DAN DARE 2 : MEKON'S REVENGE
Virgin Games


MEKON'S REVENGE

After more than a year's silence the Mekon stirs again from his hideout in
deep space. His ambition to be ruler of Earth has not shaken in its resolve.

The Mekon's last onslaught on the unsuspecting inhabitants of Earth was
courageously foiled by Colonel Dan Dare and his chums. A giant atomic
asteroid was propelled towards Earth; the Mekon's ransom was the precious
freedom of the Earthlings or their total destruction! Dan boarded the
asteroid and initiated its powerful self-destruct mechanism, escaping just
in time to see the asteroid blast into thousands of harmless pieces!

This time the Mekon has instigated immense scientific development and has
produced a new, genetically engineered race ... the SUPERTREENS!

He has constructed a space ship to launch his dastardly creations on the
Earth! The powers and abilities of the Supertreens would be many hundred
times greater than normal Treens. The population of Earth would be killed or
help captive within hours if the Mekon is successful in his launch of the
Supertreens at just the right distance from Earth.

Even before the Mekon jammed all of Earth's communication channels and
issued his derisory message, Dan had assembled a full Space Fleet. There is
only one way to defeat the Mekon - face to face!


(c) 1987 IPC / DAN DARE LTD
Part of the Dan Dare Nostalgia Collection licensed Worldwide by Dan Dare Ltd.


DAN'S MISSION

There are four levels to the Mekon's ship; each level houses deadly
Supertreens, enclosed in Plexiglass Life Support Bubbles. Dan must penetrate
all four levels, locate all the Supertreens and sabotage their control boxes
before the level destruct sequence scatters them into Earth's atmosphere.

The destruct countdown (Mekontan time) will start the moment the first
Supertreen control box is destroyed. Dan and his Space Fleet troops must
work quickly and eliminate defending Treens, blasting computer force field
generators to allow further access to each level.

When all the control boxes have been shot, Dan will have to reach the
passage connecting the present level with the next one. Assuming the door
has shut and Dan is safely behind it, he will be protected from the blast,
and will be able to progress onto the next level.


THE MEKON'S MISSION

Like Dan, the Mekon, with the help of the Treens, must also locate all the
Supertreens. When found, he manually activates their life support control
boxes and ejects them into space. Unfortunately, Dan's arrival has already
triggered the security destruct sequence, which gives the Mekon less time to
achieve his goal and escape onto the next level. This, in effect, makes the
game considerably harder and is probably more suited to experienced players,
looking for an extra challenge.


LIVES

The player starts the game on level one with six lives. A life is represented
on the bottom score panel by a small red dot. When the red stamina bar
diminishes to nothing, a life will be lost. Upon total stamina depletion,
the player will be returned to the level start screen.

The game will end if either all six lives are lost, or the player is caught
in the level-destruct blast unprotected. A destruct sequence countdown timer
is shown on the bottom score panel.

Extra lives are awarded for every fifty thousand points scored. Extra energy
objects can be picked up, which will replenish the stamina bar.


ESCAPE FROM THE SPACESHIP

On level four there is an escape Pod, although its portable operation unit
has been removed elsewhere to prevent easy escape. The Pod's advanced
computer detection system allows only Venusian life forms to operate it -
This may be a problem for Dan!


CONTROLLING MOVEMENT

UP
^
|
LEFT <-- --> RIGHT
|
v
PICK UP OBJECTS

* BUTTON TO FIRE

Left - I
Right - O
Fire - P
Up - Q
Pickup - A
Caps shift - Pause
L & ENTER - Abort game


HINTS

1 When playing Dan, the destruct sequence timer does not start until the
first control box has been destroyed - use this to your advantage.
2 Some of the Supertreens are well hidden, so remember to search even the
most unlikely places.
3 Shooting force field control computers will help you complete each level.
4 Try not to shoot your own troops - they will attack the enemy for your
protection, although it is easy to get caught in a crossfire.
5 Passages connecting levels always have two doors. The rightmost one will
not open when shot at, until the present level has been destroyed.
6 Captions will tell you what most of the objects are, and inform you of
your progress.


There are [up to?] 6 rooms containing Supertreens per level:
Level 1 - 5 rooms
Level 2 - 6 rooms
Level 3 - 4 rooms
Level 4 - ????