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Desert Falcon - Atari - Atari 7800     HTML Manual   

Desert Falcon

Desert Falcon


ATARI(R) 7800(TM) Game Manual

SUPER GAME

DESERT FALCON

A Daring Desert Quest For Treasure!

 All around you are long stretches of sand, ancient pyramids baking in the
hot, dead air, and constant danger.

 The legends that brought you here are 30 centuries old. The tales tell of
thieves who plundered the Pharoah�s tomb, loading bags of gold, silver,
and precious gems onto their camels, then making off into the desert. But in
the night, horrible desert beasts pursued the robbers, and the priceless
treasure was scattered and lost. Not even a camel was ever seen again.

 Now you search for the lost treasure, daring the beaks and claws of the
desert guardians. As you scan the endless sand for the glitter of Jewels, your
eye catches sight of gliding shadows. Something�s coming!

 You could turn back now and be safe. Or you could go on, and dare to steal the
Pharoah�s Jewels.

Getting Started

1. Insert the Desert Falcon Super Game Cartridge into your ATARI 7800 as
explained in your owner�s manual.

2. Plug a controller into the left controller jack. This is Player 1�s controller.
For two players, plug a second controller into the right controller jack.

3. Turn on your television, then press the [Power] button to turn on your console.
Wait a few seconds for the Desert Falcon title and options screen to appear.

4. Select game options by pressing the [Select] button on your console or by
using Player 1�s controller. Move the controller handle left or right to
choose one of four skill levels: Novice (easiest), Standard, Advanced, or Expert
(most difficult). Move the handle backward or forward to choose between a one- or
two-player game. An option is selected when it lights up.

5. Press [Reset] or Player 1�s left controller button to start the game. During
the game, press [Pause] to pause the game; press it again to resume play.
Press [Select] to redisplay the options screen at any time.


ACTION                                         CONTROLLER OPERATION
Fire arrows.	                               Press left button.
Activate super powers.	                       Press right button.
Fly; gain altitude.	                       Pull handle backward.
Land, hop, or swim.	                       Push handle forward.
Maintain altitude in the air; stop on land.    Release handle.
Move left.	                               Push handle left.
Move right.	                               Push handle right.


Game Play
 The Pharoah�s lost treasures- enormous gems, big golden eggs, and silver ingots-
are scattered among the ancient pyramids and obelisks. Fly towards the treasures,
then hover or hop over them to pick them up and earn points. Use your controller
handle to maneuver. (Follow the chart above.)

 The treasures are guarded by swarms of flying and crawling beasts. Burrowing
Uwes crawl out of the sand to charge at you, and Vultures, Warrior Phleas,
Scarabs, Flying Fish, and Phantom Gliders attack from the air. All these enemies
will destroy you if they hit you.

 Protect yourself by firing arrows. A direct hit destroys the enemy and gains
you points. You can also maneuver around enemies or dodge behind pyramids and
obelisks to shield yourself. At higher levels, watch out for flame-throwing
Fire Pots and dart-shooting Mini-Sphinxes.

 You begin the game with five lives. Each time you�re hit or you crash into a
building you lose a life, but you will recover as long as you have lives left.

 The end of each desert trek brings you to the Howling Sphinx. You must shoot
this Sphinx directly between the eyes in order to get past it, all the while
dodging the darts and nasty creatures it spits at you.

Super Powers
 Hop over any three hieroglyphs scattered in the sand to gain super powers.
Super powers give you great advantages, such as letting you destroy all enemies
on screen at once or paralyze the Howling Sphinx.

 Check the Gaming Box at the bottom of the screen to find out which power you�ve
gained and whether it requires pressing the right controller button (some powers
don�t). Some powers will be used up when you press the controller button; other
powers last for several seconds. A new power is awarded when you pick up three
more hieroglyphs, whether or not the previous power was used.

 There are many super powers for you to discover (some of them are described on
the next page). But beware: in the higher levels of play you can earn super
problems, such as Shackles, as well as super powers.

GAMING BOX

Player 1           Hieroglyphs Picked Up        Player 2
   \/  Current Score       \/       Super Power    \/
 _________________________________________________________
|                        ___                              |
|        9880       _O_  \_/  _O_    POINTS      5210     |
|                    |       -----                        |
|         XXX        VALUE = 85    2\o/ 2(/) 1 /  XXX     |
|_________________________________________________________|
     Lives Remaining         /\     Value Multipliers
                  Best Value per Treasure

Hieroglyphs
               ___       -_
Ankh _O_  Bowl \_/   Eye <_>-  Sun Over Water _O_
      |                                      -----
Bird (looks like a bird) Cane (looks like a Candy Cane)

Man (looks like a man holding a rake)  Feather |-|
                                               \ |
                                                \|
                                                 |  

SUPER POWERS       WHAT THEY DO
Air Bomb           Pressing the right button destroys all air-borne enemies in
                   sight.

Decoy              Enemies are tricked into flying towards a decoy spot instead 
                   of towards you.

Hold Sphinx        The Howling Sphinx is unable to spit creatures or darts at you.

Invincibility      Nothing can destroy you.

Omnicide           All enemies on screen are destroyed when you press the right
                   button.

Points             You are given free points.

Polywater          You can fly and hop but not swim.

Roulette           You are given two random hieroglyphs. The next hieroglyph you
                   pick up determines your next super power.

Shackles           You can fly and swim but not hop.

Warp               You fly at lightning speed to the Howling Sphinx.

SCORING

Shooting Desert Beasts
 Each enemy you destroy earns you points. Destroying a flying enemy increases
the base value of treasures.

Desert Beasts       Points Scored   Points Added to Base Value of Treasure
Mini-Sphinx           1000                      0
Warrior Phlea          500                      5
Scarab                 300                      3
Flying Fish            200                      2
Vulture                200                      2
Burrowing Uwe          150                      0
Phantom Glider         100                      1

Destroying the Howling Sphinx
First Sphinx...........................................5,000 points
Each additional Sphinx......previous Sphinx score plus 1,000 points

Stealing Treasures
 During regular game play, each treasure you pick up earns you the base value,
plus increases that treasure�s value multiplier by 1. if you shoot a treasure,
its multiplier returns to 1. In the bonus round, each treasure is worth the base
value times its value multiplier.

Bonus Lives
 You earn a bonus life at every 10,000 points scored. You can have a maximum of
six lives remaining.


Bonus Round	
 Destroying the Howling Sphinx gains you entrance to the bonus round. Here
your goal is to pick up as many treasures as you can in the time allowed.
Watch the Gaming Box where the hieroglyphs and super powers appear during
regular play. In the bonus round, your time allowed is counted down in seconds
in that space. The bonus score is tallied next to the time. When the round ends,
the bonus score is added to your current score and the last hierogiyphs or
super power you gained reappear.  You are not attacked in the bonus round, and
colliding with buildings will not cost you a life; only time is lost.

Strategy
Duck behind pyramids and obelisks to save yourself and lure enemies into crashing.
Gauge the altitude of flying beasts by watching their shadows. Figure out what
combination of hieroglyphs awards you which super power. For instance, the
combination "Bird, Cane, Bowl" gives you Warp while the combination "Cane, Bird,
Bowl" (the same hieroglyphs in a different order) gives you Air Bomb. Pick up a
particular combination when its power will do you the most good. in the bonus
round, go for the treasures that have the highest value multiplier.


Gaming Box
               Time Allowed         Bonus Score
 _________________________________________________________
|                                                         |
|       24233    TIME    25     SCORE    544     17205    |
|                                                         |
|        XXXX    VALUE = 136    4\o/ 1(/) 1 /    XXXX     |
|_________________________________________________________|
                                 /\        /\
                     Gem Value Multipier  Silver Ingot Multiplier
                         /\           /\
        Base Value per Treasure    Golden Egg Value Multiplier


Desert Guardians
Mini-Sphinx
Warrior Phlea
Scarab
Flying Fish
Vulture
Burrowing Uwe
Phantom Glider
Howling Sphinx

Treasures
Golden Egg (/)
Gem \o/
Silver Ingot /


Atari Corporation 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 any portion of its contents is not allowed
without the specific written permission of Atari Corporation.

ATARI, Desert Falcon, and 7800 are trademarks or registered trademarks of
Atari Corporation.

Copyright � 1987, Atari Corporation, Sunnyvale, CA 94086. All rights reserved.

Printed in Hong Kong C024857-11 Rev. A   B.T.5.1988
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This document scanned and edited by Mitchell Orman