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Xenophobe - Atari - Atari 2600    Manual Scan icon HTML Manual   

Xenophobe
ATARI 2600 TM Game Manual


XENOPHOBE


Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the product
documenation in this manual. However, because Atari Corporation
is constantly improving and updating its computer hardware and
software, it is unable to guarantee the accuracy of printed
material after the date of publication and disclaims liability
for changes, errors, or omissions.

Reproduction of this document or of any portion of its contents
is not allowed without the specific written consent of Atari
Corporation.

Xenophobe is a trademark of Bally Midway Mfg. Co.
Copyright (c) 1987, Bally Midway Mfg. Co.

Atari, the Atari logo, 2600, and 7800 are trademarks or
registered trademarks of Atari Corporation.

ATARI

Copyright (c) 1990, Atari Corporation
Sunnyvale, CA 94089
All rights reserved



TABLE OF CONTENTS


ALIEN ATTACK!                                                1

GETTING STARTED                                              2
     Split-Screen Play                                       2
     Controlling Movement                                    2

PLAYING THE GAME                                             3
     Finishing a Mission                                     3
     Destroying the Aliens                                   4
     Collecting Hardware Weapons                             4
     Danger to the Player                                    5
                                                             5
STRATEGY                                                     6

SCORING                                                      6
     Killing Aliens                                          7
     Picking Up Weapons                                      7
     Picking Up Valuable Hardware                            8
     Health Points                                           8


ALIEN ATTACK!

Hostile aliens--Xenophobes--are infesting space stations vital
to your planet's security. These aliens threaten to overrun the
stations, rendering the space stations useless.

You are part of an elite team which is ready to speed to these
endangered space stations. Your mission is clear: destroy the
aliens regain control of the space stations, and pick up any
valuable hardware you might discover as you sweep the stations
for aliens.

The aliens are a swarming band of uglies straight out of your
worst nightmare. You'll need to use your talent just to stay
alive as you rid each space station of these pests. You don't
want to let them catch you. It's them or you.

The message has come. It's up to you and your teammates to
cleanse each space station of aliens. Your Mother Ship brings you
to the vicinity of each overrun space station. You then enter the
space station via a transfer disk, which beams you aboard.

Another member of your elite squad can work stations too, and you
may compete for high score, or work on your own to clear the
aliens from an infested space station. Just be careful as you
enter a space station. The aliens are everywhere!


GETTING STARTED

1.   With your television switched on, insert the Xenophobe
     cartridge into your Atari 2600 (or 7800) as explained in
     your owner's manual.

2.   Plug a controller into the left port for a one-player game.
     Plug a second controller into the right port for a
     two-player game.

     Note: Each player is independent. The death of one player
     does not affect game play for the other player.

3.   Press the console's Power switch to turn on the machine.
     The Xenophobe title screen appears.

4.   Press Select to select a one- or two-player game.

5.   Press the left controller's fire button or Reset to begin
     the game.

6.   To restart the game, press Reset.

     Note: An awards ceremony occurs after each space station
     adventure. If you die there is no ceremony. During this
     ceremony point value data is displayed on the aliens you
     destroyed. The valuable hardware you retrieved displays as
     the point value is added to your score.


Split-Screen Play

Xenophobe's split-screen lets two players move independently. You
view each player's game action on a separatehalf of the screen.
The left controller (player 1 ) corresponds to the top-screen
view while the right controller (player 2) corresponds to the
bottom. Players alternate their play. Player 1 competes and when
done, Player 2 begins playing.

Note: The size of a player's viewing screen is the same whether
you are playing a one-player or two-player game.


PLAYING THE GAME

The game begins with you leaving the Mother Ship for one of the
eighth alien-infested space stations. Once you finish the eight
space station, you return to the first space station which the
aliens have reinfested. Each base has a different number of
levels as follows:

     Space Station   Number of Levels
          1                   1
          2                   2
          3                   3
          4                   4
          5                   3
          6                   2
          7                   3
          8                   4

Each space station has eight rooms on each level. To move from
room to room, move to the edge of the screen. You automatically
move into the next room.

To reach a different level, you must use the elevator found on
each level. Stand in front of the level number and push up on the
controller. When the elevator arrives, step in and move the
controller forward or backward to move up or down a level. There
are no stairs between levels.


Finishing a Mission

There are two ways in which you can finish a mission at a space
station. Each of the two mission endings offer an increasing
number of points. 

If you take too long in clearing a space station, the aliens
overrun the station. The amount of time you have to clear a space
station depends upon the space station and the number of floors.
If you wait too long, the screen flashes and you are
automatically transported back to the Mother Ship as the aliens
overrun the space station and the station explodes.

If the aliens overrun a space station, you earn 100 bonus points
for each alien you destroy at that space station. Then it's back
to the Mother Ship and on to the next infested space station.

The best ending for a mission is your destroying or driving off
all aliens on a space station. You receive a 300-point bonus for
each alien you destroyed at the station and a percentage increase
equivalent to a 200-point health bonus. Then you return to the
Mother Ship and prepare to board the next infested space station.


Destroying the Aliens

Your first objective is to destroy or drive off all aliens in a
space station within the allowed time. Destroying an alien isn't
easy. Unless you use the minimum amount of force to destroy a
particular type of alien, the alien lives and continues to
threaten you and your mission.

The minimum amount of force needed to destroy a particular type
of alien is as follows:

     Critter                  1 unit of force
     Pod                      2 units of force
     Tentacle                 4 units of force
     Rollerbaby               4 units of force
     Snotterpillar            15 units of force

Collecting Hardware

Pick up any valuable hardware you find strewn around a station
you are sweeping for aliens. You can gain extra points or restore
lost health points with what you find. (See point values in
SCORING.)


Weapons

You begin play with a Phaser. In addition to hardware, you will
also find weapons scattered throughout a space station. (See
point values in SCORING.)

Pick up these weapons for extra points, then use the weapons to
destroy aliens. But remember you can only have one weapon at a
time. Switch weapons if the weapon you find is more powerful than
the one you arecarrying.

When you pick up the new weapon, you drop your current weapon.
But be careful, sometimes a weapon will explode when you are
knocked down by an alien. 

Each weapon has a different power level. Plus your weapon won't
run out of ammunition. The weapons you can use and their strength
are as follows:

     Fists                    1 unit
     Phaser                   1 unit/shot
     Laser Pistol             2 units/shot
     Electric Rifle           3 units/shot
     Poofer Gun               9 units/shot
     Grenade                  10 units/shot


Danger to the Player

While you're sweeping the aliens from your planet's space
stations, those same aliens are after you and can destroy you.
Inuries to your player are measured in units, or units/second of
contact with an alien. So watch your health bar in the middle of
your screen. The health bar is the same color as your uniform.
You begin with 100 percent, equivalent to 1000 health units.

You can lose units of health through the following injuries or
attacks:

     Attack by a Critter           2 units/second
     Hit by a Tentacles            4 units/second
     Attack by a Rollerbaby        8 units/second
     Hit by a rolling alien        50 units
     Hit by spit (phlegm)          75 units
     Hit by a leaping alien        150 units


STRATEGY

Your primary mission is to locate and eliminate the aliens as
quickly as possible. Don't spend too much time searching for
valuable objects.

The aliens are clumsier and easier to kill at the lower levels
of a space station. Save your best firepower for the scariest
aliens, and remember that your biggest challenges await at the
higher levels.

Be ever alert for the aliens' varied means of attack.

Shoot tentacles by jumping and quickly firing.

Use grenades to destroy aliens rolled into balls.


SCORING

You receive points for destroying aliens, picking up valuable
hardware during your mission in each spacestation, and for
finding and picking up health objects which increase your life.

Killing Aliens:      

     Tentacle                      125 points
     Snotterpillar                 100 points
     Rollerbaby                    75 points
     Critter                       50 points   
     Pod                           25 points. 

Picking Up Weapons:       

     Grenade                       500 points 
     Poofer Gun                    400 points
     Lightning Rifle               300 points
     Laser Pistol                  200 points
     Phaser                        10 points

Picking Up Valuable Hardware:      
     
     Clipboard                     500 points      
     Transmltter                   500 points
     Skull                         500 points
     Can                           500 points
     Knife                         500 points
     Rope                          250 points

Health Points:      

     Burger                        50 units
     Flask                         50 units


ATARI

Copyright (c) 1990, Atari Corporation
Sunnyvale CA 94089-1302
All rights reserved

G.C.4. 1992              C300016-172 Rev. A

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