Introduction

It's an evening in the late 1990s. Everything is running smoothly at the government's top-secret, experimental power station - the brainchild of Professor Albert Arnstein. The plant is silent except for the low, steady hum of the world's first nuclear fusion reactor. The operation of the reactor is controlled by a sophisticated network of computers. Your job is to monitor these computers.

The core of the reactor is surrounded by particle-emission tubes. These tubes release energy particles, which produce power when they strike the energy posts in the centre of the core. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the production of energy at this reactor is the computer-driven reflectoid which directs the particles to the energy posts.

Note: Reflectoid (ri flect 'oid') n. 1. Solid energy deflection device, controllable from a remote location. 2. Device for changing the direction of both massless and massed energy particles.

Tonight, the primary computer-guidance system has broken down. This is not a serious occurrence, as the backup system can maintain the plant's operation. That's odd - the secondary system seems to be faltering as well. You prepare to engage a third system, the final backup. There is no response as you flip the switch!

Without the guidance of the reflectoid, energy particles will hit other particle-emission tubes and will eventually melt the core of the reactor.

To ensure the continued production of much-needed energy, you must stop the self-destruction of this amazing, expensive prototype. You must prevent meltdown. Take manual control of the reflectoid immediately.

Playing The Game

The screen shows the reactor's core: The particle-emission tubes, partially protected in their cells, surround the rectangular energy posts. If you begin the game with the joystick straight up, the reflectoid appears at the centre of the screen. The bottom of the screen shows the score, in kilowatts. (KW=0 at the start of the game.) You have three turns per game. However, a bonus turn is awarded after three rounds. The bottom right corner of your screen shows the round number and your "spare" reflectoids.

Hovering over your view of the core is one threatening word - MELTDOWN. The first letter is already growing, and grim reminder of the dangers ahead.

The joystick moves the reflectoid around the reactor's core. The fire button on the joystick changes the angle of reflection. You have one chance to reflect each particle into a post. If you misdirect a particle and then try to hit it a second time, it passes right through the reflectoid.

When you hit a post for the first time, it lights up and produces 25 kilowatts. A particular may hit a post more than once, producing 10 kilowatts for each subsequent hit. You must light up all the posts to get to the second round.

When you miss a particular, it hits the wall or a particle-emission tube. A particle that hits the wall produces no power and causes no damage. If the particule hits and melts a tube, one of the letters in MELTDOWN lights up. If seven tubes melt, the last letter of MELTDOWN lights, and the core of the reactor melts away. At the end of a turn, each letter of MELTDOWN that's not lit adds 25 kilowatts to your score.

Once a turn or a round is over, the melted tubes are repaired. Press the Fire button on the joystick to try again. At any point during a turn, press R to reset the game.

The tubes emit one particle at a time in round 1, two particles in round 2 - and so forth. As you advance, the score is multiplied by the round number. For example, in round 2 you are awarded 50 points for each unlit post you hit, 20 points for each lit post you hit, and 50 points for each unlit letter in MELTDOWN.

Good luck!

Scoring

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1. Turn computer off.
2. Insert Program Pak cartridge.
3. Connect computer to television set.
4. Plug joystick into the left jack on the back of the computer.
5. Turn on Color Computer. The screen shows the title "Reactoid". If you like, you can choose the colour of the game. To change the colour set, hold down CLEAR while you press the RESET button on the back of the computer. For yet another colour set, hold SHIFT and press RESET.
6. To begin the game, press the Fire button on the joystick.