INTRODUCTION Take the role of Hercules himself and claim the twelve Labours back from the grasp of the Minotaur and his killer henchmen. The Labours appear graphically on screen and all you have to do to win one is to hit it... easy it isn't. Once you have all 12 safety stashed you will face the Minotaur himself, defeat him and win the game! Your weapons are club, fists and feet. Along the bottom of the screen you will see a snake moving, which tells you when to strike at the enemy. If he is positioned over it, your blows have maximum effect. As you get better at the game, the snake will appear shorter, raising the challenge. Beware of the spider which will try to steal away the Labours from you. If it succeeds you must collect them again. Hitting the spider will drive it off. CONTROLS: Without Fire pressed on the joystick [UP] - Turn [UP+RIGHT] - Advance [RIGHT] - Shuffle Forward [DOWN] - High Block [LEFT] - Shuffle Back [UP+LEFT] - Turn & Walk With Fire pressed on the joystick [UP] - Mountain Shaker [UP+RIGHT] - The Crasher [RIGHT] - Zeus Torment [RIGHT+DOWN] - Titan's Gift [DOWN] - Pluto's Messenger [DOWN+LEFT] - Thunder Kick [LEFT] - Low Block [UP+LEFT] - Punch Of Death Keys [F7] - Pause [F1] - Music/FX THE LABOURS Hercules was the son of Zeus, chief of the Gods, by Alomene, a mortal. He was thus hated by Zeus' wife the goddess Hera. Even while Hercules was an infant she sent two serpents to kill him. The youngster was, however, strong enough to kill them with his hands. Hera's hatred of Hercules increased. Once the hero had married and had children Hera bewitched him and he killed his own children. When Hercules recovered consciousness he was full of remorse and ready to do anything to expiate his sin. Thus the gods decided to send to Eurysthues, King of Argos, to perform whatever tasks the king bade him to do. The spiteful king chose for Hercules the twelve most difficult tasks he could think of. The gods pitied Hercules who in reality was the victim of Hera's malice. They gave him various weapons to aid him: -a helmet, a sword, a shield and a bow and arrow. The king ordered Hercules to perform twelve labours. These were:- 1. THE NEMEAN LION - this terrible lion was the terror of the country Nemea. Hercules was ordered to slay it, which he did by strangling it. 2. THE HYDRA - this multi-headed monster was also slain by Hercules despite Hera sending a poisonous crab to bite him. 3. THE STAG OF CERYNEA - no man had been able to catch the marvellous stag with antlers of gold and hooves of bronze. It took Hercules a year to capture it. 4. THE ERYMANTHEAN BOAR - Hercules had to trek for many days through snow covered mountains to catch this fierce powerful boar. 5. THE AUGEAN STABLE - these stables had not been cleaned for thirty years. Hercules was ordered to clean them, a task which he accomplished by diverting two rivers to flood them. 6. THE SYMPHALIAN BIRDS - these ferocious man-eating birds were slain by Hercules. 7. THE CRETAN BULL - this beast was caught and tamed by the hero. 8. THE HORSES OF DIOMEDES - these horses were fed on human flesh. Hercules killed their owner and tamed them. 9. THE GIRDLE OF HIPPOLYTA - the beautiful girdle of Hippolyta, a queen of the Amazons, was acquired peacefully by Hercules. However, Hera spread a rumour among the Amazons that Hercules was carrying off their Queen by force. They then ran up in arms against him. Hercules slew the queen on the spot. 10. THE OXEN OF GERYON - Geryon was a giant who owned a herd of oxen. Hercules killed Geryon to acquire them. In the process he bent down two mountain peaks to create the Pillars of Hercules on either side of the Straits of Gibraltar. 11. THE APPLES OF THE HESPERIDES - the gardens of the Hesperides were guarded by a dragon. Hercules appealed to Atlas to get him some of the apples. This Atlas agreed to, providing Hercules supported the heavens while he went to get them. 12. THE DOG CERBERUS - Hell was guarded by Cerberus. Hercules was to fetch the dog. ©1988 Gremlin Graphics Software Limited.