ELVIRA - THE ARCADE GAME...THE DOCS ----------------------------------- CONTROLS. --------- JOYSTICK PUSHED TOP LEFT.........JUMP LEFT JOYSTICK PUSHED TOP RIGHT........JUMP RIGHT JOYSTICK PUSHED CENTRE...........JUMP UP JOYSTICK CENTRE AND LEFT.........WALK LEFT JOYSTICK CENTRE AND RIGHT........WALK RIGHT JOYSTICK PULLED DOWN AND CENTRE..CROUCH GENERAL ------- PAUSE (PC/F1) (AMIGA/ST `P`) UNPAUSE (PC/F2) (AMIGA/ST ANY KEY) ESCAPE (PC/AMIGA/ST PRESS `ESC`) MUSIC FX/ON/OFF (AMIGA/ST `S`) SPELL SELCTION AND CASTING (AMIGA/ST) ------------------------------------- SPACE......TO SELECT SPELL ENTER......TO CAST THE SPELL (PC).......SHIFT - TO SELECT SPELL(CYCLES THROUGH SPELLS) (PC).......ENTER - TO CAST SPELL WORLD SELECTION OPTION. ----------------------- AFTER THE INTRODUCTORY SEQUENCE YOU WILL BE GIVEN THE CHOICE OF ENTERING THE FIRE WORLD` OR THE `ICE WORLD` FROM THE WORLD SELECTION SCREEN. MOVE THE POINTER USING THE ARROW KEYS (PC) OR JOYSTICK PRESS FIRE TO SELECT;- FIRE WORLD - LEFT GLOBE ICE WORLD - RIGHT GLOBE TRADER. ------- THE ANCIENT TRADER WILL BE ENCOUNTERED IN EACH OF THE 3 WORLDS. THE TRADER HAS THE ABILITY TO TRADE A SPELL THAT YOU HAVE COLLECTED FOR ONE THAT HE HAS IN HIS COLLECTION AND HE INVITES YOU TO VISIT HIM AS MANY TIMES AS YOU WISH IN YOUR SEARCH TO HAVE THE RIGHT SPELL FOR FUTURE USE. THE TRADER CAN ALSO BE ASKED FOR INFORMATION TO HELP YOU SOLVE THE QUEST. YOU MUST HOWEVER DECIDE HOW MUCH YOU ARE PREPARED TO SPEND AND HOW MUCH INFORMATION YOU REQUIRE TO FURTHER YOUR QUEST,AS THE VALUE OF THE INFORMATION VARIES TO ITS USEFULNESS. ONCE YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR TRADING,SELECT `EXIT` TO RETURN TO THE GAME. (AMIGA/ST/PC) THE TRADER ALLOWS YOU TO `EITHER` TRADE SPELLS OR AQUIRE INFORMATION USING `RUNES`.MOVE POINTER UP OR DOWN,PRESSING FIRE TO MAKE SELECTION. TO TRADE SPELLS WITH THE TRADER YOU MUST BE CARRYING A SPELL. TO PURCHASE INFORMATION,THE TRADER WILL GIVE YOU VARIABLE INFORMATION ACCORDING TO HOW MANY RUNES YOU ARE PREPARED TO PAY.BEWARE `ANYONE` WHO TRIES TO CHEAT THE TRADER!!! OVERVIEW. --------- ELVIRA THE BUXOM BEAUTY OF THE NIGHT,LIVES IN A TYPICAL AMERICAN 1900 COLONIAL HOUSE ALL DECKED OUT IN THE MOST TASTEFUL DECOR YOU COULD EVER IMAGINE. THE WALLS ARE A NICE SHADE OF BLACK,THE CEILINGS DRIP WITH SILKY COBWEBS AND THE OCCUPANTS ARE STRANGE TO SAY THE LEAST. THE ROOMS SMELL MUSTY WITH A HINT OF BURNT SOCKS,OR IS IT INCENSE?.THE FURNITURE LOOKS AS THOUGH IT HAS COME FROM ANOTHER WORLD,RED LEATHER SUITE,A SILVER METALLIC TABLE,WITH MATCHING ELEPHANT TUSK CHAIRS,IF ITS COMFORT YOU WANT YOU`VE HAVE`NT COME THE RIGHT PLACE. THE CHOICE OF MUSIC IS WEIRD,EVEN BY HEAVY METAL STANDARDS(NOT THE TYPE OF MUSIC TO IMPRESS FUTURE MOTHER IN LAWS!) NOT THAT ELVIRA HAS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OR THE NEED TO IMPRESS ANYBODY. IT IS JUST AS WELL THAT THE LADY HAS `LARGE` ASSETS(WE MEAN HER HOUSE OF COURSE!` AND ANY OTHER VALUABLE BELONGINGS,IF YOU GET THE DRIFT. ELVIRA ALWAYS HAD A BURNING AMBITION TO GO BACK IN TIME AND CHECK OUT HER ANCESTORS. ONE EVENING AFTER A FEW DRINKS SHE FELL ASLEEP IN HER THREE POSTER BED,THE FOURTH HAVING BEEN `BREAKFAST,LUCH AND TEA FOR A LARGE AND HUNGRY FAMILY OF TERMITES` THAT NIGHT THERE WAS AN ALMIGHTY STORM,THE WIND BLEW,THE RAIN LASHED DOWN AND THE LIGHTNING STREAKED ACROSS THE SKY LIGHTING UP THE WHOLE HOUSE.IT WAS ENOUGH TO AWAKEN THE DEAD AND THATS EXACTLY WHAT IT DID. ELVIRA WOKE WITH A START,NOT SURE WETHER IT WAS THE DRINK FROM EARLIER ON OR WHAT. AT THE BOTTOM OF HER BED STOOD A GHOSTLY FIGURE DRESSED IN A HIGHLY REGAL AND COLOURFUL ROBE. THE CHARACTER BECKONED TO ELVIRA TO JOIN HIM DOWNSTAIRS IN THE STUDY. ELVIRA WAS GLAD TO DO SO,ALTHOUGH IN HER OWN WORDS SHE SAID `ITS NOT VERY OFTEWN I GET OUT OF A BED FOR A MAN`. IN THE STUDY THE OLD MAN TOLD ELVIRA THAT HE WAS AN ANCESTOR SHE HAD BEEN THINKING ABOUT IN HER DREAMS AND THAT HE WANTED HER TO HAVE WHAT WAS RIGHTLY HERS. `FIRSTLY THOUGH I WANT TO INTRODUCE MYSELF,MY NAME IS KING GUSTAV OF TRANSLVANIA`. THE KING WENT ON TO TELL THE RATHER BEMUSED ELVIRA THAT HE OWNED A BEAUTIFUL CASTLE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE,WHICH HAD NOT BEEN PASSED DOWN THROUGH THE FAMILY AS HIS ONE AND ONLY HEIRESS `LADY PLAIN JANE` HAD NEVER MARRIED. THIS WAS DUE TO HER RATHER DOWDY LOOKS,AND SO WHEN SHE DIED THE CASTLE BECAME VACANT.APART FROM A FEW INTERESTING INHABITANTS THAT IS. THE KING WENT ON TO SAY THAT IF SHE HAD THE STAMINA AND COULD SHOW HIM WHAT SHE WAS MADE OF,HE WOULD HAND THE CASTLE DOWN TO HER AND HER GENERATIONS(IF SHE COULD FIND A SUITABLE HUSBAND OF COURSE WHO WAS WILLING TO SHARE HER ASSETS) KING GUSTAV SHOWED HER 2 GLOBES WHICH STOOD THROBBING IN THE GLOOMY LIGHT. THIS WAS WHERE HER CHALLENGE WAS TO START, THE CHOICE WAS HERS. THE GLOBES REPRESENTED 2 WORLDS THAT THE KING HAD INHABITED IN PAST LIVES. ONE WAS THE FROZEN `ARTIC EARTH` WHILE THE OTHER WAS THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE,AN UNDERWORLD OF FIRE. BOTH OF THESE HOSTILE ENVIROMENTS HAVE TO BE CONQUERED,BEFORE ELVIRA CAN ENTER THE CASTLE,FIND THE KING AND CLAIM HER THRONE AND YOU`VE GUESSED IT,BE CROWNED `QUEEN ELVIRA OF TRANSLYVANIA` NOT A BAD TITLE EH?..HUH SO WITHOUT ANY MORE DELAY LET`S HELP ELVIRA GAT WHATS RIGHTLY HERS. SPELLS AND EFFECTS. ------------------- A SPELL MUST BE COLLECTED FROM VARIOUS LOCATIONS AROUND EACH WORLD.ONCE COLLECTED,A SPELL CAN BE PUT INTO ACTION(SEE CONTROLS) SOME OF THE SPELLS HAVE A LIMITED TIME IN WHICH THEY CAN BE USED,SO THE CASTING OF THE SPELL MUST BE WISELY DONE.A COLLECTED SPELL CAN ONLY BE USED ONCE,HENCE IT IS IMPORTANT TO USE IT CORRECTLY TO OVERCOME A PARTICULAR SITUATION. A SPELL CAN BE EXCHANGED IN THE GAME WHEN THE TRADER IS ENCOUNTERED.IT IS YOUR DECISION AS TO WETHER OR NOT YOU TRADE THE SPELL YOU HOLD,WITH ONE THE TRADER HAS IN HIS COLLECTION,BEFORE CONTINUING YOUR QUEST. THE SPELLS. ----------- (A SHIELD ICON) THE SHIELD IS A TIMED SPELL THAT ONCE CAST PROTECTS ELVIRA AGAINST HITS FROM MONSTERS. (<----> ICON) THE FIRE RESISTANCE SPELL PROTECTS ELVIRA FROM HEAT ALLOWING HER TO WALK THROUGH RED HOT LAVA OR FLAMES. (RED CROSS ICON)THE FIRST AID SPELL GIVES ELVIRA AN EXTRA LIVE AND ALLOWS HER TO RE-CUPERATE ENERGY IN TIMES OF CRISIS. (A FEATHER ICON)THE FEATHER FALL SPELL GIVES ELVIRA THE ABILITY TO FALL FROM HEIGHTS AND DRIFT DOWN TO A SAFE LANDING. (CURSOR ICON) THE WORLD WALK SPELL IS USED BY ELVIRA TO PROGRESS TO THE NEXT WORLD IN HER QUEST. (SUNBLAST ICON) THE TELEPORT SPELL IS COLLECTED TO ENABLE TELEPORTERS TO BE USED.THUS THIS SPELL IS NEVER ACTUALLY `CAST` AND REMAINS WITH YOU UNTIL THE END OF THE PARTICULAR WORLD IN WHICH IT HAS BEEN COLLECTED. (FIREBALL ICON-) - NOT FILLED IN)THE ICE BLAST SPELL IS MORE DEADLY THAN A COLLECTED WEAPON.THE DAMAGE THAT THE SPELL CAUSES DEPENDS ON THE WORLD IN WHICH IT IS USED. IT IS NOT A TIMED SPELL BUT WILL BE LOST WHEN A NEW WEAPON IS COLLECTED. (FIREBALL ICON-) -FILLED IN ) THE FIREBALL SPELL IS SIMILAR TO THE ICEBLAST SPELL IN TERMS OF POWER AND DAMAGE THAT THE SPELL CAN CAUSE,AND AGAIN IS NOT TIMED. (LIGHTNING ICON)THE LIGHTNING SPELL WILL STRIKE A MONSTER CAUSING IMMENSE DAMAGE. ONCE THE SPELL HAS RUN OUT OF TIME YOU WILL RETURN TO THE PREVIOUSLY HELD WEAPON. WEAPONS. -------- THERE ARE 3 TYPES OF WEAPON SCATTERED AROUND THE LEVELS.ONCE A WEAPON OF A PARTICULAR TYPE HAS BEEN COLLECTED ITS FIRE POWER CAN BE INCREASED TO A MAXIMUM OF FIVE FOLD,BY COLLECTING FURTHER WEAPON POTS OF THE SAME TYPE, ONCE A WEAPON POT OF A DIFFERENT TYPE IS COLLECTED, YOU RETURN TO ONE UNIT OF POWER FOR THE NEWLY COLLECTED WEAPON. DAGGER....CAUSES 1 POINT OF DAMAGE STAR......CAUSES 2 POINTS OF DAMAGE TORCH.....CAUSES 3 POINTS OF DAMAGE COLLECTABLES. ------------- OTHER ITEMS THAT MAY BE COLLECTED TO HELP YOU IN YOUR QUEST ARE;- FOOD.............COLLECTING FOOD ADDS 10 POINTS TO ELVIRAS STRENGTH TREASURE CHESTS..THESE ADD POINTS TO YOUR SCORE RUNE STONES......THE RUNE IS AN ANCIENT ALPHABETIC SCRIPT WHICH WAS USED AS A WRITTEN LANGUAGE. RUNES WERE EMPLOYED AS INSCRIPTIONS, AND USED FOR TELLING FORTUNES. RUNES IN THIS GAME HAVE A VALUE,WHEREBY EACH STONE IS WORTH EITHER 5 OR 10 POINTS OF PURCHASING POWER. RUNES ARE FURTHER DESCRIBED UNDER THE TRADER HEADING.