HSC Season 5 Week 1: Berzerk

[Ze_ro]

Important Note: This weeks competition is over and no further scores will be accepted.

 

The Astro Date is 3200 and you are the last survivor of a small group of earth people who came to explore the planet Mazeon. Soon after landing, you discovered the planet is a dark, apparently uninhabitable place. But by then it was too late to turn back because your space craft had been destroyed by Automazeons.

 

Now you are a prisoner here. You are trapped in a maze where even the walls are death to touch. Grim robot thugs known as "Automazeons" stalk you relentlessly and you must systematically pulverize them with your laser gun before they eliminate you with theirs.

 

You are never safe on the planet Mazeon. Even when you've destroyed the mechanical heavies, Evil Otto, the mad and merciless mind behind the robot gangs, leaps out from where he's been observing the battle. You flee in panic because you know that you cannot kill Evil Otto and that, once he catches you, you'll never escape.

 

He will pound you to a lifeless pulp, grinning like a maniac all the while. Your only hope is to get out of the electrified maze before Evil Otto catches you.

 

If you do get out, you find yourself in another maze. Again the faceless robots shoot at you, again Evil Otto pursues you, again you must dodge and shoot and run ... into yet another maze. It's enough to drive you bonkers!

 

Game Information

• Game Name: Berzerk
  
• Released By: Atari, 1982
  
• Left Difficulty: N/A
  
• Right Difficulty: N/A
  
• Game Mode: Game 9 - No bonus lives, Invincible Evil Otto, Shooting Robots
  
• Chosen By: Ze_ro
  

Post your scores right here in this thread, and I will add them to the list. Remember to play the game with the recommended game mode and difficulty settings as shown above so that your scores will be consistent with everyone elses. The deadline for posting scores is Wednesday, Sept 19th at 1:00 AM (CST).

 

If you want to suggest a game for future weeks, please send me a private message and let me know! I will add your game to the list. One one game per person will be kept on the list, so you will not be able to suggest a game until your first game is played! (Please note that due to time constraints, I very rarely reply to private messages... but I do read them all!)

 

Anyone can play! Just post a score and I'll add you to the list! Please read the Rules & Information if you haven't already done so!

 

Current High Scores

1. 59,560 (Rom Hunter) [+11]
   
2. 39,770 (keilbaca) [+10]
   
3. 25,950 (Deteacher) [+9]
   
4. 17,290 (theking21083) [+8]
   
5. 16,890 (keitaro) [+7]
   
6. 15,200 (PressureCooker2600) [+6]
   
7. 12,340 (SpiceWare) [+5]
   
8. 12,170 (Nognir) [+4]
   
9. 12,130 (Captain Beard) [+3]
   
10. 10,700 (ed1475) [+2]
    
11. 9600 (Recycled) [+1]
    
12. 8640 (RJ) [+1]
    8640 (Christophero Sly) [+1]
    
13. 8330 (toymailman) [+1]
    
14. 8030 (Nathan Strum) [+1]
    
15. 7350 (shadow460) [+1]
    
16. 6720 (rheffera) [+1]
    
17. 6410 (Blackjack) [+1]
    
18. 6160 (godzillajoe) [+1]
    
19. 5640 (gospeedde) [+1]
    
20. 5020 (Impaler_26) [+1]
    
21. 4610 (Artlover) [+1]
    
22. 4060 (Kurt_Woloch) [+1]
    
23. 3870 (Butterwasp) [+1]
    
24. 3600 (atari2600land) [+1]
    
25. 3400 (LarcenTyler) [+1]
    

Best Tips

• keilbaca [+2]
  

Bounties and Challenges

• Dangerous Intruder - Score 25,000 points or higher and get an extra 2 bonus points!
  • keilbaca, Rom Hunter, Deteacher [+2]
    

TwinGalaxies Top 3

(Game 1, Difficulty B)

• 112,290 (Todd Rogers)
  
• 66,890 (Stephen R Riesenberger)
  
• 45,180 (Stephen Knox)
  

Current Standings

(Note: These scores reflect the standing as of the beginning of this week, and do not include points scored from this game.)

1. There are no scores yet! It's the first week!

Scoring Points in Berzerk

• Destroy a Robot - 50 points
  
• Destroy all Robots in a Room - 10 points per Robot bonus
  

Hints and Tips

As always, you really should read the manual. In case you don't have the manual, AtariAge has a typed copy available. Here are the hints it provides:

 

* Since the robots' shots cannot penetrate the maze walls, use this to your advantage. Hide behind walls to dodge laser fire, then leap out when it is safe to aim and shoot at robots.

 

* Position robot(s) between your man and Evil Otto. This strategy should cause Evil Otto to destroy the robot(s) first (thereby scoring points for you) and you will have more time to escape.

 

* Evil Otto moves more slowly when there are robots on the screen. But once all the robots are gone, the evil fellow bounds toward you with amazing speed! Remember this so you can position your man near an exit as you finish off the robots, then make a swift escape.

 

* Keep your finger on the fire button as you move from one maze to another. It takes the robots a few seconds to start their attack and you can often blindly zap them when you enter shooting.

 

* Since robots are programmed to follow you, you can influence them by your movement, causing them to shoot at and collide with each other or run into walls.

 

* Evil Otto always enters where the man enters. Try to get away from this danger zone and near an exit as soon as it is safe.

 

* Keep your distance from robot gangs because you can cover yourself in only one direction at a time. When you find yourself surrounded by a gang, shoot your way out and put some space between you and them. It's much easier to see and avoid distant robot fire than close range fire.

 

* When robots shoot on the vertical it is from the left side. You can position your man above or below them on the right side where they can't hit you, but you can blast them.

 

* Unlike you robots cannot shoot on the diagonal. If you stand diagonally to one you will be out of its line of fire while it will be vilnerable to your laser shot.

 

* There is a special horizontal laser beam wraparound feature that will help you destroy robots. In mazes that have a right and left exit, you can stand just inside the right exit and shoot through it. Your laser beams will then "wrap around" the screen and reenter on the left side through that opening. Any robots standing in your line of fire will be struck.

We actually played this game previously in the High Score Club, but in case you weren't there to join in, you might want to check out the thread about it. There might be some useful info in there that could help your score!

Tips: Most probably covered though.

 

1) Diagonal Fire is your friend. Use diagonal fire whenever possible. The robots can't fire diagonally, so you can destroy them from defilade.

 

2) If there are robots remaining when Otto comes out, don't get in a hurry and exit sooner than you have to. Use your positioning to force

Otto into destroying remaining robots or just making robots walk into walls. Use their own stupidity against them.

 

3) It's easier to escape Otto moving diagonally or vertically rather than horizontally.

 

4) Naah, bad tip... edited.

 

5) Otto will always appear where you did on a level, so don't loiter in this danger area.

 

6) It's not too difficult (with practice) to intercept robot fire with your own fire, and since you shoot faster than they do, you can get off another quick shot and destroy the robot.

 

7) It's possible as a last resort to let a robots fire pass harmlessly through the space between your head and body. I wouldn't use this as a regular strategy, but as a last resort trick to have in your bag. There is no room for error.

 

Bonus points are awarded for clearing a level of all it's robots. This bonus is substantial and should be your goal as long as it doesn't cost you a life trying to accomplish it. Remember, greedy people die.

TIP: Exercise the better part of valor and escape into the next maze. you dont need to kill every robot in a maze. Yes the next maze will be harder but if the last robots are going to be a pain to kill id rather escape then most probably loose a life, either by fast robot fire or Otto. .

Diagonal shots and suicidal robots are your friends. They'll aid you more than anything else.

 

Don't rush....take your time. You only get a few lives so one little screw-up will ruin your whole game. If you can't get to that last robot...don't worry, just leave the maze. You'll get your chance for glory soon enough.

 

Don't fear Evil Otto. He's never a true threat until all the robots are gone....so make sure you're close to an exit when that happens.

And if possible....let him kill some of the pesky robots that are far away.

My biggest tip: ALWAYS try to go down to up. Evil otto can't catch you, and that's the easiest way to pick off pesky turtling robots, you can shoot their feet.

I disagree with those who say to always start the level out shooting, however.

As often as not, when I do that, my shot doesn't hit anything and I have to wait until it's traveled the entire length of the screen before I can shoot again, often resulting in death from a quick moving, nearby robot. I think your best bet at the start of each screen is to assess the entire room and plot a course of maximum destruction.

Notice that there can only be one robot missile on the screen at once. Get a robot to shoot at you from the other side of the screen, and then you have a couple of seconds to do as you wish.

If you have to confront a robot without any wall to protect you, try to confront him vertically, not horizontally. Their shots are much easier to avoid when they're firing up and down. When they're firing at full speed, left and right shots are VERY tough to avoid.

 

--Zero

[Lauren Tyler]

3,400

 

Mind you it is late and I can do a lot better!

[+SpiceWare]

Hmm - looks like I have Berzerk VE - is that OK, or do I need to load up my Krok Cart and miss out on "Intruder Alert! Intruder Alert!"?

[theking21083]

After playing for 3 hours this was my best score 17,290.

[PressureCooker2600]

awww yea.......Berzerk is one of my top 5 favs.

I might have to join in on this HSC game.

Maybe put in a game or two when I have a chance.

[Nognir]

not much but this is my first score:

 

 

12170

[Blackjack]

First game.... 3090

[Captain Beard]

7890 to start.

 

Nice starting game, Zero!

 

My tip: FIGHT LIKE A ROBOT!

[Blackjack]

Tips: Most probably covered though.

 

1) Diagonal Fire is your friend. Use diagonal fire whenever possible. The robots can't fire diagonally, so you can destroy them from defilade.

 

2) If there are robots remaining when Otto comes out, don't get in a hurry and exit sooner than you have to. Use your positioning to force

Otto into destroying remaining robots or just making robots walk into walls. Use their own stupidity against them.

 

3) It's easier to escape Otto moving diagonally or vertically rather than horizontally.

 

4) Naah, bad tip... edited.

 

5) Otto will always appear where you did on a level, so don't loiter in this danger area.

 

6) It's not too difficult (with practice) to intercept robot fire with your own fire, and since you shoot faster than they do, you can get off another quick shot and destroy the robot.

 

7) It's possible as a last resort to let a robots fire pass harmlessly through the space between your head and body. I wouldn't use this as a regular strategy, but as a last resort trick to have in your bag. There is no room for error.

 

Bonus points are awarded for clearing a level of all it's robots. This bonus is substantial and should be your goal as long as it doesn't cost you a life trying to accomplish it. Remember, greedy people die.

Edited September 17, 2007 by Blackjack

[Artlover]

First play: 3060.

[+SpiceWare]

Game 9 is pretty tough

 

5,930

[Ze_ro]

Hmm - looks like I have Berzerk VE - is that OK, or do I need to load up my Krok Cart and miss out on "Intruder Alert! Intruder Alert!"?

As far as I know, Berzerk VE scores the same as the original, so if you have it, go ahead and play it!

 

--Zero

[+SpiceWare]

Great! Much more fun with the voice.

 

7,580

[Christophero Sly]

4740

[shadow460]

6,800 so far. I skipped the screenshot thinking I could do better, then the battery died in my wireless joystick.

Time for some rechargeables...

[Artlover]

As far as I know, Berzerk VE scores the same as the original, so if you have it, go ahead and play it!

Sweet!

 

{Knows which version he'll be playing now!}

[toymailman]

Is there any was to still pick up a copy of Berzerk VE? I didn't get into collecting until after this gem was made.

[rheffera]

6720.

Man this game is tough! The game does some cheap deaths too, such as robots spawning right next to you in a new maze

 

TIP: Exercise the better part of valor and escape into the next maze. you dont need to kill every robot in a maze. Yes the next maze will be harder but if the last robots are going to be a pain to kill id rather escape then most probably loose a life, either by fast robot fire or Otto. .

Edited September 13, 2007 by rheffera

[Christophero Sly]

5410

[Recycled]

7440

 

 

 

With no voice.

[PressureCooker2600]

After about 30 minutes....my best score so far is 6490.

I'm having trouble breaking the 7k mark....but I'll get there with some more play.

 

Some tips of mine: (pretty basic)

Diagonal shots and suicidal robots are your friends. They'll aid you more than anything else.

 

Don't rush....take your time. You only get a few lives so one little screw-up will ruin your whole game. If you can't get to that last robot...don't worry, just leave the maze. You'll get your chance for glory soon enough.

 

Don't fear Evil Otto. He's never a true threat until all the robots are gone....so make sure you're close to an exit when that happens.

And if possible....let him kill some of the pesky robots that are far away.

[keilbaca]

24090

 

My biggest tip: ALWAYS try to go down to up. Evil otto can't catch you, and that's the easiest way to pick off pesky turtling robots, you can shoot their feet.

[+SpiceWare]

24090

almost got the Dangerous Intruder bonus!

[keilbaca]

24090

almost got the Dangerous Intruder bonus!

 

I didn't even see that... *plays more*

[+SpiceWare]

I'd play more - but about to go see The Spazmatics.