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Gyruss - Parker Brothers - Atari 2600    Manual Scan icon HTML Manual   

Gyruss
A video game cartridge from
PARKER BROTHERS

G Y R U S S

For Atari Video Computer System
and Sears Video Arcade

GYRUSS is a trademark of Konami Industry Co., Ltd
and is used by Parker Brothers under authorization.
Rules (C) 1984 Parker Brothers, Beverly, MA 01915.  Printed in U.S.A.

--

Three billion miles is a long way from home.  But there's no shorter route
from outer Neptune to Earth.  As if that weren't enough... it's got to be a
shoot-out all the way.  You alone in your rapid-firing spaceship, swirling
in a circular flight pattern... orbiting to the right... arcing to the
left... trying to mow down wave after wave of enemy plane formations,
rocketing meteors and runaway satellites.  Stops at Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter
and Mars will mark your progression towards Earth.  Each one's a short
visit, though.  Then it's off again to the next planet - and the next wave
of enemies.  Reach Earth in one piece and maybe you'll think twice about
leaving home.  Then again... maybe not!


SETTING THE CONSOLE CONTROLS
----------------------------

1. Place the cartridge firmly into the cartridge slot on your game unit.
2. Since this is a one-player game, plug the joystick controller firmly
   into the LEFT controller jack.
3. Turn the ON/OFF switch to ON.  You'll see the inital screen showing the
   planet Earth.  With the GAME SELECT switch, choose a difficulty level. 
   The easiest level is 1; the most difficult is 4.  The number appears at
   the top of the screen.  Each level gives you the option of playing with
   3 spaceships or with 5 spaceships.  The number of spaceships you choose
   is indicated by the symbols alongside the difficulty level number.
4. To begin playing, press the FIRE button on the joystick controller.

At any time during the game, you may press GAME RESET to begin again at the
same level.  To change levels, press GAME RESET, then GAME SELECT.


THE JOYSTICK CONTROLLER
-----------------------

The joystick controls your spaceship's circular flight pattern through
space.  Simply move the joystick in a circular motion to do so.  Press the
FIRE button quickly to rapid-fire your spaceship's ammuntion.


OBJECT
------

To make the journey from beyond Neptune to the sanctuary of Earth,
defeating enemy planes, avoiding meteors and satellites, and reaching
interim planets along the way.


PLAYING
-------

After you press the FIRE button to begin, the screen shows the number of
remaining spaceships as well as the number of WARPS to go before you reach
your first stop... Neptune.  ("Warps" are described under REACHING A
PLANET.)  When the action starts, your spaceship appears at the bottom of
the screen; your score at the top.

Reaching a planet
  In order to reach a planet, you must survive a given number of warps.  A
  warp consists of four enemy plane formations and their regrouping as
  described below.  Enemy formations guard each planet enroute to Earth to
  keep out alien visitors like yourself.  It takes two warps to reach
  Neptune and three warps to reach each of the subsequent planets.  there
  will be a brief pause between each warp at which time your spaceship
  travels towards its next encounter.  Also at this time, the screen will
  flash the number of warps to go and the number of spaceships remaining.

Enemy formations
  Enemy formations are made up of wing-shaped planes.  Planes may emerge
  from the center of the screen where they may band together - or from off
  screen where they can create a surprise attack.  In either case, try to
  shoot down as many planes within the formation as you can and don't let
  them hit your own ship.  Planes fire square-shaped missiles... your only
  option is to avoid them... or be shot down.

  Each of the four enemy plane formations is a different color and flies in
  a different pattern.  After the last formation appears, a certain number
  of planes NOT shot down will regroup in the center and attack again. 
  They will continue to do so until you've eliminated the last one -
  unless, of course, one eliminates you first!

But planes are not all you need to worry about.  There are swirling and
deadly satellites and meteors, too.

Satellites
  Satellites look like giant blue molecules and appear in threes.  Try to 
  shoot them down for points.  SHOOT THE MIDDLE SATELLITE, AND YOUR SHIP
  WILL FIRE DOUBLE BULLETS.  THE SHIP WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO UNTIL IT GOES
  DOWN.

Meteors
  Meteors are a third type of enemy to watch out for.  Meteors look like
  large rocks and CANNOT be destroyed.  So stay clear of them!

Come out alive after completing the two or three warps necessary to reach a
planet, and that planet appears on screen.  After a brief breather, you'll
enter the Chance Round.

The Chance Round
  The Chance Round occurs upon reaching a planet.  During this round, you
  get a chance to rack up points.  One at a time, four different enemy
  plane formations will appear on screen... BUT THEY HAVE NO POWER TO
  DESTROY YOU.  So position yourself for maximum firing accuracy.  Bonus
  points are awarded for shooting down all the planes (or satellites) in
  the formation and Super Bonus points for wiping out all four formations.

When the Chance Round is over, it's off to the next planet and the next
barrage of formations.

The Planets
  In case you need to be reminded... the planets along your journey through
  our solar system appear in this order: Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter,
  Mars, and Earth.

The Music
  You're listening to Johann Sebastian Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor.


END OF GAME
-----------

The game ends when you lose your last spaceship.  If you should reach Earth
with at least one remaining spaceship, you'll continue the game with
Neptune as the first stop once again.

To play again, press the FIRE button.  Press GAME RESET and GAME SELECT to
change the difficulty level.


SCORING
-------

Points accumulate at the top of the screen throughout the game.  YOUR LAST
GAME'S SCORE IS CARRIED OVER TO THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT GAME.  BY HOW
MANY POINTS CAN YOU BEAT IT?

TARGETS                                    POINTS
Enemy plane ................................. 100

ENTIRE FORMATION:
1st .........................................1000
2nd .........................................1500
3rd .........................................2000
4th .........................................2500
1st satellite destroyed ..................... 500
2nd satellite destroyed .....................1000
3rd satellite destroyed .....................1500

WITH DOUBLE BULLET FIRE:
1st satellite destroyed .....................1000
2nd satellite destroyed .....................1500
3rd satellite destroyed .....................2000

DURING CHANCE ROUND:
Enemy plane ................................. 100
Entire formation:
1st Chance Round ............................1000
2nd Chance Round ............................1500
3rd Chance Round ............................2000
4th Chance Round ............................2500
5th Chance Round ............................3000
Subsequent Chance Rounds .................... 500
                                additional points
Super Bonus for all four formations........10,000

                                                                         cd

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

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