Loading Instructions

Press CTRL and small ENTER.

Slides, Ladders And Framework

Bob's main goal in the mine is to "claim" every section of the framework in each mine cavern. He does this by simply walking over each framework piece. As he walks over a piece, it will turn solid. To get around the mine there are many slides and ladders placed throughout. When all framework sections have been claimed, Bob advances to the next cavern. Make sure that he claims all the sections as pieces where the slide begins are sometimes overlooked.

Controlling Bounty Bob

The joystick controls the direction of movement for Bounty Bob. The trigger button controls his jumping. After pressing the trigger button to begin a jump the joystick may be pushed either left or right for the desired jump direction. Extremely long or short jumps may be made by varying the delay between pressing the trigger button and moving the joystick. To climb ladders simply stop directly in front of the ladder and push up or down to climb or descend the ladder. You may only exit a ladder from either the very top or the very bottom. The only action required to use a slide is to walk over the framework where the slide begins. Gravity will do the rest.

If Bounty Bob walks off the edge of a piece of framework he will fall until he hits something. He can only survive short falls, however. Longer falls will cause death.

Special Keys

Begin Game = Enter
Freeze/Unfreeze play = 1
Options Screen = 2
Hi-Score Table = 3
Main Title Screen = 4
Demo (screen 1) = 5

Warning!

Once pause is activated it will remain until deactivated. Burns on your television may result if pause is left on for an extended period of time. If pause is intended to be left on for a while, shut off your television until the game is ready to be resumed!

Grain Elevator

It'll take you up, but getting down will be up to you! Jumping onto the middle, and off from the edge will insure a safe trip.

Super Energy Food Bars

These little delicious goodies will pep you up for those extra long leaps and bounds. Better move fast after chomping one 'cause the effects wear off quickly!

The Gravity Lift

What goes down must come up - after Bounty Bob gets off, of course! This piece of equipment goes down faster than it goes back up, so know where you want to get off before you get on!

Hydraulic Lifts

Just hop on and you are instantly promoted to "Lift Commander". Pushing up or down on the joystick gives you manual control of the lift while you're on it. But once you get off, the lift's automatic circuits take over and return it to ground level leaving you to figure out how to get back on.

Suction Tubes

Since these were originally designed to carry mail and memos it's hard to imagine that good ol' Bounty Bob has found a way to use them as shortcuts through the mine. The air in some of the tubes travels in only one direction. Other tubes have diverter valves to channel the air either left, right or off. To operate the valves simply jump up in front of the control box whose number corresponds to the tube you wish to adjust. An indicator needle on each tube shows the direction of air flow. Some tubes are powerful enough to suck you up from where you stand; other tubes you'll have to jump directly in.

Mobile Suction Unit

This nifty contraption was the brain-child of Nuclear Ned. He had planned to get rich selling this as the vacuum cleaner of the 80's. It's the only device of its kind that can be programmed to "search and suck!" It sucked up the dirt well enough; unfortunately it also sucked up the furniture! Bounty Bob has reprogrammed it so that anytime he collects one of the mini-suction tubes it will search him out and suck him up!

The Acid Rain

You must beware of this radioactive liquid that drips from the stalactites at the top of the mine (or are they stalagmites?) It seems that one of Yukon Yohan's companies began dumping radioactive waste in a field without knowing that Nuclear Ned's mine was below. They probably would have dumped it there even if they did know what was below! All this is unimportant to poor Bounty Bob who must avoid these droppings if he wishes to stay alive.

The Cannon

This old war relic was given to Nuclear Ned by his great, great, great, great grandpappy "Sulfur Sylvester." Sylvester, known to his friends as "Sly" actually used the cannon in the war for independence. After one havy battle there were many casualties. Sly and his cannon, nicknamed "Old Faithful", were called upon to give a twenty-one gun salute for the men who had died. Unfortunately the cannon malfunctioned and all they got was a thirteen gun salute!

The moral of this story is never overload the cannon! It can handle a maximum of thirty tons of TNT. After loading the TNT use the suction tube to enter the cannon. Use the joystick to move the cannon left and right. Press the fire button to ignite the TNT.

Transporters

Another one of Nuclear Ned's creations, these devices have the capability to move Bob's molecules from one location to another. These are only low power transporters and they have no ability to beam Bounty Bob up to any passing Spaceships. (Good thing too: imagine what would happen if Yukon Yohan overtook a Starship!) After entering the chamber, an indicator will flash on another transporter. When the indicator on the transporter you wish to go to is flashing, push up or down on the joystick to energize!

Utility Hoist

The utility hoist is one of the few pieces of special equipment that Nuclear Ned did not make. He bought this from a travelling hoist salesman as a birthday present for his young son, Knucklehead Ned. Unfortunately, Knucklehead is no longer with us, at least in that form. You see, he fell off the hoist one day and landed in a bunny's carrot stockpile. He instinctively gnawed on some of the contaminated carrots and poof! He's now "Chuck" the mutant! Make sure that you don't repeat Knucklehead's - er, Chuck's mistake. Hop on to the hoist carefully and it will automatically engage. Move the joystick to manoeuvre the hoist around. Press the trigger button to turn off the hoist. To restart the hoist, press the spacebar.

Pulverizers

Ned salvaged some parts from a demolished aluminium recycling centre to make these contraptions. He used them to squash the giant mutated cockroaches that were somehow immune to bug spray. He got all of those big bugs but overheated the pulverizer control panel in the process. Now the pulverizers run rampant and present a constant threat to Bounty Bob. Move quickly through them or Bob will be squashed flatter than a mutant cockroach!

Moving Pieces

There are many different varieties of moving pieces in Ned's mine. Ned ordered all of them through the Speedy Elevator and Escalator mail order catalogue. Ned was fascinated by the wide assortment so he ordered one of each. Some constantly move back and fourth at varying rates of speed. Others stay parked at stopping areas until Bounty Bob jumps on them. All of them are very useful and are essential for getting around the mine. No special operations are required to use them other than simply jumping on and jumping off.

Mutant Organisms

Back in the early days of the mine a variety of small, furry creatures such as rabbits, gophers and weasels burrowed throughout storing food for the cold months. When the waste from Yukon Yohan's dumping began to seep into the mine, all the stored food became contaminated. As the unsuspecting little furry creatures began to eat their winter food supplies they slowly started to mutate into hideous forms that no pet store would ever display. Since these mutants are extremely radioactive any contact with them is fatal for Bounty Bob.

Treats

Scattered throughout the mine are many of Nuclear Ned's worldly possessions that he had aquired over the years. All of them absorbed a minute level of radioactivity. As Bounty Bob collects these items the low-level radioactivity enters his body. This makes him immune to the harmful effects of the mutants for a short span of time. Additionally during this period the mutants become vulnerable to contact with Bounty Bob, enabling him to destroy them by touch. The mutants sense this and turn into a pleasant form in the hope that Bounty Bob will ignore them.

High Score Factor

In this screen you actually use machinery to "build" your name to be displayed on the high score screen. Upon entering the screen you will see two bulldozers on lifts, a mini MSU (Mobile Suction Unit), and a small portable nuclear power generator. Pressing the joystick left or right changes control from one bulldozer to another or to the auxilliary command centre. Pressing up or down changes the level you are on. Press the trigger button to activate the function you have selected.

Difficulty

This parameter is adjusted in the OPTIONS screen. In the "EASY" mode, filled-in framework remains filled-in and dead mutants remain dead from one life to the next. Also, all mutants move at a slow rate. In the "MEDIUM" mode, the aliens move slightly faster, and filled-in framework resets. In the "HARD" mode, dead mutants resurrect from one life to the next. Finally, in the "C'MON" mode, the bonus timer starts with 1000 less.

Bonus Timer

The four digit timer is located at the top of every level. It indicates how much time is left for Bounty Bob to complete the level. When it counts below 1000, it will "beep" to indicate that Bob is running out of air. When the timer reaches zero Bounty Bob will be out of air and he will implode!

Game Adjustment Screen

Press 2 to enter this mode on the Spectrum home computers. There are different game parameters you can adjust. The line you are currently on is indicated by a solid strip of background colour and the flashing parameter setting. To go to a different line, press the joystick up or down. To adjust the parameter setting press the joystick left or right until the desired setting appears. The last line labelled "SPECIAL CODE" is for exclusive use by Big Five programming personnel. Left/right moves "cursor" over letter "FIRE" changes the letter to allow wrap to other levels. These codes will be revealed as the game progresses.

Demo Mode

If the game is not being played and is not in the pause mode the program will cycle through the high score display screen, the main title display screen, and a demonstration of level one. Beginners should watch this demo for a few times to get an understanding of how to play.

BOUNTY BOB © Big Five Star