Your Blue-Print for Success

By Scott Stilphen

 

The pieces of the machine aren’t randomly placed, but instead are placed in one several distinct patterns. The method used to place them is quite simple, but very effective. When you power the game up, it randomly selects 1 of at least 15 different sets of patterns for the opening screen. Each set has 5 patterns, and they always appear in the same order. A quick example to prove this is to turn the game on and press RESET. Notice where the pieces go. Now press RESET 5 more times. Each time, the pieces go to difference houses, but on the 5th RESET, the pieces fall in the same order as the first time you pressed RESET. After each opening pattern, there are 11 more, leading up to screen 12. The patterns start over at screen 13 with the pattern from screen 3.

The following screen patterns will get you to the password and even to roll the score (at 20,000). To use them, just keep turning the game on and off and pressing RESET until you notice the pieces fall as shown in the first one. It seems as though the program is partial to starting with this pattern. It should only take a few tries to get it.



Tips on playing

When moving throughout the maze on higher screens, it helps to keep the fire button on your joystick pressed down. It increases your speed. When using the machine, keep it in the middle and charge it until the arrow is on “H”, but not past it. If you press the fire button just as what’s-his-name reaches the edge of the screen, you’ll hit him every time.

After you’ve uncovered the secret password – TEALPEHN – and end the game, a small box with an “X” in it appears on the title screen. The only reason I can think of for it is to prove you finished the game. This would have been handy for CBS when players sent in pictures of their completed game screens in order to receive an award or prize. If I recall, the game came with a postcard that had 8 spaces on it. All you had to do is fill in the eight letters and mail it to them.

See the Easter egg entry for this game.
 


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