SLOT RACERS
SLOT RACERS
GAME PROGRAM INSTRUCTIONS
Model CX2606
ATARI, INC., Consumer Division
1195 Borregas Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94086
(c) 1978, ATARI, INC. C011402-06
Use your Joystick Controllers with this Game Program. Be sure the controllers are firmly connected to your Video Computer System. See the Owner's Manual for details. Hold the controllers with the red button to your upper left towards the television screen.
NOTE: To prolong the life of your Atari Video Computer System and protect the electronic components, the console unit should be OFF when inserting a Game Program.
HOW TO PLAY
Screech! Pow! Smash! This is the super chase scene, and you're in it right behind the wheel of a Super Chasemobile car equipped with power and incredible gadgets.
CONSOLE CONTROLS
To start the game action, use the console controls to program the type of game you want to play.
* Press the Game Select to choose the game. The numbers of each game appear at the top of the screen. (See Game Descriptions of the game number of each game).
There are four chase mazes. Each player steers one car through the maze. Chase your opponent and attempt to hit him with one of the secret missiles fired from your car headlights. You score a point each time you hit your opponent with a missile.
The differences between the nine games are:
* The speed of the cars
* The speed of the missiles
* The direction of the missile path
CONTROLLER ACTION
Use your Joystick Controller to steer the car and fire missiles. (If using the keyboard to steer, use any mouse button as the fire button.)
Steering the Car
* Push the Joystick forward to accelerate the car
* Pull the Joystick towards you to brake the car
* Push the Joystick to the left to turn the car to the left
* Push the Joystick to the right to turn the car to the right
NOTE: You can turn the car only when the car is moving.
Firing Missiles
To fire a missile, press the red controller button. After you fire a missile, there are three ways the missile can travel. Control the way the missile travels with your Joystick Controller.
1. If you want the missile to turn left after firing, push the Joystick to the left as you press the red controller button.
2. To turn the missile to the right after firing, push the Joystick to the right as you press the red controller button.
3. The missile will automatically turn at every corner (except in games 8 and 9) when you press the red controller button without pushing the Joystick.
Driving Tips
* In steering the car, note that you cannot turn the car into the wall. The car will automatically take a corner to avoid crashing into a wall.
* After turning your car or missile onto a street remember to return the Joystick to its center position. For example, if you push the Joystick to the left to turn the car to the left, push the Joystick back to its center position. Otherwise, the car will continue to make left turns.
SCORING
You score one point each time you hit your opponent's car with a missile. The first player to score 25 points wins the game. The score of the left controller player appears in the upper left corner; the right controller player's score appears in the upper right corner.
HANDICAP DIFFICULTY SWITCH
When the Difficulty is in the B position, you can shoot consecutive missiles. Note that if a previously fired missile is still on the screen when you fire a new missile, the old missile will disappear.
In A position, you cannot fire another missile if you already have a missile on the screen. Before you can fire another missile:
* The missile on the screen must hit your opponent's car
OR
* You must retrieve the missile on the screen by steering your car into it.
GAME DESCRIPTIONS
GAMES 1-4
These games feature missiles that travel faster than the cars. Note that the speed of both the missiles and cars increase with each game number. For example, Game 1 has the slowest moving missiles and cars; Game 4 features the fastest moving missiles and cars.
GAMES 5-7
Drive your car fast on these mazes. This time, the cars travel faster than the missiles during these games. Note that the speed of the cars increase with each game number. For example, Game 5 features the slowest moving cars; Game 7 offers plenty of speed.
GAMES 8 AND 9
Missiles do not automatically turn corners during these games. That's why some of your missiles may become trapped in front of a wall. In Game 9 you're driving race cars; Game 8 features slower cars.
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The preceding reprint of the original game program instructions which accompanied the program cartridge was provided by AtariGuide.com for reference use only. Use of the information is subject to all applicable copyright laws.
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Review page : http://www.atariprotos.com/2600/software/slotracers/slotracers.htm
Name: Slot Racers
Company: Atari
Model #: CX-2606
Programmer: Warren Robinett
Year: 1978
Slot Racers is one of Atari's earliest efforts and it shows. The first wave of Atari games were all limited to 2K, and almost all of them used the same large scale blocky graphics. As time went on, the programmers got better and they were able to use tricks to get more power out of the 2600.
Slot Racers is a two player only shooting/maze game. Basically it plays like Combat in a maze, but with fewer options. The controls in Slot Racers take a little getting used to, as your constantly moving forward at breakneck speeds. As in Combat, there's no reverse so you need to plan your turns well in advance or you could easily pass your opening. The firing system also take a bit of getting used to, as your bullets will endlessly circle to maze until it either hits something (you or your opponent), or you press the fire button again to fire another shot.
While it didn't break any new ground, Slot Racers is a fun two player shooting contest. Programmer Warren Robinett later went on to write Basic Programming and Adventure for Atari before leaving Atari in 1980 to help co-found The Learning Company. Warren's homepage can be found at: http://www.warrenrobinett.com/
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I contacted Warren Robinett while releasing this 25th anniversary edition of his game
and got an attaboy.
My four and six year olds really like this one.
They don't make them like this one any more.
I'm unique, just like everybody else.