The Running Man Scenario The year is 2019 and the USA has become a totalitarian state. Personal freedoms no longer exist and only television distracts the people from their plight. One show is more popular than any other, The Running Man, a deadly cat - and - mouse carnival in which the contestants battle for the ultimate prize:survival. After refusing to fire on un-armed demonstrators Ben Richards is wrongly convicted and labeled "Butcher of Bakersfield", this is the start of a chain of events which lead to him becoming the 'star runner' on 'The Running Man'. No contestant has ever won. All have perished within the 'Game Zone' of a destroyed Los Angeles, hunted down by four lethal 'Stalkers'. In Tonight's show Ben Richards must survive, prove he is innocent and expose the currupt propaganda of the ICS network. Ben is launched into the game zone by Damon Killian, the host and inventor of 'The Running Man'. He promises Killian "I'll be back!" - no other contestant has ever come close. You are Ben Richards, you must run for your life. The Game The Running Man is a one player game inwhich you must manouever Ben Richards though 4 game zones and a TV studio. You must defeat all the stalkers and guards, fight off the attack dogs and fulfill your promise to Killian. The first zone is the 'Ice Rink" Zone 1 - Ice Rink Here you will encounter your first human obstacle, SUBZERO. This ex-ice hockey champion carries a razor -sharp hockey stick and launches exploding pucks. Zone 2 - Suburbs If you survive SUBZERO's attentions you will meet buzzsaw whose tri- teflon coated chainsaw can finish Ben's run right here. Zone 3 - City Lights The third game zone was once the gright lights of Los Angeles, it's now illuminated by the flash of lightening bolts from the human Christmas tree DYNAMO, You must use all your cunning to overcome this opponent. Zone 4 - The Complex Inside this labyrinth of pipes and ducts you must avoid the red hot flames of FIREBALL. His flame-thrower also functions as a jet pack enabling hime to fly. The Studio If your skill is such that no stalkers can stand in your way you will return to the TV studio. Here armed guards will attempt to halt your progress to Killian. If you succeed in reaching him the reward will be freedom an revenge. Basic Play The joystick is used to control Ben as follows: without the fire button pressed Center - Stands still Down - Moves into a crouch if standing Up/Left/Right - Jumps up if standing, stands up if crouching Left/Right - Turn/Move left or right. If the joystick is moved twice quickly in the same direction Ben will run in that direction (he will make a higher/longer jump whilst running) Down/Left/Right - Crawl With the fire button pressed Center - Kicks in the direction faced. Down - Moves into a crouch if standing. If crouching collects/drops weapon. Up - Jumps Left/Right - turns/punches if facing in that direction. If holding a weapon uses it. Weapons In the game zone you may find various objects which you may use as weapons. These include bricks, pipes, and guns. You can kill some stalkers without using weapons but this will require greater skill. Health If you are struck by a stalker of fall into a trap your health will suffer. Your health is displayed at the bottom of the screen together with that of any stalker you are fighting. Your health can be improved by two methods, medi-packs which are in various locations throughout the game and by completing the UP-LINK-CODE. If your health gets below a certain level you are deemed as unconscious and the game ends. The UP-LINK CODE Between each game zone you must try to attain the UP-LINK CODE. This involves a simple coordination game, in which you must match two sets of symbols. You are presented with two sets of 8 symbols, the left set is then mixed up. Two highlights will appear, these can be moved with the joystick, If the fire button is pressed the two symbols that are marked will swap position. Using the right hand symbols as a guide you must put all the symbols in the correct position. If this is achieved in the allocated time then your health is restored for the next game zone. Score The score is based on the money bet by viewers. If you fight well then the more money they can bet. Bonus betting occurs when you complete a zone and for killing a stalker. GETTING THROUGH THE GAME... LEVEL ONE.. Whenever you want to leap onto a platform, just run and jump. If you're having any problems with the dogs, just kick or punch them. The best way to dispose of a canine is to stand still with the fire button held down, and then pull left or right, depending on the direction of the dog when it comes within in kicking or punching range. Knocking out a pooch rewards you with a little extra energy - useful. To jump the crevasse you must run and jump. To achieve this simply run towards the steps, jump up and run backwards and forwards, (until you are confident) and jump between the first two black slants. Keep pushing the joystick up diagonally, even when jumping, and you'll immediately jump a second time when you land on the middle platform, and clear the obstacle. Once you're safely across, keep running and jump the dogs - hanging around to kick them could mean that you get hit by an exploding puck thrown by the first baddie, SUBZERO. Try and avoid SUBZERO and the dogs until you reach the camera at the end of the level. Here you'll notice SUBZERO has to turn around as it is the end of the screen. Walk a little away from the camera and wait for SUBZERO to appear again. When he comes straight for you, expect him to fire a puck so jump straight up into the air and he runs behind you. When he he turns around he won't have time to fire another puck so kick or punch him as he comes towards you, and if you're quick you can also kick him as he goes past you as well. Keep doing this until he dies. LEVEL TWO.. Run along and jump onto the boxes, avoiding any dogs when running. The dogs cannot climb onto the boxes, so you are safe here. The brick is not much use, so it's wise not to pick it up. Crawl through the rusty pipe and over the boxes. Run along and you encounter BUZZSAW. Be careful here, as there are loads of dogs marauding around. You CAN'T jump over BUZZSAW when he is aiming the saw at you but you CAN jump him at other times, although this is not wise. The best way to deal with him is to whop him with the lead pipe when he approaches you. As soon as you hit him (or miss him) get to crawling position and crawl past him, he cannot hurt you if you are crawling - but watch out for dogs, which can. When he's standing over you (whilst in crawling position) he will run in the opposite direction to you. At this point stand up and with a quick flick stand in his direction and as he runs toward you, hit him with the pipe and duck to the crawl position. Keep hitting and crawling until he is dead. LEVEL THREE.. Here you have to tackle DYNAMO, who's the hardest opponent of all. First you'll find a dog either charging at you or hot on your heels. Run to the blocks and jump up and over. There's a medi pack just past here, so pick it up. Run past the first light bulb and then start walking. DYNAMO appears near the second light bulb. As soon as he appears, he fires at you. You can duck to avoid these electrical bursts, but he can also fire at crawl and ducked height as well. The ONLY way to kill him is with the club - kicking him merely gives you an electric shock. To reach this club takes time - this is because every time DYNAMO sees you he fires an electrical bolt at you. To stop him doing this, and to reach the club, simply walk away from him when he first appears, just about 4-5 paces, turn round and run back at him. He should be in his car which you will be able to jump over. If he's still there don't worry - just walk a couple of extra paces away from him then run toward him and he should be in the car. Jump over the car whilst running towards the club and the car will go past you. It doesn't take long for the car to turn around and come straight back at you. At this point You'll have to judge for yourself at what point you turn around and jump over the car again. Run towards the left of the screen 4-5 paces as before to stop him getting out of the car and firing at you. After a few paces turn around and run again to the right of the screen, jumping over the car. You will have to keep doing this, backwards and forwards, jumping the car and any dogs which you find. When you reach the club, pick it up. DYNAMO appears again and fires at you. Duck the electric bolt and then as it flies above your head, stand up and walk one pace towards DYNAMO. He fires again, so duck and as the bolt is above your head stand up and walk towards him. You need to get fairly close to him - he fires in predictable bursts - and when you're within striking distance he walks past you and turns around and fires - use this opportunity to club him from behind. When you are at the right distance from him duck when he fires, stand up, hit him once then duck (not too soon as it will result in him firing at you in a crouch position). Timing is essential - when he fires again, stand up, hit him and prepare to duck. After a few blows he will vaporise in a flash of light. LEVEL FOUR.. Start running to the right and avoid the dogs. Don't use the brick - the shield is the object to go for. Keep going until FIREBALL appears. He instantly fires at you, so drop to the crawl position and keep going towards him. He can't hurt you when you are crawling - but you do have to watch out for the dogs. As you approach him he starts his jet-pack, so stand up and kick or punch to inflict damage. Keep running towards the shield, and when you see the flame, don't duck - just crawl. When you have reached the shield, pick it up and face him. Any of the flames aimed at you extinguish when they hit the shield (to operate the shield press the fire button and hold it left or right). As he gets closer to you he fires into the shield and it deflects back at him and depletes his energy. LEVEL FIVE.. This is fairly straightforward. Run to the right of the screen avoiding the dogs. After running through a building you face one of seven armed guards who race towards you and fire. To avoid the bullets, crawl - don't duck. They fire one bullet at a time so there's plenty of time between each bullet to kick or punch them - three or four well-aimed hits is enough to kill them off. Avoid the dogs and keep going. When you find a medi-pack, pick it up, and grab the gun as soon as you see it. To operate this use the punch movement. By using bullets and kicking the guards you will get to your destination -KILLIAN. Jump onto the blocks and you will see him. He doesn't fight back so just kick, punch or fire at him and he spins around and walks backwards and finally he falls into the contraption and is launched down the tube. You will see him bounce across the floor and into the poster. And that's the end............ typed in by DOUG.....