12
STAR*TECH JOURNAL/AUGUST 1983
A Regular Monthly Feature Technically Outlining a Newly Released Game
ATARI'S STAR WARS
By Frank Becker, Atari, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA
Atari has just started production on Star Wars*, a
spectacular color X-Y game that will prove to be a
"super hit". I realize you may tend to reject my
praising an Atari product (I'm really not biased- only
half of my wardrobe has Atari logos). But the facts
speak for themselves. Our testing says it's a hit. Its
reception at the OMAA Show in Columbus, Ohio says
it's a hit, and everyone else who sees it agrees. We all
can't be wrong. Star Wars is not only a good theme
game, it's also a great playing game. Those combinations
will establish Star Wars as one of the most secure
investments you can make. Enough with the intro. On
with the review.
New Features
Voice-enhanced game play. The voices you will
recognize belong to the actual characters of LUKE
SKYW ALKER, DARlH VADER*, BEN KANOBI*,
HAN SOLO*, AND R2D2*. They intensify the
excitement of swift and dynamic game play.
Flight control. The flight control for Star Wars is a
new Atari design. It allows a player to use real flying
techniques on a voyage that is out of this world!
Tamper-proof screws. There are 12 tamper-proof
screws on the cover of the flight control assembly.
They prevent abuse of the control or its handles.
Flight-control wrench. A special wrench for the tamper-proof
screws is included with your game. It is located in the coin box.
Medium-speed, medium resolution, cathode-ray tube. This
new X-Y cathode-ray tube (CRT) produces exceptionally clear
graphics for the world of LUKE SKYW ALKER
Options display. The self-test program of Star Wars includes an
options display that enables you to select game options without
having to set the option switches from the back of the cabinet.
Game Play
Star Wars is a one-player game with a color X-Y video display.
You command LUKE SKYWALKER's RED 5-X-WING
spacecraft with Atari's new flight control. Your main goal is to
blow up the DEATH STAR*. To do this, you must reach the
thermal exhaust port at the end of the DEATH STAR trench,
and fire a proton torpedo into it.
You must survive three phases of play to reach the exhaust
port. The first phase of play will engage you in a spectacular
battle in space - a war in the stars! TWIN-ION ENGINE
(T.1.E.) FIGHTERS* from the DEAlH STAR attack you
DARTH V ADER's ship appears in this phase - menacing and
powerful! Your goal in this phase is to shoot the T.I.E.
FIGHTERS and their shots.
The second phase of play takes the X-WING down to the
surface of the DEAlH STAR which is covered with laser
bunkers and laser towers. You must avoid collision with these
objects and their shots to keep the number of deflector shields
above zero. Extra bonus points are earned for exploding all laser
tower tops.
The third phase of play takes RED 5 down into the DEATH
STAR trench. The walls are lined with red laser-gun turrets that
fire at you as you approach. You must counter these shots by
avoiding them or by shooting them. Trench catwalks also
appear, in varied shapes and altitudes. You must avoid hitting
the catwalks, or else your number of deflector shields will
decrease.
If you survive the flight down the trench, a message and voice
will alert you that the exhaust port is straight ahead. You must
shoot the exhaust port to explode the DEATH STAR If you
miss the exhaust port, you will plough through the wall at the end
of the trench and lose one deflector shield.
If you succeed in blowing up the DEATH STAR, you get to
view the spectacular explosion and, depending upon the option
settings, additional shields will be awarded.
Special Service Notes
Flight control calibration. The Star Wars game has a self-
calibrating flight control. The game circuitry monitors the
position of the cursor on the display in relation to the flight
control vertical and horizontal position. Calibration is accom-
plished by moving the cursor to all four extreme edges of the
display. Calibration is also accomplished during normal game
play, but may take a few minutes to correct itself.
Options. To optimize profits, change youroptions to 50¢/play, 8
shields, moderate play, 1 bonus shield, or you maysetitto25¢, 6
shields, hard play, 1 bonus shield.
Logic board revisions.
1. On REV A and REV B main boards make sure that R3 is 68
ohms. It should be either a 68-ohm resistoror a 220-ohm resistor
in parallel with a 100-ohm resistor. (All resistors are ¼ watt,
5%, carbon film. ) On REV C main boards the circuit involving
3F and 3D has been changed to make itless sensitive to values of
• @1983 Lucasfilm Ltd. & Atari, Inc. All rights reserved. Lucasfilm trademarks used under license.
Continued on next page.