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Sorcerer's Apprentice - Atari - Atari 2600    Manual Scan icon HTML Manual   

Sorcerer's Apprentice
Walt Disney -  ATARI 2600

SORCERER'S APPRENTICE *

* (c) Walt Disney Productions, 1983

Note: The game instructions fold out to make a 15" x 21" poster.
      One side has a large picture of Mickey Mouse wearing the
      Sorcerer's hat.  He is standing on a rock surrounded by water.
      The dark sky behind him is filled with falling stars and meteors.
      He is magically gesturing to two living brooms, each carying
      two buckets of water up the stairs.  Underneath the picture 
      is the following story:

The Magic Hat

It started out as a perfectly normal day for a Sorcerer's Apprentice.
Prefectly normal...until the apprentice, Mickey Mouse, began daydreaming
about the Sorcerer's hat!

"If only I had that magic hat," said Mickey, "I'd never have to work
again!"

But, alas, Mickey did not have the hat - and there was still much to do.
He already swept the cavern floor, made the beds, and was about to begin
his most difficult job.

Mickey picked up two empty buckets and started wearily up the dimly-lit
staircase.  It was time to fill the Sorcerer's big tub with water.

It seemed like such a shame to work so hard with all the magic in that
hat!  After all, if the Sorcerer got his magic powers from the hat, why
couldn't Mickey?  All he would have to do is point his fingers like the
Sorcerer always did and...POOF!  He could turn dust into butterflies
and winter into spring.

Just then, a huge shadow with two glaring eyes appeared over Mickey.  It
was the Sorcerer.  "Mickey Mouse," he said, "if you don't sop daydreaming
and get back to work, you'll never be fit to wear a magician's hat!  Now
get going!"

Mickey trudged up the stairs to the well outside.  When he returned to the
cavern, the Sorcerer was gone.  But there, glowing softly in the middle
of the table, was the Sorcerer's magic hat!

"Now I can be a great magician," said Mickey as he dropped the buckets on
the floor.  He glanced around the room to make sure he was alone.  Then
he put the magic hat on his head.  It was a perfect fit!

"Hmmm, I've got an idea!" said Mickey as he stared wide-eyed at his old
broom leaning against the wall.

Mickey pointed his fingers at the broom.

The broom quivered.

Mickey imagined the broom with two arms and two legs.  Instantly, the
broom sprouted arms and legs and began sweeping around the room.

"Broom!" ordered Mickey.  "Fill buckets with water from the well and
pour them into the Sorcerer's tub."

The broom did exactly what Mickey commanded.  Picking up the nearest
bucket with both hands, the broom swept up the stairs and out the door
to the well.

Mickey was so delighted, he sang and danced around the room.

"Tra-la-la, tra-la-li, oh how happy life can be!"

"No more work for me!" Mickey cried as he fell into the Sorcerer's
chair.  The candlelight flickered in Mickey's tired eyes.  He thought
how wonderful it would be to have a whole army of brooms to do all
his work....

"Work, broom, work..." he muttered, nodding his weary head, and drifted
off to sleep.

Mickey dreamed he was the greatest sorcerer in the world.  He dreamed 
of steep mountains surrounded by bright meteors and shining stars that 
danced at his every command.

Yes, Mickey was a magnificent magician indeed!  His magic had completely
changed everything!  Stars no longer blinked politely from a distant
galaxy but exploded and fell like fireworks.  It was all great fun until
suddenly...something wet and cold woke Mickey up!

The broom was flooding the room with water and Mickey was floating up the
stairs.

"Stop broom!" cried Mickey.  "Stop right now!"

But the broom did not stop.

Mickey tried everything!  He even tried grabbing the buckets away.  But
the broom pushed Mickey down and kept right on going.

When Mickey stood up, a whole army of brooms, buckets in hand were charg-
ing down the staircase, ready to dump more water on the cavern floor.

Poor Mickey!  What a magical mess!  Help him stop the brooms before the
Sorcerer's cavern turns into a subterranean sea!


Reverse side of poster. (Instructions)

Note: Always turn the console POWER switch OFF when inserting or removing
an ATARI Game Program cartridge.  This will protect the electronic comp-
onents and prolong the life of your ATARI Video Computer System game.

1. GAME PLAY

The object of SORCERER'S APPRENTICE is to help Mickey prevent the cavern
from flooding by stopping the falling stars that are turning into brooms.
To do this you must:

* Catch stars with the Sorcerer's magic hat that Mickey is wearing - before
  they fall between the mountain peaks.

* Hit stars with Mickey's magic fireballs.

* Create empty buckets by hitting meteors with fireballs.

* Go into THE CAVERN and stop the brooms from reaching the cavern floor.

You can play SORCERER'S APPRENTICE in THE MOUNTAIN scene, in THE CAVERN
scene, or you can move Mickey back and forth between both scenes to play
one magical game.  When THE CAVERN is flooded, the game is over.

You score points for catching stars, hitting stars and meteors, and
stopping the brooms in THE CAVERN.

There are four game speeds.  Game 4, the slowest game, is a good game
for young children.


THE MOUNTAINS

   ___________________________________________
  | Sceen shot pointing out the following:    |
  | Red Meteor, Blue Meteor, Big Star,        |
  | Little Star, Bursting Star, Mountain      |
  | Peaks, Dropping Star, and the Water Level |
  | Guide at the bottom of the screen.        |
   -------------------------------------------
                   Figure 1


Each star that falls between the mountain peaks turns into a broom with
a water-filled bucket in the Cavern.

To prevent the Cavern from flooding, you must help Mickey:

* Catch stars with the Sorcerer's magic hat which Mickey is wearing.

* Hit stars with his magic fireballs.

* Hit meteors with fireballs.  Each meteor you hit turns into two empty
  buckets that can bail out water in the Cavern.

You score points for every star and meteor you hit and for every star you
catch with the magic hat.  (See USING THE CONTROLLER for details about
throwing fireballs and catching stars.)

Use the Water Level Guide at the bottom of the screen to find out how
much water is in the Cavern. (See figure 1.) When you hear a "swoosh"
sound, that means a star has created a broom.  The SORCERER'S APPRENTICE
tune signals that a broom has dumped a bucket of water in the Cavern.
(See HELPFUL HINTS for more details about sounds.)

If the water level gets too high you may still be able to stop the brooms
by going into the cavern.

THE PASSAGE
   ___________________________________________  
  |  Screen shot pointing out the following:  |
  |  Doorway, Passageway, and the Water Level |
  |  Guide at the bottom of the screen.       |
   -------------------------------------------
                  Figure 2

To enter the Cavern, simply run Mickey off the far right or far left side
of the Mountain screen.  He will descend through a passageway before
entering the Cavern.

THE CAVERN
    _________________________________________
   | Screen shot pointing out the following: |
   | Cavern Doorway, Brooms, Water Level,    |
   | Buckets, and the Water Level Guide.     |
    -----------------------------------------
                  Figure 3

When Mickey enters the Cavern, he will be at the top of a large staircase.
Even while Mickey is in the Cavern, stars are still creating more brooms
with water-filled buckets.
Your task is to:

* Stop the brooms from reaching the bottom of the staircase by running
  Mickey into them.

* Clear a path for your empty buckets to climb up the stairs - stop the
  brooms as quickly as possible!

To return to the Mountains, run Mickey back up through the Cavern doorway.
Mickey will also return to the Mountains each time he runs off either
side of the Cavern stairway.  However, your quickest route is through
the doorway; this way, Mickey only has to climb halfway up the passageway.


2. USING THE CONTROLLER

Be sure your Joystick Controller is plugged firmly into the LEFT CONTROLLER
jack at the back of your Video Computer System game.  Hold the Joystick
with the red button to the upper left, toward the television screen.  (See
your owner's manual for further details.)

Mickey runs in the direction you move your Joystick.  The faster you run
him off the screen, the faster he will run through the passageway.

* To catch stars: Center Mickey under a falling star.  If the star lands
  safely in the magic hat, you will hear the bell tone.

* To throw fireballs: Press the red controller button.  Then use your 
  Joystick to guide the fireball through the sky.

* To stop brooms: Run Mickey directly in front of a broom.  He must cover
  the broom completely for it to stop.  When a broom is stopped, you will
  hear a "swoosh" sound and the broom will disappear.

3. CONSOLE CONTROLS

Press the GAME SELECT switch until the game number you want appears at the
bottom of the screen. (See GAME VARIATIONS.) Press the GAME RESET switch
or the red controller button to start the game.  You may also press GAME
RESET to restart a game during play.

Use your LEFT DIFFICULTY switch to adjust Mickey's throwing ability: In
position A Mickey throws one fireball each time you press the red fire
button; in position B Mickey throws fireballs continuously when the red
fire button is held down.

The TV TYPE switch is not used in this game.

4. SCORING

You score points in SORCERER'S APPRENTICE by hitting stars and meteors
with fireballs, by catching stars with Mickey's magic hat, and by stopping
brooms.  Notice that the point value of a star varies with its different
stages.  A bursting star may be worth 50 to 80 points, depending on 
exactly when it is hit.

SCORE CHART

       Catching a star . . . . . . . . 6 points

       Hitting a blue meteor . . . . . 10 points

       Hitting a red meteor  . . . . . 15 points

       Stopping a broom  . . . . . . . 20 points

       Hitting a big star  . . . . . . 20 points
       (1st stage)

       Hitting a little star . . . . . 25 points
       (1st stage)

       Hitting a bursting star . . .50-80 points
       (2nd stage)

       Hitting a dropping star . . . . 60 points
       (3rd stage)


5. GAME VARIATIONS

There are four game variations              GAME 1 . . . . . SLOW
in SORCERER'S APPRENTICE: 
Slow, Medium, Super Sonic,                  GAME 2 . . . . MEDIUM 
and Beginning speed.  The
game number appears at the                  GAME 3 . .SUPER SONIC
bottom of the screen when you
press the GAME SELECT switch.               GAME 4 . . . BEGINNER

In all games, the speed of the game will increase as you play.  So
even if you start with Game 4, you will end up playing at SUPER SONIC
speed if you play long enough.


6. HELPFUL HINTS

* Remember that SORCERER'S APPRENTICE can be played three different ways:
  in the Mountains, in the Cavern, and in both places.

* Use the SOUND GUIDE to help you learn the different game sounds.
  Sounds are especially helpful in the Mountain scene because they let
  you know what is happening in the Cavern.

SOUND GUIDE

        Bell tone . . . . . . . . When you hit or catch a star

        Four rising notes . . . . When you hit a meteor, creating 
                                  two empty buckets
                          
        "Swoosh" sound  . . . . . When a broom is created or stopped

        SORCERER'S APPRENTICE . . When the water level changes
        tune

* Young children should start with Game 4.  In the Mountains, try scoring
  as many points as you can.  Listen to the sounds when you hit or catch
  stars.  See if you can stop every star from landing between the mountain
  peaks.

* In the Cavern, try placing Mickey on different parts of the staircase.
  Find a place where you can stop most brooms.  Also, don't get too close
  to the sides of the staircase.  You could easily fall off and end up
  back in the Mountains.

* Remember: What happens in the Mountains affects what happens in the
  Cavern.  The key to playing in both places is knowing where to be at
  the right time.
  For example:

     Run into the Cavern to stop brooms when you see the water level
     getting too high.

     Likewise, if you run out of empty buckets in the cavern, return
     to the Mountains to get more.


Designed and programmed
   by Peter Niday

(c) 1983 ATARI, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED


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