Gravitar [Model CX2685]

Port

43 Years old Atari 2600 cart. Atari, Inc. [CA, USA]

Gravitar © 1983 Atari, Inc.

Your task is to break Gravitar's hold on the 12 solar systems under his power. You can do this by destroying all bunkers on every planet or by setting off the reactor in the alien reactor base.

Each solar system consists of a killer sun, an alien reactor base, and three or four blockaded planets - each housing fuel deposits and enemy bunkers.

To move from one solar system to the next, you must either visit all the planets and destroy every enemy bunker or activate the reactor at the core of the alien reactor base and escape before it explodes.

When you complete your mission in the three solar systems of one galaxy, you are automatically transported to another galaxy, where your rescue mission will continue.

You start the game with 6 to 100 starships, depending on the game level, and with 10,000 fuel units. Your ship consumes fuel every time you use your thrust engines, activate your shields, or extend your tractor beam. A warning beep sounds when your fuel level goes below 2,000 units.

The game ends when you run out of fuel or lose all your spaceships. When you complete your mission, the game resets and your points continue to accumulate.

TECHNICAL

Model CX2685

TRIVIA

Initially available only to Atari Club members.

SCORING

You score points for destroying enemy saucers, rammers, and bunkers. Each time you enter a new solar system, you can receive 7,000 fuel units, two bonus ships, and 4,000 extra points. You can earn a total of 999,950 points before the score resets. At the end of a game, your final score appears below the game level number.
Saucer	100 points.
Rammer	100 points.
Bunker	250 points.
Fuel depot	5,000 fuel units.
Bonus ship	Every 10,000 points.

TIPS AND TRICKS

Be careful when using your shields. Although they protect your ship from enemy fire, your shields will not withstand a crash or collision with an enemy ship.

When leaving the entry port, rotate the ship to the left or right; then thrust forward to move away from the sun.

Use a light touch on your joystick when thrusting. If your ship hits the side of the screen, it will be repelled by a force field and may be hard to control.

Since the force of gravity gets stronger as you near a planet's surface, aim the nose of your ship away from the planet when picking up fuel. You can then thrust away from the surface as soon as you have the fuel.

To pick up the fuel, steer your ship over the fuel depot and activate the tractor beam by pulling the joystick handle toward you. You can pick up fuel with your ship aimed in any direction.

When picking up fuel, pull back on your joystick and quickly release it. You'll use a minimum amount of energy, and your chances of crashing will be reduced.

You may want to wait until you have destroyed every bunker on a planet before you beam up the fuel. Be careful not to fly near the top of the screen or you'll enter the solar system before you get all the fuel.

When traveling through the dark galaxies, you can find out where the planet surface is by firing missiles. Each time your missile hits, the explosion will briefly illuminate the landscape. This technique works in the alien reactor base as well.

PORTS

CONSOLES

Microsoft XBOX (nov.16, 2004) Atari Anthology [Model 26084]

Sony PS2 (nov.22, 2004) Atari Anthology [Model SLUS-21076]

Sony PS2 (feb.18, 1005) Atari Anthology [Model SLES-53061]

Microsoft XBOX (nov.26, 2004) Atari Anthology

Microsoft XBOX (aug.4, 2005) Atari Anthology [Model B7X-00001]

Microsoft XBOX One (nov.1, 2016) Atari Flashback Classics Vol.2

Sony PlayStation 4 (nov.1, 2016) Atari Flashback Classics Vol.2

HANDHELDS

Nintendo DS (nov.2, 2010) Atari Greatest Hits Vol.1 [Model NTR-BR6E-USA]

Nintendo DS (feb.24, 2011) Atari Greatest Hits Vol.1 [Model NTR-BR6P-EUR]