Frantic Flea
Typed out by Steve Begin
(U/SNS-AF8E-USA)
FRANTIC FLEA
GameTek
Instruction Booklet
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Kids to Adults
("K-A" ESRB logo)
Ages 6+
INSIDE COVER
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Warning: Please read the enclosed consumer information and precautions booklet
carefully before using your Nintendo hardware system or game pak.
This product has been rated by the Entertainment Software Rating Board. For
information about the ESRB rating, or to comment about the appropriateness of
the rating, please contact the ESRB at 1-800-771-3772.
Licensed by Nintendo
Nintendo, Super Nintendo Entertainment System and the official seals are
registered trademarks of Nintendo of America Inc.
(C) 1991 Nintendo of America Inc.
(picture of the Official Nintendo Seal of Quality)
This official seal is your assurance that Nintendo has approved the quality of
this product. Always look for this seal when buying games and accessories to
ensure complete compatibility. All Nintendo products are licensed by sale for
use only with other authorized products bearing the official Nintendo seal of
quality.
PAGE 1
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STORY LINE
In the darkest depths of space many beings lurk... some are unimaginable
creatures of terror... & others just happen to be rather nice (despite being
green & spotty!). The Insideos are, however, definitely the former... evil,
twisted & purple - their one aim is to conquer all lifeforms who possess more
than one leg - for, by a curious twist of fate, the Insideo race have always
been monopods. This is the root cause of their insane jealousy - they hate
anyone - or anything that possess more than one limb (many planets in the
galaxy have been taken over by the snarling Insideo hordes!).
The Insideos learn of the peaceful Fleaworld, where the inhabitants have not
only two legs - but four arms... & that, to an Insideo, is simply adding insult
to injury! So, on the Insideo home world, the massive DESTRUKTOKON starships
are launched - with the Evil Baron Von Spitz at their helm, with a mission to
cut the Fleaworld down to size!!
The attack comes quickly - the citizens of Fleaworld are a peaceful bunch - so
the Insideo Troopers take very little time in herding the small & helpless
fleas into the detention cells, deep in their Destruktokons... all, that is,
save one little flea... a flea they happen to call Frantic!
As darkness falls Frantic sneaks into the Insideo ship - the advantage of his
tiny size means he can easily avoid the Insideo detection devices. Eventually
he reaches the holding pens & manages to set his brothers & sisters free. The
newly liberated Minifleas scatter everywhere in blind panic searching the ship
in an attempt to reach the exit doors... & freedom!
Meanwhile, inside the bowels of the ship, Frantic stumbles into an empty
electronic lab (full of half finished Insideo devices) - as he searches around
he stumbles over a massive machine marked 'Enormotron' (the only good habit
the Insideos have is the clear labelling of their nefarious devices!). Frantic
makes a snap decision - activates the machine & jumps inside. The machine
magically increases his size to that of the Insideos... now, not only can he
help his friends & even the odds... but kick purple alien butt too!
PAGE 2
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HOW TO PLAY FRANTIC FLEA
When the game begins you will be in control of Frantic Flea - your task is to
collect enough of your "Miniflea" buddies to escape the Level - to do this you
simply have to walk over the wandering Minifleas. As soon as Frantic/You touch
them they will begin to follow you around - the more you touch & collect - the
bigger your 'Fleatrail' will become. Each Miniflea equals 2% - so if you need
20% to escape you only have to collect 10 actual Minifleas.
(picture of the pre-level screen. It's written: "Zone 1-1 Whacky Labs
Collect % to exit")
Before each Level begins a screen appears informing you of which Level you are
about to play & how many Minifleas are required to make the exit door open (so
Frantic can reach the next stage).
(picture of the game screen)
In-Game Information
% of Minifleas Frantic has collected (first circle at the bottom of the screen)
Number of lives remaining (Frantic's face at the bottom of the screen)
Global/Level Timer - 15 seconds before the time is about to expire, a siren
will sound (replacing the music) - you must then try to get to the exit
door otherwise Frantic will lose a life (second circle at the bottom of
the screen)
The more Minifleas that are in Frantic's trail the more powerful Frantic will
become - because their moves will duplicate all of Frantic's major movements -
if you go left, they'll follow - if you jump, they'll jump - & if you Spin-
Attack, they'll Spin-Attack. If you hit an enemy with a long trail, you'll
find them very easy to destroy!
(picture of a game screen where Frantic, with his long trail of Minifleas,
Spin-Attack in an Insideo)
PAGE 3
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INTERACTIVE ENEMIES
The Insideo enemies within the game (listed below) are a fearsome bunch - their
one aim is to round-up & re-capture the wandering Minifleas in each Level &
prevent you from rescuing them. Their prime objective is always to capture
Minifleas - Frantic, to them, is only their secondary objective.
(all the pictures shows how each insideo captures the Minifleas)
Grabber (2 pictures showing a flying robot)
Hover Keeper (2 pictures showing a flying vacuum robot)
Hopper (2 pictures showing an one-legged walking robot)
Hoverdog (2 pictures showing a vaccuum-like wheeled robot)
Sparker (2 pictures showing a round flying robot)
Trooper (2 pictures showing an one-legged walking robot with a laser gun)
Insideos are dangerous to touch - if you walk into one, without Spin-Attacking
or having any Minifleas in your trail, Frantic will lose a life - if you Spin-
Attack you will safely bounce off the Insideo (Insideos take a number of hits
before bouncing off the screen, or exploding). If you walk into an Insideo
with a trail of Minifleas (without Spin-Attacking) Frantic will collide with
the enemy - having the trail offers a certain amount of protection - the
Minifleas will then tumble away from you & the trail will be lost - but Frantic
will be temporarily invulnerable (allowing you to escape from the Insideo).
Insideos are always seeking Minifleas - some Insideo types pick up Minifleas &
try to carry them away - if you allow one of these captured Minifleas to leave
to screen it is removed from the game (& can no longer be rescued). To rescue
a captured Miniflea, Frantic has to Spin-Attack the enemy - on first contact
with the Spin-Attacking Frantic, the Insideo will drop the captured Miniflea
(who will then either run away or wait for Frantic to collect him). Insideo
devices that spark are very dangerous - not only must you avoid contact with
the robot itself - but also the spark it generates (both can harm Frantic!).
PAGE 4
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ACTIVE OBJECTS
Around the Levels there are a number of mechanical devices - some of these
devices are dangerous to Frantic & any Minifleas in his trail. 'Active'
objects spark with yellow electrical energy - these objects must be avoided -
if Frantic touches them with a Fleatrail the Minifleaswill be dispersed
(Frantic will lose the entire trail) & Frantic is given a few seconds
invincibility, to move away from the spark. If Frantic touches a sparking
device without a Fleatrail he will be 'Frazzled' & you will lose a life.
Objects that do not spark - or spark with a blue energy bolt - are safe & do
not need to be avoided.
(5 pictures of game screens showing Frantic being frazzled by an active object)
BOUNCERS
Throughout the game you will find a number of bouncy springboards attached to
various platforms. Use these to spring Frantic to higher platforms by holding
down the jump button - Frantic will then jump slightly higher - if the jump
button is held down continuously & Frantic has bounced on the springboard 3
times he will be at this maximum jump height.
(picture of a game screen showing Frantic jumping on a springboard)
PAGE 5
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PAINPODS
From Zone 2 onwards Minifleas not only wander around the Level waiting for
Frantic to save them... but are also trapped inside devices called 'Painpods'.
Minifleas caught inside Painpods are in danger... if you leave them inside too
long they will be Frazzled, Popped or Squished - to save them Frantic simply
has to walk passed to pod itself - this will activate the escape mechanism &
the player will hear a pop as the Miniflea escapes... this Miniflea will then
become part of the trail - the Painpod itself will remain on the map, but will
be empty. When a Miniflea shouts, "Help Me!" its Painpod is about to
activate - a counter then appears above the pod - when this counter reaches 0
something nasty will happen to the captures Miniflea - & Frantic will be unable
to save the his little friend.
(2 pictures showing Frantic rescuing a trapped Miniflea inside a Painpod)
(2 pictures showing a Miniflea being Frazzled inside a Painpod)
PAGE 6
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STIKKO
Stikko Suction Pads allow Frantic to climb walls & hang from ceilings...
Stikko attracts Frantic to it (having a magnetic field around it). When
Frantic & the Minifleas are attracted to Stikko, Turbo-Run & Spin-Attack are
disabled, only 'jump' is still active. To get off Stikko you must walk
towards the end of the pad &, in one continuous movement, jump & walk. If
there is no other Stikko pad nearby Frantic will drop to the floor - if there
is a pad nearby Frantic will be attracted to the new pad by its magnetic field.
To walk on Stikko, the joypad commands Left & Right (Frantic walking Left &
Right) should function as if walking on a platform. Joypad Right will always
make Frantic walk Right/Up, while Joypad Left will always make Frantic walk
Left/Down.
Jump (picture of Frantic jumping on 2 vertical Stikko pads, one left, one right)
D-pad Right (picture of Frantic going up on the Stikko pad to the left)
D-pad Left (picture of Frantic going down on the Stikko pad to the left)
D-pad Left (picture of Frantic going down on the Stikko pad to the right)
D-pad Right (picture of Frantic going up on the Stikko pad to the right)
Jump (picture of Frantic jumping from the Stikko pad left to the right one)
D-pad Right & Jump (picture of Frantic going up on the Stikko pad right and
jumping up)
D-pad Right (picture of Frantic going right on an upside down Stikko pad)
D-pad Left (picture of Frantic going left on an upside down Stikko pad)
PAGE 7
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SUCTION TUBES
Suction Tubes can be used to quickly zip around Levels - to use them you simply
have to guide Frantic into the open doorway - or pipe bottom - then you'll be
sucked up the tube & deposited in another area. If you want to avoid being
sucked into a tube jump over the open tube entry. In later Levels Frantic has
to jump up into tubes - to avoid being sucked inside these, walk underneath
them - do not jump.
(picture of Frantic being sucked by a tube on the floor)
(picture of Frantic jumping over a tube on the floor to avoid being sucked)
(picture of Frantic jumping to be sucked by a tube in the air)
(picture of Frantic walking beneath the tube in the air to avoid being sucked)
PAGE 8
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THE HOVERPOD
Included in Zones 3 & 5 is a special device called a Hoverpod - this enables
Frantic to fly around the screen. To activate the device you simply have to
make Frantic jump inside it & then you'll be able to fly around & through the
platforms themselves. While using the Hoverpod Frantic can still Turbo &
Spin-Attack - the Minifleas that are in your trail will automatically appear
in flying saucers (so they, too, can fly around the Levels).
To collect Minifleas from the Level or rescue Minifleas from Painpods you must
jump out of the pod... Frantic can't rescue any Minifleas whilst in the Hover-
pod - be careful where you leave the pod... Frantic must be able to jump back
into it to carry on using its functions.
(6 pictures showing Frantic using the hoverpod in different ways)
PAGE 9
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BONUS PICK-UPS
Scattered throughout the Zones are a number of pick-up bonus objects - to
collect these objects you simply have to guide Frantic over the particular item
(you'll hear a popping noise when you've picked it up). Items to pick up include
extra lives, invincibility & the ability to fly... there is also, hidden
somewhere in one Level of each Zone, a special token to make finishing a Level
very easy...!
Life (picture of a Frantic head without eyes & mouth)
Invincibility (picture of a Frantic fist)
Ability to Fly (picture of a wing)
PRACTICE MODE
Within the option menu there is the facility to play a practice game. The
practice game allows you to play 9 of the 18 Levels - these Levels have less
Insideos patrolling them - so use them to get accustomed to the way the game
plays. You will not see the final Level or the game credits if you finish
in practice mode - you must play Frantic Flea for real to see these screens!!
PAGE 10
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PASSWORDS & METERS
There is a password option available within the game - this will allow you to
skip to different Zones (not Levels) - if you successfully complete Level 3 of
any Zone a password will be displayed on screen - write this down & use it to
skip through the Zones.
(picture of the password entering screen)
Before beginning to play a Level a meter will appear & register the required
amount of Minifleas needed to exit that particular Level. This screen appears
only at the start of each game.
(picture of a pre-Level screen showing: the Zone number and the name of the
Level and the % of Minifleas to collect)
After successfully completing a Level another screen appears - this will
confirm how many Minifleas you actually rescued.
(picture of a completed Zone screen showing the number of the Zone and the %
of rescued Minifleas)
Another screen may appear after this if special bonus criteria are met (but
we don't want to give too many clues about that!)
PAGE 11
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LEVEL TIMER & EXIT
There is a global time limit for each Level within Frantic Flea. You must
complete the Level within the time limit - if not Frantic (& the Fleatrail)
will fall from the screen & you'll have to try the Level again. To complete
the Level you must guide the correct number (or more) of Minifleas to the exit
door - which will then automatically (& allow you to exit). When there are
only 15 seconds remaining on your Level Time Clock (the pointer on the clock
is in the red) the music will fade & be replaced by a siren - this is your
final time warning to escape the Level (if you have enough fleas!).
(picture of a game screen with the Status Panel at the bottom of the screen
and the Exit Door highlighted)
PAGE 12
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ZONE INFORMATION
Zone 1 - The Whacky Labs
The game begins in the Whacky Labs (after Frantic has just enlarged himself
in the Enormotron)... in these Levels there are only loose/wandering Minifleas
& basic electric devices to overcome.
(3 game screen pictures of the Levels of Zone 1)
Zone 2 - The Stikko Hills
These Levels introduce a number of new devices - Stikko, Tubes & Painpods -
& a lot more active sparking devices! Watch out for changes in the weather.
(3 game screen pictures of the Levels of Zone 2)
Zone 3 - Boing Central
This Zone is the first to feature the Hoverpod - mastering how to fly the pod
will make playing the higher Levels a lot simpler!
(3 game screen pictures of the Levels of Zone 3)
PAGE 13
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ZONE INFORMATION (cont.)
Zone 4 - Manik Mountains
Snow is very slippery so be careful controlling Frantic - make sure you play
slowly or he'll slide off the end of the platform... careful play is rewarded
in these Levels (look out for snowstorms too!)
(3 game screen pictures of the Levels of Zone 4)
Zone 5 - The First Fortress
This Zone introduces a new style of gameplay & numerous 'nasty' devices. The
dungeons are full of chains & rusty spikes that are embedded in the walls -
the spikes are lethal to the touch for Frantic. Rusty spikes on 5.2 & 5.3 also
present a problem for Frantic - especially on the Hoverpod! Caution here is
the best way to fully complete these Levels.
(3 game screen pictures of the Levels of Zone 5)
Zone 6 - Inside The Destruktokon
Finally Frantic's quest is nearing completion... time is tight here & all your
skills will be needed to escape the Destruktokon & free all your captured
Miniflea buddies!
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CONTROLS
(picture of the Super NES control pad)
D-PAD (+ on the left) RUN (y button)
NO USE (select button) SPIN (x button)
PAUSE/START (start button) JUMP (a button)
NO USE (b button)
Frantic can be controlled using these D-pad functions:
D-Pad Left.............................................makes Frantic walk left
D-Pad Right...........................................makes Frantic walk right
D-Pad Down..................................................makes Frantic duck
D-Pad Down + Left/Right (Diagonal)...........makes Frantic crawl Left or Right
Button-X.............makes Frantic Spin-Attack (hold it down & move to attack)
Button-A.......makes Frantic jump & (with D-Pad) Frantic performs moving jumps
Button-Y............(if held down) makes Frantic prepare for a Turbo-Run - let
go of the button & Frantic will go into Turbo-Run mode -
press Button-Y again to brake
Controlling Frantic while using the Hoverpod is the same except Up/Down - which
causes the pod to move up & down the screen.
There is a Redefine Joypad function available in the Options Menu.
PAGE 15
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(picture of Frantic going left with an arrow pointing left)
(picture of an arrow pointing right with Frantic going right)
(picture of an arrow pointing down with Frantic ducking)
(picture of the Y-Button with Frantic spinning 'a-la-Taz')
(picture of the X-Button with Frantic running)
(picture of the A-Button with Frantic jumping)
(note from Steve: there's an error here in the manual where the X and Y buttons
should be interchanged)
HINTS
There are hidden ways of earning extra lives within each Level (there is the
possibility of earning up to 3 extra bonus lives per Level on 15 of the 18
Levels!) - keep an eye on all the timers!
Play the practice mode to get used to the gameplay of Frantic - then use the
layout of the game screens to play the more difficult actual game.
On 6 of the 18 Levels (one per Zone) there is a hidden token that, if found,
will enable you to exit the Level with a very, very high number of Minifleas!
GOOD LUCK!
FLEA-TASTIC!!
PAGE 16
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COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
All game design material is (C) 1994 Haus Teknikka, all characters and Frantic
Flea are (C) and TM 1993 Andy Whitehurst and are being used under licensed
agreement.
Booklet and Box design by Team Teknikka PR
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