MINOTAUR for Intellivision

 MINOTAUR

Cartridge Instructions

(For 1 Player)

The DREADED MINOTAUR and his monster companions built a complicated system of

MAZES and DUNGEONS in the island of Tarmin to hide and protect the Great

Treasure of dark ages. Along with other stolen riches, they took OBJECTS of

SPIRITUAL POWERS and LETHAL WEAPONS. Now the castle with its GHASTLY OCCUPANTS

and FIERCELY GUARDED TREASURES has lured you in...You begin your JOURNEY

wondering whether you'll ever make it to the end...

OBJECT OF THE GAME

ALONE in a deep web of endless rooms and corridors...you move on with a bow, a

quiver of arrows, a sack of flour, and an empty pack toward DEEPER

PATHWAYS...beyond which the TARMIN TREASURE can be found. Yet you know the

DEVOURING MINOTAUR awaits you...at the end of your quest. You proceed cautiously

through ILL-OMENED GATES and LADDERS and even HIDDEN DOORS. You bump into all

kinds of combat and spiritual objects, some of which give you STRANGE POWERS

when collected and then used. Your pack can only contain up to 6 objects, your

hand 2 -- but they can be swapped around and used in the best possible ways. So

it's up to you to OUTSMART the EVIL FORCES...and GRAB the LOOT!

YOUR CONTROLS

KEYPAD 1: Pick Up/Drop

KEYPAD 2: Swap Hands

KEYPAD 3: Rotate Pack

KEYPAD 4: Open

KEYPAD 5: Use

KEYPAD 6: Swap Pack

KEYPAD 7: Attack

KEYPAD 8: Rest

KEYPAD 9: Use Ladder

CLEAR: Glance Left

KEYPAD 0: Retreat/Retrace

ENTER: Glance Right

UPPER SIDE ACTION KEYS: Castle Map

LOWER LEFT SIDE ACTION KEY: Count Food

LOWER RIGHT SIDE ACTION KEY: Count Arrows

DISC: Move Forward/Turn Left/Turn Right

NOTE: DO NOT USE THE KEYPAD AND DISC OR SIDE BUTTONS AT THE SAME TIME.

THE SCREEN

The screen displays either the CASTLE MAP, showing a side view of the maze

beneath the castle, or the MAZE MAP, showing your point of view as you move

through the maze.

At the bottom of both screens is a collection of objects and information:

At the center bottom is the MAZE LEVEL NUMBER, showing the level you are on (1

to 256).

Above the Level Number is the OBJECT AT YOUR FEET (Maze Map only)

To the left of the Level Number is the OBJECT IN LEFT HAND.

To the right of the Level Number is the OBJECT IN RIGHT HAND.

To the left of the Object in Left Hand is the COMPASS, represented by a letter

(N, W, S, E) that shows the direction you are facing (North, West, South, East).

Around the Compass are the items currently in your PACK. There can be from none

to four items in the Pack.

To the right of the Object in Right Hand is the 3-WAY SCORE: three sets of

numbers separated by slashes. The top set is your WAR/SPIRITUAL STRENGTH SCORE.

The middle set is your ARMOR/RING DEFENSES SCORE. The bottom set is your WAR

WEAPON/SPIRITUAL WEAPON SCORE.

Above the 3-Way Score is your TREASURE SCORE (Castle Map only).

YOUR COMMANDS

* To LOOK at CASTLE MAP, press and hold either Upper Action Button. The FLASHING

WHITE DOT will tell you where you are -- level and location -- in the maze

system. Up to 12 levels can be seen on the map. The SMALL YELLOW CHEST in the

center of the lowest level indicates the location of the TARMIN

TREASURE...guarded by the MINOTAUR. This is the first of 256 levels where the

treasure can be found. Each level down is filled with nastier monsters and magic

items...and maybe the terrible Minotaur! You CANNOT look at the castle map while

fighting a monster!

* To MOVE FORWARD, TURN LEFT, or TURN RIGHT, press and hold DISC in

corresponding position.

* TO COUNT number of FOOD UNITS you have, press and hold Lower Left Action

Button. You'll hear a series of CLICKS. Each click corresponds to a food unit.

You can collect up to 99 units of food by picking up flour sacks of 6 to 9 units

each.

* To COUNT number of ARROWS you have, press and hold Lower Right Action Button.

You'll hear a series of CLICKS. Each click corresponds to an arrow. You can

collect up to 99 arrows by picking up quivers of 6 to 9 arrows each.

* To pick up or drop objects, press PICK UP/DROP (1). This relates to your RIGHT

HAND only. Your hand must be empty to pick up something, otherwise this command

will swap what is in your hand with what is at your feet.

* To swap objects from one hand to another, press SWAP HANDS (2).

* To rotate objects in your pack, press ROTATE PACK (3). Up to 6 objects will

rotate in a CLOCKWISE direction, one position at a time, occupying the following

clock positions: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 o'clock.

* To swap an object in your pack with an object in your right hand, press SWAP

PACK (6). You can only swap an object occupying the 3 o'clock position in your

pack.

* TO open an UNLOCKED CONTAINER at your feet, or a door or hidden door directly

in front of you, press OPEN (4). Certain walls may contain a HIDDEN DOOR. If

TRAPPED in a room, try this command when facing a wall.

* To use an object in your right hand, or possibly act upon an object at your

feet, press USE (5).

* To attack a monster directly in front of you with the object in your right

hand, press ATTACK (7). You cannot attack while the objects in your left and

right hands are flashing (this means it's NOT your turn). Monsters often attack

first. Wait for your turn.

* To REGAIN both your WAR STRENGTH and SPIRITUAL STRENGTH after a battle, press

REST (8). The amount of rest you'll get will depend on the number of food units

you have picked up. Each unit of food can give you up to 5 units of war strength

and 2 units of spiritual strength.

* To GO DOWN a LEVEL into a new maze using the ladder at your feet, press USE

LADDER (9). Once used, a ladder WON'T allow you to CLIMB UP a level again.

However, when you reach level 256, the deepest one, a ladder will place you back

up to level 1.

* To see what is to your left, press GLANCE LEFT (CLEAR).

* TO see what is to your right, press GLANCE RIGHT (ENTER).

* To go back where you were last or retrace your last step, press

RETREAT/RETRACE (0). Press once to retreat and the monster will take one LAST

SHOT at you. If you continue pressing this command, the monster will continue

hitting you until you let up on the Disc.

GET READY

Start by setting the skill level:

Press 3 for Easiest

Press 2 for Easy

Press 1 for Medium

Press DISC for Hard

START YOUR JOURNEY!

Once a skill level has been set, the game begins immediately with a brief

display of the overall CASTLE MAP.

The castle map comes and goes. You've been told where you are in the first maze

level, by the FLASHING WHITE DOT. You've seen the ladders diagonally connecting

the maze levels, and the TARMIN TREASURE (represented by a small YELLOW CHEST)

right in the middle of the bottom level!

Here are your INITIAL CONDITIONS, depending on your skill level chosen:

EASIEST

Minimum Maze Levels: 2

Possible Length of Game: 5 to 30 minutes

Your Vulnerability: 1/4

Your War/Spiritual Strength: 18/9

Your Food: 9

Your Arrows: 9

EASY

Minimum Maze Levels: 4

Possible Length of Game: 1/4 to 1 hour

Your Vulnerability: 1/2

Your War/Spiritual Strength: 16/8

Your Food: 8

Your Arrows: 8

MEDIUM

Minimum Maze Levels: 8

Possible Length of Game: 1/2 to 3 hours

Your Vulnerability: 3/4

Your War/Spiritual Strength: 14/7

Your Food: 7

Your Arrows: 7

HARD

Minimum Maze Levels: 12

Possible Length of Game: 1.5 to 5 hours

Your Vulnerability: FULL

Your War/Spiritual Strength: 12/6

Your Food: 6

Your Arrows: 6

Now you're on your own in the NW corner of the maze...heading EAST...inside an

outer corridor. You carry a BOW in your right hand, some ARROWS in the quiver, a

little FOOD in a sack, and an empty pack. Neither the quiver nor the sack are

seen. The pack occupies the area on the screen where the COMPASS is, and is

noticed only when stuffed with objects. Move in the direction you want to go, by

pressing edge of DISC.

Often, EYEBALL MURALS will appear to you. They are always in the outer

corridors, MARKING the ENTRANCE to the interior of a maze. They come in three

different colors. DARK GREEN indicates a war type maze, BLUE a spiritual type

maze, and TAN a mixed type maze.

KNOW THE MAZE

Check your direction with the COMPASS. Look for OBJECTS and DOORS. Objects can

be anything...such as weapons, containers, keys, useful items or treasures.

Doors are usually easy to spot. But...

If TRAPPED in a DUNGEON, a HALLWAY, or a SECTION of the MAZE which seems to

repeat itself endlessly, look for possible HIDDEN DOORS. Confront any suspicious

wall as you would confront a regular door and press OPEN (4). If a hidden door

exists, it will open. If not, turn around...step by step...and try other

walls...or other pathways. Beware of OTHER DOORS...endowed with weird powers...

A LADDER in your way will provide a quick exit, DOWN into a DEEPER LEVEL.

Approach the ladder and press USE LADDER (9). A suction sound will immediately

transfer you! You may want to check your new position on the castle map, if

you're still displayed on it.

Sometimes you will encounter GATES in hallways. Going through a gate moves you

over to an adjacent maze, but it may JUMBLE your WAR/SPIRITUAL strength SCORE.

And you CANNOT go back through it! (REST AFTERWARD to regain some points and

check your new score.) Gates come in 3 colors: GREEN (makes you more war-like),

BLUE (makes you more spiritual), and TAN (won't change you at all).

TREASURES DISAPPEAR when picked up, because you either carry them in your

pockets or wear them. THEIR VALUES are recorded only on the castle map, in

BLACK, directly above the 3-way scoring display.

QUIVERS and SACKS of FLOUR also DISAPPEAR when picked up. You'll be carrying

them on your back!

Other objects, like USEFUL ITEMS, may DISAPPEAR when picked up or used with your

right hand. Or they may make you disappear...making you INVISIBLE to all

monsters but the Minotaur (while also making the monsters invisible to you!)

Such objects have SPIRITUAL POWERS.

To use a spiritual object, and it must be in your right hand or at your feet,

press USE (5). Use immediately -- rather than keeping it around -- to build up

your spiritual power, increase your score, and stand better chances of SURVIVING

ATTACKING MONSTERS. Check spiritual points, if any, right of the slash of any of

the three displayed scores.

ATTACKING!

You must have a weapon or magical item for use in your RIGHT HAND to fight. If

you don't, swap a weapon from your left hand or pack. Or pick up a weapon that

you find. Try to be prepared with a shield in your left hand. If order of

objects in pack needs rotating, do so, and get your most effective weapon out!

Remember, many weapons and items will VANISH upon their use in battle. So keep

several weapons in your pack to ensure victory. Watch both YOUR SCORE and the

MONSTER'S SCORE before and after every round of attack. Work out a BATTLE

STRATEGY. Some monsters will knock you out with just one or two blows...if

you're not careful!

Avoid attacking if your score looks weaker than the monster's. Press

RETREAT/RETRACE and move away. Chances are you can PICK UP MORE WEAPONS in the

hallways and dungeons and ATTACK LATER!

You can only attack a monster STANDING DIRECTLY IN FRONT of you, although a

monster may attack you from a nearby position. Sometimes he might just run smack

in front of you from BEHIND a DOOR that behaves strangely because of an OMINOUS

SPELL. Watch out for those SURPRISE ATTACKS!

After the initial assault, you ALTERNATE ATTACKS. If you attack first , you

CANNOT attack again until the monster has thrown something at you. The exchange

will be brief if either you or the monster is much stronger. Or it may last

quite a while if there is a balance of forces.

The BATTLE ENDS when either you or the monster DIES...or when you RETREAT.

Monsters NEVER retreat. A dying monster will disappear in a cloud of smoke. His

score will vanish too. If you DIE, your score will end up with a 0 on either

side of the slash of your WAR/SPIRITUAL STRENGTH scoring display. However, cheer

up! If you are worthy, you'll be REINCARNATED! And that means, a new opportunity

for you to win!

SCORING

Your 3-WAY SCORING DISPLAY on BOTH MAPS plus your SPECIAL TREASURE VALUE SCORING

DISPLAY on the CASTLE MAP tell you how you're doing. Anything LEFT of a slash on

the 3-way scoring is a WAR-TYPE score, anything RIGHT of a slash is a SPIRITUAL

score.

At the BOTTOM is the score of the object (WAR WEAPON or SPIRITUAL WEAPON) you

have picked up for use in COMBAT...or BUILD YOUR STRENGTH in preparation for

such a combat. The score will remain on the screen as long as you hold the

object in your RIGHT HAND. In the MIDDLE is your ARMOR/RING body DEFENSES score.

At the TOP is your overall STRENGTH (WAR and SPIRITUAL) score. Keep it high!

A similar overall STRENGTH score is kept for the monster attacking you! His

comes in green or blue colors. GREEN for WAR-derived STRENGTH and BLUE for

SPIRITUAL-derived STRENGTH. This score will appear DURING a BATTLE only and on

the spot on the screen where normally the maze level indication appears. The

score that appears initially is the weakest of his two -- WAR or SPIRITUAL.

Thereafter, is the score that was last damaged by your weapon used.

Notice that your MAXIMUM STRENGTH score (top line) under normal conditions is

49/24. But using useful items such as war or spiritual books or certain potions

may change that! Notice also that your MAXIMUM WEAPON score (bottom line) is

99/0 (if WAR type) or 0/65 (if SPIRITUAL). Always check the SECRETS OF THE

UNIVERSE tables to plan your STRATEGIES...and SURVIVE! And ultimately WIN the

GAME!

[NOTE: In the original hand-written instructions by programmer Tom Loughry, Tom

suggests that the true gamer will have more fun by NOT reading the SECRETS OF

THE UNIVERSE section, instead learning the secrets for himself while playing.]

SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE

WAR WEAPON TYPES

BOWS: Use 1 arrow at a time; bows may break

KNIVES: Vanish when used in an attack

AXES: Vanish when used in an attack

DARTS: Vanish when used in an attack

SPEARS: Vanish when used in an attack

CROSSBOWS: Use 1 arrow at a time; crossbows may break

WAR WEAPON COLORS & POWERS

TAN (wood/leather): Regular Power

ORANGE (rusty iron): Greater Power

BLUE (steel): Fair Power

GRAY (silver): Medium Power

YELLOW (gold): High Power

WHITE (platinum): Super Power

ARMOR TYPES

SMALL SHIELDS: Hold in left hand during fight

LARGE SHIELDS: Hold in left hand during fight

GAUNTLETS: Use to put on; best color is kept

HAUBERKS: Use to put on; best color is kept

HELMETS: Use to put on; best color is kept

BREASTPLATES: Use to put on; best color is kept

* Wearing a piece of armor will protect you a little from war weapons thrown at

you by monsters.

ARMOR COLORS & POWERS: Same as WAR WEAPONS

SPIRITUAL WEAPON TYPES

SCROLLS: Reusable; may break

SMALL FIREBALLS: Vanish when used in attack

SMALL LIGHTNING BOLTS: Vanish when used in attack

LARGE FIREBALLS: Vanish when used in attack

LARGE LIGHTNING BOLTS: Vanish when used in attack

BOOKS: Reusable; may break

SPIRITUAL WEAPON COLORS & POWERS

BLUE: Regular Power

GRAY: Greater Power

WHITE: Fair Power

PINK: Medium Power

RED: High Power

PURPLE: Super Power

RING TYPES

SMALL RING: Use to put on; best color is kept

LARGE RING:  Use to put on; best color is kept

* Wearing a ring will protect you a little from spiritual weapons thrown at you

by monsters.

RING COLORS & POWER: Same as SPIRITUAL WEAPONS

CONTAINER TYPES

MONEY BELTS: Contents REGULAR/Open to grab contents

SMALL BAGS: Contents BETTER/Open to grab contents

BOXES: Contents FAIR/Locked; use key to open and grab contents

PACKS: Contents MEDIUM/Locked; use key to open and grab contents

LARGE BAGS: Contents GREAT/Open to grab contents

CHESTS: Contents SUPER/Locked; use key to open and grab contents

* Containers may contain bombs, which will hurt you when they blow up. There are

3 types of bombs. Nastier bombs will be found in better containers. There is no

way of avoiding their blast.

* When opened or unlocked, containers reveal a treasure or a useful item. The

value of the treasure or item found depends on the type and quality of the

container. Better treasures are found in better containers.

* Use of a small potion increases the potential of all containers significantly

while in effect. Attacking a monster with a container will make him take the

container and forget about the fight.

CONTAINER COLORS & POWERS

TAN: Mild Quality

ORANGE: Good Quality

BLUE: Best Quality

TREASURE TYPES

COINS: 10 (silver), 30 (gold), 170 (platinum)

NECKLACES: 20 (silver), 70 (gold), 200 (platinum)

INGOTS: 50 (silver), 350 (gold), 450 (platinum)

LAMPS: 100 (silver), 150 (gold), 220 (platinum)

CHALICES: 120 (silver), 250 (gold), 400 (platinum)

CROWNS: 300 (silver), 500 (gold), 600 (platinum)

* Picking up treasures with your right hand automatically scores them for you.

Read their special score in black on your overall castle map only. Watch each

treasure being picked up disappear, since you'll be carrying it in your pocket

or wearing it.

USEFUL ITEMS TYPES

KEYS

TAN: Unlock tan containers

ORANGE: Unlock tan or orange containers

BLUE: Unlock any container

WAR BOOKS (VANISH ON USE)

BLUE: Increase your experience with war weapons; turn your war strength score

blue when in use; raise maximum score to 99

PINK: Increase your experience with war weapons; turn your war strength score

tan when in use; raise maximum score to 149

PURPLE: Increase your experience with war weapons; turn your war strength score

white when in use; raise maximum score to 199

SPIRITUAL BOOKS (VANISH ON USE)

BLUE: Increase your experience with spiritual weapons; turn your war strength

score blue when in use; raise maximum score to 49

PINK: Increase your experience with spiritual weapons; turn your war strength

score tan when in use; raise maximum score to 74

PURPLE: Increase your experience with spiritual weapons; turn your war strength

score white when in use; raise maximum score to 99

SMALL POTIONS (VANISH ON USE)

BLUE: Refresh war & spiritual strength to maximum; help in fights, but lose 1

turn during fights

PINK: Help find better things in containers; magic ends with a little "whoosh"

noise

PURPLE: Make you invisible to all demons except the Minotaur (while making them

invisible to you); magic ends with a little "whoosh" noise

LARGE POTIONS (VANISH ON USE)

BLUE: Raise war strength score by 10; help in fights, but lose 1 turn during

fights

PINK: Raise spiritual power score by 10; help you, but lose 1 turn

PURPLE: Switch war & spiritual strength traits; help in fights, but lose 1 turn

during fights

SPECIAL BOOKS (NEVER VANISH)

BLUE: Teleport books move you forward in maze rooms in spite of walls, but not

into monsters

PINK: Vision books allow you to see through walls for a time

PURPLE: Midas books turn treasures & war weapons platinum at your feet

* Useful items are found only in containers.

BAD MONSTERS

GIANT ANTS: Blue, Pink, Purple

DWARFS: Yellow, Tan, Orange

GIANT SCORPIONS: Blue, Pink, Purple

DWARFS WITH SHIELDS: Yellow, Tan, Orange

GIANT SNAKES: Blue, Pink, Purple

ALLIGATORS: Blue, Pink, Purple

DRAGONS: Blue, Pink, Purple

* Bad monsters use spiritual weapons only.

* Bad monsters are listed in order of increasing badness

NASTY MONSTERS

SKELETONS WITH SHIELDS: White, Gray, Orange

SKELETONS WITHOUT SHIELDS: White, Gray, Orange

CLOAKED SKELETONS WITH SHIELDS: White, Gray, Orange

CLOAKED SKELETONS WITHOUT SHIELDS: White, Gray, Orange

GIANTS WITH SHIELDS: Yellow, Tan, Orange

GIANTS WITHOUT SHIELDS: Yellow, Tan, Orange

* Nasty monsters use war weapons only.

* Nasty monsters are listed in order of increasing nastiness.

HORRIBLE MONSTERS

GHOULS (SHORT HOODED & ROBED)

WITH SHIELDS: White, Gray, Orange

WITHOUT SHIELDS: White, Gray, Orange

WRAITHS (TALL, HOODED & ROBED)

WITH SHIELDS: White, Gray, Orange

WITHOUT SHIELDS: White, Gray, Orange

MINOTAUR: Purple (Guards the Tarmin treasure)

* Horrible monsters use either spiritual or war weapons.

* In harder two skill levels, horrible monsters will shatter your weakest of two

scores -- war strength or spiritual strength.

* All together there are 52 types of monsters; you'll find more of the nasty and

horrible ones in the deepest levels...down to level 256...if you care to find

them!

* To win the game you must slay the Minotaur and grab the Tarmin treasure!

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(c)1983, 1998 Intellivision Productions Inc.