Dolphin Atari 2600  FAQ/Strategy Guide
Version: 1.0
Author: Larcen Tyler
Last Revision Date: 10/07/05
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

This document is electronically published work Copyrighted ©2005 Larcen Tyler.
Permission is granted to make a copy _ONLY_ as a personal reference copy, in
which case the document _MUST_ remain in its original, unedited form.  Any
other reproduction is strictly prohibited.  This document may not be used as
a promotional item or for profitable means of any kind (even if no profit is
intended to be gained.)

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.

Dolphin is a registered trademark of Activision.

Atari 2600 Video Computer System, 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.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. REVISION HISTORY
2. HOW TO PLAY THE GAME
3. SCORING INFORMATION
4. TIPS
5. CONTACT INFORMATION
6. CREDITS
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

1. REVISION HISTORY

10/07/05: Thought I'd write it since it's fairly simple, yet a bit tricky
to those who don't know what is going on.

10/17/05: Delayed upload due to technical difficulties, first version uploaded
today.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

2. HOW TO PLAY THE GAME

An endangered dolphin is calling out to you! She needs your help to guide
her safely through the schools of seahorses while dodging a pursuing squid.
You must listen to her sonar and guide her through the opening in each
school, and touch the good currents, while avoiding the bad ones.

Set up your Atari 2600 (or Atari 7800) system and plug a joystick into the left
controller jack.  If you're playing with two players, plug a second joystick
into the right jack.

For beginning players, set the difficulty switch to B, which means that, after
powering up, the dolphin will be energized for four seconds.  If the difficulty
switch is set to A, the dolphin will only be energized for two seconds.

There are eight game variations as follows:

1: One Player, Easy Game

2: Two Players, Easy Game

3: One Player, Normal Game

4: Two Players, Normal Game

5: One Player, Difficult Game

6: Two Players, Difficult Game

7: One Player, Expert Game

8: Two Players, Expert Game


As the difficulty rises, the sonar signals you receive are shorter, and the
squid is faster and smarter.


When you start, you will be swimming to the right, with the squid behind you.
You will hear a set of tones as you start swimming.  This is your dolphin's
sonar, indicating where in the upcoming school of seahorses the opening is.
There are five possible tones, with the lowest indicating that you should
swim deeper, and the highest indicating you should swim higher.  Note that
the top and bottom seahorses are always there.

Your dolphin swims forward automatically; Pushing the joystick up and down
will move her toward the surface and toward the ocean floor respectively.
Tilting the joystick left or right will turn her in that direction.

After passing through a school of seahorses, you will see an arrow type
mark coming toward you at the same spot you passed through the seahorses.
This is a current, and can help you or harm you depending on how it's used.
If you touch a current that's going in the opposite direction you are,
you'll move back a little, closer to the squid.  Likewise, if the squid
is pushed forward by a current, he'll gain on you.  This is indicated by
a low rumbling sound.

On the other hand, if you manage to get a current that pushes you forward,
or manage to guide the squid into a current that pushes him backward,
you'll hear a high pitched beep,

At various intervals, the squid will change color as well as the seahorses.
At this point, you'll see a seagull fly by overhead.  Quickly swim to the sur-
face and press upward to leap out of the water and touch the seagull to
become energized.  At this point, your dolphin will begin flashing, and you
can swim toward the squid to scare him away.  If you touch him while energized,
you will receive a bonus to your score, which is determined by how far into
the game you are.  You will hear a klaxon sound when you are about to lose your
power.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

3. SCORING INFORMATION

When you pass through the opening in a seahorse school, depending on your
accuracy, you will receive 10-50 points.  Colliding with a seahorse slows
you down and gets you no points, even if you pass through the opening, but
you will be able to keep going.

If you manage to get the squid pushed back by a bad current, or get pushed
forward by a good current, you receive a 100 point bonus.

The bonuses for touching a seagull and scaring off a squid are determined by
the color of the squid.  The bonuses peak at 800 points for the seagull, and
8000 points for the squid.

You start with five dolphins: One to start with and four in reserve.  Every
time you are touched by the squid, you will lose one dolphin.  For every
20,000 points accumulated, you will earn an extra dolphin.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

4. TIPS

-Learn how to give the squid the slip! If he's getting too close for comfort,
then wait for him to catch a good current, then swim right under him and head
the other way.  As long as the current is onscreen, he won't be able to to
turn around right away.

-Remember that colliding with a seahorse pushes you backward a little.  If
you're having some trouble, you can always jump over a school of seahorses,
but note you will only get 10 points for this.  It's best to do this if the
squid is getting too close for comfort.

-Remember that there are only five possible openings available, so there
are five different tones that are played.  Learn to recognize which one is
which, and, even if you're tone deaf, you should have it down in no time.

-And last, most importantly, but never least at all, HAVE FUN!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

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 "Dolphin Guide" as your subject line.)

You can reach me at: [email protected]
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

6. CREDITS

Even the best author can't write something alone, so here goes:

-My mother, for buying the Atari 2600 and passing her love for it onto me.
-Matthew Hubbard, for writing this simple yet fun video 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) whose bevy of information regarding this game
helped me so much.
-And, of course, the one person who I couldn't have done it without, YOU, for
reading my guide!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

©2005 Larcen Tyler

You are viewing proxied material from tilde.pink. The copyright of proxied material belongs to its original authors. Any comments or complaints in relation to proxied material should be directed to the original authors of the content concerned. Please see the disclaimer for more details.