Dan Strikes Back (1984)

Introduction

Dan Strikes Back is a one player game using joystick port 1.

Description

Digger Dan's most prized possession was the Great Diamond, which he unearthed near Round Mount in the Australian outback. His arch enemy, Brian the Blob, found out where Dan had kept the diamond and stole it from him. Brian took the diamond to his deepest vault and locked it away there. To keep it safe, Brian left various creatures guarding different parts of the vault and blocked the entrances with massive doors.

Dan's quest is to venture into Brian's vault to retrieve the Great Diamond. On his way, Dan must trample the Mushrooms and collect the Small Diamonds to open the doors to each successive level of the vault. All the while he must avoid the Creatures that roam within.

Once he has picked up the Great Diamond, he must try to get out alive. Unluckily for Dan, Brian arrived on the scene just as Dan entered the vault and followed him in...

Attract Mode

Dan Strikes Back starts in the attract mode as soon as it has loaded. It will play the theme tune continuously and display the vault until the game is started.

Start

The Start key or the Joystick Button will start the game. Your score and reserve diggers are displayed at the top of the screen on the left. The highest score reached since the game was loaded is displayed at the top of the screen on the right.

Joystick Control

Dan will move in the direction you push the joystick. There are some places within the vault where Dan cannot climb upwards. If you come across such a place, you will have to find a different route to get to your destination.

The Vault

This is divided into 6 levels, each of which is separated from the next by a pair of Locked Doors.

To open the doors to levels 2 and 4, Dan must trample all the Mushrooms in levels 1 and 3 respectively.

To open the doors to levels 3, 5 and 6, Dan must collect all the Small Diamonds on levels 2, 4 and 5 respectively.

To open the doors to the chamber containing the Great Diamond, Dan must trample all the Mushrooms he can possibly reach, in level 6.

Auto Doors

On levels 2 and 5 there are some Automatic Doors which open and close at random, temporarily cutting off some passages. You must either find a route to bypass them or wait for them to open again.

Spider

On level 3 a Giant Spider scuttles round the passages, leaving Webs in its wake. You must break through the webs to descend. Be careful not to get caught while trying to break through.

Nasties

Other nasties also lurk within the vault. Don't let them catch you or you will be a "goner".

Toadstools

Score Bonus Points for stamping on the Magic Toadstools that sometimes pop up from the floor.

Scoring

Each Mushroom trampled:
10 x level
Each Magic Toadstool stomped:
20 x level
Each Small Diamond collected:
50 x level
Each Web broken through:
100 pts
For reaching the Great Diamond:
5,000 pts
For getting out alive with the Great Diamond:
10,000 pts

Beware

Should you reach the Great Diamond, Brian will throw everything he's got in the vault at you to try and stop you escaping.

Successful Mission

If you succeed in getting out with the Great Diamond, you will try again but with everything moving a little faster, and with the Nasties being a little nastier.

Pause

During play, the joystick button will halt the game. To resume play, push the joystick in any direction.