PANTHER+26D by Mastertronic USA 1986 (Original Tape version)
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Original game: Peter Adams


The trainer hack
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Panther+26D crazy trainer hack is the standard game of Panther by Mastertronic but with additional 26 in-game features that have been added by Hackersoft. Press the following keys during game play to turn on the extra features:


  1 = Infinite Lives
  2 = Gives you a rescued hostage
  3 = Enemy missiles don't hurt
  4 = Can't crash into enemy
  5 = Get rid of enemy. Next batch, please!
  6 = Freeze enemy ships - easier to shoot!
  7 = Send enemy ships to the skies!
  8 = Cause enemy ships to roll
  9 = Fly higher!
  0 = Autofire on
  + = Autofire off
  - = Fly an enemy ship!
  Q = Fly your ship
  W = Faster fire power
  E = Normal fire power
  R = Landscape change: Green Roads*
  T = Landscape change: The Sea*
  Y = Landscape change: Clay and missiles*
  U = Landscape colour change 1
  I = Landscape colour change 2
  O = Landscape colour change 3
  P = Enemy ship colour
  A = Turn enemy into Plasma Orbs
  S = Turn enemy back into ships
  D = Reverse altitude controls
  F = Normal mode (resets 1,3,4,9,D)

Notes
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* Hold down the required key for 2 seconds, and wait a few seconds for landscape to change.

I found it better to play the game with faster fire power(W) and reverse altitude controls(D) - even without any cheats turned on.

Remember - the original game is always there and you don't have to press anything if you don't want any of the features - which is a little different than the usual trainers that only give you options before it decrunches and then you are stuck with your decisions. More accessibility for the player and much more fun overall :)


Your mission
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You take the part of the lone remaining pilot in the Federal force under attack in the city of Xenon. The alien invaders have swept away the defences and all the population has been evacuated. Well, nearly all of it. There are still people in the city, mostly military personnel who must be brought out to the spaceport and safety. As the one and only poor sucker who can fly a Panther ground attack craft - youre the Hero for today. 

Those who get left behind are hiding in bunkers either in the city or the surrounding areas. All you have to do is to fly through and pick them up. The spaceport is on the other side of the city from where you are, so it should be a nice easy flight. 

Oh, by the way, the enemy is now in the suburbs and some craft have been sighted near the main buildings. Missile enplacements have probably been set up and the spaceport is a long way away. Youll probably get quite a reception when you get there. 

The Panther youll be flying has five Phoenix shields, to repair itself if hit, but youll need a couple of seconds to activate them. 

Meanwhile, it gets lonely on the ground, waiting to lift off again and hoping no aliens happen to drop in... 

The shuttle takes off at 0800 sharp. With or without you. It may take more than one run to clear the city but the transmat still operating can put you back to Panther base from the shuttle bay, Probably just in time to start again and go get some more people.

Its at times like this you really know where the buck stops. Always with you doesnt it! Cease whining and get in there and act heroic. At least get it this once...please! 

- GAMEPLAY
In short, the game is won by piloting your craft across the landscape, shooting up the invaders and rescuing the personages who got themselves left behind. To do this you land close to the bunkers and they appear in the screen. Stay around until all the refugees have made it into your ship - whatever the aliens are doing to stop you - then move on as quickly as possible. 

At the end of your run, there awaits a means of getting your passengers to safety. Find it and use it. Scoring high points is only possible upon completing several sweeps through the different stages, and upon the safe departure of the civilians. 

The aliens attack in waves and your flight computer indicates both the launch and position of the incoming craft relative to your Panther at the bottom of the screen, along with the number of Phoenix shields remaining. The number bottom right is your present score. 

The craft is flown with the joystick in the normal manner and watching the shadows of both your ship and the aliens will give you an indication of height and relative positioning. 

- THE LANDSCAPE
The city stands on an island in the middle of a large inland lake. You start from the base in the desert and head in towards the city centre. The lake contains some oil platforms (somewhere) and there are PROBABLY a number of survivors hiding out in there so youll have to go look for them on the way past. The spaceport lies beyond the City and is well surrounded by alien siege craft. 

Things get considerably tougher once you approach the City itself. There are Surface-to-Air-Missile (SAM) batteries amongst the buildings and if you dont obey the computers instructions to get below radar, theyll hunt you down pretty quickly. This does of course mean that you have to fly AROUND the skyscrapers, not over them. A pilot of your class should find that no problem.


CONTROLS
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Joystick in port 2.
[F1] Abort game
[F7] Pause/unpause


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Crack/hack/fix/trainer: Vinny Mainolfi
            Intro code: Vinny Mainolfi & Richard Bayliss
                Bitmap: Frank Gasking
           Intro music: Richard Bayliss

October 2011