The Hunt for Red October
Typed out by tsr@atarihq.com
NES-7H-USA
The Hunt for Red October
Instruction book
Licensed by Nintendo for Play on Nintendo Entertainment System
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Starting the game
Welcome to The Hunt for Red October. Here's some quick start information to
help you begin your mission.
- Insert the Game Pak into your Nintendo Entertainment System(r).
- Turn on the power.
- Press START to begin your quest.
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Controller functions
The CONTROL PAD moves the RED OCTOBER. Press UP to move toward the surface,
DOWN to dive, RIGHT to move forward, LEFT to reverse.
The A BUTTON fires torpedoes horizontally.
The B BUTTON fires missiles vertically.
SELECT activates the "Caterpillar" drive. This silent propulsion system allows
the RED OCTOBER to evade enemy sonar systems and pass enemy vessels without
drawing their fire.
Pressing A & B BUTTONS simultaneously releases ECM's (Electronic Counter-
Measures). These "decoys" attract all weapons fired at the RED OCTOBER. All
offensive weapons in the immediate area will be destroyed.
START starts and pauses the game.
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Story
The Soviet Union has created the ultimate first strike weapon. It is November
12, 1984, four months before Mikhail Gorbachev comes to power. The Soviets
have built the RED OCTOBER, a Typhoon Class nuclear submarine which utilizes
an experimental propulsion system. This new "caterpillar" drive renders the
submarine virtually invisible to sonar. Fully loaded with nuclear missiles,
the RED OCTOBER is an unprecedented war machine.
You are Captain Marko Ramius. Your superiors have ordered you to put the RED
OCTOBER through its trial run of tests and naval exercises today. But you have
other plans. You intend to defect and to lead the submarine and its crew to
the safety of a U.S. port.
The Soviets will not allow this superior technology to fall into the hands of
the Americans. Once the Kremlin realizes your plan to escape, they will send
the entire Red Fleet to track down and destroy the RED OCTOBER. You must evade
or destroy all enemies and navigate a course to the U.S. shore.
Game objective
The journey to freedom takes the RED OCTOBER through various oceans and their
unique terrain. You must strategically balance fuel, stealth, weapons and
defenses as you face the challenges of the sea and the relentless Red Fleet.
As a highly experienced naval officer, you are aware that your escape will be
the ultimate military test for you, your crew, and the RED OCTOBER. You must
sneak out of the high security Soviet harbor. You must keep out of range of
the carefully planted sonar buoys or the enemy will maintain a fix on you.
Eventually, you reach the warm beauty of the coral reef. Beware! The Soviets
keep many aircraft carriers and bases nearby. Surviving your trip through the
narrow caverns will be almost impossible, especially with the Red Fleet close
on your heels. Even more harrowing are the deep sea trenches. When you are
maneuvering these, evading the enemy will be a tremendous feat, even for the
elusive RED OCTOBER.
You must not forget the special power of the "caterpillar" drive. This escape
to freedom is the ultimate test. Foil the Soviet's final attempt to use any
device in their power to stop the RED OCTOBER. You have confidence in your
ability and your crew, and you are captain of the most amazing naval vessel
in the world. Good luck, Captain!
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Offensive weapons
Torpedoes are for horizontal shooting.
Missiles are for vertical shooting.
Torpedo and Missile pickups increase your number of weapons and maintain your
weapons upgrades.
Torpedo and Missile "UP" pickups upgrade your firepower to the next level.
Weapons upgrades
By finding and picking up missile and torpedo upgrade pickups, you can
increase the range and capabilities of your weapons. The upgrades for both
torpedoes and missiles are:
Normal Level - Short-Range Capability
1st Upgrade - Long-Range Capability
2nd Upgrade - Long-Range Homing Capability
NOTE: Homing missiles and torpedoes can track enemy vessels after firing. This
will diminish enemies' ability to evade your attack.
Weapons downgrades
Your Missile and Torpedo Levels show the amount of weapons you possess and
the upgrade level you have achieved. If your weapons levels reach zero, your
weapons will be downgraded by one level. For example, if your missiles are at
the second upgrade level - Long-Range Homing Capability - and your ammunition
level reaches zero, your missiles will be automatically downgraded to Long-
Range Capability, the first upgrade.
NOTE: When your missile ammunition level reaches zero at the lowest
capability (Short-Range) you are completely out of missiles until you get an
ammunition or upgrade pickup. However, when your torpedo ammunition level
reaches zero at the lowest weapon capability, the RED OCTOBER will never run
out of torpedoes. The firing rate of the torpedoes will slow down considerably
until you obtain an appropriate pickup.
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Defensive weapons and devices
Invisibility
Pressing SELECT activates and deactivates the RED OCTOBER's special
"caterpillar" drive for a short time. The "caterpillar" drive makes the RED
OCTOBER undetectable by sonar, crippling the enemy response. Special pickups
allow more frequent use of the caterpillar drive. But be careful! - it
requires enormous amounts of nuclear power!
Armor
The RED OCTOBER can take a certain amount of damage before it is destroyed.
The armor pickup repairs the submarine, buying you more playing time.
Power
The RED OCTOBER requires an enormous amount of fuel. You'll need to acquire
POWER pickups wherever they can be found. When your POWER meter runs low, your
course may be finished!
Electronic counter-measures
Electronic counter-measures can be launched through the RED OCTOBER's torpedo
tubes by pressing the A and B Buttons simultaneously. These decoy devices
attract all offensive enemy fire in the immediate area. Use these wisely. You
have a limited amount, and you'll need them when under heavy attack.