Your mission is to score as many points as possible by destroying enemy tankers, helicopters, fuel depots, jets and bridges before your jet crashes or runs out of fuel. Here's how to begin:

1. Hook up your video game system. Follow manufacturer's instructions.
   
   
2. With power OFF, plug in game cartridge.
   
   
3. Turn power on. If no picture appears, check connections of your game system to TV, then repeat steps 1-3.
   
   
4. Plug in Joystick Controller/s. Solo player uses left Joystick.
   
   
5. Set both difficulty switches to b to begin.
   
   
6. Select game with the game select switch.
   
     Game 1:  One player
     Game 2:  Two players taking turns
   
   
7. Use of Joystick Controller. Hold Joystick Controller with the red button in the upper left position. Fire missiles by depressing red button. Hold the red button down for continuous fire. Move Joystick to the left to bank left. Move Joystick to the right to back right. Move Joystick forward to accelerate your jet. Pull Joystick back to slow your jet.
   
   
8. To begin or start a new game. Press game reset. This will bring your jet up to the starter mark. Then, press the red button or move the Joystick to start the action.
   
   
9. Difficulty Switches. With difficulty switches in the a position, missiles streak straight ahead. With switches in the b position, you can control the direction of your missiles after they have been fired by "steering" them with your Joystick Controller.
   
   
10. Reinforcements. You begin each game with a squadron of three jets in reserve. For each 10,000 points you score, you're given an additional jet. You can only have nine reserve jets on the screen at one time.
    
    

    Note to owners of Sears TeleGame Video Arcade: Difficulty is called skill, and a is expert, b is novice.

    
    
11. Fuel. You have a limited amount of fuel. When you begin to run low, fly over a fuel depot to refuel (see "Fuel Gauge" under "Special Features").
    
    
12. Scoring. Each time you destroy an enemy object, you score points. The point values for each object are listed below:
    
    

    River Raid Point System
    Enemy Object	Point Value
    Tanker	30
    Helicopter	60
    Fuel Depot	80
    Jet	100
    Bridge	500

The River of No Return. The river is divided into sections, with a bridge at the end of each section. Notice that the river is always changing. You will encounter islands, narrow channels, bays, and lots of enemy ships and aircraft moving to block your path. Also, the farther down the river you fly, the fewer fuel depots you'll find. In some areas, fuel is quite scarce, so you'll really have to move if you want to survive.

Fuel Gauge. Always keep an eye and an ear on your fuel gauge. Fuel is used up at a constant rate, regardless of speed. When your fuel drops below 1/4 full, a warning siren sounds to alert you - it's time to refuel! The slower you fly over a depot, the more fuel you receive. A bell will sound while you are refueling. This sound changes to a higher pitch when your fuel tank is full.

Losing a Jet. You lose a jet when it collides with the river bank or one of the enemy objects (except fuel depots), or when you run out of fuel. If you have a reserve jet, you restart play at the same section of the river where you crashed. However, if you've managed to destroy the bridge at the end of that section, then you get to restart play at the beginning of the next section.

To learn to fly successful missions, you'll need the sensitivity, touch and sharp-shooting skills of a precision jet pilot. But that takes time and practice.

At first, try jetting down the river at slow speed. Practice banking your plane, sharpening your aim, and dodging the enemy. To win in this game, you'll have to be just as good at dodging as you are at destroying enemy bridges and aircraft.

Then, accelerate your jet with bursts of speed to see how it reacts to the controls. Since you'll be making split-second decisions, you'll need to know exactly how you and your plane will act in a pressure situation.

If you reach a score of 15,000 points or more, you are eligible to become an official River Raider. Simply send us a picture of your TV screen showing your score along with your name and address, and we'll send you an official River Raider emblem. Score the maximum one million, and all points on the screen will be replaced with exclamation points. If you ever do manage to score the ultimate, please send us a photo. Such an achievement will certainly rank you as one of the world's greatest video game competitors.

Tips from Carol Shaw, designer of River Raid

Carol Shaw is one of Activision's newest game designers, but isn't a newcomer to video game design. She's also a scholar in the field of Computer Science.

"The River of No Return holds many special challenges and dangers for would-be River Raiders. You'll not only have to know your assault jet, but you'll need to have a good idea of your basic flight plan before you start.

"By knowing the river, pinpointing areas with the highest concentration of enemy, and the most fuel depots, you'll have a much better chance of surviving. Since the river is in sections, try jotting down notes for each important section as flight aids.

"Fuel is also a critical factor. When you're far up the river, fuel is scarce. So, concentrate on flying to the next fuel depot, and don't try to destroy every object.

"When you become really skilled, you'll find you can actually blow up a fuel depot right in the middle of refueling. That way, you can gain the points and some fuel at the same time.

"Finally, remember that your main targets are the bridges. They're worth the most points. And, please, drop me a note and let me know how you're doing. I'd really like to hear from you!"