There! That got
him. Now dive down and catch the Humanoid. Hurry! Hurry! He's
falling fast!

GAME PLAY

[Figure 1 - DEFENDER Game Elements]

As Commander of Universal Space Ship Defender, you have been
assigned by Earth Security to rid Planet Earth of the Aliens
and rescue Humanoids from the Landers. You score points for
each Alien space ship you destroy with your laser bombs and
smart bombs and for each Humanoid you save. (see SCORING.) In
one-player games, your object is to top your highest score. In
two-player games, the player with the highest score wins the
game. A game ends when the Aliens finally destroy Defender and
conquer Earth.

LIVES AND SMART BOMBS

You begin a game with three Defender lives and three smart
bombs. The number of lives remaining in a game is displayed at
the bottom left of the television screen, and the number of
smart bombs remaining is shown at the bottom right (see Figure
1). For a discussion of how to use smart bombs, see YOUR
DEFENSE in this section.

Each time Defender collides with an Alien missile or mine, it
disintegrates with a "whoosh" and vanishes. If it's Defender's
last life, the game is over. If a life remains, Defender
rematerialises in its starting position on the left side of
the television screen and the game continues.

Every 10,000 points, Defender acquires a bonus life and smart
bomb. You can earn any number of bonus lives and bombs, but
the computer only displays three at a time. The computer gives
you an audible signal when you earn another life and smart
bomb.
ALIEN ATTACK WAVES

The first wave of Aliens attack when you press the red button
on your Joystick Controller (or the GAME RESET switch on your
game console) to start the action. Be ready with your Joystick
Controller to blast Aliens as soon as you hear the air raid
alarm. See USING THE CONTROLLERS for Joystick maneuvers.

Here is a briefing on Alien characteristics:

                                                 ##
                                            ###  ##  ###
                                            ### #### ###
    [[[[[                                      ######
  [[[[[   ###                                 ########
[[[[[[[ ########                        ####################
    [[[ ###########                     ####################
    [[[ ###############                       ########
[[[[[[[ ####################                   ######
  [[[[[    ##########                       ### #### ###
    [[[[[                                   ###  ##  ###
                                                 ##

        Defender                              Pod


                                              #
                                             ###        #
  ####################                      #####      ###
######            ######                     ###      #####
######            ######                      #        ###
  ####################                                  #
                                              #
        Baiter                               ###
                                            #####        #
                                             ###        ###
                                              #        #####
  ####################                                  ###
  ####################                                   #
  #######      #######
  #######      #######                        Swarmers
  #######      #######
  ####################
  ####################

        Bomber                           ####           ####
                                             ###########
                                             ###########
          #####                              ###########
         #######                                #####
        #########                            ###########
         #######                             ##       ##
          #####                              ###########
       ###     ###                      #####           ######
    #################
##########################

        Lander                                Mutant
[Figure 2 - Alien Attack Wave]

Bombers lay mines to trap you. Baiters are fast pursuit ships
that home in and shoot at you. Pods explode when hit and
release Swarmers, fast little ships that travel in clusters of
four and fire missiles. Landers also fire missiles as they
search the city for Humanoids to kidnap and mutate. Mutants
move in fast for the kill, shooting as they come.

When Defender has destroyed all the Aliens in the first wave,
another wave of Aliens - faster and tougher than the first
ones - moves in. The longer Defender survives, the harder the
waves of Aliens become.

END OF A WAVE

A wave does not end until Defender has destroyed all the
Aliens in it. When that happens, the number of the wave
completed flashes in the centre of the television screen, as
shown in Figure 3.

[Figure 3 - End of a Wave]

YOUR DEFENSE

Defender uses conventional laser missiles and smart bombs to
blast enemy Aliens and can employ its secret weapon;
Hyperspace Time Warp, to stage a "strategic retreat."

Laser Missiles

Laser missiles are Defender's first line of defense.
Fortunately, they are unlimited. To deploy missiles, point
Defender at the target and press the red controller button.
(See USING THE CONTROLLERS for details.)

Smart Bombs

Smart bombs are an effective means of mass destruction. One
detonation takes care of every Alien on the television screen
in front of you, and you earn points for each Alien destroyed.
To detonate a smart bomb, move Defender down behind the city
and press the red controller button.

Use smart bombs sparingly and strategically. It's a good idea
to keep one in reserve in case you get fenced in by Aliens or
need a push across a 10,000 point boundary to win another life
and smart bomb. Under HELPFUL HINTS you will find other
suggestions for deploying smart bombs.

Hyperspace Time Warp

This Ultra Secret device enable Defender to disappear, warp
through time and space, and instantly reappear in another
space quadrant. It's an effective maneuver when Defender needs
to stage a "strategic withdrawal," or get away fast. A word of
caution, however. Your new position is selected by the
computer at random,and there is no guarantee that it will be
better than the old one.

To enter Hyperspace, push the Joystick Controller fully
forward (away from you) and hold it in that position until
Defender has moved to the top of the television screen and
disappeared behind the Scanner. Then press the red controller
button on your Joystick. As Defender warps through time and
space, Aliens disappear. When Defender reappears, the Aliens
also reappear.

USING THE SCANNER

Get into the habit of using the Scanner to fight Aliens and
rescue Humanoids. The Scanner gives you the following vital
information:

*    How many Aliens are approaching, what kind of Aliens they
     are, and what their positions are.

*    Which Humanoid is being abducted by a Lander.

*    How many Humanoids remain to be defended and where they
     are.

[Figure 4 - Using the Scanner]

The Scanner is similar to a radar screen. Every "blip" on it
reflects an object in the game. In Figure 4, the rectangular
blip is Defender. The four small stationary blips at the
bottom of the Scanner are Humanoids. A fifth Humanoid is being
kidnapped by a Lander and carried toward the top of the
television screen. The remaining blips are Aliens.

Aliens can "wrap" around the television screen horizontally
and vertically. For example, an Alien traveling across the
screen right to left can leave the screen at the left side and
reenter at the right; one traveling from bottom to top can
leave the screen at the top and reenter at the bottom.

The blips are colored to help you distinguish between blue
Baiters and Bombers, orange Landers and Pods, or red Mutants.
The positions of the blips on the Scanner give you the
approximate altitude, range, and position of the Aliens. Fore-
armed with this information, you can maneuver Defender into
position to blast Aliens with missiles or smart bombs as soon
as they appear.

RESCUING HUMANOIDS

While destroying Aliens is very important, your chief
obligation is to rescue the Humanoids from the Landers. At the
end of a wave, you score 100 bonus points for every Humanoid
survivor.

The five Humanoids are cowering near the buildings at the
bottom of the television screen (see Figure 4). You can't see
all five at one time, but if you push the Joystick Controller
to the right or left and take a slow flight over the city, you
will see them all.

Defender is the Humanoids' only defense against the Landers.
Use the Scanner to locate them and patrol their positions.
When a Humanoid is kidnapped and you hear his plaintive cry
for help (like the chatter of an excited chipmunk), go to his
rescue immediately. Nine times out of ten, however, he won't
be on the television screen in front of you and you will have
to locate him. If you fly over the city searching for him, you
may arrive too late to save him. Use the Scanner.

The Scanner is the fastest way to spot a kidnapping. Look for
the Humanoid that is being lifted up toward the top of the
Scanner (see Figure 4). Keep monitoring the Humanoid's
position on the scanner as you fly to his rescue, and adjust
Defender's position accordingly. With practice, you will
arrive in time to blast the Lander and save the Humanoid even
during the fastest waves.

HOW TO SAVE A HUMANOID

Figure 5 illustrates two ways to save a humanoid:

*    Destroy the Lander and let the Humanoid free-fall safely
     to earth.

*    Destroy the Lander, catch the Humanoid, and carry him
     back to earth.

[Figure 5 - Two Ways to Save a Humanoid]

The free-fall rescue is only effective if the Humanoid is
close enough to the earth to land safely. You'll have to do a
little experimenting to find out how close that is. If the
Humanoid lands safely, the computer plays a short happy tune
and adds 250 bonus points to your score (in addition to the
150 points you earn for destroying the Lander). If the
Humanoid does not land safely, the computer emits a little
"crash" or "crunch" sound and that's all. Needless to say, no
bonus points are added to your score when a Humanoid crash-
lands.

NOTE: Don't worry about the Humanoid getting hit, either by an
Alien missile or your own missile, during an attempted rescue
or free-fall. Atari Humanoids are not vulnerable to missiles
and bombs, only to heights.

Catching a Humanoid in midair and bringing him back alive is
much more difficult than the free-fall rescue and earns more
bonus points. To catch a Humanoid, maneuver Defender into
contact with him, as shown in figure 5. If you succeed in
catching the Humanoid and bringing him back to Earth, you earn
1000 bonus points. If you manage to catch him but do not
return him safely to Earth, you earn 500 points.

There are times when you may want to catch a Humanoid and hold
on to him instead of returning him to Earth. As long as you
hold a Humanoid, Alien Landers cannot abduct any other
Humanoids during the wave. At the end of the wave, the
Humanoid counts as a survivor and earns you 100 bonus points.
However, you are not allowed to carry him into the next wave;
the computer automatically returns him to the city. See
HELPFUL HINTS for some applications of this Humanoid
capability.

NOTE: A Humanoid cannot get hit while Defender is carrying him
around, since he in invulnerable to missiles.

Self-Sacrifice

There is a third way to save a Humanoid. Defender can
sacrifice a life for him by colliding with the Lander
abductor. While this is very noble, it is not very practical
unless Defender has lives to spare. Defender's self-sacrifice
does not earn you any bonus points; only 150 points for
destroying the Lander.

MUTANT TAKEOVER

If the Defender does not succeed in rescuing a Humanoid, the
Lander that abducted him carries him up into space, transforms
him into a Mutant, and programs him to return and attack
Earth.

When all five Humanoids have been destroyed, whether by
mutating or falling, the city blows up and disappears, and
Mutant populations take over the Earth. The game continues
with the Mutants until they destroy Defender or revert to
Humanoids in Wave 5 or a multiple of Wave 5.

NOTE: Game action is the same after a Mutant takeover. To
detonate a smart bomb, move Defender down behind the blasted
plain where the city once stood and press the red controller
button.

THE FIFTH WAVE

The Mutant takeover is only good for four waves. Every fifth
wave, the Mutants revert to Humanoids and any cities destroyed
are rebuilt. Unfortunately, the rebirth of the Earth attracts
more Aliens and the struggle for survival begins again. That's
life.


USING THE CONTROLLERS

Use your Joystick Controllers with this ATARI (R) Game Program
TM cartridge. Be sure the controller cables are firmly plugged
into the CONTROLLER jacks at the back of your ATARI Video
Computer System TM game. For one-player games, use the
Joystick Controller plugged into the LEFT CONTROLLER jack.
Hold the Joystick with the red button to your upper left,
toward the television screen. See your owner's manual for
further details.

DEFENDER MOVES
Defender moves in the direction you move the Joystick
Controller (see Figure 6). To move toward the right, push the
Joystick Controller right; to reverse direction and move left,
push the Joystick left; and to move Defender diagonally, push
the Joystick diagonally. Push the Joystick forward to move
Defender up toward the top of the television screen; pull back
on the Joystick to move Defender down.


            MOVE UP
               ^
            \  |  /
              \|/
MOVE LEFT <---------> MOVE RIGHT
              /|\
 MOVE       /  |  \
DIAGONALLY     v 
           MOVE DOWN     


Figure 6 - Joystick Moves

FIRE BUTTON

The red controller button on your Joystick Controller is the
fire button. Press it to fire laser missiles, detonate smart
bombs, and enter Hyperspace. See GAME PLAY for information on
smart bombs and Hyperspace Time Warp.

TWO-PLAYER GAME CONTROL

In two-player games, players take turns controlling Defender,
starting with the player using the left Joystick Controller.
At the end of a wave, control of Defender passes to the player
using the right Joystick. When one player loses his last
Defender life, the play continues with the remaining player.
When both players are out of Defender lives, the game ends.
Press the red controller button to play the same game again.


CONSOLE CONTROLS

GAME SELECT SWITCH

Find the number of the game you want to play in the GAME
SELECT MATRIX. Press the GAME SELECT switch until the number
appears in the game window at the bottom of the television
screen (see Figure 7). The number on the left is the game
number; the number on the right indicates the number of
players.

NOTE: Press and continue to hold down the GAME SELECT switch
to cycle through the game numbers.

[Figure 7 - Game Selection]

GAME RESET SWITCH

When you have selected your game, start the action by pressing
the GAME RESET switch or the red button on your Joystick
Controller. Note that the score counter appears in the game
window at the bottom of the television screen (see Figure 8).

To interrupt a game and start over with zero score, use the
GAME RESET switch. The Joystick Controller button cannot be
used to interrupt a game.

DIFFICULTY SWITCHES

If you are using the left Joystick Controller, your DIFFICULTY
switch is on the left side of the Video Computer System
console. If you have the right Joystick, your DIFFICULTY
switch is on the right side of the console.

Switch Positions

The position of your DIFFICULTY switch determines Defender's
vertical speed:

Set to B: Defender rises and descends rapidly.

Set to A: Defender rises and descends slowly, making it harder
          to chase Aliens and rescue Humanoids.

Handicap

To give yourself a handicap when playing against a less
skilled player, set your DIFFICULTY switch to A and your
opponent's switch to B.



SCORING

Your score appears in the game window at the bottom of the
television screen when you press the GAME RESET switch or the
red button on your Joystick Controller to begin a game (see
Figure 8).

[Figure 8 - Score Counter]

In two-player games, you and your opponent take turns scoring.
When it's your opponent's turn to score, the computer resets
the score counter for him. But it keeps track of your score
and status so that you can resume the game where you left off
when it's your turn again. Don't worry, you can trust the
computer.

When the game ends, the computer flashes your score and your
opponent's score, alternately. Highest score wins.

POINTS

Aliens Destroyed                                        Points

Pod                                                       1000
Swarmer                                                    500
Bomber                                                     250
Baiter                                                     200
Lander                                                     150
Mutant                                                     150

Humanoid Rescue Mission                   150 for Lander Plus:

Falls from Lander and lives                                250
Caught but not brought back                                500
Caught and brought back                                   1000
Bonus: Each Humanoid alive at end of wave                  100


BONUS LIVES AND SMART BOMBS

Every 10,000 points, you can earn an additional Defender life
and smart bomb. There is no limit to the number of lives and
bombs you can earn, but only three lives and three bombs can
appear on the television screen at one time. If you have more
than three lives or bombs, the computer holds the extra ones
in reserve for you until it can display them on the television
screen.


GAME VARIATIONS

Take your choice of 20 different DEFENDER games. Games 1
through 10 are for one player; Games 11 through 20 are for two
players; and Games 10 and 20 are for young children. See the
GAME SELECT MATRIX for a summary of all DEFENDER games.

GAME SPEEDS

Game speeds vary from slow children's games (10 and 20) to
very fast all-Mutant games (Games 3, 6, 9, and 13, 16, 19).
Games with mixed Aliens are either fast or moderately fats,
depending upon the speed with which Landers kidnap Humanoids
and Baiters attack Defender. See the GAME SELECT MATRIX for
details.

MUTANT TRAINING MISSION

One-player Games 3, 6, 9 and two-player Games 13, 16, 19 are
special Mutant Training Missions (MTM's). They help players
develop the skills required to survive the Mutant takeover
that occurs when all five Humanoids have been mutated (see
Figure 9).

[Figure 9 - Mutant Training Mission]

SKIP WAVES

Single-player Games 4, 5, 6 and two-player Games 14, 15, 16
skip the first two attack waves and begin at Wave 3. These
games are for experienced players looking for greater
challenge.

Games 7, 8, 9 for one player and Games 17, 18, 19 for two
players begin at Wave 5 and are recommended for very
experienced to expert players.

HELPFUL HINTS

LISTEN TO THE SOUNDS

DEFENDER sounds are important to you and a life-and-death
matter to the Humanoids. A high-pitched "chatter" like an
excited chipmunk is a Humanoids's cry for help. When you hear
it, immediately go to the rescue. If you let a Humanoid free-
fall to earth and hear "crash" or "crunch" instead of a short
happy tune, you know that you Humanoid crash-landed and you
did not score 250 bonus points. You don't even have to look at
the score counter.

USE THE SCANNER

Practice using the Scanner to find out where Aliens are coming
from, which Humanoid is being kidnapped, and which Humanoids
remain to be defended. the Scanner is an important strategic
element in any game. When you learn to rely on it, it will
help you improve your score. See USING THE SCANNER and
RESCUING HUMANOIDS in GAME PLAY for help in reading the
Scanner.

SPEED IS IMPORTANT

Keep Defender moving forward at the highest speed you can
manage without losing control. Remember that a moving target
is harder to hit.

SUDDEN REVERSALS

Reversing direction suddenly is a good ploy. It confuses
Aliens and stops them in their tracks. In the instant it takes
an Alien to recover, you can get Defender into a strategic
position, reverse again, and blast the Alien with your laser
missiles.

SMART BOMBS 

If you don't want to let loose a lot of Swarmers at the start
of a wave, use smart bombs instead of laser missiles to
destroy Pods. But use the bombs sparingly. You may need one to
save a Humanoid in the nick of time, or to blast enough aliens
to cross a 10,000 point boundary and win another life and
smart bomb.

CATCH AND CARRY

If you are in a fast wave, catch and carry a Humanoid.
Remember that a Lander can't pick up another Humanoid while
Defender is holding one. A good strategy in the later waves is
to wait until you've destroyed all but one Alien before you
set the Humanoid down.

GAME SELECT MATRIX

One Player Game          1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10* 
Number

Humanoid Pickup Speed    2  3  -  2  3  -  2  3  -  1
Mutant Training Mission  -  -  X  -  -  X  -  -  X  -
Mutant & Baiter Speed    2  3  4  2  3  4  2  3  4  1
Starting Wave            1  1  1  3  3  3  5  5  5  1

Two Player Game          11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20* 
Number

Humanoid Pickup Speed    2  3  -  2  3  -  2  3  -  1
Mutant Training Mission  -  -  X  -  -  X  -  -  X  -
Mutant & Baiter Speed    2  3  4  2  3  4  2  3  4  1
Starting Wave            1  1  1  3  3  3  5  5  5  1


NOTE: 1 = Slow;     2 = Moderately Fast;     
      3 = Fast;     4 = Very Fast
*Children's Version


ATARI

A Warner Communications Company

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

(c) 1982 Atari, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

C016973-09 REV. 1                            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