Atari FLASHBACK2 CX-2600 - Manual (Page 103)

YARS' RETURN (TM) (1 OR 2 PLAYERS)
The brand new groundbreaking sequel to the original Yar’s Revenge (TM )!
After enduring countless centuries of tyranny under the rule of the Qotile Empire, the Yarians plan an
assault deep within the hive of the Qotile Homeworld. Three brave Yarians are sent to venture deep within
the heavily guarded underground complex of the Qotiles. Their ultimate objective – the Master Qotile
chambers and to do battle head to head against the Master Qotiles. Once defeated, move your Yarian
quickly into the next complex and seek out another Master Qotile. The Yarians don’t know how many of
these ruthless rulers exist, but the fate of all the Yarians rests in them defeating the Qotile Empire once and
for all.
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.)
An inhibiting Ion Zone is on each side of the Qotile. The Yar scout cannot fire within the Ion zone or
on the inside of the Ion zone. It must attack the shield since it can’t fire unless it flies through the Ion Zone
and stays on the outside of it.
Once a path has been cleared through the shield, the Zorlon Cannon must be used to destroy the
Qotile. The Yar scout can only obtain a Zorlon cannon if it eats its way to the inner row of the shield
surrounding the Qotile or by touching the Qotile (when it is not a spiral and preparing to fire at the Yar
scout).
The Zorlon cannon follows at the outer edge of the screen with the Yar fly and can be fired when the
Yar is anywhere on the screen. The cannon will only fire in a straight down or straight horizontal motion, it
does not fire at angles.
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 rectangular path that surrounds the Qotile and his shield 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.
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