RTFM Games - Games that you realise are actually fun after you take the time to, you know, RTFM

[JetmanUK]

When playing classic carts I have usually purchased them stand alone, no box or manual, I am sure many of you are the same. To get more info we are then forced online to check out the manual, sometimes I do this, most of the time I do not. Well, we should do it, not only do you not get the most out of the game but you are also missing out on some of the nostalgic experience from back in the day, albeit on screen instead of on paper. I am so glad that new games will come with a manual. All this leads me onto the topic...

 

My RTFM Game discovery today is Slot Machine.

Now, I have always found slot machine games quite dull whenever I have tried them, with the Codemasters one back on the Spectrum being the best of the bunch. Well, we have a new king in town!

 

After I RTFM, I learnt that the single player game is actually against the console with the ability to vary your stake and increase your chance of winning (dependent on which game you have selected) and that this is a fun game!

I have not tried in in two player mode yet, but usually you would expect it to be even better. The game variations, like with many 2600 games really add some variety and value to the package.

 

I just beat the console with 36 coins left on game 3. Take that Atari! I will go less conservative next time, it will be fun to win by a wider margin (higher score). This is one game which I recommend that you try out, you might be surprised... just make sure that you RTFM first.

 

What are your RTFM Game recommendations? Please share, along with a screenshot and the manual.

 

Slot_Machine_1979_Atari.pdf

Edited April 29 by JetmanUK

[MrChickenz]

Great topic! Let me say I always READ THE FLIMSY MANUAL. But not till after I’ve tried the game first.

Wondering why this isn’t working, how come I can’t do this, these controls aren’t responding.

Then I take the time to RTFM and everything makes sense.

 

For instance I just received Final Approach. I only found out about this game a year ago, had it on my list for a while.

it’s a air traffic controller game never knew there was one for the 2600. I always liked these type of games.

 

I started playing and couldn’t figure out how to land the planes. After RTFM it was no problem.

This one’s getting a new label!

 

:  Instructions  (for 2600, by Apollo)
----------------------------------------------------

THE SITUATION

You are an Air Traffic Controller at a busy international airport.
Literally thousands of lives are in your hands every day as you guide
giant airliners and small private aircraft taking off and landing.
You try to stay relaxed under the intense pressure of your job,
but you must always be ready for emergencies.

THE SET-UP

FINAL APPROACH(tm) is played by one or two players using the joystick
controllers.  Be sure the power is off when you insert or remove the
FINAL APPROACH cartridge from your video game system.

THE DIFFICULTY SWITCH

Placing this switch in the 'B' position will provide the easiest play.
It controls the speed of the aircraft on your radar screen as the
game begins; slower in the 'B' mode, faster in the 'A' mode.

THE GAME SELECT SWITCH

Each time you depress this switch, you will select a new game variation.
The numbers of the different variations shown on the game menu in this
manual will appear on your video screen at top center, with the number
of players on the right.  (See VARIATIONS.)

THE RESET SWITCH

When this switch is depressed, the game will begin.  The variation and
player number will change into a scoreboard, which will reflect the points
you have received landing aircraft.

SCREENS

The first screen you'll use in controlling air traffic is the Approach
Control Radar Screen (ACR), which will appear when you turn on the power.
The ACR screen shows you all the air traffic in the vicinity of your airport.
Use this screen to control your aircraft for landing.  When an aircraft
is aligned with the runway strobes and is on final approach, you must then
switch to the Ground Control Approach (GCA) screen.  Use the GCA screen to
bring your aircraft in for a safe landing, monitoring altitude and heading.

THE JOYSTICK CONTROLLER

Hold your joystick controller so that the red 'FIRE' button is in the upper
left corner.  On the ACR screen, moving the joystick will move a small
black square known as the cursor around the screen.  To control the movements
of an aircraft, position the cursor directly on the airplane and press the
red 'FIRE button.  You will remain in control of the aircraft until you
again press the red 'FIRE' button, releasing the cursor from the aircraft.
On the GCA screen, use the joystick to control the altitude and heading of
your aircraft on final approach.  Control the altitude of your aircraft by 
pulling it towards you to reduce altitude, and pressing it forward to
increase altitude.  Heading is controlled by moving the joystick left or
right to keep your aircraft centered on the runway.

GENERAL PLAY

Aircraft will enter your radar screen randomly.  There may be up to four
aircraft on the screen at one time.  When these aircraft appear on the
screen, they will not be heading in any fixed direction, so you must take
control to steer them in the desired direction.  Each aircraft will remain
on the last given heading, so you must constantly monitor this heading and
change it so that the aircraft are spaced out in a matter in which they
can achieve a safe and expeditious landing.  The aircraft under your control
must remain within the boundaries of your radar screen.  If you allow an
aircraft to go out of the boundaries, it may reappear at any point on the
screen, and you will lose points.  You must also insure your passengers'
safety by keeping your aircraft spaced adequately.  Allowing two or more
aircraft to touch will be considered a near-miss, and you will be penalized
for a control error (that is, one life).

Your objective in controlling the aircraft on your runway screen is to steer 
it so that it arrives at the end of the runway strobes heading toward the
runway.  From this position, the aircraft can make a landing on the runway
if it is steered properly.  If you do not position the aircraft over the end
of the strobes, the aircraft cannot land.  Once the aircraft has been
positioned to start its approach, you must select the GCA screen to steer the
aircraft down the glide slope (which shows the aircraft's altitude) and 
the localizer (which shows the aircraft's heading).

TO SWITCH from the ACR screen to the GCA screen, you simply move the cursor
down to the lower center knob on your console, and press the red 'FIRE'
button.  A successful landing is accomplished if your aircraft's nose
is centered on the glide slope and localizer when arriving at the end of
the runway.  As soon as the aircraft has touched down on the runway,
switch back to the ACR screen simply by pressing the red 'FIRE' button.
If the airplane was landed successfully, the aircraft will have
already disappeared from the ACR screen, and an additional aircraft will
soon appear at an edge of the screen.  If a successful landing is not made,
the aircraft you attempted to land will continue to be displayed on the 
ACR screen.

Aircraft under your control may suddenly start flashing, and emitting a
warning tone.  This indicates they have an emergency and must be brought
in for an immediate landing.  Other aircraft must be cleared out of the
path of the aircraft with an emergency, and it must be given priority
for landing.  It will continue to flash until it has landed.

[SCREEN SHOT:  GCA SCREEN.  A white diagonal line with a red plane on it
slopes from the upper left to the screen's center, where it meets a black
horizontal line.  This is the glide path.  Beneath it, a white horizontal
line with a red plane on it stretches toward a runway; this is your 
localizer.]

[SCREEN SHOT:  ACR SCREEN.  Dots at the top of the screen indicate control
errors.  The middle dot of the three greyish dots at the bottom of the
screen is your Center Knob.  The cursor is a black square, the strobes 
are little white lines next to the black runway, and the aircraft at the
top of the screen is in black.]

SCORING

You receive 25 points for each successful landing.  For every emergency
landing you receive 50 points if you are able to land the aircraft with an 
emergency before any other aircraft.  You will lose 5 points every time
you allow an aircraft to wander off the screen.  As the score increases,
the speed of the aircraft on the screen increases.  You are allowed four
control errors, such as allowing a near-miss or not immediately landing
an aircraft in distress.  You will be allowed an additional control error
every 500 points you earn.  The number of control errors (lives) remaining
is indicated by the green lights at the top of the screen.

VARIATIONS

The FINAL APPROACH game variations include one and two-player games.  In the
one-player game, the game is concluded when you have made four control errors.
In the two-player game, the game is concluded when you each player has
committed four control errors.  Turns alternate on each near-miss or 
unsuccessful landing.  You may also select whether the maximum number of
aircraft on the screen will be two, three or four.  In games 3 and 4, the
game play is made even more challenging by the addition of crosswinds 
affecting your aircraft on landing.  Games 7 and 8 are particularly easy,
designed for small children.

GAME MENU

GAME NUMBER             1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8

NUMBER OF PLAYERS    1  X       X       X       X
                     2      X       X       X       X

MAXIMUM NUMBER       4  X   X   X   X
OF AIRCRAFT          3                  X   X
                     2                          X   X

CROSSWINDS ON      YES          X   X
LANDINGS            NO  X   X           X   X   X   X

 

Edited April 29 by MrChickenz

[DEANJIMMY]

E.T.😉

[JetmanUK]

17 minutes ago, MrChickenz said:

Great topic! Let me say I always READ THE FLIMSY MANUAL. But not till after I’ve tried the game first.

Wondering why this isn’t working, how come I can’t do this, these controls aren’t responding.

Then I take the time to RTFM and everything makes sense.

 

For instance I just received Final Approach. I only found out about this game a year ago, had it on my list for a while.

it’s a air traffic controller game never knew there was one for the 2600. I always liked these type of games.

 

I started playing and couldn’t figure out how to land the planes. After RTFM it was no problem.

This one’s getting a new label!

 

:  Instructions  (for 2600, by Apollo)
----------------------------------------------------

THE SITUATION

You are an Air Traffic Controller at a busy international airport.
Literally thousands of lives are in your hands every day as you guide
giant airliners and small private aircraft taking off and landing.
You try to stay relaxed under the intense pressure of your job,
but you must always be ready for emergencies.

THE SET-UP

FINAL APPROACH(tm) is played by one or two players using the joystick
controllers.  Be sure the power is off when you insert or remove the
FINAL APPROACH cartridge from your video game system.

THE DIFFICULTY SWITCH

Placing this switch in the 'B' position will provide the easiest play.
It controls the speed of the aircraft on your radar screen as the
game begins; slower in the 'B' mode, faster in the 'A' mode.

THE GAME SELECT SWITCH

Each time you depress this switch, you will select a new game variation.
The numbers of the different variations shown on the game menu in this
manual will appear on your video screen at top center, with the number
of players on the right.  (See VARIATIONS.)

THE RESET SWITCH

When this switch is depressed, the game will begin.  The variation and
player number will change into a scoreboard, which will reflect the points
you have received landing aircraft.

SCREENS

The first screen you'll use in controlling air traffic is the Approach
Control Radar Screen (ACR), which will appear when you turn on the power.
The ACR screen shows you all the air traffic in the vicinity of your airport.
Use this screen to control your aircraft for landing.  When an aircraft
is aligned with the runway strobes and is on final approach, you must then
switch to the Ground Control Approach (GCA) screen.  Use the GCA screen to
bring your aircraft in for a safe landing, monitoring altitude and heading.

THE JOYSTICK CONTROLLER

Hold your joystick controller so that the red 'FIRE' button is in the upper
left corner.  On the ACR screen, moving the joystick will move a small
black square known as the cursor around the screen.  To control the movements
of an aircraft, position the cursor directly on the airplane and press the
red 'FIRE button.  You will remain in control of the aircraft until you
again press the red 'FIRE' button, releasing the cursor from the aircraft.
On the GCA screen, use the joystick to control the altitude and heading of
your aircraft on final approach.  Control the altitude of your aircraft by 
pulling it towards you to reduce altitude, and pressing it forward to
increase altitude.  Heading is controlled by moving the joystick left or
right to keep your aircraft centered on the runway.

GENERAL PLAY

Aircraft will enter your radar screen randomly.  There may be up to four
aircraft on the screen at one time.  When these aircraft appear on the
screen, they will not be heading in any fixed direction, so you must take
control to steer them in the desired direction.  Each aircraft will remain
on the last given heading, so you must constantly monitor this heading and
change it so that the aircraft are spaced out in a matter in which they
can achieve a safe and expeditious landing.  The aircraft under your control
must remain within the boundaries of your radar screen.  If you allow an
aircraft to go out of the boundaries, it may reappear at any point on the
screen, and you will lose points.  You must also insure your passengers'
safety by keeping your aircraft spaced adequately.  Allowing two or more
aircraft to touch will be considered a near-miss, and you will be penalized
for a control error (that is, one life).

Your objective in controlling the aircraft on your runway screen is to steer 
it so that it arrives at the end of the runway strobes heading toward the
runway.  From this position, the aircraft can make a landing on the runway
if it is steered properly.  If you do not position the aircraft over the end
of the strobes, the aircraft cannot land.  Once the aircraft has been
positioned to start its approach, you must select the GCA screen to steer the
aircraft down the glide slope (which shows the aircraft's altitude) and 
the localizer (which shows the aircraft's heading).

TO SWITCH from the ACR screen to the GCA screen, you simply move the cursor
down to the lower center knob on your console, and press the red 'FIRE'
button.  A successful landing is accomplished if your aircraft's nose
is centered on the glide slope and localizer when arriving at the end of
the runway.  As soon as the aircraft has touched down on the runway,
switch back to the ACR screen simply by pressing the red 'FIRE' button.
If the airplane was landed successfully, the aircraft will have
already disappeared from the ACR screen, and an additional aircraft will
soon appear at an edge of the screen.  If a successful landing is not made,
the aircraft you attempted to land will continue to be displayed on the 
ACR screen.

Aircraft under your control may suddenly start flashing, and emitting a
warning tone.  This indicates they have an emergency and must be brought
in for an immediate landing.  Other aircraft must be cleared out of the
path of the aircraft with an emergency, and it must be given priority
for landing.  It will continue to flash until it has landed.

[SCREEN SHOT:  GCA SCREEN.  A white diagonal line with a red plane on it
slopes from the upper left to the screen's center, where it meets a black
horizontal line.  This is the glide path.  Beneath it, a white horizontal
line with a red plane on it stretches toward a runway; this is your 
localizer.]

[SCREEN SHOT:  ACR SCREEN.  Dots at the top of the screen indicate control
errors.  The middle dot of the three greyish dots at the bottom of the
screen is your Center Knob.  The cursor is a black square, the strobes 
are little white lines next to the black runway, and the aircraft at the
top of the screen is in black.]

SCORING

You receive 25 points for each successful landing.  For every emergency
landing you receive 50 points if you are able to land the aircraft with an 
emergency before any other aircraft.  You will lose 5 points every time
you allow an aircraft to wander off the screen.  As the score increases,
the speed of the aircraft on the screen increases.  You are allowed four
control errors, such as allowing a near-miss or not immediately landing
an aircraft in distress.  You will be allowed an additional control error
every 500 points you earn.  The number of control errors (lives) remaining
is indicated by the green lights at the top of the screen.

VARIATIONS

The FINAL APPROACH game variations include one and two-player games.  In the
one-player game, the game is concluded when you have made four control errors.
In the two-player game, the game is concluded when you each player has
committed four control errors.  Turns alternate on each near-miss or 
unsuccessful landing.  You may also select whether the maximum number of
aircraft on the screen will be two, three or four.  In games 3 and 4, the
game play is made even more challenging by the addition of crosswinds 
affecting your aircraft on landing.  Games 7 and 8 are particularly easy,
designed for small children.

GAME MENU

GAME NUMBER             1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8

NUMBER OF PLAYERS    1  X       X       X       X
                     2      X       X       X       X

MAXIMUM NUMBER       4  X   X   X   X
OF AIRCRAFT          3                  X   X
                     2                          X   X

CROSSWINDS ON      YES          X   X
LANDINGS            NO  X   X           X   X   X   X

 

I have never actually got round to trying this one out, I have played the sequel though, Lost Luggage, I will give this one a go. 

[JetmanUK]

13 minutes ago, DEANJIMMY said:

E.T.😉

E.T. is probably the most famous RTFM game.

[zzip]

Raider's of the Lost Ark.    I wonder how many people would get past the first two rooms without the grenade hint in the manual.

[shane857]

4 hours ago, DEANJIMMY said:

E.T.😉

Definitely! 😂

[shane857]

Haunted House. 👻🦇😱

[astroguy]

Asteroids / Yars Revenge  / Berzerk.  RTFM to discover that different game numbers and difficulty switches other than the default ones are way more fun.

 

Asteroids:  difficulty A for spaceships.  Choose even numbered games for fast asteroids.

Yars Revenge : Game 6 for 'ULTIMATE YARS"

Berzerk: Game 9 for a 'real BERZERK challenge"

 

 

[MrChickenz]

2 hours ago, zzip said:

Raider's of the Lost Ark.    I wonder how many people would get past the first two rooms without the grenade hint in the manual.

I’ve had this one for years, never played it. But I’m going to have a go at this one.

[MrChickenz]

16 minutes ago, astroguy said:

Asteroids / Yars Revenge  / Berzerk.  RTFM to discover that different game numbers and difficulty switches other than the default ones are way more fun.

 

Asteroids:  difficulty A for spaceships.  Choose even numbered games for fast asteroids.

Yars Revenge : Game 6 for 'ULTIMATE YARS"

Berzerk: Game 9 for a 'real BERZERK challenge"

 

 

👍 And some game’s difficulty switches turn music on or off. Until recently I wasn’t aware Moon Patrol has this option left difficulty I believe. If I go back and RTFM I would be sure 🥸

[MrChickenz]

1 hour ago, shane857 said:

Haunted House. 👻🦇😱

I have to admit I like this game. I play it from time to time but I haven’t RTFM!

[JetmanUK]

8 minutes ago, MrChickenz said:

👍 And some game’s difficulty switches turn music on or off. Until recently I wasn’t aware Moon Patrol has this option left difficulty I believe. If I go back and RTFM I would be sure 🥸

Phoenix too! 

[JetmanUK]

1 hour ago, shane857 said:

Haunted House. 👻🦇😱

As an Atari fan I have a confession, I have never played Haunted House... or Adventure! 😱

 

This is because I didn't play them back in the day so looking at them so long after release they look super primitive, even for 2600 games, plus I'm more of an arcade gameplay kinda guy. However, I know that fans of these games say that they still play well, so I should sit down and give them both a try.

 

Thinking in more modern terms, Haunted House looks more interesting to me as I prefer a horror game to a Zelda game. 🤷🏻🤣

Edited April 29 by JetmanUK

[zzip]

17 minutes ago, JetmanUK said:

This is because I didn't play them back in the day so looking at them so long after release they look super primitive, even for 2600 games, plus I'm more of an arcade gameplay kinda guy. However, I know that fans of these games say that they still play well, so I should sit down and give them both a try.

Adventure looked super-primitive to me even back in 82/83 or whenever I discovered it.   Somehow I eneded up playing it anyway, and loving it.   I think what I like about it is it was fun to mess around with the various objects, the flicker and invent odd challenges (can we make the bat slay a dragon by flying it into the sword?)  Almost like emergent gameplay from a time when you didn't see such a thing.   These days when there are all sorts of 'sandbox' games, I'm not sure Adventure would be as much fun to goof around in.

[MrChickenz]

2 hours ago, shane857 said:

Haunted House. 👻🦇😱

I just took the time to RTFM for Haunted House. I learned a lot about the game. I’m going back to it and playing some more.

Game 1 has lighted walls Games 2 to 9 do not! 👀

Edited April 29 by MrChickenz

[JetmanUK]

22 minutes ago, MrChickenz said:

I just took the time to RTFM for Haunted House. I learned a lot about the game. I’m going back to it and playing some more.

Game 1 has lighted walls Games 2 to 9 do not! 👀

Spooky screenshot! 😋

[CapitanClassic]

I wonder if No Escape would qualify. Do people who don’t RTFM do the unintuitive thing of shooting the ceiling (by accident), to figure out how to finish a level, or do they just endlessly shoot the respawning zombies?
 

Star Raiders, don’t your shields start as down? So people just die on their first hit. (Or they never get that far, needing to warp to a new sector requires RTFM and likely having the keypad overlay). Phaser Patrol for the same reasons. Pretty much any game which relays on using the 2600 switches for anything other than starting a new game.

 

Riddle of the Sphinx (understanding how to manipulate your inventory/ health display), Star Master (color/be switch to bring up galactic map), Stellar Trak (understanding what the long range scanner ‘000’ digits mean), Space Attack (understanding how to launch intercept squadrons) 

 

It might make an interesting test to put a 10-15 yo in front of a bunch of these old games and see if they could figure them out.

[Dr Karnov]

Solaris.

 

Having said that, I've read the (flimsy) manual, and I still don't quite understand it!

[+jeremiahjt]

8 hours ago, JetmanUK said:

When playing classic carts I have usually purchased them stand alone, no box or manual, I am sure many of you are the same. To get more info we are then forced online to check out the manual, sometimes I do this, most of the time I do not. Well, we should do it, not only do you not get the most out of the game but you are also missing out on some of the nostalgic experience from back in the day, albeit on screen instead of on paper. I am so glad that new games will come with a manual. All this leads me onto the topic...

 

My RTFM Game discovery today is Slot Machine.

Now, I have always found slot machine games quite dull whenever I have tried them, with the Codemasters one back on the Spectrum being the best of the bunch. Well, we have a new king in town!

 

After I RTFM, I learnt that the single player game is actually against the console with the ability to vary your stake and increase your chance of winning (dependent on which game you have selected) and that this is a fun game!

I have not tried in in two player mode yet, but usually you would expect it to be even better. The game variations, like with many 2600 games really add some variety and value to the package.

 

I just beat the console with 36 coins left on game 3. Take that Atari! I will go less conservative next time, it will be fun to win by a wider margin (higher score). This is one game which I recommend that you try out, you might be surprised... just make sure that you RTFM first.

 

What are your RTFM Game recommendations? Please share, along with a screenshot and the manual.

 

Slot_Machine_1979_Atari.pdf 565.18 kB · 3 downloads

This might be the first time I have ever heard somebody say they like Slot Machine. I admit I have never read the manual, so I have no idea what is going whenever I do try it.  I am in the process of reading every 2600 manual I have and making notes regarding controls and options for every game. So I will eventually make it to Slot Machine.

[Agent570]

The one I remember having to RTFM from way back is not knowing how the hell to score points in the Space Shuttle variations of Space War.  Yes, I'll admit I still like playing Game 14 of that cart once in a while, it's quite the challenge on Difficulty A.

 

Also agree about Slot Machine and how it's a fun game when you realize that the goal in the 1P games is to beat the house, not break the bank.  I like how if you lose all your credits and have to hit Reset to get more, your computer opponent keeps his credits and also gets 25 more.  Certainly not the best game David Crane ever did but I've always liked it.

[shane857]

1 hour ago, MrChickenz said:

I just took the time to RTFM for Haunted House. I learned a lot about the game. I’m going back to it and playing some more.

Game 1 has lighted walls Games 2 to 9 do not! 👀

The first level is just a tutorial. Levels after that are tough. You can't see a fcukn thing unless you use a match and the random flashes of lightning! 😂

[shane857]

2 hours ago, JetmanUK said:

As an Atari fan I have a confession, I have never played Haunted House... or Adventure! 😱

 

This is because I didn't play them back in the day so looking at them so long after release they look super primitive, even for 2600 games, plus I'm more of an arcade gameplay kinda guy. However, I know that fans of these games say that they still play well, so I should sit down and give them both a try.

 

Thinking in more modern terms, Haunted House looks more interesting to me as I prefer a horror game to a Zelda game. 🤷🏻🤣

Give them both a try bro. both 'first' levels in both games are tutorials.👍🏻

[JetmanUK]

1 hour ago, jeremiahjt said:

This might be the first time I have ever heard somebody say they like Slot Machine. I admit I have never read the manual, so I have no idea what is going whenever I do try it.  I am in the process of reading every 2600 manual I have and making notes regarding controls and options for every game. So I will eventually make it to Slot Machine.

Read and enjoy!

 

Watching the console upping their stake and trying to claw the game back when you are winning is fun.

 

And to be clear here, it's not like I'm a fruit machine fan, I hate the things, I'm not a gambler and I don't think they are fun at all, so it's not like playing the game scratches an itch for the real thing.

 

Edited April 29 by JetmanUK

[+jeremiahjt]

46 minutes ago, shane857 said:

The first level is just a tutorial. Levels after that are tough. You can't see a fcukn thing unless you use a match and the random flashes of lightning! 😂

Only if the difficulty switch is in the b position. If the switch is in the a position, there are not even lightning flashes to help you see.