How to play Xenophobe online
- Player 1 ā move: arrow keys (stand in front of the level number and press up to call the elevator, then up or down to ride it)
- Player 1 ā fire: Space bar (also starts the game)
- Player 2 ā move and fire: T/F/G/H and A
- Choose one or two players: F11 (the consoleās Select switch)
- Start or restart a game: F12 (the consoleās Reset switch)
- Save and load your progress: Ctrl + 0ā9 saves to a slot, Alt + 0ā9 loads it
According to AtariMania there is also a hidden pause: flip the TV type switch (F2) twice to pause or resume.
Gameplay
There are eight infested space stations, and after the eighth the aliens are back in the first one. Stations have between one and four levels, each with eight rooms; walk off the edge of the screen to enter the next room, and use the elevator to change level, as there are no stairs. The screen is split in two, with player 1ās view at the top and player 2ās at the bottom.
You start with a phaser and can swap it for stronger weapons you find lying around, but you can carry only one at a time, and a weapon can explode if an alien knocks you down. The key rule is that each alien needs a minimum amount of force before it dies, so weak shots can simply fail. Critters and pods go down easily, tentacles and rollerbabies need more, and the snotterpillar needs a lot. Your health bar, the same colour as your uniform, starts at 100 percent and drops when aliens touch, spit at, roll into or leap on you. Burgers and flasks restore some of it.
A mission ends in one of two ways. Clear or drive off every alien and you get a 300-point bonus for each one you destroyed, plus a health bonus. Take too long and the station is overrun: the screen flashes, the station explodes, and you are pulled back to the mother ship with only 100 bonus points per alien. Weapons and valuable items you pick up, such as a clipboard or a skull, also add to your score.
| Alien | Points |
|---|---|
| Pod | 25 |
| Critter | 50 |
| Rollerbaby | 75 |
| Snotterpillar | 100 |
| Tentacle | 125 |
Tips
- Hunt first, collect second. The clock decides how big your bonus is, so donāt spend long searching rooms for valuables.
- Keep your best weapon for the top floors. Aliens on the lower levels are clumsier and easier to kill; the dangerous ones wait higher up.
- Jump and fire at tentacles. That is the manualās own advice for dealing with them quickly.
- Use grenades on rolling aliens. The manual suggests grenades for aliens that have curled up into balls.
- Donāt trade down. Picking up a weapon drops the one you hold, so only swap for something stronger.
From the arcade to the 2600
The arcade Xenophobe let up to three players fight side by side, each on their own screen. Atari Corporation licensed it from Bally Midway and published home versions for the Atari 2600, the Atari 7800, the Atari ST and the Lynx, while other companies brought it to the NES, Commodore 64, Amiga, Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum. The 2600 cartridge keeps the arcade idea of a split screen but reduces it to two players.
