This document is only allowed to appear on the GameFAQs website and no other
website whatsoever, nor may any part of this document appear on any website
for any reason whatsoever.
Astroblast is a registered trademark of Mattel Electronics.
Atari 2600, and any accessories mentioned within are registered trademarks and
copyrighted materials owned by Atari Games.
GameFAQs is a registered trademark and copyrighted 1995-2005 by Jeff 'CJayC'
Veasey.
Any other names mentioned within not mentioned within this section are
registered trademarks and/or copyrighted materials of their respective owners.
Larcen Tyler is in no way affiliated with any of the companies listed above,
or their affiliates in any way. No affiliation should be assumed for any
reason whatsoever.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. REVISION HISTORY
2. HOW TO PLAY THE GAME
3. SCORING INFORMATION
4. TIPS
5. CONTACT INFORMATION
6. CREDITS
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1. REVISION HISTORY
Version 1.0
12/03/05: Decided to write a guide for this simple yet addicting game.
10/31/06: Slight modification to contact information.
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2. HOW TO PLAY THE GAME
Look out! Your planet is being bombarded by meteors! They're coming fast and
faster and even faster, and there's no sign of them letting up! You've got
your mobile laser base ready to attack them, and it's equipped with unlimited
firepower, and you're gonna need it, as the meteors only seem to come faster
and faster, and they may prove to be only the beginning of your problems.
Hostile aliens are on the prowl, and are using this situation to their own
advantage by launching bombs and missiles at your base, and sometimes even
sending one of their own UFOs down to directly attack your base as well.
Hope your reflexes are ready, because you're going to need every last one of
them to survive this mess!
SETTING UP:
Set up your Atari 2600 or Atari 7800 and either plug a joystick or paddle
controller into the left controller jack. Although gameplay is somewhat easier
with paddle controllers, if you don't have any, you can play using a joystick
instead.
To play at an advanced level of difficulty, set the right difficulty switch to
A (left position.) Set it to B to play at a normal level of difficulty.
If you wish to play the game with manual firing, put the left difficulty switch
to B. Set it to A for automatic firing. Switches can be changed during
gameplay.
(If you are playing on an Atari 7800, the difficulty switch positions are
reversed, meaning that the left position is B and right is A.)
When you are ready, press the button to commence attack.
PLAYING THE GAME:
When you start, your base will be on the surface of your planet, ready to
shoot at falling rocks as they head toward your surface. To move your
base, either twist the knob on the paddle in the direction you wish to go,
or tilt the joystick left or right to move in that direction. The action
button on both joystick and paddle control your base's fire. You can hold
down the button for rapid fire if you wish.
Your planet is currently in a meteor shower, and your objective is to destroy
the rocks by shooting at them as quickly as you can. The rocks fall in two
sizes: Large and small. Shooting a large rock generally splits it into two
smaller ones, while shooting a small rock will disintegrate it.
If you fail to destroy a rock before it hits the surface, you won't lose a
base, but you will face a penalty to your score. Getting hit by a rock
will cost you one base as well as a penalty to your score.
As you progress through your mission of destroying falling rocks, you must
keep an eye open for attacks by hostile aliens. These attacks include:
Spinners: Spinners are bombs that are launched toward the surface of your
planet. Spinners will make an alert sound as they approach the surface.
It is imperative that you destroy them before they land, otherwise you
will lose one base.
Pulsars: Pulsars are homing missiles that are launched directly at your
base. You must either shoot it or avoid it, as getting hit by one will cost
you one base.
UFOs: Once you have reached Level 4 (see below for more details,) you will
come under attack by UFOs, who will attempt to drop bombs on your base.
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3. SCORING INFORMATION
You may notice that your score increases and decreases based on your playing.
This is perfectly normal, and the game keeps track of your peak score (the
highest amount of points you achieved during the game.) Extra bases
and level increases are based on your peak score.
GAMEPLAY LEVELS:
You begin on Level 1 (Level 5 if you're playing on Advanced Difficulty.) As
your score increases, you will progress to higher levels of difficulty. If
your score should fall beneath the required minimum for the next level, you
will return to the previous level. The levels and required scores are as
follows:
(If anyone knows the background colors for levels 3 and 4, please let me know!)
SCORE BONUSES:
Your score will increase when you shoot rocks, pulsars, spinners, and UFOs.
Each object has a base value that increases as you increase levels. The
scoring values are as follows:
LARGE ROCK: 10 x Level #
SMALL ROCK: 20 x Level #
SPINNER: 40 x Level #
PULSAR: 80 x Level #
UFO: 100 x Level # (Note that UFOs only appear at Level 4 and higher, this is
just as a reference thing.)
The value of each object is multiplied by the number of the level you are on.
For example, shooting at small rock at Level 1 would earn you 20 points,
while shooting one on Level 3 would get you 60 points.
SCORE PENALTIES:
Points are deducted as a penalty for the following things:
LARGE ROCK LANDS: 5 x Level #
SMALL ROCK LANDS: 10 x Level #
LOSING A BASE: 100 x Level #
You start each game with ten bases. Every time your peak score passes 1,000
points, you will receive another base. You can only receive one base for every
peak passed. For example, if you earn 1,000 points, then receive a penalty,
you won't get another base for passing 1,000 points again.
Every time a base is destroyed, the game will pause untill you press the fire
button to restart the action.
When all of your bases have been lost, the game is over, and your peak score
will be displayed on screen.
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4. TIPS
-Keep an eye out for spinners. While missing a few rocks can cause a penalty
to your score, you'll really sustain one if you let a spinner hit the surface.
The penalty of losing a base isn't worth it compared to losing some points
for missing a few rocks.
-Be careful of destroying an object when it's close to your base, since the
explosion of the object could easily destroy your base.
-If you don't have time to shoot a pulsar, then dodge it, since you can usually
avoid them if you're quick enough, and you won't sustain a penalty for letting
one hit the ground. The same goes for UFO bombs.
-Beginners should set the left difficulty switch to A for automatic fire so
they can get the hang of the controls in this game. Once you have gotten
the hang of them, set the switch to B and practice using manual fire.
You have unlimited shots either way, so shoot first and forget the questions.
-And of course, HAVE FUN!
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5. CONTACT INFORMATION
READ THIS BEFORE YOU SEND ME ANY E-MAIL!
The following types of E-Mail I will _NOT_ accept under any circumstances:
-Mail that contains flaming (insults) or offensive content within. If you
don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything!
-Spam/Advertisements of any kind. This is against the law, and will not be
taken lightly.
-Asking if you can use this on your website/in your FAQ/Magazine/anything
like that will not be tolerated. In case you missed it, I specifically
stated that I won't allow it in the disclaimer section at the beginning.
-Asking where to find this game in a ROM format, or any other illegal
software requests will be ignored.
-Asking me where to find this cartridge.
(Honestly, I wish I knew where to find Atari games, but I have as much of
a hard time finding them as you probably do! Your best bet is to check
online.)
The following types of E-Mail I will accept:
-Suggestions and/or constructive criticism.
-Strategies of your own.
-Any information I may have left out in this version.
-Generally, anything that will help me improve this guide in future revisions!
(Make sure you put "Astroblast Guide" as your subject line.)
You can reach me at: larcentyler7650 (AT) yahoo (DOT) com
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6. CREDITS
This guide would be nothing without those who helped make it possible, and
here they are:
-My mother, for buying the Atari 2600 and passing her love for it onto me.
-Hal Finney, for designing this simple yet addicting game.
-Jeff 'CJayC' Veasey, for providing us writers with a place to share our work.
-Atari, for putting out the Atari 2600.
-AtariAge (www.AtariAge.com,) for the plethora of information that really
helped me write this guide.
-And of course, the moment of truth, the moment we've all been waiting for,
the one who deserves the biggest amount of credit, YOU, for reading my guide!
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