High Score Club 9.18 - China Syndrome

[Ze_ro]

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

 

For years the nuclear power plant Spectra Island has provided safe and efficient power for the people of Spectraville, now a devastating earthquake has changed everything! The core has been damaged! Radioactive particles are loose and threaten to overheat the plant, contaminate the town and may even cause meltdown. Only your expertise can save teh day! So get your D.D.V. (Decontamination Defussion Vacuum - Your joystick will do!) and collect the escaping particles before meltdown!

 

Note: The scoring here is a little different. You are trying to get to the highest level possible while neutralizing as few particles as possible, so scores will be ranked by level achieved, and then by lowest particle count.

 

 

Game Information

• Game Name: China Syndrome
• Released By: Spectravision, 1982
• Left Difficulty: A / Expert - 5 DDV Robot Arms per game
• Right Difficulty: A / Expert - DDV Robot Arm moves Faster
• Game Mode: Game 1

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 July 20th at 1:00 AM (Central Time, UTC-6).

 

Challenges

• Full Certification Plant Manager - Get to level 9 or higher and you get 4 bonus points.
• Reactor 2 - Post a score for the unreleased prototype Meltdown. Top score will get 5 points, second will get 4, ..., 5th and on will get 1 point. The ROM can be downloaded here, and more information about the game can be found here.
  
  1. 29,498 (Gorfy) [+5]
  2. 24,964 (JacobZu7zu7) [+4]
  3. 24,909 (oyamafamily) [+3]
  4. 21,963 (DT Kofoed) [+2]
  5. 18,489 (toymailman) [+1]
  6. 15,442 (Jifremok) [+1]
  7. 10,464 (Vocelli) [+1]
  8. 7450 (Miss 2600) [+1]
  9. 2577 (roadrunner) [+1]
  10. 2418 (Amstari) [+1]
  11. 1211 (classicgamer_27330) [+1]

 

Current High Scores All Clear, 135 (Gorfy) [+11][+4] All Clear, 135 (oyamafamily) [+11][+4] All Clear, 136 (JacobZu7zu7) [+10][+4] All Clear, 145 (DT Kofoed) [+9][+4] All Clear, 146 (toymailman) [+8][+4] All Clear, 147 (Jifremok) [+7][+4] All Clear, 149 (Vocelli) [+6][+4] All Clear, 161 (LarcenTyler) [+5][+4] All Clear, 163 (Frostbite76) [+4][+4] All Clear, 325 (roadrunner) [+3][+4] 9, 254 (Amstari) [+2][+4] 7, 144 (Miss 2600) [+1] 6, 223 (Scrabbler15) [+1] 5, 122 (classicgamer_27330) [+1] Best Tips oyamafamily [+2] TwinGalaxies Top 3 TG's scores don't really make sense here... (Game 1, Difficulty B)

Current Standings JacobZu7zu7 [276] toymailman [267] oyamafamily [248] Frostbite76 [213] Gorfy [192] Vocelli [171] DT Kofoed [133] Stan [124] Deteacher [122] Jifremok [107] Scrabbler15 [104] classicgamer_27330 [104] theKLT [99] Miss 2600 [98] Amstari [82] LarcenTyler [75] cparsley [73] pokeplayer984 [65] roadrunner [64] SpiceWare [48] pis [38] keilbaca [37] ed1475 [36] Mister VCS [35] centiqueen81 [33] zylon [33] Krytol [28] Chuck D. Head [27] Wickeycolumbus [21] Cynicaster [20] SeaGtGruff [20] HatefulGravey [17] Curious Sofa [16] Torr [13] littleman jack [7] Darth Kinzer [6] atarigal [5] Cortat G [5] bennybingo [5] rmaerz [3] Zach [3] atariUCLA24 [3] dwane413 [3] SpaceDice2010 [2] MIKE5200 [2] Mangia-Boy [1] Buck [1] 4Ks [1] Cream147 [1] DickNixonArisen [1] leematari [1] Zoyx [1] Mingy Jongo [1]

 

Scoring Points in China Syndrome

• The game keeps track of all the particles you neutralize, but this isn't the point of the game. Your job is to stabilize the core and progress to the next level. Doing this more efficiently will result in a LOWER number of neutralized particles overall.

 

Hints and Tips

The Manual

 

As always, you really should read the manual. In case you don't have the manual, AtariAge has a scanned copy available online. Unfortunately, the manual doesn't have any real hints.

 

oyamafamily

 

Check out oyamafamily's in-depth tips in this post

 

--Zero

[Stan]

See, this works great! As we were playing Robot Tank I purchased a copy of CS and it should be in the mail by Friday!

[Stan]

Ugh, looks like I will need a Harmony cart for some of these if any of them win.

[Lauren Tyler]

Level 09 - Score 161

[Krytol]

Before I submit my usual low score, I need to ask this question:

 

How did that manual even make it to the printer? There are so many typos and spelling mistakes. There's even one on the cover.

[DT Kofoed]

OK, so I got bored playing China Syndrome and quit on the 5th level... I'll come back to finish a game later.

Meltdown, however, I found to be pretty fantastic. First time playing I scored 6977 and had a blast; looks like I'll be playing the challenge game more than the actual pick! [and I even voted for China Syndrome]

[JacobZu7zu7]

1st try and completed it!

 

Difficulties AA

217

 

Finished level 9

All Clear

[JacobZu7zu7]

>Full Certification Plant Manager - Get to level 9 or higher and you get 4 bonus >points.

 

Completing Level 9 is actually the end of the game.

Game 1 is called Practice, it's not very difficult even with (A) (A) settings.

 

Having problems with Meltdown, I don't think the rom is working.

The game looks like a mess! (see pic)

[DT Kofoed]

Alright, completed a game: level 6 - 185.

Can anyone explain what triggers the level to end? I don't seem to get it.

[JacobZu7zu7]

IMPORTANT GAME NOTE FROM ZERO!

 

 

Note: The scoring here is a little different. You are trying to get to the highest level possible while neutralizing as few particles as possible, so scores will be ranked by level achieved, and then by lowest particle count.

 

Because if I was to lose on level 1 my overall score would be the best.

 

Now my question is, since I completed the game, would my score be better then someone who didn't complete it but has a much better LOWER final score on level 9?

[JacobZu7zu7]

Alright, completed a game: level 6 - 185.

Can anyone explain what triggers the level to end? I don't seem to get it.

 

Yes, the particles bounce... they are let out 1 by 1... then after they hit the wall

they break into 2, then 3... etc

 

This causes your status below to go from NORMAL to DANGER... if particles keep multiplying the game sounds get faster and the danger increases, LEADING to a MELTDOWN and END OF GAME.

 

The goal is to get as many particles as soon as you can, the whole game.

 

The more you let go, the harder it is to complete the level.

 

I don't know if dieing in the reactor core starts your level all over or not

 

Ask Michael Douglas!!

[JacobZu7zu7]

The graphics in this China Syndrome game remind me of Skittles, it's like smashing skittles candies, with the (S) skittle mashing device.

[classicgamer_27330]

32

[Gorfy]

Made it to level 9, but hit meltdown before I could complete the level. Score: 180 at Level 9

This game is a real handbuster--- fatigue was a huge impediment to completing level 9.

[Gorfy]

Meltdown challenge: 4,409

[oyamafamily]

LEVEL 9 COMPLETED!! - ALL CLEAR - 0281

 

[oyamafamily]

NEW ATTEMPT - LEVEL 9 COMPLETED / 0205 - WOO HOOO!

 

 

I'm very happy with this victory! And here's my first attempt in Meltdown, which I played for the first time: 7,462

 

Edited July 14, 2011 by oyamafamily

[JacobZu7zu7]

LEVEL 9 COMPLETE,

ALL CLEAR!

 

159

[Frostbite76]

Made it to Level 9 with a score of 182. Playing on an emu with a crappy controller but the game will come in the mail before Tuesday. The controlls in this game is like Crossbow and would be much better with track ball. It's a pretty cool game for the high score challenge because it's so different

Edited July 14, 2011 by Frostbite76

[classicgamer_27330]

[Gorfy]

Level 9 complete -- ALL CLEAR -- Score: 208

[Gorfy]

Level 9 complete -- ALL CLEAR -- Score: 153

[DT Kofoed]

21963

This is much more fun.

[JacobZu7zu7]

MELTDOWN

13,986

 

I'm not into this one... it's ok to play though.

[oyamafamily]

0140 - Level 9 completed - All Clear

 

 

WOO HOOOO!! I completed 9 levels WITHOUT losing a life!!