THE SPECTRUM GAME DATABASE

NORTH STAR

PUBLISHER
Gremlin Graphics

AUTHOR
Jon O'Brien

YEAR
1988

DESCRIPTION
Right-scrolling Exolon-type game with nice color graphics and
animation.  Ten levels.

Alone it stands, majestic and proud... the final hope to Earth's 
savagery and overpopulation ... North Star, a glorious space 
station orbiting serene tranquility, too much tranquility ... 
preparation should be underway for the final evacuation. 
Communications are dead, scientists cannot be raised ... 
a dreadful gloom overtakes the population ... has their last 
hope gone? Only one can find out, only one has the necessary 
powers. That one is you ... a unique being on a mission to 
rescue a unique project.

The NORTHSTAR PROJECT, the most highly classified operation ever 
to be undertaken by the four Earth-Lords, has gone tragically 
wrong....

The year was 2499 and an over-populated Earth was grasped in 
starvation. Man fought against man, desperate for food. A meeting 
was called and the Earth-Lords decided upon an elaborate plan of 
action. A space station would be built. Not an ordinary space 
station; it would not hold just 10,20 or even 100 people, but 
thousands upon thousands. There they Would be able to produce 
foods high in nutritional value, very efficiently and most 
importantly very quickly.

The building started and daily flights of scientists and equipment 
were sent up. As the years went by the steady flow of flights with 
their large loads accelerated the project almost to the point of 
completion - until one day when a flight left but never returned. 
The station, now called NORTHSTAR was paged from Earth, but there 
was no reply.

You have been appointed to fly to NORTHSTAR to find out what is 
going on and to resolve any problems you may find.

Arriving on NORTHSTAR you find that the station has been over-run 
by an alien hoard. No human survivors can be seen anywhere - are 
they really all dead? You notice that the life-support systems are 
inoperative, only your robotic implants prevent you from suffocation.

Now your task becomes clear. You must destroy these alien life-forms 
and re-activate the life support systems by making your way to the 
NORTHSTAR project centre.


HOW TO PLAY

The scrolling screen displays you, your enemy and the various 
obstacles you encounter. Your score, lives remaining, oxygen level, 
and any weapons collected are also shown.

BONUS PODS: These can contain either an oxygen bonus, a score bonus, 
            or a weapon bonus.

WEAPONS: At the start of the game your only weapon is your robotic 
         arm. There are a further five weapons to collect, and the 
         use of each will be obvious. The Smart Bomb is the only 
         weapon that uses a special key other than left, right, up, 
         down, and fire. Should you be killed you will lose one of 
         your weapons, but this can be re-collected.

HINT: Look before you leap. Shoot everything coming towards you and 
      collect everything that floats away from you.


CONTROLS

SPECTRUM 	NORTHSTAR is compatible with KEMPSTON, CURSOR and 
		INTERFACE 2/+2 joysticks. PREDEFINED keys are:

		K - Left	L - Right
		A - Jump Up	Z - Crouch down
		SPACE - Fire 	P - Pause 
		Q - Quit	S - Smart Bomb

		These keys can be re-defined by pressing 5 on the 
		main screen. Press 6 to start the game.

AMSTRAD &
cBM 64/128: 	Use a joystick or keys:

		K - Left	L - Right
		A - Jump	Z - Crouch
		SPACE - Fire 	P - Pause 
		Q - Quit	S - Smart Bomb

		Press FIRE to start the game.

ATARI ST: 	Joystick in port 1 or Keys:

		L - Left	O - Right
		Left hand	Left hand
		CTRL - Up	SHIFT - Right
		SPACE - Fire	P - Pause
		Q - Quit	S - Smart Bomb


HOW TO LOAD	

SPECTRUM 48K: 	Type LOAD"" and press ENTER. 

SPECTRUM 
128K/+2: 	Use the tape loader as normal. 

SPECTRUM +3: 	Use the disk loader as normal. 

CBM64/128: 	Cassette - Press SHIFT and RUN/STOP together. 
		Disk - Type LOAD"*", 8, 1 and press RETURN. 

AMSTRAD: 	Cassette - Press CTRL and the small ENTER keys together. 
		Disk - Type |CPM and press RETURN. 

ATARI ST: 	The disk will auto-boot on start-up.


Designed and written by Jon O'Brien.
CBM + ATARI ST conversion by Sentient Software

Special thanks to Benn and Steve without whom...

Gremlin Graphics Software Limited, 
Alpha House, 10 Carver Street, Sheffield S1 4FS.

© 1987. All rights reserved. Unauthorised copying, 
lending or resale by any means strictly prohibited.