RIDDLE OF THE SPHINX (ATARI 2600) FAQ/WALKTHROUGH Version 1.0 First Written on 9/24/00 Written By Classic Girrrrl (aka Kristine Roper) E-mail: Kathara @ AOL.COM Copyright Stuff: The following FAQ is copyrighted by me, and cannot be sold, modified, "borrowed," or included on another website, a CD, or in a magazine without my permission. If you wish to include it on your own website, feel free to e-mail me and ask (I'll probably say 'yes' 99% of the time anyway). - Introduction - Game Overview - Controls - Scoring - Bad Guys and Other Folks - Items/Treasures/Obstacles - Wounds and Thirst - Temple Offerings - Frequently Asked Questions - Spoilers xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx INTRODUCTION xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Hi there, and welcome to my second attempt at writing a FAQ. After the overwhelming response I got after posting my Raiders of the Lost Ark FAQ, I decided to take a crack at another puzzling 2600 game. Riddle of the Sphinx is another one of those games that's almost impossible to play without the instruction manual so this is written mainly for those folks. However, since I'm going to give away the answers to the, um, "riddles" in the game others might find a need for this FAQ as well. So enjoy, and if you have any questions or have any more information to add please e-mail me at the above address. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx GAME OVERVIEW xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Anubis, the Egyptian god of death, has put a curse on Pharaoh's desert kingdom. It is up to you, son of Pharaoh, to cross the Valley of the Kings and reach the Temple of Ra. Once there, you must then make an offering to Ra and hope that he will lift the curse. Along the way you will fight thieves, scorpions, and Anubis himself, and get help from merchants and the goddess Isis. Your ultimate goal is to reach the Temple with as many points and treasures as you can, in the quickest time possible. The game ends when the Prince reaches the Temple of Ra or when he sustains too many wounds. Game 1: Get to the Temple as quickly as possible with as much treasure as you can carry. Game 2: Same objective as above, but both the Sphinx and the Temple require an offering (the Sphinx won't let you pass without it). Game 3: Same as Game 2, except now the Phoenix, Temple of Anubis, and Temple of Isis also require offerings before you can pass. xxxxxxxxxxx CONTROLS xxxxxxxxxxx The following is a list of controls used in the game. NOTE: YOU NEED TWO JOYSTICKS IN ORDER TO PLAY! Move Prince/throw stones: Use left joystick Select/use items: Use right joystick View how much time has passed: Set the B&W/Color switch to Color and flip the right difficulty switch to the A position View score: Set the B&W/Color switch to Color and flip the right difficulty switch to the B position View wound and thirst levels: Set the B&W/Color switch to B&W Lots of fast-moving bad guys: Set the left difficulty switch to the A position Fewer and slower-moving bad guys: Set the left difficulty switch to the B position xxxxxxxxx SCORING xxxxxxxxx Your score is measured in "Inner Strength Points," which is basically a fancy way of saying, um, points. :) Anyway, you gain or lose points depending on your actions, so keep the following chart in mind while you're playing the game. Hitting a thief with a rock: 60 points Hitting a scorpion with a rock: 60 points Hitting a trader with a rock: -80 points (although that's never stopped me from whacking one who had just stolen a hard-earned treasure of mine) Hitting Anubis or Isis with a rock: -77 points Touching Anubis: -20 points Touching a scorpion: -20 points Making a correct offering at a temple: 500 points Making an incorrect offering at a temple: -20 points Bringing treasures to the Temple of Ra: 700 points for each treasure xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx BAD GUYS AND OTHER FOLKS xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx The following list of characters is presented in this format: NAME: Name of person or creature DESCRIPTION: What it looks like FUNCTION: What his or her purpose of being in the game is POINTS: Points added or subtracted to your score when hit with a rock - - - NAME: Thief DESCRIPTION: A man wearing black shorts that fires rocks at you FUNCTION: Basically to kill you and take your stuff. Thieves will throw rocks at you, and if one happens to touch you you'll be wounded and have one of your items (usually a treasure) taken away. POINTS: 60 points NAME: Scorpion DESCRIPTION: A black and purple striped scorpion FUNCTION: It wants to kill you too. They don't shoot and they don't steal, but they hurt like hell when they touch you. :) POINTS: 60 points NAME: Trader DESCRIPTION: A fat man (fat compared to the thieves anyway) wearing purple shorts. Traders may or may not be moving. FUNCTION: To give items and to take them away. Great friends in the beginning when you have little items, a pain in the butt later in the game when you've got armfuls of treasure. POINTS: -80 points NAME: Anubis DESCRIPTION: A jackal-headed man holding a staff FUNCTION: You're his enemy, and he wants you dead. If he touches you, you are severely wounded AND lose points, and yet you can't fire back at him because you're supposed to respect the gods. Doesn't sound fair to me. POINTS: -77 points NAME: Isis DESCRIPTION: A woman wearing a blue dress FUNCTION: Ah, your only friend. Touching Isis' feet will instantly return your wound and thirst levels back to zero, and sometimes she'll give you some treasure as well. POINTS: -77 points xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ITEMS/TREASURES/OBSTACLES xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To use items, use the right joystick to move the black box over the item you wish to use and push the right joystick button. To drop an item, highlight it, hold the right joystick down, and push the right joystick button. The following list of things you're likely to encounter during the game are presented in the following format: NAME: Name of object DESCRIPTION: What it looks like, either on the screen or in your inventory TYPE: Either an item, a useful item, a treasure, a useful treasure, an obstacle, or a useful obstacle USE: What you can use it for, if anything FOUND: Where you can find it - - - NAME: Shield DESCRIPTION: It pretty much looks like a shield TYPE: Useful item USE: When highlighted, the Prince is immune to the thieves' rocks. However, it can only absorb a limited amount of "hits" before it disappears. FOUND: Traders, and you start Game 1 with one NAME: Scroll DESCRIPTION: Looks like a square with long "handles" on the top and bottom of it TYPE: Item USE: None FOUND: Traders NAME: Spade DESCRIPTION: An upside-down arrow TYPE: Useful item USE: Highlight it and hold the right joystick button. You should hear a constant "ding-ding-ding" sound that will make you want to throw the Atari out the window. Eventually you'll find a treasure in the dirt and it'll replace the spade. FOUND: Traders, and you start games 2 and 3 with one NAME: Tannis Leaf DESCRIPTION: Um, it kinda looks like a jalepeno pepper to me (hey, I've got a wild imagination) TYPE: Useful item USE: It'll heal all your wounds, but it's good for one use only FOUND: Traders NAME: Jug DESCRIPTION: Looks like a jug TYPE: Useful Item USE: Resets your thirst level back to zero, but it's good for one use only FOUND: Traders NAME: Staff DESCRIPTION: A curved staff TYPE: Item USE: None FOUND: See "Frequently Asked Questions" NAME: Crown DESCRIPTION: A fancy-looking crown TYPE: Treasure USE: None FOUND: Digging or Isis NAME: Ankh DESCRIPTION: A cross with a loop at the top TYPE: Treasure USE: None FOUND: Digging or Isis NAME: Key DESCRIPTION: It's a key TYPE: Item USE: None FOUND: See "Spoilers" NAME: Tablet DESCRIPTION: There are three of them…each looks like a square with an animal drawn inside TYPE: Treasure USE: None FOUND: See "Spoilers" NAME: Necklace DESCRIPTION: A circular pearl necklace TYPE: Useful treasure USE: As long as it is highlighted the Prince is immune to wounds FOUND: Digging or Isis NAME: Scepter DESCRIPTION: Kinda looks like a stick with wings coming out of the top TYPE: Useful treasure USE: My favorite. As long as it's highlighted the Prince will move twice as fast and will feel no effects from wounds or thirst (he can still die from wounds though) FOUND: Digging or Isis NAME: Disk of Ra DESCRIPTION: A circle filled with a lot of lines and other markings TYPE: Useful treasure USE: Heals wounds with no limit to its use. Pretty rare though. FOUND: Digging or Isis NAME: Goblet DESCRIPTION: Looks like a goblet or chalice, or maybe even a wine glass ;) TYPE: Useful treasure USE: Resets thirst level to zero with no limit to its use FOUND: Digging or Isis NAME: Obelisk DESCRIPTION: A wide brown pole sitting on a stand TYPE: Obstacle USE: Blocks the Prince's movement and rocks (as well as the thieves' rocks) FOUND: All over the desert NAME: Palm tree DESCRIPTION: It's a palm tree TYPE: Obstacle USE: See Obelisk above FOUND: All over the place NAME: Oasis DESCRIPTION: A small patch of water between two trees TYPE: Useful obstacle USE: Touching it instantly quenches your thirst FOUND: Sporadically throughout the desert xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx WOUNDS AND THIRST xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx As if worrying about thieves and a god of death coming after you isn't bad enough, you also have to keep track of your wound and thirst levels. If you ever receive ten wounds your game is over, although you cannot die from thirst (ironically enough). In both cases, the higher your level, the slower the Prince moves, and the shorter the rocks can be thrown. (As an experiment, I once wounded the Prince to level 9 and waited until his thirst level was 99. I was barely able to move the poor guy.) Wounds are received from the following: Getting hit by a thief's rock: 1 or 2 wounds, depending on the difficulty level Getting touched by a thief: 1 wound Getting touched by a scorpion: 2 wounds Getting touched by Anubis: 3 wounds (ouch) You can heal wounds by using a Tannis Leaf, the Disk of Ra, or by touching Isis. Prevent wounds by using a Shield or a Necklace. Thirst slowly accumulates as the game progresses, whether or not you're actually moving (therefore, don't go to the bathroom and expect everything to be the same when you come back). You cannot die from thirst, but it will eventually make your movements slow enough where you can't dodge rocks or scorpions. You can quench your thirst by touching an oasis, by using a Jug or a Goblet, or by touching Isis. The effects of wounds and thirst are ignored while the Scepter is highlighted, but you can still die if you get ten wounds. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx TEMPLE OFFERINGS xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Now we get to the fun stuff. :) Depending what game level you are playing, you may or may not need to make offerings to the various temples in order for them to let you pass. If you're just happy with playing Game 1, then you can skip this entire section. If you're playing Game 2, then check out the Sphinx and the Temple of Ra areas. If you're playing Game 3, you'd better read this whole thing. You'll thank me for it. First thing you need to do is learn how to offer something. All you need to do is highlight whatever it is you wish to offer and then touch the temple. If you give the correct item, you'll hear a high-pitched sound, get bonus points, and either be given permission to pass or be given a treasure to replace the offered item. If you give the wrong offering, you'll hear a buzzer and will have to try again with a new item. You can probably stumble across the correct offerings on your own through trial-and-error, but it'll cost you a lot of points and a lot of time. So keep reading. :) The second thing you need to do is figure out which temple is which. The three Pyramids are grey and look almost like UFOs (?!), Phoenix is a large purplish bird, the Temple of Isis is mostly blue, the Temple of Anubis has black and tan colors, the Sphinx is solid brown and resembles the Sphinx of Egypt, and the Temple of Ra has a large sun-like object sitting on top of it. You come across them in the desert in this order: Phoenix, Isis, Anubis, Sphinx, Ra. The Pyramids are scattered between them. The third thing you need to do is figure out which temples want which items. Again, in Game 1 you can just blow through the desert until you reach the Temple of Ra and be done with it. However, in games 2 and 3, you need to make offerings or else you can't reach the Temple of Ra at all. Without spoiling it too much (that's what the "Spoilers" section below is for), you basically need to make a "round-robin" of offerings. What I mean is that you first make an offering to one temple, which will give you an item to give at another temple, and so on and so forth. The "Spoilers" section below makes it clearer to understand. The instruction manual gives clues as to what each of the temples require, and they are listed below. Pyramids: "Rare gifts awaits he who unlocks the age-old mystery of the Pyramids." Phoenix: "The fire bird, newly risen from its ancient ashes, can provide you with a key to the riddle you seek to solve. You will know what gift to offer if you unroll and read the writing on your heart." Temple of Isis: "Gentle Isis, goddess of all that is good, her Temple in the desert is as a precious jewel in Egypt's crown. Offer her a gift worthy of an empress." Temple of Anubis: "Temple like a tomb, vaulted home of Death. You will have found its key in the circle that does not end, the sign of life's eternal rebirth." Sphinx: "Inscrutable marvel! Find the offering it seeks and you will have solved its riddle. A bird can fly over, a scarab crawl past or a lion stalk by – Son of Egypt, turn to these! It is written in stone." Temple of Ra: "Ra has all. What need has Ra of wealth? Offer instead that which stands yet cannot stand; that which journeys far yet has no legs; that companion you rely and lean upon, yet never think to call friend." NOTE: In Game 3 you need to make two offerings at Phoenix, the Temple of Isis, and the Temple of Anubis. These second offerings are the ones that will allow you to pass, and the manual gives this as a clue: "The first is rooted in relief; the next you'll find well-found; the last of three is a cloak you wield when enemies abound." Shouldn't be too hard to figure out, eh? ;) If you're still having trouble, see the "Spoilers" section below. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx "What's the maximum level of thirst you can reach?" You can go all the way up to 99, although I don't recommend it. "Where's the #*&$# staff?" Ok, if you don't want to know stop reading right now. Otherwise do the following: When the game begins, immediately move down until you can't go any further. You should see an oasis nearby. Drink from it, and you'll get the staff. That's it. "Are some items rarer than others?" I believe so, yes. Here's a chart based on what I myself have discovered. Common Items/Treasures: Tannis Leaf, Jug, Crown, Ankh, Necklace Uncommon Items/Treasures: Spade, Scroll, Shield, Scepter Rare Items/Treasures: Disk of Ra, Goblet "Do thieves/traders tend to steal certain items more than others?" I've noticed that they really seem to enjoy taking my Shield and my Scepter more than anything else. As a general rule, useful treasures are taken first, then normal treasures, then useful items, than regular items. The staff is NEVER stolen unless that's the only item you have. "Do Isis and Anubis appear in any kind of a pattern?" No, their appearance is purely random. You may see Isis ten times in a single game, or not even once. You may even see three or for Anubises (is that even a word?) on the screen at the same time. Just depends on how lucky you are that day. "I'm wearing a Necklace and yet I'm still slowing down. What's wrong?" The Necklace (and the Shield) gives you immunity to wounds, but not to thirst. Check your thirst level and see if you need a drink. "Are there any cheats or Easter Eggs?" None that I know of, sorry. :( xxxxxxxxx SPOILERS xxxxxxxxx Okay, here we go: Pyramids: Offer a Key to get one of three Tablets. Each Pyramid has its own unique Tablet. Phoenix: Offer the Scroll to get a Key, and offer the Tannis Leaf to get past it. Temple of Isis: Offer the Crown to get a Key, and offer the Jug to get past it. Temple of Anubis: Offer the Ankh to get a Key, and offer the Shield to get past it. Sphinx: Offer one of the three Tablets. It'll only accept one, and it changes with every game. Temple of Ra: Offer the Staff. Congratulations, you've just won the game. :)