THIS GAME IS NO PUSH-OVER
G.I. ANT_, a soldier ant, is extremely clever, and highly trained
in tactical maneuvers. What's more, he's
extraordinarily strong, and super smart. His latest mission is to
gain access to the crazy world of Captain
Rat's Treasure Caves. Straightforward, huh? .....NOT!
You see, this particular cave is a tunnel entrance to Domino
Domain - a mini-world comprised of nine
different continents. G.I. must negotiate many screens of mind-
teasing problems. Each level has a door to
the next. To open the door, the'Trigger' domino-block must be
felled by causing a chain reaction with all of
the other domino-blocks in that level. Easy, huh?.....NOT!
YOUR CONTROLS
Push-Over can be played using either the joystick or keyboard.
KEYBOARD CONTROLS
UP CURSOR:
CLIMB LADDER, GO BETWEEN BLOCKS TO PUSH, ENTER DOOR
DOWN CURSOR:
DESCEND LADDER, STEP OUT FROM BETWEEN BLOCKS
LEFT CURSOR:
WALK LEFT
RIGHT CURSOR:
WALK RIGHT
UP CURSOR + LEFT OR RIGHT CURSOR:
GO BETWEEN BLOCK (IF LADDER IS IN THE WAY)
LEFT CURSOR + SPACEBAR:
PUSH BLOCK LEFT
RIGHT CURSOR + SPACEBAR:
PUSH BLOCK RIGHT
SPACEBAR:
PICK UP BLOCK, DROP BLOCK
P or F1 :
PAUSE GAME/HELP SCREEN
ESC:
ABORT LEVEL
Cursor keys can be used on the Option Screen, with Spacebar to
Select Option, or you can type you
passcode in directly from your numeric keypads on the computer.
Pressing 'G' (for Go) replicates 'OK.'
OPTION SCREEN
Using the joystick or keyboard, this allows you to:
1) Input a password number for you to gain access to any level
you have previously reached.
2) Turn MUSIC and/or SOUND EFFECTS on or off.
3) This screen also displays the number of bundles of cash
collected so far (if any).
PLAYING THE GAME
The object of the game is to manipulate the blocks in order to
achieve a 'chain reaction' of falling
dominoes. The LAST domino to fall, however, must always be the
TRIGGER block. ALL other blocks,
apart from the red STOPPERS blocks, must have fallen before the
TRIGGER block. G.I. ANT can pick up
and carry, then drop, any of the blocks into different positions,
except for the TRIGGER block which
cannot be moved. Many blocks have different symbols, signifying
the particular property of that block. At
any time during play, pressing F1 or P will pause the game and
bring up the help screen, showing you the
symbols and their meanings.
When you're sure you have positioned all of the blocks correctly,
you have just ONE push to succeed. If
successful, you must exit the open door within a time limit,
otherwise the screen will have to be replayed.
If you are unsuccessful at completing a screen, use the arrow
keys to select REPLAY PUZZLE.
G.I. ANT
G.I. ANT is tough, and can fall from a pretty good height with
just a dazed head. However, there is a limit,
and if G.I. ANT falls too far, he will disintegrate. The level
will have to be restarted if this happens.
Similarly, he can get crushed if caught under a toppling block.
He is also quite happy to run up and down
steps with blocks, if necessary.
G.I. ANT is strong enough to carry blocks along the surface, and
even up and down ladders. Basically, the
only thing too heavy for him to move is the TRIGGER block. Due to
the energy exerted to manipulate all
the blocks, G.I. ANT only has enough strength for ONE push per
screen.
PAUSE/HELP
When 'P' or F1 is pressed during gameplay, this will PAUSE the
game, and bring up a help screen, showing
and describing the 'Special' domino-block. Additionally, once
you have overrun the time limit, this screen
will also display a HINT on how to complete the current screen.
TOKENS
When you complete a screen successfully, and within the time
limit, you will be awarded a TOKEN.
TOKENs can be used in two ways:
1. If you complete a screen but have gone beyond the time limit,
you will be allowed to use a TOKEN to
allow you to progress to the next level.
2. If you fail a screen for any reason other than overrunning the
time limit, you can use a TOKEN to replay
the screen from the point at which you 'pushed' - i.e. the screen
will be set up as you arranged previously.
NOTE: the time will also be reset to the time at which you made
the push.
BUNDLES OF CAPTAIN RAT'S CASH
On each level, there is a screen which, when completed
successfully, will award you with a bundle of cash.
The specific screens are unknown, but you will need to collect
all nine bundles in order to play the very
final screen. You will not be awarded your bundle if you have
used a token to complete that particular
screen.
PASSCODES
After each screen is complete, you will be given a number, which
will allow you to play the game from the
level you last played. The passcode number contains information
relating to:
1) The screen you have progressed to.
2) The number of bundles of cash collected.
The passcode does NOT contain informaiton relating to TOKENS, so
when you restart using a passcode,
you will have no TOKENS.
DOMINO-BLOCKS
NORMAL (Plain Yellow)
These fall just once, except when they are placed on the edge of
steps or at the edge of a gap, where they
will tumble until they reach a flat surface or another block.
TUMBLER (Middle Red, Top and Bottom Yellow)
These continue tumbling until they are stopped by a fallen block.
ASCENDER (One Vertical Red Stripe)
These will, when hit, float up until they hit an obstruction, at
which time they will continue flipping in the
same direction until stopped by a flat surface.
BRIDGER (One Horizontal Red Stripe)
If positioned at the edge of a gap, these will bridge the gap
when hit. When positioned elsewhere, they will
act as a NORMAL block.
DELAY (Diagonally, Half Yellow, Half Red)
When hit, these will not fall for a few moments, causing the
'hitter block' to rebound off it.
SPLITTER (Horizontally, Half Yellow, Half Red)
When hit (usually by a falling block), these will split and knock
over blocks on both sides of it.
VANISHER (Two Horizontal Red Stripes)
When hit, this will knock the next block over, then vanish as it
hits the ground.
EXPLODER (Vertically, Half Yellow, Half Red)
When hit, this will explode, leaving a gap in the platform.
STOPPER (Plain Red)
When hit, the block will rebound off it. This block cannot
topple.
TRIGGER (Three Horizontal Red Stripes)
This must be the last block to fall to open the door to the next
screen.
EXIT To exit pushover press ESC a few times, you will be given an
option to quit to DOS.
HINTS & TIPS
1) Although you have only one PUSH, the results can sometimes be
achieved in other ways.
2) No matter how many blocks are on the screen, youonly need to
rearrange a few --sometimes no blocks
need to be moved, it is just a question on which to push.
3) It is possible (and sometimes necessary) to move standing
blocks after a cascade has started!
4) Always ensure G.I. ANT has access to the exit, although he CAN
move faster than toppling blocks.
5) If you run out of time, you can always access the PAUSE/HELP
screen for a HINT.
DO'S & DON'TS
DO ensure that the TRIGGER block is the last block to topple.
DON'T allow a block to fall directly onto another block, unless
the lower block is a SPLITTER.
DON'T allow any block to fall onto another to create rubble.
DO keep your exit door clear.
CREDIT
Game Concept and Design Copyright _ 1992 Red Rat Software-Ocean
Software Limited.
Original concept by Charles Partington.
Programmed by Dave Elcock, Helen Elcock, Keith Watterson.
Graphics by Bryan King, Barry Armstrong, John Palmer, Bill
Harbison.
Music and SFX by Keith Tinman, Dean Evans, Jonathan Dunn.
Puzzles by Harry Nadler, Helen Elcock, Avril Rigby, Don Rigby,
Chris Waterworth.
G.I. Ant design by Simon Butler.
Thanks to Gary Bracey, Colin Gordon, Mick West, Mark Cooper.
Produced by Jon Woods.
G.I. Ant_ & _ 1992 Red Rat Software -- Ocean Software Ltd.
