Berzerk
BERSERK*
ATARI GAME PROGRAM INSTRUCTIONS
CX2650
*Trademark and (C) of Stern Electronics, Inc. 1980
SPECIAL
FEATURE
This Game Program contains additional versions for young children.
NOTE: Always turn the console POWER switch OFF when inserting or removing an ATARI Game
Program cartridge. This will protect the electronic components and prolong the life of
your ATARI Video Computer System game.
(C) 1982, ATARI, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
BERZERK is a trademark and (C) of Stern Electronics, INC. 1980
ATARI GAME PROGRAM INSTRUCTIONS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Going Bonkers with Berzerk 1
2. Game Play 2
3. Using the Controllers 3
4. Console Controls 4
5. Game Variations 5
6. Scoring 7
7. Strategy and Helpful Hints 9
8. Game Select Matrix 11
ATARI GAME PROGRAM INSTRUCTIONS
1. GOING BONKERS WITH BERZERK
The Astro Date is 3200 and you are the last survivor of a small group of earth people
who came to explore the planet Mazeon. Soon after landing, you discovered the planet is a
dark, apparently uninhabitable place. But by then it was too late to turn back because
your space craft had been destroyed by Automazeons.
Now you are a prisoner here. You are trapped in a maze where even the walls are death
to touch. Grim robot thugs known as "Automazeons" stalk you relentlessly and you
must systematically pulverize them with your laser gun before they eliminate you with
theirs.
You are never safe on the planet Mazeon. Even when you've destroyed the mechanical
heavies, Evil Otto, the mad and merciless mind behind the robot gangs, leaps out from
where he's been observing the battle. You flee in panic because you know that you cannot
kill Evil Otto and that, once he catches you, you'll never escape.
He will pound you to a lifeless pulp, grinning like a maniac all the while. Your only
hope is to get out of the electrified maze before Evil Otto catches you.
If you do get out, you find yourself in another maze. Again the faceless robots shoot
at you, again Evil Otto pursues you, again you must dodge and shoot and run ... into yet
another maze. It's enough to drive you bonkers!
2. GAME PLAY
NOTE: BERZERK is for one player only.
Your challenge in BERZERK is to score as many points as possible without being
destroyed yourself. In some game variations, you must elude the robots' expert aims and
escape Evil Otto. (See Section 5 for a description of GAME VARIATIONS.)
Use your Joystick Controller to maneuver your man through the maze (but don't touch the
walls or a robot, you'll electrocute him!). Press the red controller (fire) button to
shoot your laser gun at the robots. You score points for every robot that is destroyed.
You score bonus points when all robots in a maze are destroyed - whether they are struck
by your laser, pummelled by Evil Otto, hit by other robot lasers, they collide with each
other, or run into the electrified wall. Each maze ends when your man perishes or escapes.
Figure 1 shows an example of what you may meet in a typical BERZERK maze.
In games where the robots shoot they never start firing until the second maze. This
gives you a chance to become familiar with the game. Initially, robots move and shoot
slower than your man. But with each consecutive maze, up to the 16th maze, the robots'
movements and firing speeds gradually increase. At maze 16, the robots reset to move
slowly again (gradually increasing speed with each maze) but their firing speeds remain
equal to your man's until the game ends.
You begin the game with three lives. Lives that remain will flash briefly at the bottom
of the screen, off-centered to the right, just before a new maze appears. Figure 2 shows
you what remaining lives look like. You will lose a life if you: 1) are hit by a robot's
laser, 2) run into the electrified wall of the maze, 3) get caught by Evil Otto. In
certain game variations, you can earn extra lives. Again, check Section 5 - GAME
VARIATIONS, to learn about these variations. When all your lives are lost the game is
over.
Escape Route
Man| |
| |
----+-------- v -------------
| v |
| | |
| o .\ / |
| |- / \ |
| L | | | |
| | | |
| . | | |
| _ | | |
| /=\ |---------------| |
| H | _ | " |
| | /=\ | (v) |
| _ | H | | | | | |
| /=\ | | | | | | |
| H ^ | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| ^ | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
---+--------- ^ -------+----- |-----------| |-----------|
| | 100 | . .
Robot | | Lives----> /|\ /|\
Escape Route Evil Otto Left
Figure 1 Figure 2
3. USING THE CONTROLLERS
Use your Joystick Controller with this ATARI Game Program cartridge. Be sure to plug
the controller cables firmly into the jacks at the back of your Video Computer System
game. Hold the controller with the red fire button to your upper left toward the
television screen. Use the LEFT CONTROLLER jack for this one-player game. See Section 3 of
your owner's manual for further details.
Use the Joystick Controller to:
- Begin or restart a game.
- Move the man through the maze on the screen.
- Aim and shoot your man's lasers.
Press the controller button to start a new game. You can do this whenever the game is
over.
Move Up
Move Move
Diagonally \ ^ / Diagonally
\ | /
\ | /
Move /_____ _____\ Move
Left \ / | \ / Right
/ | \
Move / v \ Move
Diagonally Diagonally
Move Down
Push the Joystick forward to move the man up and pull it back to move the man down the
screen. To move the man left, push the Joystick to the left. Push the Joystick to the
right to move the man right.
You can also make him move and shoot diagonally by moving the Joystick diagonally
forward or back (See Figure 3.)
Press the red button to fire your laser. It will shoot in the direction you have most
recently moved your man. Also, if you depress the fire button while moving the Joystick,
your man will stand and fire lasers in any direction you move the Joystick.
------------- -------------
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | _ | |
| /=\ |
| H |
| |
| _ . |
| /=\ \o |
| H | |
| 1 |
| | | |
| | | _ |
| | | /=\ |
| | | H |
| | | |
------------- -------------
360
Figure 3 - Diagonal Shooting
4. CONSOLE CONTROLS
GAME SELECT SWITCH
To select a BERZERK game, press down the GAME SELECT switch. If you press and hold down
this switch, the game numbers automatically change at the bottom center of the screen.
(See Figure 4.) There are 12 game numbers in total. For a breakdown of the GAME
VARIATIONS, see Section 5.
GAME RESET SWITCH
After you have selected the game number you wish to play, press down the GAME RESET switch
to start the action. Each time GAME RESET is pressed, the game starts over.
TV TYPE SWITCH
Set this switch to COLOR if you have a color television set. Set it to B-W to play the
game in black and white.
DIFFICULTY SWITCHES
DIFFICULTY switches are not used in this game.
------------- -------------
| _ |
| _ /=\ |
| /=\ H |
| H |
| | | |
| | | |
| o | | |
| |\ | | |
| L |---------------| |
| | | |
| _ | | |
| /=\ | | |
| H | | _ |
| /=\ |
| _ H |
| /=\ |
| H |
------------- -------------
03
^
|
Game Number |
Figure 4
5. GAME VARIATIONS
BERZERK includes 12 exciting game variations. Before describing each of these games, we
would like to acquaint you with game play terminology.
BONUS LIFE
In addition to the three lives you start the game with, extra lives can be won in certain
game variations. For example, in Game 1 you receive one new life every time you score
1,000 points. The computer congratulates you with a little tune each time you win another
life. A maximum of six lives can be displayed on the screen at one time, although you may
have more lives in reserve. The number of lives you can win in these game variations is
255. After that the counter resets to zero and you must start winning bonus lives all over
again.
INVINCIBLE EVIL OTTO
When Evil Otto is invincible, he keeps coming at you. There is no deterring him. You can
only escape him by running out of the maze.
REBOUND EVIL OTTO
Some games feature a reboud Evil Otto, in which you can actually shoot the grinning head
with your laser and he will disappear for a few seconds. Beware! Evil Otto will soon
reappear to continue in pursuit of you. Zap him again and he will disappear again. You can
make him rebound an infinite number of times.
NON-SHOOTING ROBOTS
In some game variations, the robots aren't armed. You can stand right in front of them but
they can't shoot you. Take care, you will still lose a life if you touch one.
GAME 1
In Game 1 you receive an extra life every 1,000 points, there is no Evil Otto to pursue
you, but watch out for the robots - they'll be shooting at you!
GAME 2
Game 2 offers a bonus life every time you make 1,000 points, the robots fire at you and
Evil Otto rebounds when you shoot him.
GAME 3
You win a new life every 1,000 points in Game 3. You'll need all the lives you can get
because in this game Evil Otto is invincible and the robots stalk you with their lasers.
GAME 4
In Game 4 you have the opportunity to gain a new life every 2,000 points, there is no Evil
Otto, but the robots are militant and you must dodge their deadly laser beams.
GAME 5
With a rebound Evil Otto and mean robots on the prowl, Game 5 is like Game 2 - except a
bonus life is won at 2,000 points rather than 1,000.
GAME 6
Win another life every 2,000 points in Game 6. But watch out for invicible Evil Otto and
combatant robot goons.
GAME 7
In Game 7 there are no bonus lives and no Evil Otto. You have only the laser-firing robots
to contend with.
GAME 8
Game 8 offers a rebound Evil Otto. Otherwise it is exactly like Game 7.
GAME 9
For a real BERZERK challenge, try Game 9! Here, Evil Otto is invincible, the robot gangs
are armed and dangerous, and you have no bonus lives to prolong game play.
GAME 10
In Game 10 you have the opportunity to win a new life every 1,000 points, the robots don't
shoot, but watch out for Evil Otto - he's invincible!
GAME 11
You can really rack up the points in Game 11. The robots don't shoot, Evil Otto rebounds
and you get a new life every 1,000 points.
GAME 12/CHILDREN'S VERSION
This is the easiest of all BERSERK variations. In Game 12 there is no Evil Otto, the
robots don't shoot at you, and you win a bonus life every 1,000 points. It's a good game
for beginners or young children.
6. SCORING
Your score is determined by the number of robots that are destroyed. Whether you shoot
a robot or it is eliminated by other means, you receive points for every pulverized robot.
You will earn bonus points when all the robots in a single maze are annihilated.
Occasionally you will meet a super strong robot who is merely stunned by your first shot.
Be brave, it will take a second hit to destroy this tough enemy.
Once you begin to score points, your score will appear at the bottom of the screen,
off-centered to the right, as shown in Figure 5. When all robots in a maze are destroyed,
your score disappears and your bonus points flash on the screen, off-centered on the left,
as shown in Figure 6. The computer automatically combines all points and your total score
is displayed in the next maze. You can score a maximum of 999,999 points before the score
rolls back to zero.
Remember, in game variations where the robots shoot back, they never commence firing
until the second maze. This will enable you to learn the maze. But, beginning with the
second maze, you will no doubt find it more challenging to survive and continue scoring
high points. Points are scored as follows:
SCORE TABLE
Robots 50 Points Each
All Robots in a Maze 10 Bonus Points Each
------------- ------------- ------------- -------------
| | | | | |
| | | | o/ | |
| | | | /| | |
| | | | | | /^\ | |
| _ | | | | |
| /=\ | | | | |
| H | | | | " |
| | _ | | | (v) |
| | /=\ | | | |
| | _ H | | | |
| |/=\ o | | | |
| | H _ ..-| | | |------------ ------------|
| | /=\.. 1 | | | |
| | H | | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
------------- ------------- ------------- -------------
300 60
^ ^
| |
Score Bonus Points
Figure 5 Figure 6
7. STRATEGY AND HELPFUL HINTS
When you first start playing the tougher BERZERK variations (games in which the robots
shoot and Evil Otto is invincible), you may feel there's no way to survive. Don't despair!
The following are some strategies you can use to stay alive longer, score more points, and
even escape the dread Evil Otto.
- Since the robots' shots cannot penetrate the maze walls, use this to your advantage.
Hide behind walls to dodge laser fire, then leap out when it is safe to aim and shoot at
robots.
- Position robot(s) between your man and Evil Otto. This strategy should cause Evil Otto
to destroy the robot(s) first (thereby scoring points for you) and you will have more time
to escape.
- Evil Otto moves more slowly when there are robots on the screen. But once all the robots
are gone, the evil fellow bounds toward you with amazing speed! Remember this so you can
position your man near an exit as you finish off the robots, then make a swift escape.
- Keep your finger on the fire button as you move from one maze to another. It takes the
robots a few seconds to start their attack and you can often blindly zap them when you
enter shooting.
- Since robots are programmed to follow you, you can influence them by your movement,
causing them to shoot at and collide with each other or run into walls.
- Evil Otto always enters where the man enters. Try to get away from this danger zone and
near an exit as soon as it is safe.
- Keep your distance from robot gangs because you can cover yourself in only one direction
at a time. When you find yourself surrounded by a gang, shoot your way out and put some
space between you and them. It's much easier to see and avoid distant robot fire than
close range fire.
- When robots shoot on the vertical it is from the left side. You can position your man
above or below them on the right side where they can't hit you, but you can blast them.
- Unlike you robots cannot shoot on the diagonal. If you stand diagonally to one you will
be out of its line of fire while it will be vilnerable to your laser shot (See Figure 3.)
- There is a special horizontal laser beam wraparound feature that will help you destroy
robots. In mazes that have a right and left exit, you can stand just inside the right exit
and shoot through it. Your laser beams will then "wrap around" the screen (as
shown in Figure 7) and reenter on the left side through that opening. Any robots standing
in your line of fire will be struck.
------------- -------------
| | | |
| _ | | |
|/=\ | | |
| H | _ | |
| | /=\ | |
H
\|/ o
.. - - |- ..
/|\ L
| | | |
| | _ | |
| | /=\ | |
| | H | |
| | | |
------------------------------------
100
Figure 7 - Laser Beam Wraparound
8. GAME SELECT MATRIX
All BERZERK Games Are For One Player Only
Game Number | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Bonus Life Every 1,000 Points | X X X X X *
Bonus Life Every 2,000 Points | X X X
No Bonus Life | X X X
No Evil Otto | X X X *
Rebound Evil Otto | X X X X
Invincible Evil Otto | X X X X
Non-Shooting Robots | X X *
Shooting Robots | X X X X X X X X X
* Children's Version
GAME PROGRAM CARTRIDGE
LIMITED NINETY DAY WARRANTY
ATARI, INC. ("Atari") warrants to the original consumer purchaser that your
ATARI Game Program cartridge is free from any defects in material or workmanship for a
period of ninety days from the date of purchase. If any such defect is discovered within
the warranty period, Atari's sole obligation will be to replace the cartridge free of
charge on receipt of the cartridge (charges prepaid, if mailed or shipped) with proof of
date of purchase at either the retail store where the cartridge was purchased or at one of
the ATARI Regional Service Centers listed below:
Atari, Inc. Atari, Inc.
1312 Crossman Ave. 43 Belmont Dr.
Sunnyvale, CA 94086 Somerset, NJ 08873
Atari Inc. Atari, Inc.
5400 Newport Dr. 2109 East Division St.
Suite 1 Arlington, TX 76001
Rolling Meadows, IL 60008
This warranty shall not apply if the cartridge (i) has been misused or shows signs of
excessive wear; (ii) has been damaged by being used with any products not supplied by
ATARI or (iii) has been damaged by being serviced or modified by anyone other than an
ATARI Regional Service Center.
ANY APPLICABLE IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS,
ARE HEREBY LIMITED TO NINETY DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE. CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL
DAMAGES RESULTING FROM A BREACH OF ANY APPLICABLE EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES ARE HEREBY
EXCLUDED.
Some states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts or do not
allow the exclusion or limitations of incidental or consequential damages, so the above
limitations or exclusions may not apply to you.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which
vary from state to state.
ATARI
A Warner Communications Company
ATARI, INC., Consumer Division
P.O. Box 427, Sunnyvale, CA 94086
CO16943-50 REV. 2 (C)1982 ATARI, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Converted to html by gchance@ecst.csuchico.edu
-------------------Atari 2600 Instructions Archive-------------------
This document obtained from the History of Home Video Games Homepage,
©1997-1998 by Greg Chance
| 
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