Mancopter
arcade racing game for Commodore 64, 1984
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Mancopter is a side view horizontal game where the screen scrolls from right
to left when you move, as you control your hero flying a primitive helicopter
powered by pedal-power for a race over the ocean. You must fly and pass as
many other competitors as you can as you try to get from the start-line to a
finish-line a long distance away. To fly your helicopter you keep pressing
the fire button to stay airborne and press left to move along the screen. If
you stop pressing the fire button then you fall downwards towards the water,
if you stop pressing left then your momentum keeps you going until you slowly
come to a halt. The race is timed and you start with seventy seconds and this
decreases as you race but passing buoys gives you forty extra seconds.
The other competitors fill the skies and you can avoid them or hit the top of
their helicopter which sends them into the water but if you are hit from
above then you fall into the sea. You are carrying four fish and every time
you hit the water then a whale appears and lifts you onto it's head but at
the loss of a fish and if you have no more fish when you hit the water then a
shark appears and eats you. Pelicans fly in the air from left to right and if
they have a fish in their mouth then when hit gives you the fish and you can
carry up to eight. Hit a pelican without a fish and it takes one of yours and
if you hit one without carrying any then you hit the water and get eaten once
again.
Other creatures to avoid are squids, dodos, and storm clouds which release
lightning and if you are hit by any then a fish is lost. If you run out of
time then a fish is lost but you are given five seconds to try to reach a
buoy. Trees make an appearance and you are unable to pass the leaves and
branches so you must fly underneath while avoiding hitting the water. During
the race, rafts make an appearance and when landed on give you bonus points
for time remaining and competitors passed. Hitting a competitor into the
water doesn't count as a pass.
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Some useful keyboard shortcuts
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[PAUSE] - stop/continue game
[F9] - quick load game state
[F12] - quick save game state (still stored after leaving the site)
[F11] - toggle fullscreen mode
[ScrollLock] - quick switch control ports
[PageDown] - make a screenshot (320x200)