MINOTAUR
Cartridge Instructions
(For 1 Player)

The DREADED MINOTAUR and his monster companions built a complicated system of
MAZES and DUNGEONS in the island of Tarmin to hide and protect the Great
Treasure of dark ages. Along with other stolen riches, they took OBJECTS of
SPIRITUAL POWERS and LETHAL WEAPONS. Now the castle with its GHASTLY OCCUPANTS
and FIERCELY GUARDED TREASURES has lured you in...You begin your JOURNEY
wondering whether you'll ever make it to the end...

OBJECT OF THE GAME

ALONE in a deep web of endless rooms and corridors...you move on with a bow, a
quiver of arrows, a sack of flour, and an empty pack toward DEEPER
PATHWAYS...beyond which the TARMIN TREASURE can be found. Yet you know the
DEVOURING MINOTAUR awaits you...at the end of your quest. You proceed cautiously
through ILL-OMENED GATES and LADDERS and even HIDDEN DOORS. You bump into all
kinds of combat and spiritual objects, some of which give you STRANGE POWERS
when collected and then used. Your pack can only contain up to 6 objects, your
hand 2 -- but they can be swapped around and used in the best possible ways. So
it's up to you to OUTSMART the EVIL FORCES...and GRAB the LOOT!

YOUR CONTROLS

KEYPAD 1: Pick Up/Drop
KEYPAD 2: Swap Hands
KEYPAD 3: Rotate Pack
KEYPAD 4: Open
KEYPAD 5: Use
KEYPAD 6: Swap Pack
KEYPAD 7: Attack
KEYPAD 8: Rest
KEYPAD 9: Use Ladder
CLEAR: Glance Left
KEYPAD 0: Retreat/Retrace
ENTER: Glance Right

UPPER SIDE ACTION KEYS: Castle Map
LOWER LEFT SIDE ACTION KEY: Count Food
LOWER RIGHT SIDE ACTION KEY: Count Arrows

DISC: Move Forward/Turn Left/Turn Right

NOTE: DO NOT USE THE KEYPAD AND DISC OR SIDE BUTTONS AT THE SAME TIME.

THE SCREEN

The screen displays either the CASTLE MAP, showing a side view of the maze
beneath the castle, or the MAZE MAP, showing your point of view as you move
through the maze.

At the bottom of both screens is a collection of objects and information:

At the center bottom is the MAZE LEVEL NUMBER, showing the level you are on (1
to 256).

Above the Level Number is the OBJECT AT YOUR FEET (Maze Map only)

To the left of the Level Number is the OBJECT IN LEFT HAND.

To the right of the Level Number is the OBJECT IN RIGHT HAND.

To the left of the Object in Left Hand is the COMPASS, represented by a letter
(N, W, S, E) that shows the direction you are facing (North, West, South, East).

Around the Compass are the items currently in your PACK. There can be from none
to four items in the Pack.

To the right of the Object in Right Hand is the 3-WAY SCORE: three sets of
numbers separated by slashes. The top set is your WAR/SPIRITUAL STRENGTH SCORE.
The middle set is your ARMOR/RING DEFENSES SCORE. The bottom set is your WAR
WEAPON/SPIRITUAL WEAPON SCORE.

Above the 3-Way Score is your TREASURE SCORE (Castle Map only).

YOUR COMMANDS

* To LOOK at CASTLE MAP, press and hold either Upper Action Button. The FLASHING
WHITE DOT will tell you where you are -- level and location -- in the maze
system. Up to 12 levels can be seen on the map. The SMALL YELLOW CHEST in the
center of the lowest level indicates the location of the TARMIN
TREASURE...guarded by the MINOTAUR. This is the first of 256 levels where the
treasure can be found. Each level down is filled with nastier monsters and magic
items...and maybe the terrible Minotaur! You CANNOT look at the castle map while
fighting a monster!

* To MOVE FORWARD, TURN LEFT, or TURN RIGHT, press and hold DISC in
corresponding position.

* TO COUNT number of FOOD UNITS you have, press and hold Lower Left Action
Button. You'll hear a series of CLICKS. Each click corresponds to a food unit.
You can collect up to 99 units of food by picking up flour sacks of 6 to 9 units
each.

* To COUNT number of ARROWS you have, press and hold Lower Right Action Button.
You'll hear a series of CLICKS. Each click corresponds to an arrow. You can
collect up to 99 arrows by picking up quivers of 6 to 9 arrows each.

* To pick up or drop objects, press PICK UP/DROP (1). This relates to your RIGHT
HAND only. Your hand must be empty to pick up something, otherwise this command
will swap what is in your hand with what is at your feet.

* To swap objects from one hand to another, press SWAP HANDS (2).

* To rotate objects in your pack, press ROTATE PACK (3). Up to 6 objects will
rotate in a CLOCKWISE direction, one position at a time, occupying the following
clock positions: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 o'clock.

* To swap an object in your pack with an object in your right hand, press SWAP
PACK (6). You can only swap an object occupying the 3 o'clock position in your
pack.

* TO open an UNLOCKED CONTAINER at your feet, or a door or hidden door directly
in front of you, press OPEN (4). Certain walls may contain a HIDDEN DOOR. If
TRAPPED in a room, try this command when facing a wall.

* To use an object in your right hand, or possibly act upon an object at your
feet, press USE (5).

* To attack a monster directly in front of you with the object in your right
hand, press ATTACK (7). You cannot attack while the objects in your left and
right hands are flashing (this means it's NOT your turn). Monsters often attack
first. Wait for your turn.

* To REGAIN both your WAR STRENGTH and SPIRITUAL STRENGTH after a battle, press
REST (8). The amount of rest you'll get will depend on the number of food units
you have picked up. Each unit of food can give you up to 5 units of war strength
and 2 units of spiritual strength.

* To GO DOWN a LEVEL into a new maze using the ladder at your feet, press USE
LADDER (9). Once used, a ladder WON'T allow you to CLIMB UP a level again.
However, when you reach level 256, the deepest one, a ladder will place you back
up to level 1.

* To see what is to your left, press GLANCE LEFT (CLEAR).

* TO see what is to your right, press GLANCE RIGHT (ENTER).

* To go back where you were last or retrace your last step, press
RETREAT/RETRACE (0). Press once to retreat and the monster will take one LAST
SHOT at you. If you continue pressing this command, the monster will continue
hitting you until you let up on the Disc.

GET READY

Start by setting the skill level:

Press 3 for Easiest
Press 2 for Easy
Press 1 for Medium
Press DISC for Hard

START YOUR JOURNEY!

Once a skill level has been set, the game begins immediately with a brief
display of the overall CASTLE MAP.

The castle map comes and goes. You've been told where you are in the first maze
level, by the FLASHING WHITE DOT. You've seen the ladders diagonally connecting
the maze levels, and the TARMIN TREASURE (represented by a small YELLOW CHEST)
right in the middle of the bottom level!

Here are your INITIAL CONDITIONS, depending on your skill level chosen:

EASIEST
Minimum Maze Levels: 2
Possible Length of Game: 5 to 30 minutes
Your Vulnerability: 1/4
Your War/Spiritual Strength: 18/9
Your Food: 9
Your Arrows: 9

EASY
Minimum Maze Levels: 4
Possible Length of Game: 1/4 to 1 hour
Your Vulnerability: 1/2
Your War/Spiritual Strength: 16/8
Your Food: 8
Your Arrows: 8

MEDIUM
Minimum Maze Levels: 8
Possible Length of Game: 1/2 to 3 hours
Your Vulnerability: 3/4
Your War/Spiritual Strength: 14/7
Your Food: 7
Your Arrows: 7

HARD
Minimum Maze Levels: 12
Possible Length of Game: 1.5 to 5 hours
Your Vulnerability: FULL
Your War/Spiritual Strength: 12/6
Your Food: 6
Your Arrows: 6

Now you're on your own in the NW corner of the maze...heading EAST...inside an
outer corridor. You carry a BOW in your right hand, some ARROWS in the quiver, a
little FOOD in a sack, and an empty pack. Neither the quiver nor the sack are
seen. The pack occupies the area on the screen where the COMPASS is, and is
noticed only when stuffed with objects. Move in the direction you want to go, by
pressing edge of DISC.

Often, EYEBALL MURALS will appear to you. They are always in the outer
corridors, MARKING the ENTRANCE to the interior of a maze. They come in three
different colors. DARK GREEN indicates a war type maze, BLUE a spiritual type
maze, and TAN a mixed type maze.

KNOW THE MAZE

Check your direction with the COMPASS. Look for OBJECTS and DOORS. Objects can
be anything...such as weapons, containers, keys, useful items or treasures.
Doors are usually easy to spot. But...

If TRAPPED in a DUNGEON, a HALLWAY, or a SECTION of the MAZE which seems to
repeat itself endlessly, look for possible HIDDEN DOORS. Confront any suspicious
wall as you would confront a regular door and press OPEN (4). If a hidden door
exists, it will open. If not, turn around...step by step...and try other
walls...or other pathways. Beware of OTHER DOORS...endowed with weird powers...

A LADDER in your way will provide a quick exit, DOWN into a DEEPER LEVEL.
Approach the ladder and press USE LADDER (9). A suction sound will immediately
transfer you! You may want to check your new position on the castle map, if
you're still displayed on it.

Sometimes you will encounter GATES in hallways. Going through a gate moves you
over to an adjacent maze, but it may JUMBLE your WAR/SPIRITUAL strength SCORE.
And you CANNOT go back through it! (REST AFTERWARD to regain some points and
check your new score.) Gates come in 3 colors: GREEN (makes you more war-like),
BLUE (makes you more spiritual), and TAN (won't change you at all).

TREASURES DISAPPEAR when picked up, because you either carry them in your
pockets or wear them. THEIR VALUES are recorded only on the castle map, in
BLACK, directly above the 3-way scoring display.

QUIVERS and SACKS of FLOUR also DISAPPEAR when picked up. You'll be carrying
them on your back!

Other objects, like USEFUL ITEMS, may DISAPPEAR when picked up or used with your
right hand. Or they may make you disappear...making you INVISIBLE to all
monsters but the Minotaur (while also making the monsters invisible to you!)
Such objects have SPIRITUAL POWERS.

To use a spiritual object, and it must be in your right hand or at your feet,
press USE (5). Use immediately -- rather than keeping it around -- to build up
your spiritual power, increase your score, and stand better chances of SURVIVING
ATTACKING MONSTERS. Check spiritual points, if any, right of the slash of any of
the three displayed scores.

ATTACKING!

You must have a weapon or magical item for use in your RIGHT HAND to fight. If
you don't, swap a weapon from your left hand or pack. Or pick up a weapon that
you find. Try to be prepared with a shield in your left hand. If order of
objects in pack needs rotating, do so, and get your most effective weapon out!

Remember, many weapons and items will VANISH upon their use in battle. So keep
several weapons in your pack to ensure victory. Watch both YOUR SCORE and the
MONSTER'S SCORE before and after every round of attack. Work out a BATTLE
STRATEGY. Some monsters will knock you out with just one or two blows...if
you're not careful!

Avoid attacking if your score looks weaker than the monster's. Press
RETREAT/RETRACE and move away. Chances are you can PICK UP MORE WEAPONS in the
hallways and dungeons and ATTACK LATER!

You can only attack a monster STANDING DIRECTLY IN FRONT of you, although a
monster may attack you from a nearby position. Sometimes he might just run smack
in front of you from BEHIND a DOOR that behaves strangely because of an OMINOUS
SPELL. Watch out for those SURPRISE ATTACKS!

After the initial assault, you ALTERNATE ATTACKS. If you attack first , you
CANNOT attack again until the monster has thrown something at you. The exchange
will be brief if either you or the monster is much stronger. Or it may last
quite a while if there is a balance of forces.

The BATTLE ENDS when either you or the monster DIES...or when you RETREAT.
Monsters NEVER retreat. A dying monster will disappear in a cloud of smoke. His
score will vanish too. If you DIE, your score will end up with a 0 on either
side of the slash of your WAR/SPIRITUAL STRENGTH scoring display. However, cheer
up! If you are worthy, you'll be REINCARNATED! And that means, a new opportunity
for you to win!

SCORING

Your 3-WAY SCORING DISPLAY on BOTH MAPS plus your SPECIAL TREASURE VALUE SCORING
DISPLAY on the CASTLE MAP tell you how you're doing. Anything LEFT of a slash on
the 3-way scoring is a WAR-TYPE score, anything RIGHT of a slash is a SPIRITUAL
score.

At the BOTTOM is the score of the object (WAR WEAPON or SPIRITUAL WEAPON) you
have picked up for use in COMBAT...or BUILD YOUR STRENGTH in preparation for
such a combat. The score will remain on the screen as long as you hold the
object in your RIGHT HAND. In the MIDDLE is your ARMOR/RING body DEFENSES score.
At the TOP is your overall STRENGTH (WAR and SPIRITUAL) score. Keep it high!

A similar overall STRENGTH score is kept for the monster attacking you! His
comes in green or blue colors. GREEN for WAR-derived STRENGTH and BLUE for
SPIRITUAL-derived STRENGTH. This score will appear DURING a BATTLE only and on
the spot on the screen where normally the maze level indication appears. The
score that appears initially is the weakest of his two -- WAR or SPIRITUAL.
Thereafter, is the score that was last damaged by your weapon used.

Notice that your MAXIMUM STRENGTH score (top line) under normal conditions is
49/24. But using useful items such as war or spiritual books or certain potions
may change that! Notice also that your MAXIMUM WEAPON score (bottom line) is
99/0 (if WAR type) or 0/65 (if SPIRITUAL). Always check the SECRETS OF THE
UNIVERSE tables to plan your STRATEGIES...and SURVIVE! And ultimately WIN the
GAME!

[NOTE: In the original hand-written instructions by programmer Tom Loughry, Tom
suggests that the true gamer will have more fun by NOT reading the SECRETS OF
THE UNIVERSE section, instead learning the secrets for himself while playing.]

SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE

WAR WEAPON TYPES

BOWS: Use 1 arrow at a time; bows may break
KNIVES: Vanish when used in an attack
AXES: Vanish when used in an attack
DARTS: Vanish when used in an attack
SPEARS: Vanish when used in an attack
CROSSBOWS: Use 1 arrow at a time; crossbows may break

WAR WEAPON COLORS & POWERS

TAN (wood/leather): Regular Power
ORANGE (rusty iron): Greater Power
BLUE (steel): Fair Power
GRAY (silver): Medium Power
YELLOW (gold): High Power
WHITE (platinum): Super Power

ARMOR TYPES

SMALL SHIELDS: Hold in left hand during fight
LARGE SHIELDS: Hold in left hand during fight
GAUNTLETS: Use to put on; best color is kept
HAUBERKS: Use to put on; best color is kept
HELMETS: Use to put on; best color is kept
BREASTPLATES: Use to put on; best color is kept

* Wearing a piece of armor will protect you a little from war weapons thrown at
you by monsters.

ARMOR COLORS & POWERS: Same as WAR WEAPONS

SPIRITUAL WEAPON TYPES

SCROLLS: Reusable; may break
SMALL FIREBALLS: Vanish when used in attack
SMALL LIGHTNING BOLTS: Vanish when used in attack
LARGE FIREBALLS: Vanish when used in attack
LARGE LIGHTNING BOLTS: Vanish when used in attack
BOOKS: Reusable; may break

SPIRITUAL WEAPON COLORS & POWERS

BLUE: Regular Power
GRAY: Greater Power
WHITE: Fair Power
PINK: Medium Power
RED: High Power
PURPLE: Super Power

RING TYPES

SMALL RING: Use to put on; best color is kept
LARGE RING:  Use to put on; best color is kept

* Wearing a ring will protect you a little from spiritual weapons thrown at you
by monsters.

RING COLORS & POWER: Same as SPIRITUAL WEAPONS

CONTAINER TYPES

MONEY BELTS: Contents REGULAR/Open to grab contents
SMALL BAGS: Contents BETTER/Open to grab contents
BOXES: Contents FAIR/Locked; use key to open and grab contents
PACKS: Contents MEDIUM/Locked; use key to open and grab contents
LARGE BAGS: Contents GREAT/Open to grab contents
CHESTS: Contents SUPER/Locked; use key to open and grab contents

* Containers may contain bombs, which will hurt you when they blow up. There are
3 types of bombs. Nastier bombs will be found in better containers. There is no
way of avoiding their blast.

* When opened or unlocked, containers reveal a treasure or a useful item. The
value of the treasure or item found depends on the type and quality of the
container. Better treasures are found in better containers.

* Use of a small potion increases the potential of all containers significantly
while in effect. Attacking a monster with a container will make him take the
container and forget about the fight.

CONTAINER COLORS & POWERS

TAN: Mild Quality
ORANGE: Good Quality
BLUE: Best Quality

TREASURE TYPES

COINS: 10 (silver), 30 (gold), 170 (platinum)
NECKLACES: 20 (silver), 70 (gold), 200 (platinum)
INGOTS: 50 (silver), 350 (gold), 450 (platinum)
LAMPS: 100 (silver), 150 (gold), 220 (platinum)
CHALICES: 120 (silver), 250 (gold), 400 (platinum)
CROWNS: 300 (silver), 500 (gold), 600 (platinum)

* Picking up treasures with your right hand automatically scores them for you.
Read their special score in black on your overall castle map only. Watch each
treasure being picked up disappear, since you'll be carrying it in your pocket
or wearing it.

USEFUL ITEMS TYPES

KEYS

TAN: Unlock tan containers
ORANGE: Unlock tan or orange containers
BLUE: Unlock any container

WAR BOOKS (VANISH ON USE)

BLUE: Increase your experience with war weapons; turn your war strength score
blue when in use; raise maximum score to 99

PINK: Increase your experience with war weapons; turn your war strength score
tan when in use; raise maximum score to 149

PURPLE: Increase your experience with war weapons; turn your war strength score
white when in use; raise maximum score to 199

SPIRITUAL BOOKS (VANISH ON USE)

BLUE: Increase your experience with spiritual weapons; turn your war strength
score blue when in use; raise maximum score to 49

PINK: Increase your experience with spiritual weapons; turn your war strength
score tan when in use; raise maximum score to 74

PURPLE: Increase your experience with spiritual weapons; turn your war strength
score white when in use; raise maximum score to 99

SMALL POTIONS (VANISH ON USE)

BLUE: Refresh war & spiritual strength to maximum; help in fights, but lose 1
turn during fights

PINK: Help find better things in containers; magic ends with a little "whoosh"
noise

PURPLE: Make you invisible to all demons except the Minotaur (while making them
invisible to you); magic ends with a little "whoosh" noise

LARGE POTIONS (VANISH ON USE)

BLUE: Raise war strength score by 10; help in fights, but lose 1 turn during
fights

PINK: Raise spiritual power score by 10; help you, but lose 1 turn

PURPLE: Switch war & spiritual strength traits; help in fights, but lose 1 turn
during fights

SPECIAL BOOKS (NEVER VANISH)

BLUE: Teleport books move you forward in maze rooms in spite of walls, but not
into monsters

PINK: Vision books allow you to see through walls for a time

PURPLE: Midas books turn treasures & war weapons platinum at your feet

* Useful items are found only in containers.

BAD MONSTERS

GIANT ANTS: Blue, Pink, Purple
DWARFS: Yellow, Tan, Orange
GIANT SCORPIONS: Blue, Pink, Purple
DWARFS WITH SHIELDS: Yellow, Tan, Orange
GIANT SNAKES: Blue, Pink, Purple
ALLIGATORS: Blue, Pink, Purple
DRAGONS: Blue, Pink, Purple

* Bad monsters use spiritual weapons only.
* Bad monsters are listed in order of increasing badness

NASTY MONSTERS

SKELETONS WITH SHIELDS: White, Gray, Orange
SKELETONS WITHOUT SHIELDS: White, Gray, Orange
CLOAKED SKELETONS WITH SHIELDS: White, Gray, Orange
CLOAKED SKELETONS WITHOUT SHIELDS: White, Gray, Orange
GIANTS WITH SHIELDS: Yellow, Tan, Orange
GIANTS WITHOUT SHIELDS: Yellow, Tan, Orange

* Nasty monsters use war weapons only.
* Nasty monsters are listed in order of increasing nastiness.

HORRIBLE MONSTERS

GHOULS (SHORT HOODED & ROBED)
WITH SHIELDS: White, Gray, Orange
WITHOUT SHIELDS: White, Gray, Orange

WRAITHS (TALL, HOODED & ROBED)
WITH SHIELDS: White, Gray, Orange
WITHOUT SHIELDS: White, Gray, Orange

MINOTAUR: Purple (Guards the Tarmin treasure)

* Horrible monsters use either spiritual or war weapons.

* In harder two skill levels, horrible monsters will shatter your weakest of two
scores -- war strength or spiritual strength.

* All together there are 52 types of monsters; you'll find more of the nasty and
horrible ones in the deepest levels...down to level 256...if you care to find
them!

* To win the game you must slay the Minotaur and grab the Tarmin treasure!

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(c)1983, 1998 Intellivision Productions Inc.
