L.E.M. Lunar Excursion Module (Atari 2600)

MISSION BACKGROUND

In the 1960s the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) launched the Apollo program with the goal of landing a man on the Moon before the end of the decade.

This goal was first accomplished during the Apollo 11 mission on July 20, 1969 when astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed, while Michael Collins remained in lunar orbit.

The L.E.M. (Lunar Excursion Module) was the lander portion of the Apollo spacecraft and was built by Grumman. Along with the Command Module, the L.E.M. was launched into space atop a Saturn V rocket. In space, the two craft docked and traveled to the Moon. Once in orbit of the Moon, the craft separated and the L.E.M. ferried two astronauts to the Moon’s surface. When the astronauts completed their mission on the Moon, the craft separated from its landing struts and returned to space to connect with the Command Module for the trip back to Earth.

The L.E.M. was a well built craft that never failed in any mission assigned to it. Can you keep its record untarnished?

GAME OBJECTIVE

In L.E.M. you are cast in the role of a Lunar Excursion Module commander about to land your craft on the Moon. Your objective is to safely land the L.E.M on the designated landing location without crashing the craft into the Moon’s surface or any asteroids that might be passing through the area.

You get three crafts for each game and a bonus life is awarded after three and eight safe landings. Points are scored by landing the L.E.M. with as much fuel remaining on your fuel gauge as possible.

PLAY INSTRUCTIONS

At the title screen, press the red controller button to begin a game.

Move the joystick left or right to use the reaction control thrusters for maneuvering the L.E.M. into position for landing. Be sure to position the L.E.M. directly above the landing location otherwise it will crash!

Press the red controller button in order to fire the main engine to slow the L.E.M.’s descent. While maneuvering the L.E.M., be sure to take note of the score color. When the score color is gray, your descent speed is good. But a red score color means the L.E.M. is descending too fast. Be careful not to descend too quickly or the L.E.M. will crash into the ground.

Keep an eye on your fuel gauge. If the L.EM. runs out of fuel, it will crash.

And, most importantly, watch out for asteroids!

BOXED EDITION

A boxed edition featuring a 28 pages 5 languages manual is available on AtariAge store,

GAME CREDITS

Programmer

Filippo Santellocco

Additional programming

Mike Saarna

Software

Fred Quimby (batariBasic), Jeff Wierer (Visual batariBasic), Duane Alan Hahn (batariBasic manual) and Stephen Anthony, Bradford Mott, Eckard Stolberg, Brian Watson (Stella multi-platform Atari 2600 VCS emulator)

Hardware

Atari Video Computer System and Harmony cartridge

Packaging design

Brian Ostrowski

Manual text

Scott Lawrenz

Translations

Mario Caillahuz Aramburú, Gunnar Kanold, Jean-Christophe Ville, Carla Bendinelli, Cinzia Santellocco

Cartridge and Manual Production

Albert Yarusso (AtariAge)

Box Printing and Production

Marc Oberhäuser (Freelancer Games)

Patch Production

Walter Lauer

Music Inspired by

Depeche Mode

Special Thanks to

Steve Engelhardt, Marco Marabelli, Shawn Setnicky, Mark Taylor and all  friends at AtariAge whose support, suggestions and advice helped in the making of the game.

A very special thank you to the NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration).

Dedicated to Cinzia and to Sofia.

In memory of Ronald.