Zarlor Mercenary
Encyclopedia
Zarlor Mercenary was an action game for the Atari Lynx handheld console, released by Epyx
. It was a vertically-scrolling shoot 'em up
in which the player controlled a spacecraft destroying enemy spaceships and buildings in order to earn money which could be used to buy upgrades between levels. These upgrades included more powerful shots, side shots, regenerating shields, megabombs (damaging every enemy on the screen) and a laser which automatically targeted the nearest airborne enemy. Up to four players could play simultaneously, extra weapons being available to attack the other players.
A version of Conway's Game of Life
was included as a cheat mode.http://www.gamespot.com/lynx/action/zarlormercenary/hints.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=tabs&tag=tabs;cheats
It is believed that they are building a super weapon here. You must travel through and destroy all the enemy and infrastructure seeking out what the possible super weapon could be and eliminate it.
The Mendicant's have built up secret bases in this area and because of two facts. The first that the area is inaccessible by land and the other…swap monsters! So an air attack it is then.
The Mendicant Navy is well established here and believe that their water-based factories are well protected on sea and in the air.
Almost un-noticed on a little moon in the Zarlor Sector there are Mendicant bases and factories. The deep craters and craggy domes are well protected but house hundreds of killer Mendicants.
The ice caps on Mardi Koldavia are radioactive and the Mendicants are taking advantage of them. They have built nuclear reactors, power plants and weapons factories. There is a huge fleet of warships protecting the ice caps and it is believed there is an even more power super weapon being built here.
This is the only city on this planet and the Mendicants believe that no one would harm the civilians here. But you know one thing, there are no innocent civilians here. So destroy everything!
After a laser fireball in the face the only way to save Scorch life was to become half man half cybersoilder. Now he is the most famous mercenary in the guild and a master Laser shooter!
XQ robots where designed for household tasks but something went wrong with number 49! Now XQ49 is a killer robot and this killer robot is one hell of a sharp-shooter. Just checkout his ability with those Wing Cannons!
A warrior that is installs fear is a warrior with a reputation and considering that Landru is a fire demon... Well... those power shots are enough to scare even the hardest of warriors away.
Beautiful yet brutal and if looks can kill then Brenda is an angel! It is said that Brenda wears a mysterious amulet and can fire at such speed that it always seems like she is on auto-fire.
Spike has had a hard life and constantly in someone’s sight. This is probably why he is such an expert Back Shooter. Definitely a good warrior to have around and certainly useful in a crowd!
Losing his kingdom long ago Rex has made it his mission to fight for what he believes is right. His favourite weapon is those side shooters and when the enemy can come from all angles. Well, I am sure Rex will have it well covered…
From an unknown uncharted part of the universe Xeterog is certainly a unique individual. Nobody can quite look at it and at the same time Xeterog seems to fear no one. It is told that Xeterog is a ‘much sought after’ bachelor on its home planet. But considering the speed that Xeterog moves around one might find it hard to catch him.
#173 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 5 out of 5 stars.
Epyx
Epyx, Inc. was a video game developer and publisher in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s. The company was founded as Automated Simulations by Jim Connelley and Jon Freeman, originally using Epyx as a brand name for action-oriented games before renaming the company to match in 1983...
. It was a vertically-scrolling shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up is a subgenre of shooter video games. In a shoot 'em up, the player controls a lone character, often in a spacecraft or aircraft, shooting large numbers of enemies while dodging their attacks. The genre in turn encompasses various types or subgenres and critics differ on exactly what...
in which the player controlled a spacecraft destroying enemy spaceships and buildings in order to earn money which could be used to buy upgrades between levels. These upgrades included more powerful shots, side shots, regenerating shields, megabombs (damaging every enemy on the screen) and a laser which automatically targeted the nearest airborne enemy. Up to four players could play simultaneously, extra weapons being available to attack the other players.
A version of Conway's Game of Life
Conway's Game of Life
The Game of Life, also known simply as Life, is a cellular automaton devised by the British mathematician John Horton Conway in 1970....
was included as a cheat mode.http://www.gamespot.com/lynx/action/zarlormercenary/hints.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=tabs&tag=tabs;cheats
Plot
The war had been going on for years between the Mendicant and the Zarlor races. It wasn't going anywhere so the Zarlors decided to hire outside help. There are six key installations on the Mendicant's home planet, all to be cleared out for colonization by the Zarlors.Missions
- Cadmar Desert
It is believed that they are building a super weapon here. You must travel through and destroy all the enemy and infrastructure seeking out what the possible super weapon could be and eliminate it.
- Mesort Swamp
The Mendicant's have built up secret bases in this area and because of two facts. The first that the area is inaccessible by land and the other…swap monsters! So an air attack it is then.
- Docrit Sea
The Mendicant Navy is well established here and believe that their water-based factories are well protected on sea and in the air.
- Sedimor Domes
Almost un-noticed on a little moon in the Zarlor Sector there are Mendicant bases and factories. The deep craters and craggy domes are well protected but house hundreds of killer Mendicants.
- Mardic Ice
The ice caps on Mardi Koldavia are radioactive and the Mendicants are taking advantage of them. They have built nuclear reactors, power plants and weapons factories. There is a huge fleet of warships protecting the ice caps and it is believed there is an even more power super weapon being built here.
- Cedmite City
This is the only city on this planet and the Mendicants believe that no one would harm the civilians here. But you know one thing, there are no innocent civilians here. So destroy everything!
Pilots
- Scorch
After a laser fireball in the face the only way to save Scorch life was to become half man half cybersoilder. Now he is the most famous mercenary in the guild and a master Laser shooter!
- XQ49
XQ robots where designed for household tasks but something went wrong with number 49! Now XQ49 is a killer robot and this killer robot is one hell of a sharp-shooter. Just checkout his ability with those Wing Cannons!
- Landru
A warrior that is installs fear is a warrior with a reputation and considering that Landru is a fire demon... Well... those power shots are enough to scare even the hardest of warriors away.
- Brenda
Beautiful yet brutal and if looks can kill then Brenda is an angel! It is said that Brenda wears a mysterious amulet and can fire at such speed that it always seems like she is on auto-fire.
- Spike
Spike has had a hard life and constantly in someone’s sight. This is probably why he is such an expert Back Shooter. Definitely a good warrior to have around and certainly useful in a crowd!
- Rex
Losing his kingdom long ago Rex has made it his mission to fight for what he believes is right. His favourite weapon is those side shooters and when the enemy can come from all angles. Well, I am sure Rex will have it well covered…
- Xeterog
From an unknown uncharted part of the universe Xeterog is certainly a unique individual. Nobody can quite look at it and at the same time Xeterog seems to fear no one. It is told that Xeterog is a ‘much sought after’ bachelor on its home planet. But considering the speed that Xeterog moves around one might find it hard to catch him.
Space Port Shop
After each mission there is a shop run by the Merchant of Venus. Here you can purchase and sell extra items. These include extra ships, which is like buying extra life's. Speed Up, Wing Cannons, Super Shield (regenerating shielding), Power Shots, Laser, Auto Fire, Mega Bomb, Back Shooter and Side Shooter. There are also two items for use in multiplayer mode. Invisibility so you can hide from other players and Back stabber which will attack your allied friends and not the enemy as well as protecting your loot so you don't lose it in that life.Reception
The game was reviewed in 1991 in DragonDragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#173 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 5 out of 5 stars.
External links
- Zarlor Mercenary on GameSpotGameSpotGameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
- Zarlor Mercenary on AtariAgeAtariAgeAtari Age was a magazine distributed to Atari Club members from 1982 until 1984. It was published by The Atari Club Inc., a subsidiary of Atari, Inc.-History:...