Presents the full Documentation to Super Loopz * AGA * Typed up by iGGY on 01/02/96 SUPER LOOPZ (c) 1995 Audiogenic Software Limited INTRODUCTION Super Loopz is a highly addictive puzzle game for one or two players with many different options. However the basic principle is very simple: you place pieces on the playfield (one by one) to create continuous loops - or loopz. There is a limited time for you to place each piece - on higher difficulty levels there is less time. If you fail to place a piece within the time allowed then you lose a life. GETTING STARTED To load the game place the disk in the drive and reset the machine. You can play the game using a standard joystick, a joystick with two independant fire buttons (such as a Megadrive controller), a CD32 controller, or a mouse. Select the control method you want to use in the options menu. Note: you cannot use a mouse in the options menu; use the arrow keys instead. Also you won`t be able to enter your name in the high score table - sorry ( I just thought I would put a little note in here: Audiogenic seem to just make money by rehashing old games.. remeber impact 95 claiming to have extra levels when it was 100% identicle to the original - this version just has the graphix updated to AGA but the code remains exactly the same and so there is a high score table which does not work... L A M E!) GAME OPTIONS When you press the fire button an option screen appears. The word ARCADE, STANDARD, CHALLENGE (two player only) and PUZZLE (one player only). The ARCADE and STANDARD games can be played by one or two players. If you choose to play either of these games select either a one player or a two player game. The STANDARD and CHALLENGE games allow you to choose the difficulty level. If two are playing, then each player can select his or her difficulty level independently. Highlight the DIFFICULTY option, then adjust the timer bar -the shorter the bar the less time you`ll have to place each piece. The ARCADE and PUZZLE games are divided into levels. Each level in the PUZZLE game has passwords which are displayed when you complete each level. In ARCADE game a password is given every three levels. To enter a password highlight the PASSWORD option, then use Up and Down to step through the alphabet. Press right to move to the next letter, or left to move to the previous letter. Press fire when you have entered your password, or if you have selected this option by mistake. Use the joystick or other controller to change the options as necesary, then press fire to start the game. HOW TO PLAY Let`s suppose you have chosen to play the STANDARD game which is the simplest, and also the easiest to play. The game is played on a playfield divided into squares, rather like a checker board. At the beginning of the game the playfield is empty - but when the `player one - Get Ready` message dissapears your first piece will appear. Pieces come in different shapes and sizes. Using a two button controller, or a mouse, one button allows you to rotate a piece, and the other allows you to place it in position. Using a 1 button joystick, hold down the fire button and press Right to rotate, or Left to place the piece. If the piece that appears won`t fit in the loop you`re making, you can start a new loop. In fact you can start a new loop at any time, so long as there is free space on the playfield. Once you have put a piece down it is held in place - so make sure it is in the right place BEFORE you put it down! But don`t spend too much time thinking about it, otherwsie you`ll run out of time and lose a life. Note: you cannot put a piece down on top of another piece, and it must be fully within the playfield, not hanging over the edge. Also, you are not allowed to place a piece so that it is at the edge of the playfield and pointing off the edge (because you could never complete the loop). If you fail to place a piece before the timer runs out, even if there is no space large enough on the playfield, then you will lose a life. At the start of the GAME (one or two players) The arcade game has 21 standard levels, and 21 challenge levels, divided into sets of three. The challenge levels are similar to the standard levels, but with a new set of pieces (you`ll be surprised how much you need to change your style of play). After every three levels a password is displayed - don`t forget to write it down! To progress from one level to next you must complete ten loopz (in a two player game the loopz completed by both players are counted). At the end of each level the playfield is cleared of incomplete loopz, and you start the next level with a blank playfield - except that some of your playfields have blocks that get in your way. You will have to change your strategy slightly for each different level. As you progress through the levels the time allowed to place each piece gradually reduces. There are three bonus games to play if you are clever enough. To enter Bonus Game 1 you must totally clear the playing area. The bonus score you can acheive by playing this bonus game depends on the bonus multiplier - it ranges from x1 to x10. For example, if the multiplier is x4 any points you score in the bonus game are multiplied by 4! The Bonus Multiplier increases as the playfield fills up - after all, its going to be more difficult to clear the screen. Bonus Game 2 is only played in a One player game. To reach this bonus game for the first time you must make a loop with at least 14 corners; the second time there must be at least 15 corners in the loop, and so on. To play Bonus Game 3 the first time there must be more than 50 tiles left on the screen when you complete the loop which takes you to the next level. To reach it a second time you need 8 more tiles, that is 58, and so on. If you successfully complete Bonus Game 3 you will earn an extra life. If you choose a two player game then it really gets exciting, because you`re both playing on the same playing area - so theres nothing to stop your opponent finishing off a loop that you started (of course you can do the same to him or her!0. Player 1`s piece is highlighted in green, Player 2`s piece in red, but once you place a piece it looks just the same as the rest. Each player has a seperate timer. If one player loses all of his or hers lives, the other player can continue alone. STANDARD (one or two players) You can choose the difficulty level before the game starts, and this remains the same throughout the game. In a two playe game each player can choose a different level. There are no bonus games in a two player game, but in a one player game you can reach Bonus Game 1 by clearing the screen. However, once you`ve cleared the screen you must complete ten loopz before you`ll be allowed to enter the bonus game again. CHALLENGE (two players only) This is a head to head confrontation betwen one of the world`s Super Loopz players (you, of course), and your opponent. There are two seperate playfields, one for each player, and the object of the game is quite simple - make loopz and score more points than your opponent! The game is played over 3 rounds, and you have 3 lives in each round. Whoever wins the most rounds is the Champion! PUZZLE (one player only) This game is a really tough challenge. You`ll be shown a complete loop, then before your eyes pieces will be removed one by one. Did you watch carefully? Lets hope so, because now you`ve got to replce the pieces and recreate the loop! You have just 3 lives in this game. HOW TO PLAY THE BONUS GAMES In each of the bonus games you have just 1 life. Game 1 - at first it appears like a normal game of Super Loopz - but it isn`t, because when you complete a loop, instead of disappearing it just stays there! Your job is to score as many points as possible by making loopz before you run out of space, or lose your life. Game 2 - is a level selected at random from a puzzle game. Complete the puzzle to score a bonus of 5000 points. Game 3 - is even more tricky. place the pieces to create loopz that cover the fruit scattered on the playing area. GOPHERS `Gophers` are special pieces that allow you to remove partly completed loopz. Place the gopher on any part of the loop you wish to remove. Note: If you`re clever you may be able to place the gopher over several incomplete loopz. Gophers appear usually when the playfield is very congested - in other words, just when you need them. There`s no penalty if you decide not to use your gopher. HINTS AND TIPS Remember that long loopz score many more points than short loopz; it is easier to make long loopz at the start of a new level when the playfield is clear. If you make mistakes when playing the ARCADE game, so that you have partly completed loopz which are impossible to join up, try to make short loopz so that you get to the next level quickly, when the playfield will be cleared. Do not be too ambitious on the levels with obstructions. Always try to leave room for unexpected large pieces. Unless you manage to slow down the timer (by completing Bonus Game 2), you`ll find it extremely difficult to proceed beyond level 21 of the ARCADE game.