Atari CX-2600 Video Game Console User Manual


 
YARS' REVENGE(TM) (1 OR 2 PLAYERS)
Journey to the RAZAK solar system, where the Yars – mutant house flies – are getting swatted by
an evil Qotile. This relentless enemy, hidden behind a protective shield, fires deadly Drones and Swirls at
the Yars. Help the Yars avenge their community! Send a Yar scout out to break a path through the shield by
eating the bricks or exploding them with energy pulses. Then bring out the Zorlon Cannon and destroy the
Qotile with a well-placed blast.
Playing the game
The primary objective of the game is to break a path through the shield, and destroy the Qotile with a
blast from the Zorlon Cannon. The secondary objective is to score as many points as possible. See Figure 1
for an explanation of the objects on the playfield.
The shield is the red area in front of the Qotile base. It appears in one of two shapes, as an arch, or a
shifting rectangle. The shield is made up of cells. The Yar scout can destroy these cells by firing at them
with energy missiles, from any location on the playfield, or by devouring them on direct contact. (The
Zorlon Cannon can also be used to destroy the cells, but this is a waste of a powerful weapon.)
Once a path has been cleared through the shield, the Zorlon Cannon must be used to destroy the
Qotile. To call up the cannon, the Yar can either eat a cell, or run over the Qotile.
The Zorlon Cannon appears on the left side of the playfield, and moves in a direct line with the Yar.
This means the Yar is in its line of fire. It is important therefore, to aim the cannon at the Qotile, fire it, and
fly out of the way fast!
The Qotile shoots off two weapons: Destroyer Missiles and Swirls. The Destroyer Missiles come in a
more or less constant stream, one at a time. The Yar must do his best to dodge them. Periodically, the
Qotile transforms into a Swirl. This Swirl winds up and rushes off after the Yar. A Swirl can be destroyed
with the Zorlon Cannon by hitting it either at its base location, or in mid-air. As a player's score increases,
the Swirl becomes increasingly dangerous.
The glittering path down the center of the screen is the Neutral Zone. This area will protect a Yar from
Destroyer Missiles but not from Swirls. While in the Neutral Zone, a Yar cannot fire any energy missiles of
his own.
When a Yar is hit by a Destroyer Missile, a Swirl, or his own Zorlon Cannon, he dies. Each player has
four Yars (turns) to play in a game. Additional Yars can be earned.
Controls
The Yar will move in whatever direction the Joystick is pushed. The screen "wraps" from top to
bottom, bottom to top. This means that if you fly the Yar off the top of the screen, it will appear at the
bottom, and vice versa.
The red "fire" button has two separate firing functions: it will fire an energy missile in the direction
the Yar is pointed, or operate the Zorlon Cannon when it is on the screen.
The red button is also used to restart turns and games. Press it after each turn to start a new "life", or
continue a successful one. Press it at the end of the game if you want to play that same game version again.
100