Rescue on Fractalus! - Software MAME

Atari 5200 cart. published 38 years ago:

Rescue on Fractalus! © 1986 Lucasfilm, Limited.

All right! Listen up! you've got a right to know why you're here -- why they suddenly need us Air Pilots.

A life and death struggle is raging throughout this grubby galactic quadrant. It's us against the Jaggies and they've just upped the stakes. They've dug in on Fractalus, the most inhospitable planet this side of the Kalamar system. It's a neat trick. Our highly trained Ethercorp pilots were holding their own in space battles, but down on Fractalus it's a different story. We're losing anywhere from five to fifty Space Pilots at a clip. Our job's to rescue those spacers.

Go ahead--laugh. I admit it's funny. Five years ago, the Corps couldn't phase us out fast enough. "No need for Air Pilots in Ethercorps," they said. "Those dogs have had their day." Well, great, but those Space Pilots can ONLY fly space. To be fair, they'll save us in the end, but now we have to save THEM--especially those golden "Ace Pilots." We can't win without them!

Here's how it works. They've rigged up a Mother Ship to ferry us within booster range of Fractalus. That's where it gets sticky. The Jaggies have got defenses on that planet--gun emplacements, saucers-- the works. And Fractalus is one hot cauldron of craggy mountains and canyons, covered by the worst air you've ever flown in. It's thick cyantric acid--it'll dissolve your flight suit within minutes. Finally, there's the planet's hyper rate of rotation. The nine minute days have driven more than one pilot nuts.

But there's good to go with the bad. You'll have Valkyrie Fighters, the best pure flyers we've got. And don't call them V-Wings--that's not correct terminology. To make room for those Space Pilots they had to strip out a lot of the offensive weaponry. But they did install a Dirac Mirror Shield. It can take a big hit, but you pay for each one out of your energy reserve.

The one offensive weapon they left us is hot: the AMB -- Anti-Matter Bubble -- Torpedo. It'll destroy a target if it hits anywhere near it!

Finally, each Valkyrie's been fitted with the Etheric Navigation System, a computer-enhanced viewscreen which overlays your forward main window. It lets you see where you're going in Fractalus' acid fog atmosphere.

That's it. Get going. Forget the past--just go get us a future.

Sorry. No time for a briefing now. Ethercop pilots are down--out of action. They need help--fast!

First, we toss you out of the Mother Ship, straight down to Fractalus. That part's all automatic. But you're on your own when you hit the atmosphere.

Your job is to fight through the Jaggi defenses and find stranded pilots. They won't be jumping up and down waving at you. So, use your instruments and viewscreen to find their crashed ships. They'll wait inside until you land in range.

The rescue's a snap. As son as you shut down your engines, the pilot will come running and knock on your rear airlock door. Let the spacer in.

When you pick up your quota of pilots, or run out of energy it's back to the Mother Ship. As you get better, we advance you to higher Levels--the more hellish parts of Fractalus.

Got it? Prepare for Mother Ship Launch.

TECHNICAL
Model CX5254

SCORING
Each second of flight: 1
Gun emplacement destroyed: 100
Saucer destroyed: 250
Pilot picked up: 200
Ace picked up: .2000
Pilot returned to Mother Ship (bonus): 500
Pilot returned over quota (bonus): 1000
Level Completed: Level X 200

STAFF
Project director/creator, transition scenes, animation, and documentation: David Fox
3-D fractal landscape image generation, co-creator: Loren Carpenter (Lucasfilm Computer Graphics Project)
Animation, music, sound, and flight dynamics: Charlie Kellner
Animation: Gary Winnick
Support: David Levine
Concept, night flying design, music, and sound: Peter Langston (Games Group Leader)

Special thanks to: George Lucas

CONTRIBUTE
Edit this entry: https://www.arcade-history.com/?&page=detail&id=50084&o=2