SKID ROW presents LEANDER FROM PSYGNOSIS CONTENTS STORY OPTIONS YOUR ROLE CONTROLS LOADING INSTRUCTIONS IMPORTANT: Always switch your machine off for at least 30 seconds before loading the game. Failure to do so may result in virus contamination of the Leander master disks. AMIGA Switch your computer on. Insert a Kickstart disk if so prompted. When the display prompts for a Workbench disk insert Disk 1 of Leander in your computer's internal drive. Insert Disk 2 and 3 when prompted. Leander is played with a joystick plugged into the second joystick port. LOADING TIPS Should the title screen not appear within 45 seconds of turning on your machine there may be a problem with your computer system. Check your computer connections and that the above instructions have been correctly carried out. If you are sure your computer is functioning properly (i.e. other software loads successfully) and are still unable to load Leander then you may have a faulty disk, in which case you may obtain a free replacement from Psygnosis Ltd. THANATOS' REVENGE It was Princess Lucanna's 18th birthday. The whole of Honshu seemed to be there for the celebrations. From the moment Lucanna rose to greet the sun she was showered with wonderful gifts. Dragons danced for her, magicians cast beautiful spells for her and enchanting music played from dawn to dusk. The princess laughed and sang her way through what she thought would be the best day of her life. From the filthy pit of anguish, he rose. Towering above his one-time prison, he breathed deep the fresh and fragrant air of the new day. Lifting his magnificent head, Thanatos screamed his freedom at the clear blue sky. The chilling sound echoed eerily across the land. Thunder rolled through the distant hills and the blue of the sky darkened to a lifeless grey. Thanatos closed his eyes and smiled... 'Free, at last`. THANATOS' REVENGE Drifting on an ethereal carpet of absolute evil he looked down at the pit that had held him prisoner for so long and felt pure hatred. They had done this to him. Trapped him with their tricks and lies. Well, now it was time for vengeance. They would know the anguish and torment he had endured for the last thousand years, and they would look death in the face, and know fear! Yes, they would know fear... The princess's day went all too quickly and even though she prayed it would last forever, the sun slowly began to sink towards the horizon, signifying an end to the celebrations. The music played more softly through the halls of Kiromo, now. No more dancing dragons, no more magic spells... no more gifts. Lucanna walked out to the garden where the sound of music was replaced by the quiet giggling of running water and the song of birds preparing to roost. The little dog Lucanna had been given by Cousin Susonne snuggled close to her neck to keep away the chill of dusk. Lucanna sat by the stream and thought about her day... bright colors and sounds filled her mind as she remembered the enchantment of the previous hours. Thanatos luxuriated in the rushing of the wind as he raced towards the Temple of Kiromo. Death and decay shadowed him and the earth over which he flew died; creatures of land, sea and air THANATOS' REVENGE mutated into a mockery of their former selves and deadly traps manifested into the very ground itself. Thanatos flew faster when he espied Honshu on the horizon. His mouth watered with the expectation of vengeance, revenge would taste sweet. Lucanna stroked her dog and watched the garden slowly fade to grey, she hummed quietly to the animal as she unwound from the excitement of the day. The dog sat bolt upright, its eared pricked. Lucanna spoke reassuringly to her new pet but she herself felt something strange in the air. The cold that suddenly poured over her was intense and it felt strangely clammy against her skin. A sudden rush of air whipped around her, bending trees and shrubs and uprooting flowers as it raced through the garden. Fear clawed at Lucanna's throat. The dog yelped and leapt from her grasp, she tried to race after it but found the wind too strong to fight against. 'Are you sure you don't want the late duty, Leander? I hear the princess is in the garden.` 'Yes. And she may want a hand controlling that vicious animal Susonne gave her for her birthday!` 'Come on Leander, why don't you confess that you love Princess Lucanna?` 'And dream of her being your bride.` THANATOS' REVENGE Leander was used to the ribbing he got from his fellow guards. It was true that he did love Lucanna and he didn't mind his colleagues knowing it. However, what they did not know and must never know is that Lucanna loved Leander as much as he loved her. They both knew that the match could, and should, never work - which is why it must remain a secret - but their feelings for each other were too strong for the couple to deny them altogether. But if the Emperor were to find out, it would mean Leander's head. Suddenly, above the noise of riotous laughter, Leander heard the alarm bell. Grabbing his sword and donning his helm, he shouted to the other guards to join him. As they raced from the guard room, the lookout shouted that the princess was in trouble in the garden. Spurred by the thought of his loved one being in peril, Leander sprinted for the garden. The sight that greeted his eyes as he dashed sown the marble steps to the lawn made him stop in his tracks. Seeing the fear in Lucanna's eyes quickly snapped him into action, however, and Leander ordered his guards to attack... The cold around Lucanna deepened, then everything around her went still. She could see the effect of the wind racing all about her and the damage it was doing to her beautiful garden, but she no longer felt its power. She could see the temple guards struggling to get to her but their efforts were useless against the strength of the wind. Lucanna called out as she saw Leander join the other guards, but no sound came out. Panic overwhelmed her. THANATOS' REVENGE Thanatos hovered overhead, staring down at the struggling princess he paused for a brief moment to bask in his moment of glory. His cloud of evil incarnate took him lower... Lucanna looked up to see his demonic hand reaching from above to engulf her in its maleficence. She screamed a silent scream and stared with horrified eyes at her secret love, Leander. She reached out to him and tried to call his name but was powerless. Thanatos spat at the guards as he rose above his tempest and laughed at their feeble efforts to harm him with their bows. Thanatos had what he had come for and, pausing for just a moment to look deep into Leander's soul, flew swiftly back to his lair. His laughter echoed menacingly around the Temple halls for long minutes after his departure but slowly faded to a numbing silence. The still and quiet of the garden was oppressive. A few guards attempted futile shots at Thanatos as he disappeared into the night sky, but their arrows fell way short. Leander was gutted. He picked up Lucanna's dog and, raising his head to the heavens, vowed to search the entire kingdom until he found her. A strong hand on his shoulder brought him back down to earth. 'The Emperor wants to see you, Leander.` A summons from Emperor Etoroshi was not a thing to take lightly. THANATOS' REVENGE Leander ran to the Imperial Throne room. Two magnificent golden doors silently swept open as Leander approached the throne room. In the flickering light, he could see, at the far side of the room, the emperor kneeling before the ghost-like image of a beautiful woman. Leander looked in awe at the face of Janoon, mystical aid to the emperor, and he too dropped to his knees. Janoon spoke to Etoroshi briefly before glancing at Leander. The Emperor turned his head towards the Captain of the Guard and as he did so, Janoon's image faded. Etoroshi got to his feet and beckoned Leander to approach. Leander stood and walked, head bowed, towards the emperor. 'It is a dark day for Honshu, Leander. What Thanatos has done must be quickly undone if we are to survive and conquer the evil that is even now spreading across the land. Thanatos will use Lucanna's life force to replenish his own... she will die and he will flourish. Then we shall all die.` The emperor sat on his throne and heaved a great sigh. 'Janoon has spoken to me. She told me of your love for Lucanna...` THANATOS' REVENGE Leander looked up. '... Do not worry, Leander; It is your destiny. And that can never be denied, for it is the love you feel for my daughter that will save our land. Your feelings for my daughter, and hers for you, will help protect you against the evil of Thanatos. You, Leander, must muster all your strength and bravery to face Thanatos' challenge and free Lucanna. However, you will not be alone. Janoon's three Sirens will guide you through each of the three worlds. Their help will be limited, I'm afraid, but invaluable for your success. Say nothing, Leander. Go now, and face your destiny. I await your return... BEFORE PLAYING Before Playing Leander Before taking on the challenge of Leander you have a choice to make: You make either Start the game immediately or enter the Options Menu. Impatient ones who initially select Start will play Leander in the default of Normal Mode (see below), however, selecting Options enables you to customize the difficulty of Leander to suit your joystick waggling prowess: Push your joystick up or down to select an option and press fire to confirm your choice; OPTION MENU Joystick You may play Leander with a single or twin fire button joystick. Lives You may select to have a maximum of seven (Training Mode), Five (Normal Mode) or three (Hard Mode) lives. Start World If you know the codes (given at the successful completion of the previous world) you may enter it here to immediately access world two or three at start of play. Credits You may select a maximum of three BEFORE PLAYING credits: ie, three chances to restart the game from the level on which you were last destroyed. Difficulty Training Mode only allows you to play the first world but it does give you maximum-hit-point armour (6) and it makes the enemy easy to dispatch. Normal Mode (default) lets you play all three worlds and it provides you with medium-hit-point armour (3) although the enemy is fairly tough. Hard Mode lets you play all three worlds but gives you minimum-hit-point armour (1) and pits you against very strong enemies. Title Sequence The amazing title sequence plays through when you die, unless you use this option to turn it off. Sound Type Use this option to choose to play Leander accompanied by music or sound effects. Exit Exit the Option Menu. YOUR ROLE Your Role As Leander You are the Captain of the Guard. And it is you who must face the dangers and terrors of Thanatos' evil. Only by fighting your way across the three increasingly deadly worlds - each infested with mutant creatures, burly guards, deadly traps and devious puzzles - will you be able to battle Thanatos for the life of Princess Lucanna. In-Game Features Leander's Armour Leander has some really neat armour. Its initial strength (the number of hit points it features) depends on the Mode you choose to play the game. However, there are icons throughout the game that, when picked up, will enhance his armour's protection. Purple armour provides the minimum protection: one hit point, Green = two hit points, Blue = three, Silver = four, Gold = five and Black provides six points of protection. IN-GAME FEATURES Icons Chests, and some enemies, when destroyed, leave behind icons for Leander to pick up. These mainly consist of coinage (for that always-useful shopping spree, armour enhancement or extra lives. However, should Leander discover an icon (coinage not included) and leaves it floating around on-screen instead of collecting it, it will change into a skull icon. Collecting a skull icon calls Thanatos' Ethereal Presence! Thanatos' Ethereal Presence Attacks if Leander collects a skull icon. Accompanied by crashing thunder, dazzling lightning and torrential rain, his attack can only be thwarted by Rune Bombs (see Weapons). A direct hit with a Rune Bomb will cause the Ethereal Presence to change direction. It will take four or five such hits to destroy it. Weapons Leander begins his quest with a short training sword which delivers only one hit point to enemies. However, a quick visit to one of the many shops situated throughout the game could greatly enhance your enemy-destroying capabilites - if you have the finances: IN-GAME FEATURES Dagger - One hit point Long Sword - Two hit points Force Blade - Unstoppable. Varying hit points Tempest Blade - 2 Hit Points with each blow. Leander's speed and jumping capabilities are increased Lion Blade - 5 hit points Suicide Weapon - Uses up one of your lives but delivers 20 hit points to any enemy in your immediate vicinity. Won't work if you only have one life remaining Rune Bombs - Required for the operation of Lion Blade. Also, Rune Bombs are the only weapon capable of dispatching Thanatos' ethereal image Please Note that the strength of Leander's Force Blade. Tempest Blade and Lion Blade may be increased by holding down the fire button on your joystick. The Energy Indicator Bar at the base of the screen (see What's On Screen) displays their increase in power as you hold the fire button down. Release it to engage the weapon. Leander's Suicide Weapon and Lion Blade require a full charge of energy before they can be activated. IN-GAME FEATURES The Shop: Shop Keep Leander's Stats Buy Item Information Scroll Stock Item Activity Icons Shop Stock Leave Shop Move your joystick left and right to select an Activity Icon. Press fire to engage it - Shop Stock Icon requires you to push your joystick up or down to scroll through the shop's inventory. The Shop Keep will only show you weapons that you can afford. WHAT'S ON SCREEN What's On Screen Rune Bombs Score Teleport Key Indicator Lives Remaining Current Wealth Energy Indicator Bar Leander Chest Burly Guard THE CONTROLS Controls Joystick: (1) (2) (3) (1) Proportional Jump Left \ | / (2) Proportional Jump \ | / (3) Proportional Jump Right \ | / (4) Turn/Walk Left ----- (5) Turn/Walk Right (4)-----| |-----(5) (6) Crouch/Enter Shop or Cave | | ----- Fire Button - Engage Current Weapon | | | (6) To engage Force Blade, Tempest Blade or Lion Blade, hold the fire button down. To engage Suicide Weapon, Crouch (pull joystick down) and hold the fire button down - Suicide Weapon won't work if you only have one life remaining. THE CONTROLS Keys: ESC - Quit Current Game M - Music/FX Toggle F10 - Pause Game HINTS 'N` TIPS Hints 'n` Tips Kill Leander's momentum by pulling the joystick in the opposite direction to the way he's walking for a fraction of a second. This will help him land on small platforms and ledges and prevent him getting a spike up his bum. Predict the paths of fast moving platform: Jump to land on them when they are travelling towards you. If you jump when they're closest to you they won't be there by the time you land... and you may have another nasty experience with a spear. Learn the habits of enemies; there are no random enemy paths in Leander. Use your coinage wisely: Don't go buying funky weapons when you have only two-hit-point armour. What use is a big weapon to a dead hero? When Leander loses a life (as long as it's not his last one) he will return to screen and flash for about 5 seconds, during this time (if he doesn't get arrested) he is invincible to enemy blows - but those spears can still do him a lot of painful damage! HINTS 'N` TIPS The Queen Spider: To defeat the Queen Spider and collect the teleport key you will need to destroy her head first then her tail and finally her stomach. Giant Otter: This creature must be hit many, many times. However, one strike of his claws and it's time for an expletive! Thanatos: You need to collect a powerful sword before you can hope to defeat Thanatos. SKID ROW SKID ROW SKID ROW SKID ROW SKID ROW SKID ROW SKID ROW