Stranglehand Atari 2600

Works on Stella for emulation or Harmony cart for personal use.

Use your amazing fist to eliminate  personal demons! If your outstretched hand touches a demon points are awarded. Greater awards are given if the demon is eliminated while the arm matches its color. Demons who touch your arm will do one point of damage to your health. If all six hearts are gone so are you! Only one arm can appear on-screen at a time. Fully retract your arm to enable the opposite appendage. You can change your off-screen arms color by pressing the FIRE button. Occasionally a star will appear that randomly changes your current arms color and awards bonus points. At certain intervals the demons will begin to move faster.

 

Controls:

Use reset switch to reset game (including high score)

Press FIRE to start game, return to title screen or change off-screen arms color.

Press the joystick left or right to stretch your arm.

To switch arms fully withdraw the on-screen appendage.

Set either switch to PRO to raise the arms height and increase game speed.

 

Score:

10 points for eliminating color mismatched demon

110 points for eliminating demon matching your on-screen arm color

5 points per continual contact with star

 

Technical Points of Interest:

* Procedural short ditty at title screen that changes slightly each time.

* Title screen has as close to "no blank lines" as it can

* Uses both missiles to create object with complex shape and colors

* Detailed, full screen wide "sleeve" using re-sized playfield blocks

* High score (but not high score saving)

* Uses minikernel for off-screen arm color indicator and life point display

* Sound engine has code for 2 effects but adjusts certain values to make a 3rd.