METAPLEX ======== Deep within the labyrinth that is Metaplex, lurks Garth, sworn enemy of earth. Your mission is to end his robotic tyranny by assassinating him. But first you must destroy the four power-points from which Garth draws power that renders him invincible, and these are hidden somewhere within Garth’s deadly maze .... SPECTRUM 48/128K LOADING INSTRUCTIONS Type LOAD "" and press RETURN. SPECTRUM CONTROL KEYS Use a Kempston or Sinclair joystick or: C - Left V - Right K - Up M - Down SPACE - To Fire or use the cursor keys 6, 7, 8, 9, 0 P - Pause S - Restart after pause Press keys 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 simultaneously to quit. SPECTRUM +3 LOADING INSTRUCTIONS Turn the computer on. Disk in drive. Press RETURN on loader icon. CBM 64/128 LOADING INSTRUCTIONS To Load: Tape Version - SHIFT and RUN/STOP. Disk Version - LOAD "META",8,1 CBM 64/128 KEY CONTROLS Use a joystick or the following keys. Z - Left X - Right K - Up M - Down SPACE BAR - To Fire RUN/STOP - To Pause Any key to restart after a pause. RUN/STOP and RESTORE to quit. AMSTRAD LOADING INSTRUCTIONS To Load: Disk Version - RUN "DISK" Tape Version - LOAD "" CONTROLS Use a joystick or: Z - Left X - Right K - Up M - Down SPACE BAR - To Fire OTHER CONTROLS Press COPY key to pause. Any key to restart after pause. Press DEL key to quit. BRIEF GAME DETAILS The game is set in a huge metal complex, (hence the name METAPLEX). The complex itself is inside an asteroid. The complex is controlled by the evil two-headed monster known as GARTH. GARTH uses the complex as a base from which to launch his attacks on planets and guess which planet he intends attacking next? Your task is to destroy GARTH, but this is not a simple task. GARTH is virtually indestructible in his present form - you can shoot him until the droids come home. If you visit his control room, you will see that he has four power inputs. This power is the key to his strength. You must find the four units which supply the power and destroy them, this will make GARTH sufficiently weak for you to shoot and kill him. Once you have shot GARTH you must escape from the asteroid. The escape hatch can be seen in room 1 and will only open when GARTH is killed. To Destroy a Power Unit You must drop a flask of acid on it. Around the complex you will find several empty flasks. (You pick them up by touching them, but you can only hold one at a time.) Having got an empty flask, you must then fill it with acid, from the dripping acid tank. (You fill the flask by standing underneath the drip.) You can now go and destroy one of the power units. This is done by flying over one of the units, the flask will drop, then break and destroy the unit. The game is much harder than might be suggested by the above brief description. The complex comprises of many interlinked corridors. The corridors contain doors. (There are four types of doors which are numbered 1 to 4). You can open the doors but in doing so you will activate other parts of the security system. Here is an example of how to use the many aspects of the security system. 1. Start the game and go to the room to the left. 2. On the floor of that room you will see one of the security control units. Touch this once and you will see that it alters the security status of the left hand column of the display in the centre of the control panel. 3. Providing you have only touched it once: The left column, starting from the top will show:- a) Laser refill system active. b) Door type one open. c) The doors to the four rooms with power units are open. The centre column will show: a) Side transporters active. b) Air to the right is flowing. Throughout the complex you will come across air tubes, you cannot travel against the direction of the flow of air. c) Electrical barriers are active. The right column will show: a) Air to the left is flowing. b) Your laser is active. c) Air to the right is flowing. 4. If you touch the sensor again then you will obviously alter the security status. There are many other security sensors throughout the complex. As you find your way around the complex you have to decide which doors you need open and which things you want active. Further Details of the Control Panel (This is a description of the Amstrad version, other versions may slightly differ in layout.) In the top right is your score. Below the score is the number of power units which you have destroyed. To the left of the score you will see the status of: a) YOUR LASER: If this reaches zero you will not be able to shoot anything, but it is possible to refill it. b) YOUR SHIELD LEVEL: If this reaches zero, your craft will become crippled, you must then go and find a spare one. Whilst your craft is crippled you cannot do things such as picking up flasks and filling them. c) ACID: This is the amount of acid remaining and is effectively a time limit on the game. d) THE SUPER LASER STATUS: If it is active in the centre of the security panel. This is very powerful and can shoot through the doors, but it is not possible to refill it so use it wisely. In the bottom left of the control panel are empty flasks which remain in the complex. These are not always in the same place. Below that is the number of spare crafts remaining in the complex. (Once you have shot GARTH then all remaining crafts will dissolve. So you will have just your current craft in which to escape from the complex.) HINT: Make sure your shield level is high before shooting GARTH and for a virtual guarantee of escaping, make sure that your SUPER SHIELD is active. Various messages will appear in the top left of the control panel. OTHER FEATURES • Most of the aliens can be shot. • The aliens become more aggressive as time goes on. They become highly aggressive once you have shot GARTH. • With careful use of the security system you can freeze the aliens, thus preventing them from attacking you. • There is one type of baddie which will cause you to drop your full flask of acid if you touch him. • Around the complex are bonus blocks which you can pick up for extra points. • At the start of the game you can choose a start level. The easy level means that there will be more empty spare flasks around. However, you can get a far higher score by playing the hard level. • Some aliens will instantlv cripple your craft. • The top and side walls are deadly to touch. © 1988 Copyright Prism Leisure Corporation pic. All rights reserved. Unauthorised copying, lending or resale by any means strictly prohibited. Addictive Games is a division of Prism Leisure Corporation plc. PRISM LEISURE CORPORATION PLC, Unit 1, Baird Road, Enfield, Middlesex EN1 1SJ.