NOTE: Always turn the console POWER switch OFF when inserting or removing
an ATARI Game Program cartridge. This will protect the electronic
components and prolong the life of your ATARI 2600 Video Computer
System game.

(c)1982 ATARI, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. EARTHWORLD
2. GAME PLAY
3. USING THE CONTROLLER
4. CONSOLE CONTROLS
5. HELPFUL HINTS
 

1. EARTHWORLD(TM)

WARNING: All you who enter EarthWorld will encounter danger, trials, tests, and obstacles. All will have an equal chance to decipher the hidden message.

Welcome to EarthWorld. This is the first in a series of four world that you must pass through on your quest for the Sword of Ultimate Sorcery.

As you explore EarthWorld, you will traverse 12 rooms, each named after a sign of the zodiac. You will encounter danger such as the horns of a charging Taurus bull, and you will be called upon to demonstrate your skill and ingenuity.

A variety of magical objects will assist you in the challenging journey ahead. These are strewn about the various zodiac chambers. Carrying certain objects along with you helps with game play. For example, the lamp allows you to see the charging horns in the dark bull pit of Taurus. By leaving the right combination of objects in the right zodiac chamber, you'll discover illuminating clues. These clues may:

1. Refer back to the enclosed comic book and hint at the solution to the EarthWorld puzzle.

2. Refer to the next world in the SWORDQUEST series, FireWorld.

3. Help you solve the final puzzle of all four SWORDQUEST cartridges combined.

Be off with you! EarthWorld awaits your careful exploration.
 

2. GAME PLAY

As an explorer and clue seeker in the subterranean landscape represented in this game cartridge, your objective is to find the hidden clues and solve the puzzle.

In EarthWorld are 12 special rooms, each bearing a sign of the zodiac on its wall. Figure 1 shows a zodiac chamber and Figure 2 shows the symbols for all of the zodiac rooms. Traverse the 12 rooms and select magic objects. You can take 6 objects at a time. Then, as you leave the right objects in the appropriate rooms, you'll receive clues that will help you solve the puzzle.

Figure 2 - Zodiac Room Symbols
Aries: dark yellow
Pisces: light blue
Aquarius: purple
Capricorn: light green,
Sagittarius:light yellow
Scorpio: red
Libra: tan,
Virgo: dark pink
Leo: dark green
Cancer: orange
Gemini: dark blue
Taurus: light pink

As you will recall from reading the EarthWorld comic book, Torr and Tarra must use the magical objects to get at the hidden sword. These objects will help you as well. Think about what each article could be useful for. You may even want to experiment with carrying different combinations from room to room before you embark on serious game play. Figure 3 shows what each object looks like.

Figure 3- Inventory of Magical Objects
Key, Rope, Amulet, Lamp, Cloak of Invisibility, Shoes of Stealth, Dagger, Leather Armor, Water, Food, Talisman of Passage, Ring, Necklace, Warrior's Sword*, Short Sword, Grappling Hook

* An object you seek in EarthWorld, but not the Sword of Ultimate Sorcery.

By leaving the right object(s) in the righht room(s), you will receive clue display (see Figure 4). In the center of the clue display is your clue. Pay close attention to each clue as it is your key to solving the puzzle.

Frequently, a clue refers back to the comic book. For example, the numerals 16 and 5 in Figure 4 could mean: Look on page 16, panel 5 to find a clue that will help you solve the puzzle. By trial and error you can learn how to interpret EarthWorld's clues. EarthWorld contains 11 clues, some are valid to the puzzle, some are not. One clue will help you in the next SWORDQUEST game cartridge, FireWorld.

Scattered about EarthWorld are skill and action sequences. In these you must cross some barrier to reach a room where you can leave or retrieve objects. You must leap from raft to raft to cross the Aquarian rapids (Figure 5), dodge the spears of Sagittarius and the horns of Taurus (FigureS 6 AND 7), and run throught a roaring waterfall in the jungle of Leo (Figure 8).

Your reward for successfully meeting a skill and action test is often an object that will work great enchantment for you in the future game play. To get out of a skill and action room, press the red button on your controller (see Section 3).

FINAL SEQUENCE

When you have performed all the trials and tasks and have done the right things with all 15 objects, you will magically be transported back to the SwordQuest screen (see Figure 9). At the bottom of the screen in place of the copyright notice, is your final clue. Read the clue, then push the button on your controller. Poof! Now you're in the chamber where the Warrior's Sword awaits you. Pick it up, it is yours. You are armed and ready to embark upon the next quest, FireWorld.
 

3. USING THE CONTROLLER

Use your Joystick Controller with this ATARI Game Program cartridge. Be sure to plus the controller cable firmly into the left jack at the back of your ATARI Video Computer System game. Hold the Joystick with the red button to your upper left, toward the television screen. (See Section 3 of your Owner's Manual for further details.)

TO START GAME

Press the controller button to commence game play. You will be instantly transported from the first display (Figure 9) into a doorway (Figure 10). Press the button again and you'll be in a zodiac chamber.

CONTROLLER ACTION

Use the Joystick to move your explorer through the maze of rooms. The explorer moves up, down, right, left, and diagonally in the same direction you move the Joystick.

To pick up treasure, position your cursor over an object and press the red button on your controller. The object will appear on the bottom of the screen and will move with you through the maze until you deliberately leave it somewhere. Once you have 6 items in your inventory, you must drop one to pick up an additional item. To leave an object in a room, go to the bottom of the screen, position your cursor over the object, and press the red button. The object will stay in the room until you retrieve it.

NOTE: You must be in a room that has the sign of the zodiac on its wall in order to leave or retrieve a magical object.

To move out of the zodiac rooms, position your cursor on the door (see Figure 1) located next to the zodiac sign and press the red button on your controller. You will then be in the doorway of the zodiac room (see Figure 10); note that it is the same color as the zodiac chamber.

To move out of the doorway and into another zodiac room, walk through any of the four exits. You will be sent down a corridor into another doorway. Press the red button on your controller and you'll be in a zodiac room or a skill and action test which you must pass in order to get to a zodiac room.

NOTE: You will need to carry a magic object to move out of the right and left exits of the doorways.

You can leave and re-enter EarthWorld without turning the game off. After about 20 minutes, the first display will come back (Figure 9). When you're ready to return to your last position, simply press the red button on your controller.
 

4. CONSOLE CONTROLS

GAME RESET SWITCH
Press the GAME RESET switch during game play to return to the first display (Figure 9) and start the game over.

GAME SELECT SWITCH
Since EarthWorld consists of one, continuing, adventure-type game, the GAME SELECT switch is not used.

DIFFICULTY SWITCHES
DIFFICULTY switches are not used in this game.

TY TYPE SWITCH
Set this switch to COLOR if your television set is color. Set it to B/W to play the game on a black and white TV.
 

5. HELPFUL HINTS

1. Play the game with paper and pen. Write down every clue and keep a log of every movement and its result for your future reference.

2. Remember that carrying certain objects along helps with game play.

3. If you become frustrated trying to do a skill and action sequence, push the red button on your controller and go to another room.

4. Some skill and action sequences may become easier if you wait a while in the room itself before trying to do the task.

5. Just because you use an object to obtain one clue doesn't mean that same object won't help you in future clues or tasks.
 

C019741-56 REV. 1  CX2656  (c)1982 ATARI, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED  Printed in U.S.A.