Prologue

"So, Mr. Pond! Your feeble attempts to thwart my plans for subterranean domination have failed miserably! Now I have no alternative but to eliminate you from the game."

Pond raised an eyebrow. The whirr from the doctor's wheelchair echoed across the room and, for the first time, Pond could see his deadly adversary. Doctor Maybe stroked the fat, long-haired cat as it languished in his lap - the spoilt moggy eyed James hungrily and licked his lips - Pond had the feeling that fish was on the menu tonight. The doctor continued: "But before you meet your doom, my fishy friend, allow me to describe my fiendish plans."

By now, both Pond's eyebrows were elevated.

"I will hold the world leaders to ransom with toxic waste pipes which are strategically placed around the globe and ready to pump poison into the sea - everything that lives beneath the waves will perish. Not even the super powers will dare stand in my way, leaving me free to plunder the riches of the oceans."

James had no option but to listen to this warped quack.

"Meanwhile," the Doctor continued, "my scientists will explore the subterranean world, learn its secrets and this dark silent world will be mine... ALL MINE!"

Years of dealing with crazed despots led James to believe that this physician was completely off his trolley.

"Now double Bubble seven..." The crazy doc paused for optimum dramatic effect. "It's time for you to meet your maker."

"Not so fast, dear doctor, I'm not quite ready to meet Captain Birdseye quite yet. I have one last trick up my sleeve!"

Pond pressed his cuff-link. At once, a fine cord shot from his sleeve and lassoed a pipe above. Pond launched himself swinging across the doc's yacht like a prize cod.

"Guards! Pond is escaping," the Doctor hissed. But Pond had plopped into the water, bullets whizzing inches away from his fishy body.

Pond had survived. Once again he was free to face danger in the watery depths. Once again he would prove that when all looks lost and the end seems night, there would remain one fish with the guts to save the day... James Pond - licensed to thrill and make whoopy!

The Missions

James Pond has to complete twelve totally separate, totally different missions. At the start of each mission, a message will scroll on screen telling you what you have to do. Press fire when you are ready to start.

Mission 1: Licence To Bubble

There are six lobsters trapped in cages and six keys to free them with. Find a key to free each lobster before an evil diver and his partner in a rowing boat come to abduct the defenceless lobsters. At least four lobsters must be saved to complete the mission. Extra lobsters saved give you bonus points!

Mission 2: From Sellafield With Love

A millpond is being polluted by radioactive waste cannisters which have been dumped in it. Trapped in the pond are seven innocent little pink fishes who are gradually becoming mutated into nasty little fanged psycho-fish! Find each find and lead him to the level's entrance pipe so that he can escape. When a fish is touched, he will follow Pond closely, however these fish aren't as intelligent as our hero and he must wait for them before he can change sections otherwise they will become lost! At least five fish must be saved!

Mission 3: A View To A Spill

An oil platform is allowing oil to leak into the sea. Pond must blow up the platform by finding sticks of dynamite and dropping them at either of the platform's large, vertical legs. The dynamite will explode ninety-nine seconds after the first stick is placed. Make sure you escape before the blast. There are seven sticks of dynamite. At least six of them must be used to effectively destroy the platform.

Mission 4: The Fish With The Golden Bar

The wreck of a lost ship has been found! When the ship sank, it had eight solid gold bars on board. Pond must find all of these and take them to an awaiting rowing boat. Be careful, the shipwreck is lodged in a deep, dark underwater cavern!

Mission 5: For Your Fins Only!

Toxic waste cannisters are lying along the Mediterranean coast. There are nine cannisters, each of which must be found, and then taken to a nearby beach and dropped in the path of one of the local lager louts. He will walk into this and be knocked unconscious!

Mission 6: Fishfingers

Smugglers have hidden packages of stolen contraband along the English south coast. Each bag of swag must be found and dropped in front of a hooligan who will destroy it. Beware, the smugglers will try and stop you and they have guard-dogs. There are ten packages, of which at least eight must be destroyed.

Mission 7: They Only Live Once

In the frozen antic, seals are threatened by vicious eskimo dwarves. There are eight seals, each one guarded by an eskimo. You must evade the eskimo and lead each seal to the safety of the entrance pipe (he will follow you closely!). A minimum of six seals must be rescued.

Mission 8: Leak And Let Die

Leaking oil tankers are being used to transport oil. Pond must find a piece of sponge to plug each leak before the water becomes polluted. For each leak that is pouring oil into the sea, time is lost at a regular rate. You must patch up all the leaks in two tankers before the time reaches zero and the water is totally polluted.

Mission 9: Orchids Are Forever

A tropical rainforest is threatened by construction workers. The only way that Pond can save the trees (of which there are nine) is to find special magic orchids which are growing under the water. You must plant one at the base of each of the trees. Each tree requires one orchid. If a tree has already been protected, Pond will not be allowed to plant another flower near it. No less than seven trees must be protected.

Mission 10: Moneyraker

The lost city of Atlantis has been found, and priceless vases have been discovered lying amid the seabed ruins. You must locate the vases and take each one to the waiting rowing boats. Be careful not to drop the vases as they are very fragile! Make sure you get at least seven vases.

Mission 11: The Mermaid Who Loved Me

Nine mermaids are in danger from scientists who want to catch them. Unfortunately, they are sickened by pollution in the water and unable to move. Only Pond can save them! You must find each mermaid a magic comb which will give her the strength to follow you to the sanctuary of the entrance pipe. Until you have found her a comb, a mermaid will not have the strength to follow Pond.

Mission 12: Dr. Maybe

The scientists are after Pond himself! You must help him escape, but before he can do so, he must find ten pears (the favourite food of small orange fish such as Pond) to feed him and his family in their escape to freedom. Once you have found a pear, it must be deposited on the entrance pipe. All ten pears must be found!

James will appear out of his home pipe with a confident smile on his face. Little does he know what is in store for him. Use your joystick to move James about - pressing fire will make him blow bubbles. You must use the bubbles to bubble up your enemies. Burst the buggles before the enemies can escape or they will get very nasty. Bonuses appear for burst enemies. Do not touch enemies or your fishometer energy will go down. If you run out of energy, you will lose a life. You can also pick up an object by holding fire and pushing down when standing on top of that object.

The Control Panel

The control panel shows from left to right: time remaining (this counts down at different speeds for each mission); number of things left to save/collect (in yellow) and number of things saved/collected (in orange); your score; your fishometer (if this runs out you lose a life) and the number of lives left (Pond will hold up his fingers to show you how many lives you have left - he gets angrier as your lives get lower).

Getting Home

Pull down on the joystick and James will go back down into his home pipe. James can go back home during any mission via the home pipe. When you come out of the pipe at the other side you will see your house (complete with satellite fish dish). The house is used to store objects found on missions. James can come back to the house at any time and retrieve an item to help him on any particular mission. When you approach the door, it will open - if you go through the door a message will appear to tell you that you have not collected any objects yet. Once you have collected objects, you will be able to scroll up and down through them and select one. Remember that you can only carry one object at a time. You will have to discover what the objects do. The objects to find are a top hat, a goldfish bowl, a pair of sunglasses, a ray gun and dynamite.

Above Water

James Pond can jump out of the water but when he does this, his fishometer will start to drop. The fishometer will return back to its previous level when you go back in the water.

Bonus Objects

Lying around the seabed you will find many bonus objects to pick up. Some can be used, some give you bonus points and others have to be taken somewhere else (these are vital to some missions - a score will appear when they have been dropped in the right place). Objects that bounce usually do things. These objects are:

Bombs. These are bad and will start blowing up as soon as you pick them up. If you pick one of these up by accident, it's best to start moving right away.

Fairy Wand. These make you invincible for a few seconds. A magic fairy will dance around you while you are protected.

Skull Potion. These are bad. All enemies on the screen will turn extra-nasty.

Poison Bottle. These kill all baddies on screen.

Whisky Bottle (JD). These are bad and turn you drunk for a while.

Bubble Gum. This will bubble all of the enemies on the screen.

Clocks. These give you extra time.

Glue Pots. These stick you to the seabed for a few seconds but you can still bubble enemies.

Heart. This gives you an extra life.

Note that some objects are invisible. You will have to look extra hard to find these.

Starfish

Starfish can be found bouncing around the seabed making them very hard to catch. What they do to you is determined by their colour. This is what they do:

1. Red starfish - these give you super speed. You can collect up to seven of them for hyper-speed! Super speed will last until you lose a life.
2. Yellow starfish - these give you maximum energy.
3. Green starfish - these give you bubble power. Some bubbles will float off and bubble up any enemies that they touch. Bubble power will last until you lose a life.
4. Dark starfish - these stick to you and drag you around with them for a few seconds.

What Do Points Make? Prizes!

As a prize, for every 100,000 points you get an extra life.

Secret Caverns

These are all over the seabed. You will have to find them by looking carefully. Some will be good and some will be bad, but all the time you are in them, your fishometer level will drop - so hurry up!

On His Majesty's Secret Service

There are many other secret things to discover in James Pond: Underwater Agent. So many that we don't think you will ever find them all. But we hope you enjoy trying.

Look out for more missions for James Pond in the near future.

Loading

Insert the boot disc into the drive and switch the computer on.

Do not remove the disk from the drive whilst the game is playing.