Atari 5200 Bristles

[Atari2600.com]

We've updated our News page to include the latest information about the new release of Bristles, by First Star Software for the Atari 5200. Final production is underway and we will expand upon the current screenshots to include box, manual and cartridge images soon. Production is limited to 100 units.

 

Joe

Atari2600.com

http://www.atari2600.com/news.php

[sku_u]

It looks like a fun game. I'm hoping to pick one up through you since I can't attend the CGE show.

[Tempest]

So it's not a prototype but really a homebrew by the original company (or a really really late release I guess). Interesting... Too bad they didn't do Flip Flop instead, I find Bristles to be not all that much fun. Still, it's nice to see a new 5200 game.

 

Tempest

[holygrailvideogames.com]

Joe,

 

If you have any left after the show I would like to buy one. If anyone is going to the show and can pick me up a copy please send me a private message.

[Atari2600.com]

If you are unable to attend CGE2k4 and would like to receive first notice of available copies of Bristles remaining after the show, join our Bristles Mail List. You can subscribe here Mail List

 

JC

Atari2600.com

[ziggystar]

Just check the back of the box for a surprise!

[ziggystar]

And just consider it a Really Late release!

[classics]

Any chance for a sneak peek at the box?

[jnice]

Gee, classics, can't you let them keep any secrets for the expo?

 

Actually, I bet it's one of those scratch-off cards, like what once came with the Popeye & Q-Bert 5200 boxes. Scratch to reveal 3 paintbrushes, and you get a $10 gift certificate to the nearest participating Sherwin-Williams store near you!

[Atari2600.com]

The box design of Bristles for the Atari 5200 was based upon the Atari 8-bit box circa 1984. Here you can see the final box front design for Atari 5200 Bristles and the original from which it was modeled. The 1984 box is generic in that the only identification for it's application is the sticker at top which states 'Atari Computer Cartridge'. The Bristles Team decided to modify the original design slightly with the addition of a diagonal banner.

 

JC

Atari2600.com

[ziggystar]

And the back is still secret! Good job atari2600.com

[Atari2600.com]

Here is the text from the Atari 5200 BRISTLES Instruction Manual. Additional game details and images will be posted soon. BRISTLES Starring Peter the Painter is a trademark of First Star Software Inc.

 

JC

Atari2600.com

www.atari2600.com/news.php

 

Game Start

Insert your BRISTLES cartridge into your Atari 5200 SuperSystem as explained in your owners guide, and turn on your system. Plug one controller into controller port #1. A second controller can be inserted into controller port #2 for two player challenges.

 

You can now select either male or female characters with different names. Each player has a color code. Player 1 = Blue. Player 2 = green. Player 3 = yellow, and Player 4 = purple.

Press KEY #1 to choose the number of joysticks. Press KEY #2 to choose the number of players. To Select the names of the painters move the controller lever right to left. To select skill(s) 1 through 6, press the fire button on the controller.

 

Press PAUSE once to pause during a game. Press PAUSE to resume play. Press RESET once to restart a game during play.

 

Painters

 

The are 8 different painters:

PETER THE PAINTER PATRICK

PAM PRISCILLA

PAUL PERRY

PATTY PEGGY

 

Note: Two players cannot have the same name. One player can play up to 4 painters with the use of 1 joystick.

 

Game Objective

 

The object is to paint all the rooms in a building without losing your paint brushes and before time runs out. Your goal is to paint all 8 buildings in each of the 6 different skills. Try to get all the prizes and paint the buildings as fast as possible to get a high score. After you finish each building, a word or group of words will appear. Write them down; at the end of a skill (eight buildings) you will have a completed message. Discovering all six hidden messages (one from each skill) is the ultimate challenge.

 

Game Elements

Elevators

 

The elevators are used to gain access to the different floors. They stop on each floor, regardless of the direction they are traveling. Always make sure an elevator is completely stopped at a floor before entering otherwise your painter will be knocked down to the basement. Whenever a painter is knocked down, the overture from the Nutcracker Suite will play. You can jump down the elevator shafts to get to the first floor or the basement in a hurry (skills 1,2, & 3). In skills 4 to 6, you will lose a brush if you jump or fall down an elevator shaft. Enter through timing and strategy, you can use the elevators to escape from Dumb Buckets TM, the Flying Half Pints TM, even the relentless pursuit of the Bucket Chucker TM. You can share and elevator with Brenda the Brat TM without any consequence to you.

Ladders

 

The 3 ladders are located in the basement. They lead to the first floor, and stop at the bottom of the elevator shafts. When you climb up a ladder into an elevator shaft, you must move quickly to the right of left to avoid being hit by and elevator. With practice, you will be able to run up a ladder into an elevator and ride to the floor of your choice.

 

Paint Brushes

 

Each player starts with 10 paint brushes. A player will receive 2 paint brushes for each building completed. For each mistake a brush is lost. Whenever this happens "Russian Dance" from the Nutcracker Suite will play, and the painter will fall down an elevator shaft into the basement.

You lose a brush if you are hit by Dumb Buckets TM, Flying Half Pints TM, the Bucket Chucker TM, or bump into a stream pipe or chimney.

 

Time Clock

 

Each building is timed. The larger the job, the more time you have, but don't dilly dally! In the first building you are allowed 20 seconds. Thereafter your time will increase by 10 seconds per building. The time is displayed as a numeric value in the lower right corner. For the last 5 seconds of game play the floors will start to flash. This is to alert you that time is running out.

(See Scoring, End of Level).

 

Paint Rollers

 

Paint rollers are worth bonus points. Quickly paint the room(s) occupied by them. If a dumb bucket gets a paint roller first, you lose the chance to gain extra points. (See Scoring).

 

Flying Half Pints TM

 

The first group of buckets you will encounter are the Flying Half Pints. These small buckets fly across the screen from side to side. They will never enter the basement. The painter must avoid the Half Pints by ducking under them (pull the joystick lever down) or jumping over them (push the lever up). The Half Pints appear on every level, but more of them fly across the screen with each new building. They will always flash briefly before flying across to warn you they are coming.

 

Dumb Buckets TM

 

The Dumb Buckets always move in a similar pattern across the building from left to right. They first appear in building #2 and continue thereafter. They start from the left side of the screen. Their movements are very predictable. If a Dumb Bucket enters the 2nd floor, the next one will enter the 1st floor, next the basement level, then the top floor, and so on. They will run over the right hand side of the room they are in and wait for the next elevator to arrive. The Dumb Bucket will ride one floor on the elevator (in which ever direction the elevator is heading) and get off.

Then, it will run over to the right hand side of the next room and wait for the elevator. Dumb Buckets will not enter safe rooms.

 

Safe Rooms

 

Safe rooms look like any other rooms. Your painter is safe, because Dumb Buckets will never enter a Safe Room. However, Flying Half Pints, the Bucket Chucker, and Brenda the Brat can enter a Safe Room. There is always a minimum of 2 safe rooms in every building. Try to memorize their locations. They offer temporary relief and a chance to plan the next strategic move.

 

Brenda the Brat TM

 

Brenda the Brat, the superintendent's daughter is a prankster. She loves to put her handprints on the freshly painted walls. Of course, the player must then repaint these walls. You lose 40 points every-time she puts her handprints on a wall. Brenda begins at skill 1, building number 3, and then every other building thereafter. You will hear the "Chinese Dance" from the Nutcracker Suite whenever she puts her handprint on a wall. You can stop Brenda's mischief temporality

by giving Brenda a candy cane. First you must touch a candy cane. Then you will begin to flash. While flashing, you can not paint. You must pass the candy cane to Brenda, by touching her before you can paint again. To do this, you must enter a room or elevator at the same time as Brenda, while you are still flashing. This will distract her for 15 seconds and she will not put handprints on the walls during that time.

 

Bucket Chucker TM

 

The Bucket Chucker is the leader of the buckets. He is very intelligent. He will pursue you relentlessly back and forth, up and down, from room to room. The Bucket Chucker begins at skill 1, building #4, and then every other building thereafter. The Bucket Chucker can never be destroyed, but you may trap him temporarily in the paint mixer or in the basement, between the 3 ladders. To get the Bucket Chucker onto a paint mixer (the square within a square), first turn on the mixing machine by touching it. The paint mixer will remain on for 4 seconds. If the Bucket Chucker touches the paint mixer while it is on, he will get stuck and begin to shake for a full 4 seconds. If you touch any paint mixer (while the Bucket Chucker is still stuck) you will increase the mixing time by an additional 4 seconds. This can be repeated over and over. In order to get the Bucket Chucker stuck in the basement, you must first lure him into the basement between 3 ladders. Now quickly go up a ladder onto the first floor, avoiding the elevator, and go right or left. Now the Bucket Chucker is stuck... until you lose your next brush.

 

Steam Pipes

 

A steam pipe extends up from the middle of the floor in certain rooms. These obstacles begin to appear in skill 1, building # 5. The player will trip over them and lose a brush, unless he jumps over the steam pipe first.

 

Refill Brushes

 

When painting building # 6 (in each skill), a players brush will go dry after 8 rooms have been painted. In building # 7, your brush will go dry after 7 rooms. In building #8, your brush goes dry after 6 rooms. To refill your paint brush, simply touch one of the large paint brushes displayed in some of the rooms in the building. This will enable you to paint again.

 

Levels and Skills

 

Bristles has a total of 48 levels. The levels are divided into 6 skills containing 8 buildings. See the chart below for the description of the different skills. Remember you can choose any skill, if desired, but you must go to the options screen first.

Skill 1 - painters use visible paint. You can bump into elevators and jump into a shaft without losing a brush.

Skill 2- painters use clear varnish (invisible paint) you can bump into elevators and jump into a shaft without losing a brush.

Skill 3 - all lights are out. Painters must paint all buildings in the dark. You can bump into elevators and jump into a shaft without losing a brush.

Skill 4 - painters use visible paint. You will lose a brush if you bump into an elevator or jump down a shaft.

Skill 5 - painters use clear varnish (invisible paint). You will lose a brush if you bump into an elevator or jump down a shaft.

Skill 6 - all lights are out. Painters must paint all buildings in the dark. You will lose a brush if you bump into an elevator or jump down a shaft.

 

Scoring

 

Rooms: Each room painted is worth 50 points. It takes 5 brush strokes, worth 10 points each, to paint a room.

Roller: A bonus of 300 points is awarded if you reach the Prize Paint Rollers before a Dumb Bucket removes it.

End of Level: The time remaining on the clock at the finish of a level is awarded as bonus points.

Example - if the timer read 001290 when you finish, you receive an additional 1290 points.

Brenda: Brenda will subtract 40 points from your score every-time she puts her handprint on a freshly painted wall.

Brush Counter: In the basement near the ladders you will see a paint brush with a 2 digit number next to it. This number represents the amount of brushes that a player has remaining.

Score Chart: The extreme bottom of the play screen is as follow:

 

L:00 000000 T:000000

 

The L is the level you are playing. The six digits are for the high score. The T is for time remaining and bonus points. (See End of Level Above).

The next row up is the score for each player.

 

000000 000000 000000 000000

 

Which ever score has a paint brush next to it will be flashing. This indicates which player is up. In the above example player # 3 is up.

There are a total of 4 different indicators identifying which player is up.

1 - paint brush next to score.

2 - brush counter (basement near ladders) will flash.

3 - score flashes.

4- color of the player up.

[Vic George 2K3]

"Peter the Painter" makes me think of "Peter the Meter Reader"

[RangerG]

There should be Bristles left over from CGE. To be honest, I didn't see very many people buying it or even play-testing it.

[Godzilla]

well ive added myself to their mailing list twice and havent heard anything yet i hate anticipation.

[Atari2600.com]

Remaining copies of BRISTLES, by First Star Software, are now available for purchase through the Atari2600.com online store. Each game is individually serialized externally at the top flap on a gold foil seal. When ordering please follow with an e-mail if you would like a particular serial number. Each copy of BRISTLES has an internal serial number within the game code which matches the external number. Total production was limited to 100 copies.

 

So can anyone with a copy of BRISTLES explain the surprise which is on back of the box?

 

JC

Atari2600.com

www.atari2600.com

[Godzilla]

Well, I placed my order. Thanks a ton guys! Can't wait to see it!

[sku_u]

Same here. I'm looking forward to this one and eagerly await the launch of Irata's Quest and Adventure II. Both games look like awesomly fun titles.

[bjk7382]

I just put my order in as well.

[purenergy]

So can anyone with a copy of BRISTLES explain the surprise which is on back of the box?

 

Could it be the "Exciting Atari 5200 First Star games coming soon...", along with screen shots?

[ziggystar]

Perhaps a few other "Officially" Licensed First Star games?

[sku_u]

Perhaps a few other "Officially" Licensed First Star games?

 

The two coming soons are big favorites of mine. One of them will sell out quickly.

 

I received my copy of Bristles today. The box is professional quality. I'm looking forward to playing it later on.

[DEBRO]

The two coming soons are big favorites of mine.  One of them will sell out quickly.

Enough with the secrets...what are they?

[sku_u]

The two coming soons are big favorites of mine.  One of them will sell out quickly.

Enough with the secrets...what are they?

 

Flip and Flop

 

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Boulder Bash Vol. 2

[bjk7382]

 

 

 

 

Boulder Bash Vol. 2

Its actually Boulder Dash Vol. 2