Moon Patrol

Moon Patrol is a port of the popular action/shooter arcade cabinet game of the same name, for the TI-99/4A released by Atarisoft. It was released on Solid State Software^TM Command Module cartridge as part number RX 8531 for $44.95 (USD). It was programmed by Douglas Brian Craig. It originally sold during the second quarter of 1984.

Moon Patrol
Moon Patrol Retail Packaging
Publisher(s)	Atarisoft
Original Retail Price	$44.95 (USD)
Programmer(s)	Douglas Brian Craig
Part#	RX 8531
Format(s)	Solid State SoftwareTM Command Module
Release	1984 (2nd quarter)
Genre(s)	Action, Shooter

Gameplay

The player in Moon Patrol plays as a volunteer police officer on Sector Nine, known as the home of the toughest thugs in the galaxy. The player controls a lunar buggy vehicle over the surface of the moon from a side view. The vehicle travels from left to right during gameplay. The player faces many obstacles along the way including craters, mines, and missiles from overhead UFOs. These missiles also create new craters that can make for a unique situation when they hit immediately in front of the player.

The player maneuvers through various courses, each of which is divided into 26 checkpoints each or which is labeled with consecutive letters of the alphabet starting from A and going through Z. Checkpoints ending in E, J, O, T, and Z denote a major stage of each course which changes the theme and background color. At the end of each stage, the player's time spend to complete the stage is compared to the average stage time, and bonuses are awarded based on the time taken to complete each stage. Extra lives are awarded at 10,000, 30,000, and 50,000 points.

Advertising Blurb

From Back of Retail Packaging

Applications being accepted for replacement gunners in high-risk job. Hostile environment. Road conditions nonexistent due to meteor and crater hazards. Small native populations of killer plants also reported. Quick reflexes, marksmanship and driving skills a must. Bonuses for UFOs and enemy tanks. Recognition for valor. Volunteers only.

From Triton Catalog - Spring 1985

You patrol sector nine, home of the toughest thugs in the galaxy. Fortunately your patrol car has anti-gravity jump buttons and laser bullets to deal with moon rocks, craters, hostile UFO's and tanks.

Manual

Starting the Patrol

Insert your MOON PATROL cartridge in your TI 99/4A as explained in your owners guide, and turn on your system. If you have joysticks plug them into the joystick port and check to make sure that the alpha lock is off.

Press + to choose the BEGINNER or CHAMPION course and 1 or 2 to choose a one- or two-player game.

Press ENTER or the fire button on your joystick to begin your patrol.

Press SPACE BAR once to pause during the game. Press it again to resume play Press + or 9 (BACK) during the game to return to the game option screen.

Press 8 (REDO) any time to restart the game with the same options. This can be done when GAME OVER is displayed to avoid having to go through the option screen again.

NOTE: Compatible with all TI 99/4A computers except units with a Version 2.2 Operating System.

Joystick Controls

If you do not have joysticks then refer to the Keyboard Control table for which keys to use. If you have joysticks then push up to make your patrol car jump; use the fire button to shoot at enemies or obstacles. Push your joystick right to increase the speed of your patrol car and left to slow it down.

Keyboard Controls

	Fire	Jump	Slow	Fast
Left-Handed Player	V or Q	I	J	K
Right-Handed Player	Y or .	E	S	D

Patrol Mission

When you signed up with the Luna City Police Department, who would have thought that you'd be assigned to Sector Nine? (It's home to the toughest thugs in the galaxy!) Sure, you've got the finest car on the force, complete with anti-gravity jump buttons and laser bullets, but in the rough terrain of Sector Nine, you need more than fancy equipment to survive. Just hopping over huge craters and moon rocks is bad enough without having to deal with hostile UFO's and enemy land mines and tanks. Getting through your patrol in one piece is almost impossible.

Patrol Details

Your beat is divided into two courses: BEGINNER (for rookies) and CHAMPION (for experienced cops). Each course is divided into 26 segments, marked by points A-Z. A gauge at the bottom of the screen indicates your location. The gauge is divided into five sections: A-E, E-J, J-O, O-T, and T-Z. At the end of each section, you're awarded bonus points based on your travel time. The faster you complete a section, the more points you'll score.

As you travel your beat, the number of obstacles you encounter increases, and it becomes harder to avoid enemy attacks.

Hints For Rookies

□ . . Play the BEGINNER game variation first, to learn how to control your patrol car.

□ . . You'll jump farther when your patrol car is moving fast; be sure you're driving fast enough to jump over an obstacle.

□ . . Try taking one long jump over two closely positioned obstacles.

□ . . Your laser bullets are only effective a short distance in front of you. Don't fire too early or you might miss your target.

□ . . Some UFOs drop missiles that form new craters. Learn to recognize these UFOs and eliminate them quickly:

□ . . When an enemy car or missile appears from behind, jump over it, then blast it when it's in front of you.

Scoring

	Small Crater Jumping - 50		Space Plant Jumping - 100 Destroying - 300, 500 or 800
	Large Crater Jumping - 100		Tank Jumping - 100 Destroying - 200
	Small Rock Jumping - 100 Destroying - 100		Enemy Car Detroying - 500, 800 or 1000
	Large Rock Jumping - 100 Destroying - 100		Regular UFOs Destroying - 100
	Rolling Boulder Jumping - 100 Destroying - 50		Crater UFO Destroying - 200
	Mine Jumping - 50

Bonus Points

Destroying all UFOs in a formation of 3 . . . . . . . . . . 500

Destroying all UFOs in a formation of 4 . . . . . . . . . . 800

Completing a section in less than average time on the Beginner Course is worth 1000 plus 100 for each second better than the average time.

Completing a section in less than average time on the Champion course is worth 2000 plus 100 for each second better than the average time.

Bonus Lives

At 10,000 points, 30,000 points, and 50,000 points, you earn an extra patrol car.

Downloads

• 

  Moon Patrol Cartridge

• 

  Moon Patrol Manual Front Cover

• 

  Moon Patrol Box (front)

• 

  Moon Patrol Box (back)

• 

  Moon Patrol Manual Complete (pdf format)

• 

  Moon Patrol MAME/MESS Rom (rpk format)

• 

  Atarisoft Warranty Card (pdf format)

• 

  Atarisoft Questionnaire Card

External Links

• GameFAQs: Moon Patrol TI-99/4A
• Games Database: Moon Patrol - Texas Instruments TI 99/4A
• MobyGames: Moon Patrol (TI-99/4A)
• PixelatedArcade: Moon Patrol
• TI-99ers On-line User Group: TI-99 Cartridge Listing
• TI-99/4A Video Gamehouse: Moon Patrol
• Wikipedia: Moon Patrol