The ancient city of Atlantis, a city beneath the sea, a civilization greater than any the world has ever seen . . . . One day a low drone is heard throughout the ocean metropolis. Then the stars go out. Gorgon vessels fill the sky, pounding the city mercilessly. A cry reaches every citizen - "Defend Atlantis - before it becomes a watery grave!"

Atlantis, the fabled city of antiquity, lies in peaceful waters. The major districts of the city - the Aqua Plain, the Domed Palace and the Bridged Bazaar - murmur with activity while vital generators whirl. Three defense posts guard the skies over the metropolis.

An ominous sound penetrates the sea surrounding the city. The Gorgon Fleet, fierce warriors intent on demolishing Atlantis, attack in force. How long can the city withstand the assault?

Defend Atlantis! Blast Gorgon vessels before they come close enough to demolish Atlantis with the deathray. Score big and you can replace parts of the city the Gorgons have hit.

Game ends when all seven of Atlantis' installations have been leveled and none is left in reserve.

• Insert cartridge in console, label up. Turn power switch to On.
  
• Flip Game Select Lever to choose one of the four Atlantis games.
  
• Game number appears at bottom right of screen.
  
• Hit Game Reset Lever to begin action. Game begins whenever Game Reset Lever is tapped.
  
• Fire button on the left joystick will reset game when previous game ends.
  
• Difficulty Levers do not affect game play.

You control the three Atlantean defense installations with your joystick.

• A sentry post guards either side of the city. They cannot be destroyed.
  
  • To fire left sentry post, lean joystick left and press red button.
    
  • To fire right sentry post, lean joystick right and press red button.
    
• The Acropolis Command Post defends the center of Atlantis. The Acropolis Command Post projects a powerful force field that protects the other six Atlantean installations. As a result, the Gorgon deathray must demolish it before the rest of Atlantis becomes vulnerable to attack.
  
  • To fire the Acropolis Command Post, just press red button with the joystick centered.

You score each time you vaporize a Gorgon vessel. You must hit the ship directly to score.

• At the end of a wave, you receive 500 points for each part of Atlantis that survives the Gorgon assault.
  
• For every 10,000 points you score, a destroyed part of Atlantis is restored at the end of the current wave of attack.
  
  Example:
  You score 20,000 points during a wave, but lose the Acropolis Command Post and two other city installations. At the end of that wave, the Acropolis Command Post and one installation will reappear on the screen.
  
• If you earn credits during a wave but do not lose any installations, those credits will be saved for the end of a wave during which you do suffer losses.
  
• The small Gorgon Bandit Bomber is fast and powerful. Hit it, and the explosion knocks out all other Gorgon vessels in the sky! You score only for the Bandit Bomber.

1-Player Games
Game 1: The real challenge: wave after wave of Gorgons attack. You survive one wave only to face faster foes in the next. The two sentry posts and the Acropolis Command Post respond to your joystick orders.

Game 2: Identical to game 1, but the Acropolis Command Post has been disabled and cannot fire. Place your shots well!

Game 4: The prefect game for learning to play Atlantis. Game 4 does not increase in speed as rapidly as the other versions, while still remaining a challenge. Later waves are a test for any player.

2-Player Games
Game 3: Special Team Version

• The left joystick fires the left sentry post.
  
• The right joystick fires the right sentry post.
  
• The Acropolis Command Post does not fire.
  

Note: New players might want to take the right joystick, as it fires automatically. Just hold the red button down. To fire the left joystick, the red button must be pressed each time.

• The drone of Gorgon vessels can always be heard.
  
• Your weapon fire drowns out all other sounds. Learn to place your shots well. If you fire constantly, you won't hear Bandit Bombers approach.
  
• The Gorgon Bandit Bombers make a loud humming sound. Listen for it! You can anticipate their appearance.
  
• Listen for the series of beeps that mark the end of a wave. Five short and four long beeps sound; game action pauses and your score is adjusted for bonus points.

• Gorgon vessels stay in formation, circling down from the highest level to one closest to Atlantis. Gorgon vessels can only fire the deathray when close to the city. Blast them before they reach the fourth lane of approach.
  
• The Acropolis Command Post can knock out a Gorgon vessel - even a Bandit Bomber - while it's firing the deathray. You have to be quick and accurate. Practice!
  
• Risk letting Bandit Bombers get close to the planet surface. If you hit one then, you'll demolish all Gorgon vessels in formation behind it.
  
• In advanced waves, the deathray will not always blast one of the whirling generators. This earns you another chance - but not for long.