Asteroids
E. Game Play
Atari’s Asteroids game has five possible modes
of operation: Attract, Ready-to-Play, Play, High
Score Initial, and Self-Test. Self-test is a special
mode for checking the game switches and com
puter functions. You may enter this mode at any
time. When entered, all game credits are cancelled.
1. Attract Mode
The attract mode begins when power is applied to
the game, after a play or high score initial mode, or
after self-test. This mode is continuous and is only
interrupted when a coin is inserted and accepted or
when in self-test. In this mode, the TV monitor
displays two possible pictures. Both pictures have
three score values across the top of the screen and
a message that states the number of coins for a
game. The middle score represents the high score
to date. The left score is for player 1. The right score
is for player 2.
One picture displays asteroids and an occasional
enemy spaceship “ floating” across the screen. The
second picture displays up to 10 of the highest
scores since the game was last powered up or since
the last self-test. These two displays alternate every
16 seconds.
2.
Ready-to-Play Mode
This mode begins when sufficient coins have
been accepted for a one- or two-player game. It ends
when the 1 PLAYER START or 2 PLAYER START
pushbutton is pressed. When this mode begins, the
message
PUSH START
flashes immediately below
the center score at the top of the screen. The
displayed pictures are otherwise the same as those
shown in the attract mode.
3. Play Mode
The play mode begins when either start push
button is pressed. The mode ends when the player's
last ship of the game is lost.
If the 1 PLAYER START pushbutton is pressed,
the following picture is displayed: the PLAYER 2’s
score disappears; the PLAYER 1’s score becomes
00, and the number of ships (3 or 4, depending on
the operator’s setting) for the game appears below
that score. The message
PLAYER 1
also appears
below the high score to date. Two seconds after
pressing the 1 PLAYER START button the
PLAYER 1
message disappears, and the game ship appears at
the center of the display. Four large asteroids ap
pear and drift in from the outer edges of the display.
If the 2 PLAYER START pushbutton is pressed,
the following picture is displayed: the PLAYER 1
and PLAYER 2 scores become 00, and the number
of ships for the game appears below each score.
The player 1 score also flashes as the message
PLAYER 1
appears below the high score to date.
Two seconds after the 2 PLAYER START pushbut
ton is pressed, the
PLAYER 1
message disappears.
The game ship for player 1 appears at the center of
the display as four large asteroids appear and drift in
from the outer edges of the display.
By pressing the LEFT ROTATE and RIGHT
ROTATE pushbuttons on the control panel, the
player may aim a spaceship toward any of the
asteroids. By pressing the FIRE pushbutton, the
player may shoot at the asteroids.
When shot, each large asteroid divides into two
medium-sized asteroids and the game adds twenty
points to the player’s score. Medium-sized
asteroids, when shot, divide into two small-sized
asteroids, and the player receives fifty points. Small
sized asteroids, when shot, will completely disap
pear, and the game awards 100 points to the player.
When players have shot all asteroids, a new set of
large asteroids again appear and drift in from the
outer edges of the TV monitor display. At the begin
ning of the game, four large asteroids appear. At the
beginning of the next cycle when large asteroids
reappear, there are six, the next time eight, and
thereafter ten— to increase player challenge.
At any time during game play, a flying saucer may
appear from either side of the display. The game
awards players 200 points for shooting a large
saucer and 1000 points for a small saucer. (The latter
is a smaller target for players, though not any faster
moving than the large one. It also shoots more ac
curately.)
The player’s objective in the game is to shoot and
destroy as many asteroids as possible before all his
or her spaceships are destroyed. A ship is destroyed
if an asteroid or saucer smashes into it, or if a flying
saucer shoots it. To prevent losing a ship, the player
may press the THRUST pushbutton to move out of
the path of an asteroid or saucer. As an emergency
maneuver, players can press the HYPERSPACE
pushbutton: the ship disappears and reappears at a
random location on the display— however, possibly
right on top of, or in the path of, an asteroid. The
ship may also explode on reentry.
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