The Compilation

Four great games by two of the greatest BBC/Electron programmers of all-time.

Thunderstruck 2 and Omega Orb are probably Peter Scott's best arcade adventures. Crammed full of puzzles, they'll give you hours of fun as you explore the enormous map.

Also in this first Fab Four collection are two remixed arcade classics from the maverisk Gary Partis. The originals were great, but Psycastria 2 and Sphere Of Destiny 2 are even more challenging!

Four full-price games... for the price of one!

Omega Orb

Blip, the bouncing droid, is on the planet Mynix which has been turned into a vast high tech mining complex run by droids. He must find twelve vital pieces of a special material to replace the energy core of his stricken ship. Other objects can also be found, many of which can be used to further the quest, but only one object can be carried at a time. Pick up an object by bouncing on it!

Mynix operates a strict capitalist system where almost everything is for sale - even lives can be bought and sold! The droids that run the complex will be out to get you - get them first with your laser and you'll earn five credits for each. Some droids emerge from generators - shoot the generators to stop them. Unfortunately, some generators are impregnable - get out quick!

Generators, and some floors and walls, are highly magnetised - touch them and your resources will rapidly drain away. Some floors and walls can be shot - this will be necessary if you are to progress in certain areas. To use a lift will cost you 75 credits; press SPACE to activate the lift, but get on first! Two of the lifts will work only if you first find certain special objects.

Blip can use the computer system in the complex. Activate it by bouncing on the floor of the computer cubicle or pod and pressing SPACE. The first number shown is the number of the terminal you are using; it costs 100 credits to access the computer. The computer uses a simple language:

CORE
tells you how many pieces of core you have collected

INFO
tells you what percentage of the game you have explored

HELP
well... try it a few times

BUY
buys an extra life for 1,000 credits

SELL
sells one of your lives for 900 credits

MAP
displays a grid map of the complex - solid blocks indicate screens that you have explored, or which don't exist

CODE
is used at terminals 0 to 3; it gives a code to open doors at terminals 16 to 19

INPUT
allows you to input a code at terminals 16 to 19

USE
uses the object you are carrying; correct use awards 250 credits and a score bonus

PORT
terminals 20 to 27, marked with a T, allow you to teleport to others (you must previously have enabled the teleport grid)

QUIT
closes down the computer network

Incorrect instructions are simply ignored.

Game Controls

Z - Left, X - Right, RETURN - Fire, SHIFT - Bounce higher and faster

Use S and Q to switch the sound on or off, COPY to pause the game, DELETE to unpause, and R to restart the game from the beginning.

Psycastria 2

You must destroy the ten circular energy pods to be found on each level, then land on the main landing strip, signified by leading arrows on the left hand side of the strip. The Psycastria in their bizarrely-shaped craft will do their best to stop you - and you must take care not to crash into the high buildings dotted throughout the installation.

In between levels there is a bonus game in which you must destroy aliens which fly across the screen.

Game Controls

Z - Left, X - Right, : - Up, ? - Down, RETURN - Fire

Alternatively, control your ship using a BBC-compatible joystick.

Pause the game by pressing cursor down, restart by pressing cursor up. Whilst paused, you can press S to toggle sound on or off.

Start the game by pressing 1-4 to select from 1 to 4 players (if you want to use a joystick press fire first).

You start with three lives, but gain an extra life for each 30,000 points.

Sphere Of Destiny 2

The inter-stellar highway is constructed from brightly coloured tiles. Unfortunately Bruce the jet-ball is very sensitive, and reacts to different colours in various ways.

Blue and Yellow are no problem, but Red slows you right down. Green speeds you up and Magenta makes you bounce, whilst Cyan reverses the controls (Aaagh!). White gives a bonus, but avoid the Black holes at all cost!

Beware - too much bouncing can be bad for your health! Can you take Bruce through 64 levels with just three lives?

Game Controls

Z - Left, X - Right, : - Speed Up, / - Slow Down, RETURN - Bounce

Thunderstruck 2

An intergalactic villain known as "The Mindmaster" has taken over the complex. Can you find the four vital parts of the Deacti-Unit which are hidden somewhere in its 130 rooms?

Some of the objects you find on your way will be useful - but you can only carry one at a time. Obviously, you must pick up an object before you can use it!

Computer consoles (ComCons) scattered around the complex allow you to communicate with various friendly droids and machines (Sanderoid, Tailoroid, Miseroid, Blankoid, Securoid, Bank Terminal, Laser Point and... The Alien!); if you give them an object they may give you another in exchange.

To use a ComCon you must stand over it (not to the side!) and press SPACE. ComCon commands are:

E
Examine: tells you what you are carrying

L
Location: tells you where you are

G
Give: gives the object you are carrying to any droid, machine, or alien on the screen

T
Take: takes an object from a droid, machine or alien

You begin the game with a full energy supply, but lose energy if you hit spikes, or anything animated. However, energy is added every time you solve a puzzle, and food pellets can be used to restore energy.

Game Controls

Z - Left, X - Right, : - Up, / - Down, RETURN - Jump
P - Pick up/drop object, U - Use object you are holding

S and Q turn the sound on or off, and CTRL-R restarts the game.

Loading

Psycastria 2 and Sphere Of Destiny 2 are loaded using the commands CHAIN"P" and CHAIN"S" respectively.

For Thunderstruck 2 or Omega Orb, use the command *RUN "T" or *RUN "O".

If you have a disk drive you must first type *TAPE (RETURN) followed by PAGE=&E00 (RETURN). Electron users should remove the Plus 1 and/or Plus 3 interface, or disable it in the usual way.