Water Ski
FROGGO GAMES(tm)
7800(tm)
Water
Ski(tm)
Video Game Cartridge
For Use with ATARI (r)
Video Computer
Systems Model 7800(tm)
Water Ski
Danger lurks around every bend of the treacherous Pharonna River, and
you're taking it head on! With a hunger for fatal thrills, your team of
bionic skiers get every chance to wipe out in shame or glory. But you have a
higher purpose: you know the dardevil's greatest challenge lies in cheating
death, and the greatest victory is...survival.
Race the clock and the scoreboard at perilous speed. The faster you get
through the obstacle course, the more running points you accumulate. Defy
death with a gutsy flair, hitting every ramp, and watch your scores rise! But
be warned, very few cross the finish line and leave the Pharonna alive!
It's outrageous, complex, deadly and totally rad, and you'll still be
learning the game after months of intense play.
Getting Started
Set up your 7800 properly, according to the instructions.
Make sure the system is shut off.
Place the Water Ski cartridge in the game slot with its label facing away
from the front panel buttons.
Switch the system on. The Water Ski title will appear. To take your
first perilous run, press the left joystick button. This will start the game
from the title screen, or restart it after the game is over.
The RESET button resets the game to the title screen.
The PAUSE button freezes the game unti you press it again.
You get four boat/skier runs to start with. Crash a speedboat or mangle
a skier, and you go on to the next run.
Scoring
Your score is displayed in the upper left hand corner of the screen.
Running Points The Faster you get through the course, the higher you
score. Speed is of the essence.
Ramps Every ramp you jump earns you 10,000 points.
Levels Reaching the next level earns 50,000 points.
Extra Boat/Skier Earn an extra run every 200,000 points.
Levels
Water Ski has three levels to vex and challenge you, and you must earn
the right to advance to the next level.
The game beings at level one and, if you are clever and agile enough,
continues to level two and finally to level three. Once you reach level two,
you stay at that level until you lose your last boat/skier or advance to the
final level. After a wipeout or crash, if you have skiers remaining, the next
run starts at the beginning of the current level. E.g., if your third skier
makes it into level two and then gets chomped by a river shark, your fourth
run starts at the beginning of level two.
Reaching the next level does not earn you an extra run, but the bonus
50,000 points you earn will help towards the next 200,000 points you need to
get an extra run.
Level One Obstacle Slalom Run--This is the first level, with the greatest
number of ramps and stationary obstacles. Jump as many ramps
as you can to earn bonus points, or try to avoid everything and
sneak through to level two. Watch out for rocks, piers, tree
stumps, out-of-control speedboats crossing your path, and
hidden rocks near the unforgiving shoreline--you'll get to know
them well!
Level Two Shark & Alligator Main Course--This level is even more
challenging than the first. Watch out for the buoys, rocks and
logs, if you can! The waters of level two are infested with
zig-zagging hybrid river sharks and huge alligators. They
smell fresh meat and are on the move!
Level Three High-speed Death Run--The emphasis here is speed, pure and
simple. Crank it up and wind it out! For the high-fliers
among you, there are ramps and ever-present opportunities to
smash into more obstacles. Cross the finish line and join the
select few who have mastered the Pharonna.
The level indicator is located on the bottom middle of the screen.
Goals
Water Ski has two goals: crossing the finish line at the end of level
three, which ends the game, and obtaining the highest possible score.
The top score, located in the top right hand corner of the screen,
indicates the highest score since the machine was turned on.
You have four runs to reach your goal before the game ends. The number
of boat/skiers you have left are indicated on the lower left hand side of the
screen. Crash a boat or skier, and you lose that run.
In addition to running up the highest possible score, you want to go as
far as you can with the best time possible. The elapsed time is located on
the lower right hand side of the screen.
If you ever make it to level three with extra skiers, remember: the game
ends when you cross the finish line. Some unscrupulous, heartless master
Water Skiers have been known to sacrifice a skier or two just before crossing
the line, in order to maximize their point totals.
Controls
You have separate controls for the speedboat and the skier. Be careful,
because the towrope lifeline creates a complex interaction between the two,
just like in real life. Every move the boat makes affects the speed and
direction of the skier, and vice versa, to a lesser degree. And often, using
both controls, there are cumulative effects, where a slight tap in one
direction can send your skier hurtling to its doom!
It takes weeks to master the simplest high-speed maneuvers, at a terrific
cost of life and limb, not to mention boat hardware. And even then, you may
never see level three alive!
Speedboat Moving joystick left or right directs the boat. Moving
joystick forward steadily speeds up the boat, backward steadily
decreases boat speed.
Skier Pressing left joystick button moves skier left, right button
moves skier right. Skier can move independently of boat
direction, until the limits of the towrope are reached.
Holding button down increases skier movement, faster and
farther.
You are speeding upstream. The Pharonna's current will cause you to
drift and affect the interaction of the skier and speedboat.
Wipeouts
The skier will wipe out if it hits any object except a ramp. Jumping any
ramp scores a bonus 10,000 points.
The boat will crash if it hits any object on the screen. Boats will not
survive hitting a ramp.
If the boat or skier hits any terrain, a crash will occur and the run
will be over. Caution: don't get too fancy around the shortline, beacuse of
the hidden rocks and sand bars.
Hints
Sometimes it is necessary to speed up to avoid obstacles. Look ahead as
much as possible to anticipate dangers.
Remember, when you jump a ramp the skier can not change direction while
in the air. Also, the skier can jump over obstacles if it his a ramp fast
enough.
On some obstacles, the speedboat can pass on one side and the skier pass
on the other. But keep this in mind: show-offs die!
Game Over
The game is over when you have used up all four boat/skier runs or when
you cross the finish line. Restart the game by pressing the left joystick
button.
Final Words
It is possible: to hit every ramp;
to score 1,000,000 points;
to live to a very ripe old age without ever seeing level
three.
Adjusting Color
Since colors vary slightly from TV to TV; here are some guidelines to
adjusting the color for Water Ski:
1. Water is medium blue.
2. Boat is red.
3. Skier is light tan or off-white.
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FROGGO GAMES CORPORATION
479 Macara Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
ATARI(r) is a registered trademark and
Video Computer System(tm) is a trademark of ATARI, INC.
FG2002 (c) Froggo Games Corp.
FROGGO GAMES CORPORATION(tm)
LIMITED NINETY DAY WARRANTY
Froggo Games Corporation warrants to the original consumer purchaser that your
Froggo Games Corporation video game cartridge is free from any defects in
material or workmanship for a period of ninety days from the date of purchase.
If any such defect is discovered within the warranty period, Froggo Games
Corporation will repair or replace the cartridge free of charge on receipt of
the cartridge, with proof of purchase, postage paid, at:
Froggo Games Corporation
2685 Marine Way, Bldg. 1219
Mountain View, CA 94043
This warranty does not apply to defects resulting from abuse, alteration,
or unreasonable use of the cartridge.
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merchantability and fitness, are hereby limited to ninety days from date of
purchase. Consequential or incidental damages resulting from a breach of any
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SERVICE AGREEMENT
If after the ninety day limited warranty period, your Froggo games Corporation
cartridge requires service, Froggo Gams Corporation will service the cartridge
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This document obtained from the History of Home Video Games Homepage, ©1997-1998 by Greg Chance