Fiendish Freddy´s
Big Top O´Fun
Copyright/Publisher: Mindscape, Release Year: 1989
Genre: Multi Events, Number Of Players: 1 to 5

THE GLORIOUS GAME:
Your small, struggling circus is about to be seized by a sinister hoodlum, to whom you owe the sum of 10,000 smackeroos. Your Big Top will be backtop if you don't bag the bucks needed to banish the barbarous banker from your beloved business.

To make matters more miserable, he's sent Fiendish Freddy to foil your fragile finances and prevent your people from performing at their peak.

Your objective is to obliterate this financial obligation by perfectly performing the precarious perils of the Big Top. Thus you will thrill the throng of spectators while also earning the megabucks needed to expand your arena.

The aim is simple: if you have accumulated 10,000 or more pounds by the end of the evening, then your circus is saved from certain demise. However, if no one person raises the needed 10,000 pounds, Freddy will take up permanent residence in the area and your circus will be nothing but a memory.

THE EXPLOSIVE EVENTS:

High Diving

In this event, you climb up the ladder and move out to the end of the diving platform. On the right side of the screen is a scale model of the diving platform. An arrow points to the level where you are standing. In the upper left corner of the screen is the name of the pose you should perform first. In the lower left corner is a picture of the diver's target.

Press the fire button to begin your dive. Once airborne, begin to quickly move the games controller from side to side, but keep yourself over the target. To perform a pose, move the games controller to the appropriate position and then press the fire button.

The more poses that are correctly done, the more money you will make on your dive -- that is, as long as you hit your target! Once the bell rings indicating it's time to go into a pose, you must immediately perform it. Failure to do so brings out Freddy with his giant fan to blow you off course. With each level Freddy appears sooner if you don't perform your poses as soon as the bell rings.

Juggling:
Keep juggling as many items as possible until the time limit runs out. Drop five items and your juggling career will be just a memory.

Push the games controller in the direction you want to move. When you want to catch an item, move the games controller so that you are positioned to catch the item.

Watch out for Freddy, who's tossing bombs and missiles. To handle Freddy's bombs, catch them in either hand and then press the fire button while pushing up the games controller. Once you toss an item, release the fire button and prepare for the next one.

Trapeze:
Another death-defying act of courage high above the centre ring of the Big Top O'Fun.

In addition to just swinging from bar to bar, you'll encounter several obstacles like paper targets and flaming hoops. Press the fire button to start off the platform. Then move the games controller left and right to get your momentum going. Move the games controller up and down to control your speed. Press the fire button to grasp the next bar.

In the meantime, Freddy is armed with a large pair of scissors and a jet pack. He's able to fly freely about the big top waiting for his opportunity. If you stay on one bar too long waiting for the perfect jump, Freddy comes along and 'cuts' your act short.

Knife Throw:
Your lovely assistant has been blindfolded and tied to a rotating wheel, which also has balloons placed in many strategic areas about her. Your objective here is to break all of the balloons on the wheel before time runs out for that level.

There is a row of knives that represents how many tries you have to break the balloons in each level. Use your games controller to move the knife around the wheel until it is over an area where a balloon will come by. Press the fire button when you want to throw the knife. Timing is everything in this game! Freddy will periodically appear from the side to throw his smoke bomb. This fills the screen with smoke and will most likely throw you off your timing and your aim, so take care not to hit your assistant! She's a real whiner and will surely let you know if your aim is off.

Tightrope:
Begin this event by pushing your games controller straight ahead. As you go forward, you will probably lose your balance and begin to lean right or left. Move your games controller left or right in order not to lost your balance and continue moving forward on the rope. If you lean too far and are in danger of falling off, your balancing pole will turn red. You have one second to regain your balance or else you will fall off.

Freddy will try to wheel out his cannon and stop you dead in your tracks. He can also hurl circular saw blades at you, which you can deflect by hitting the fire button.

Cannonball:
The fantastic and fiery finale! Your assistant loads the cannon with gunpowder and you dive in. Depending on how much gunpowder she's put in, you decide how close or far the target should be in order for you to hit it. Use your games controller to move the target closer (left) or farther (right) from the cannon. Once your target is where you want it to be, press the fire button.

Now you must decide the angle at which you want yourself to be fired out of the cannon in order to reach your target. When the cannon is at the angle you want, press the fire button again and you will be launched. If you waste too much time in this event trying to decide where to position your target, Freddy will appear armed with his big cork to make sure your act creates a big bang!