Populous



Typed out by Gregory Bishop

SNS-PO-USA

The Ultimate Triumph of Good Over Evil
POPULOUS

INSTRUCTION BOOKLET

Acclaim
Masters of the Game

SUPER NINTENDO® ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM

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WARNING: PLEASE READ THE ENCLOSED CONSUMER INFORMATION & PRECAUTIONS
BOOKLET CAREFULLY BEFORE USING YOUR NINTENDO® HARDWARE SYSTEM OR GAME
BOX.

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(1)

You are a supreme being...with the power to command the forces of
nature. Earthquakes, floods, volcanoes, the power to turn the very
oceans into fertile plains or the plains into barren rock is yours.
But such power is not limitless. Its source is in the number of your
followers--the followers of Good--scattered on worlds throughout the
universe. These people look to you to level their land so they can
raise their crops, build towns and multiply. In return, as their
number increases, so does your power to smite the enemy, the followers
of Evil.

The forces of darkness threaten to engulf every world in the universe.
Your followers will be overrun and you with them, unless you help them
prosper and grow, unless you call them to glory, to conquest, to purge
the worlds of Evil.

With enough power you can move the Good Papal Magnet. Place it
anywhere in the world and your followers will be drawn to it,
cultivating the land as they go, or confronting Evil. Make the Good
people's Leader into a crusading Knight, and he will invade the enemy,
attacking their people, burning towns and crops.

Victory depends on the elimination of Evil. Send your people to hunt
them down. Wreak havoc on them with the forces of nature. Wipe them
off the face of the world, or if Good outnumbers Evil, call for
Armageddon. Every person--Good and Evil--will come together for the
final doomsday battle.

From world to world you must go, aiding your followers, destroying the
enemy. The landscapes will become increasingly formidable, the power
of Evil ever greater.

The Good depend on you to triumph.

Oblivion awaits the loser...

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(2) IN THE BEGINNING

LOADING:

1. Make sure the power switch is OFF.
2. Insert POPULOUS cartridge as described in your SUPER NINTENDO
ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM manual.
3. Turn the power switch ON.

When you see the POPULOUS title and game mode selection screen, use the
CONTROL PAD ARROWS to select one of the following options:

TUTORIAL--Practice game play, strategy, and Supreme Power Commands,
without having to first build up your Manna Bar. (See TUTORIAL MODE,
page 34.)

CONQUEST--You start with only a few followers and must help them in
order to increase your power. With victory comes both the chance to
fight Evil on ever more challenging worlds of the universe and the
Password that enables you to restart your battle for divine supremacy
from the world you last reached.

CUSTOM--Not only can you choose the Supreme Power Commands available to
both you and Evil, change landscapes and jump to new worlds, you can
also become Evil or even set the computer against itself. (See CUSTOM
MODE, page 34.)

Note: No Password capability exists in the Tutorial or Custom modes.
You cannot advance through the 989 worlds of the universe or use a
Password to resume the game from where you left off prior to switching
off your SNES.

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(3)

To accept your option, press the A BUTTON. In the Custom and Tutorial
modes you will then see the Game Play screen. In the Conquest mode you
will see the World Description Screen. (See WORLD DESCRIPTION SCREEN,
page 11.)

Note: Populous is a one-player game. Always use the Player 1
Controller.


CURSORS

There are a variety of cursors used in POPULOUS. The specific type
depends upon which screen is showing, your position on the Game Play
screen or the command in effect, but regardless of type, ALL CURSORS
ARE MOVED WITH THE CONTROL PAD ARROWS.

TO SELECT ANY COMMAND ICON or OPTION WHEN IN THE APPROPRIATE MODE or
SCREEN, MOVE THE CURSOR TO THE ITEM AND PRESS THE REQUIRED BUTTON AS
OUTLINED IN THE RELEVANT SECTION OF THIS BOOK. (i.e. Select means `to
move the cursor to...')

Note: On the Game Play screen, the cursor moves diagonally, parallel to
the sides of the Close-up Map. If you'd prefer the cursor to move UP,
DOWN, LEFT, and RIGHT, parallel with the sides of the entire screen,
select the CURSOR icon and press the A BUTTON. To return the cursor to
moving diagonally, press the A BUTTON again. To return to the Close-up
Map from the Cursor icon, press the SELECT BUTTON.

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(4) THE CONTROLS...DIVINITY AT YOUR FINGER TIPS

BASIC CONTROLS:

CONTROL PAD Moves all cursors.

SELECT BUTTON Switches the cursor to the Command Icons.

START BUTTON Press to pause. Press again to restart.

A BUTTON Raises the land and makes selections.

B BUTTON Lowers the land and makes selections.

X BUTTON Flattens the land around Settlements (that are not
castles) turning them instantly into castles.

Y BUTTON Locates Settlements (that are not castles).

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(5)

ADVANCED CONTROLS:

(L) + (A) Raises and flattens large areas of land.

(L) + (B) Lowers and flattens large areas of land.

(L) + (X) Raises the land around a castle, reducing it to a
primitive hut.

(L) + (Y) Locates castles.

(R) + (A) Accesses RAISE & LOWER LAND Supreme Power Command*.

(R) + (B) Accesses Papal Magnet cursor*.

(R) + (X) Makes your followers Settle*.

(R) + (Y) Makes your followers Gather Then Settle*.

(L) + (R) + (A) EARTHQUAKES the area shown on the Close-up Map*.

(L) + (R) + (B) Accesses Swamp cursor*.

(L) + (R) + (X) VOLCANOS the area shown on the Close-up Map*.

(L) + (R) + (Y) Turns your Leader into a Knight*.

(*Without having to select the appropriate Command Icon.)

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(6) THE GAME PLAY SCREEN...A WORLD TO COMMAND

[Here we have a screenshot with the following: the Book of Worlds in
the top left corner, the Command Icons in the bottom left and right
corners, the Manna Bar in the top right corner, the Info Shield above
the Manna Bar, and the Close-up Map in the middle of the picture.]

COMMAND ICONS

The icons of both sides of the screen access one of five types of
command:

Supreme Power Commands--Directly affect the world
Influence Behavior Commands--Influence the actions of your people.
View Commands--Show: *Selected objects on the Close-up Map
*Options for Good or Evil screen
*Game Set-up Screen
*Info-shield
Pause Command--Pauses the game.
Audio Commands--Turn on and off the Sound Effects or Music.

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(7)

THE BOOK OF WORLDS

The Book of Worlds is a map of the world you seek to conquer:

Blue Dots_________Good Walkers
White Dots________Good Settlements
Light Grey Dots___Rocks
Red Dots__________Evil Walkers
Dark Grey Dots____Evil Settlements
White Square______Close-up Map location

Note: You cannot change land on the Book of Worlds. It is solely a
representation of what is happening throughout the world you are
conquering.


THE CLOSE-UP MAP

The Close-up Map is a magnified view of the area on the Book of Worlds
map marked by the white square.

Your exact position on the Close-up Map is marked by a:

White cross hair--if land can be built.
White Square--if you cannot build or if the game is paused.

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(8)

The white cross hair automatically switches to the white square:
--if no Good Walkers or Good Settlements exist on the Close-up
Map.
--if you are in the Built-Towns mode and there is no settlement on
the Close-up Map.
--if you are in the Land Cannot Be Built mode.

To scroll across the Close-up Map and the Book of Worlds, press the
appropriate CONTROL PAD ARROW.

To scroll faster, press the CONTROL PAD ARROW plus the R BUTTON.

To scroll rapidly, press the CONTROL PAD ARROW plus the L BUTTON.

To locate Good settlements below the level of castle, press the Y
BUTTON.

On the Close-up Map the following symbols apply:

WALKERS
Each person on the Close-up Map is a Walker. Good Walkers wear blue.
Evil Walkers, red. Both Good and Evil Walkers represent a number of
people, depending on their strength.

Good Walkers do whatever is instructed by the Influence Behavior
Commands (see INFLUENCE BEHAVIOR COMMANDS, page 20). If a Walker is
forced to walk around without settling, he will grow weak and
eventually die.

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(9)

SETTLEMENTS
When instructed to settle, any Walkers that find flat land, will build
settlements and grow crops. The more flat land you create around a
settlement, the larger and more advanced it becomes. The larger the
settlement, the faster the population grows and the more Manna you get.
Population grows within a settlement until it's full, whereupon a
Walker will emerge in search of more flat land to settle on.

Blue flags fly over Good Settlements, red over Evil Settlements.

PLANTED LAND [straight rows of same-colored dots]
Light colored rows of dots are Good crops; dark dots are Evil crops.

SWAMPS [haphazard dots]
Swamps reduce crop land and swallow Walkers. They are also either
shallow or bottomless, depending on the world. If a Walker sinks in a
shallow Swamp, the Swamp becomes flat land.

To remove Swamps, raise and then lower the affected land.

RUINED LAND [light and dark rows of dots]
To restore land decimated by fire, raise and then lower the affected
land.

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(10)

ROCKS AND TREES
To remove dark colored rocks or tree, sink the land around them down to
sea level.

To remove light colored rocks, raise and then lower the land.

PAPAL MAGNETS [Cross and Skull icons]
Papal Magnets are divine monuments used to control the people; an Ankh
[Cross] for the Good people and a Skull for the Evil people. Once
instructed, your people will flock to the Magnet. If you have enough
Manna and a Leader, use it to move your people around the world.

LEADERS
Your Leader is the Walker carrying a small Papal Magnet.

When under the Go To Papal Magnet Influence Command, all your Walkers
will migrate toward your Leader, who himself heads directly for the
Papal Magnet. (see INFLUENCE BEHAVIOR COMMANDS, GO TO PAPAL MAGNET,
page 21.)

Leaders can also become Knights, if you have enough Manna. (See
SUPREME POWER COMMANDS--KNIGHT, page 18.)

(To create a Leader, see INFLUENCE BEHAVIOR COMMAND, GO TO PAPAL
MAGNET, page 21.)

If your Leader dies or is knighted, the Papal Magnet moves to the place
he occupied.

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(11)

KNIGHTS [Helmet and Spear icon]
KNIGHTS seek out and battle with Evil Walkers, raid enemy settlements
and torch buildings and crops. They are strong, but not invincible,
growing weaker with every battle until they die. A single Knight
represents a large part of your population. Their loss can be
devastating.

(To create a Knight, see SUPREME POWER COMMAND COMMANDS--KNIGHT, page
18.)


WORLD DESCRIPTION SCREEN

In the Conquest Mode, the first thing you see is the World Description
Screen. It describes the world you must conquer and the Supreme Power
Commands available to you and to Evil.

The screen will also appear at the start of each new world.

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(12)

1--World to Conquer--The name of the current world. With every world
you conquer you will advance to a more challenging world.

Write down the name of every new world you see. It is a Password
enabling you to turn off your SNES and still be able to later resume
your conquest. (See PASSWORD, page 32.)

2--Battle Number Is--Each world is numbered in order of difficulty. As
you win, you will advance through the 989 worlds.

Note: If you conquer a world with ease, you will jump up several worlds
--the easier the victory, the bigger the jump.

3--Landscape Is--One of the 10 types of landscape--Grass Plains,
Desert, Snow & Ice, Rock & Lava, Bit Plains, Japanesque, French
Revolution, Cake Land, Piggy Land or Silly Land. (See TERRAIN, page
35.)

4--His Reactions--The speed with which Evil can match your actions.
The scale measures from very slow on the left to very fast on the
right.

5--His Rating--Evil's level of skill and ingenuity. The rating runs
from very poor on the left to very good on the right.

6--Built--The build mode you are in determines when you can raise or
lower land:
People: you can change land if either a Walker or a Settlement is on
the Close-up Map.
Towns: you can change land only when a Settlement is visible on the
Close-up Map.
Neither People nor Towns: you cannot raise or lower land.

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(13)

7--Swamps--There are two types:
Shallow: swamps disappear if a Walker falls into them.
Bottomless: swamps only disappear if the land is raised or lowered.

8--Water--May be either fatal or harmful:
Fatal: killing Walkers falling into it immediately.
Harmful: Walkers take longer to drown, giving you time to save them
by raising the land.

Note: ON ALL DESCRIPTIVE AND OPTION SCREENS, A LARGE LIGHT GREY SQUARE
SIGNIFIES `OFF' or `NOT AVAILABLE', A SMALLER DARK GREY SQUARE
SIGNIFIES `ON' or `AVAILABLE'.

You and Evil--Stipulates which Supreme Power Commands are available to
you and which to Evil. The balance of power is rarely equal and you
must adjust your strategy accordingly.

--Lists the number of Walkers you and Evil start the world with.

Start Game--To start your conquest of the universe on the world named
at the top of the World Description Screen, select the START GAME
option and press the A BUTTON.

New Game--To start your conquest from the world you last reached, move
the cursor to the NEW GAME option and press the A BUTTON. You will
then be able to enter the name of the latest world you have advanced
to. (See PASSWORD, page 32.)

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(14) COMMAND ICONS

To reach the icons for any of the five types of command, use the SELECT
BUTTON. Pressing the SELECT BUTTON successively moves you counter-
clockwise from the Close-up Map, to the icons on the lower left hand
side of the screen, to the icons on the lower right hand side of the
screen and then back to the Close-up Map.

Note: Whenever you access a command icon with the SELECT BUTTON, the
game automatically pauses.

PAUSE [ZZZ icon]

To pause the game, select this icon and press the A BUTTON or B BUTTON.
To resume the game, press the SELECT BUTTON again and the A or B BUTTON
again.

NOTE: YOU CAN ALSO PAUSE THE GAME BY PRESSING THE START BUTTON. TO
RESUME THE GAME, PRESS THE START BUTTON AGAIN.

Note: Even when the game is paused you can still move around the world
and select View Icons, Influence Behavior Icons or Supreme Power
Command Icons.

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(15)

SUPREME POWER COMMANDS

These commands directly affect the world. To perform any Supreme Power
Command the arrow on your Manna Bar must be on or to the right of that
Command. Only one Supreme Power Command may be used at a time and each
time one is used your Manna decreases.

To execute a Supreme Power Command, select the appropriate icon and
press the A BUTTON or B BUTTON.

RAISE & LOWER LAND [Up and Down Arrow icons]
To raise the land, press the A BUTTON. To lower the land, press the B
BUTTON.

To rapidly raise and flatten the land over a large area, press the A
BUTTON twice and then the B BUTTON once OR press the L BUTTON plus the
A BUTTON.

To rapidly lower and flatten the land over a large area, press the L
BUTTON plus the B BUTTON. (Land at sea level will not change.)

THIS IS YOUR MOST CRUCIAL DIVINE ACTION. Raise and lower the land to
flatten as much as possible. Only on flat land can your people grow
their crops, advance their civilization, multiply and so increase your
power.

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(16)

Note: The Build mode affects whether Settlements or just Walkers need
to be on the Close-up Map for you to raise and lower land. (See WORLD
DESCRIPTION SCREEN--Built, page 12.)

If you have sufficient Manna, to instantly advance any pre-castle
civilization to the most advanced level that its world or its
geographic position allows, move the cross hair over the settlement you
wish to improve and press the X BUTTON.

(Note: To instantly find any of your Settlements, other than castles,
press the Y BUTTON.)

To access and RAISE & LOWER LAND Command, without having to access the
RAISE & LOWER icon, press the R BUTTON plus the A BUTTON.

PLACE PAPAL MAGNET [Cross icon]
To place the Papal Magnet anywhere in the world, select this icon.

The Close-up Map cursor will be replace by a small Papal Magnet with a
blue arrow attached. Move the Magnet to where you want it and press
the A BUTTON or B BUTTON.

Note: You can only move your Papal Magnet if you have a Leader. (See
INFLUENCE BEHAVIOR COMMANDS--GO TO PAPAL MAGNET, page 21.)

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(17)

EARTHQUAKE [((( ))) icon]
To create swamps in an area of the world, select this icon.

Earthquakes shake the ground making it uneven and unsuitable for crops.
Earthquakes also turn high ground into low ground.

To earthquake the area shown on the The Close-up Map, without having to
access the EARTHQUAKE icon, press the L BUTTON, plus the R BUTTON, plus
the A BUTTON.

SWAMP [guy in muck icon]
To create swamps in an area of the world, select this icon.

The Close-up Map cursor will then change to a mini-swamp with a small
arrow attached. Move the mini-swamp to the area to be swamped and
press the A BUTTON.

If you choose not to use the Swamp Supreme Power Command after
selecting it, press the B BUTTON.

To obtain the Swamp cursor, without having to access the SWAMP icon,
press the L BUTTON plus the R BUTTON and the B BUTTON.

Note: Swamps can only be created on flat land.

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KNIGHT [Helmet and Spear icon]
To transform your Leader into a Knight, select this icon.

Knights attack Evil Settlements and Evil Walkers, burning their
buildings and destroying crop land.

Note: If your Leader becomes a Knight, you will no longer have a Leader
until another Walker is made to touch the Papal Magnet.

To increase a Knight's strength and longevity, select Gather Then
Settle. Walker will then join with your Knight. But beware, your
Leader can also join with a Knight, leaving you leaderless.

If two Knights are on the same screen, they will join together to form
and even stronger Knight regardless of which behavior mode you are in.

You can create as many Knights as your Manna will allow.

To turn your Leader into a Knight, without having to select the KNIGHT
icon, press the L BUTTON plus the R BUTTON and the Y BUTTON.

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(19)

VOLCANO
To turn the area on the Close-up Map into a rocky mountain, select this
icon.

The damage caused by a Volcano takes a great deal of Manna to recover
from. A double or triple Volcano can be utterly devastating.

To turn the area shown on the Close-up Map into a mountain, without
having to select the VOLCANO icon, press the L BUTTON, plus the R
BUTTON, and the X BUTTON.

FLOOD [guy in water icon]
To raise the water one level throughout the world, select this icon.
When it flashes, press the A or B BUTTON again.

All flooded settlements, Good and Evil, are destroyed. Walkers get
dumped into the water, whereupon they either die immediately or slowly
drown, depending on whether that world's water is fatal or harmful.

Drowning Walkers can be saved by raising the land beneath them.

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(20)

ARMAGEDDON [Skull and Crossbones icon]
To declare the final battle and end the world, select this icon. When
the icon flashes red, press the A or B BUTTON again.

Armageddon is doomsday. All the people, Good and Evil, migrate from
their homes to the center of the world, where they fight for ultimate
supremacy.

You can move your view of the world during Armageddon, but you cannot
alter the course of events in any way.

If Good outnumbers Evil, you will be victorious, if not, the world and
all the followers of Good are lost.


INFLUENCE BEHAVIOR COMMANDS

These commands influence the actions of your followers.

To initiate an Influence Command, select the appropriate icon, and
press the A BUTTON or the B BUTTON.

It costs no Manna to influence your people and they are always moved by
one of these influences, so one icon is always highlighted.

To return to the Close-up Map from the Influence Behavior icons, press
the SELECT BUTTON twice.

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(21)

GO TO PAPAL MAGNET [Arrow pointing to Cross icon]
To make your Walkers migrate toward their Leader, who walks toward the
magnet, select this icon.

As your followers reach the Leader, they will continue with him to
create a stronger Leader.

If no Leader yet exists, has died, or becomes a Knight, to create one,
select this symbol. Your Walkers will go directly to the Magnet. The
first Walker to touch the monument becomes the Leader.

Note: This command is vital for getting your Walkers to migrate into
enemy territory so that they then can conquer, or settle, or both. If
you have the Manna and a Leader, use the Place Papal Magnet Command to
move the Magnet into an Evil settlement and then select the Go To Papal
Magnet icon.

Under this Influence, your followers will not make settlements and will
only fight Evil Walkers and Settlements who falls directly on their
path to the Papal Magnet.

SETTLE [Arrow pointing to Flag icon]
To make your followers build settlements, and so increase their number,
select this icon.

Walkers seek flat land to settle on. Once a settlement fills up, a
Walker leaves to seek more flat land and builds on that. While castles
are good because they generate many people and increase your Manna,
they take a long time to fill up and produce Walkers. Small
settlements have their value in providing a steady stream of Walkers to
build other settlements.

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(22)

Note: If you need more Walkers immediately, raise or lower the land
adjacent to a castle. The castle will diminish to a lower form of a
settlement out of which will step a Walker. As soon as he does,
flatten the land again to rebuild the castle.

To make your followers settle, without having to select the SETTLE
icon, press the R BUTTON plus the X BUTTON.

FIGHT THEN SETTLE [Arrow pointing to Swords icon]
To make your Walkers hunt out nearby Evil settlements to invade and
settle, select this icon.

When Good Walkers invade an Evil settlement successfully, it becomes
Good.

If no Evil settlements exist nearby, Walkers just settle.

GATHER THEN SETTLE [Arrow pointing to guy icon]
To make your Walkers unite for greater strength, select this symbol.

In harsh terrain or facing battle, stronger Walkers are essential for
survival.

To make your followers combine and then settle, without having to
select the GATHER THEN SETTLE icon, press the R BUTTON plus the Y
BUTTON.

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(23)

VIEW COMMANDS

There are three types of View Commands:
*View objects on the Close-up Map.
*View--Game Set-Up Screen
--Options for Good or Options for Evil Screen.
*Place Shield

CLOSE-UP MAP VIEW COMMANDS

Use these commands to move the Close-up Map to your Leader, Papal
Magnet, Knight(s), Battles or the Shield Bearer.

View Leader or Papal Magnet [Enclosed Cross icon]
To view your Leader or Papal Magnet, select this icon and press the A
BUTTON to see your Leader, or the B BUTTON to see your Papal Magnet.

If you have no Leader, pressing the A or B BUTTON will move the close-
up Map to the Papal Magnet.

View Knights or View Settlements [Enclosed Helmet and Spear icon]
To view your Knights or Settlements, select this icon and press the A
BUTTON to see your Settlements, or the B BUTTON to see your Knights.
If you have more than one Knight, press the B BUTTON repeatedly.

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View Battle [Enclosed Swords icon]
To view battles, select this icon and press the A BUTTON repeatedly to
view each of your battles in turn.

If no battles are being fought, the Close-up Map will remain unchanged.

View Shield [Enclosed Shield icon]
To view the Shield Bearer, select this icon, and press the A BUTTON.

PLACE SHIELD [? icon]
To obtain specific information about Walkers or Settlements advancement
and strength, select this icon and press the A BUTTON. The cursor on
the Close-up Map will become a small shield.

Move the shield onto any Walker or the flag of any Settlement that you
want information about and press the A BUTTON. That Walker or
Settlement now becomes the Shield Bearer and information about them
appears in the Info Shield.

Note: The Shield can move from the Walker or Settlement to which you
assigned it:

*If the Shield is on a Settlement that produces a Walker, the Shield
transfers to the Walker.

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*If the Shield is on a Settlement that produces a Walker, the Shield
transfers to the Walker.

*If the Shield is on a Walker during a battle and the Walker loses, the
Shield transfers to the victor.

*If the Shield in on a Walker who dies from the elements, the Shield
disappears. The Info Shield remains blank until the Shield is
reassigned.

*If the Shield is on a Walker who joins with the Leader of a Knight,
the Shield transfers to the Leader or Knight.

To see information about other Walkers or Settlements, move the shield
cursor to them and again press the A BUTTON.

To return to normal play and the cursor to a white square or cross
hair, press the B BUTTON.

VIEW OPTIONS FOR GOOD or EVIL [Balance icon]
To check which Supreme Power Commands are permitted in the world you
are conquering, levels of aggression and rates of response, select this
icon and press the A BUTTON to see your options, or the B BUTTON to see
Evil's.

In the CUSTOM mode play, to change which Supreme Power Commands are
permitted, select the chosen Command and press the A BUTTON. To return
the option to its previous setting, press the A BUTTON again.

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(26)

To return to the Close-up Map from either the Options for Good or
Options for Evil Screen, select either OK to accept any changes you
have made (CUSTOM mode only) or CANCEL to return the options to their
original settings and press the A BUTTON.

VIEW GAME SET-UP
To verify how the game is set-up, select this icon and press the A
BUTTON or the B BUTTON.

The Game Set-Up Screen
*Shows the set-up of the game.
*Allows you to move from the Conquest to the Custom mode and vice-
versa.
*Allows you to alter the speed of the game.
*Allows you to access Game Options, Quick Save, and Load Screen.

Note: The Game Option screen can be accessed in any mode, but can only
be altered in the CUSTOM mode.

*Allows you to move to another landscape or world (CUSTOM mode ONLY),
restart a map, or surrender the world you are in.

GAME SET-UP
The set-up in effect is marked with a small dark square.

Good/Evil--In the Human vs. Computer game shows whether you are Good or
Evil.

Human vs. Com/Com vs. Com--You against the computer or the computer
playing itself.

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(27)

CHANGE MODES
To move between Conquest and Custom modes, the screen immediately
changes to the World Description Screen.

GAME SPEED
To change the game speed, move the cursor to the Game Speed bar, and
then use the LEFT and RIGHT CONTROL PAD ARROWS to slide the indicator
along.

GAME OPTIONS
To change the game options, move the cursor to GAME OPTIONS and press
the A BUTTON.

The Set Game Options screen will then appear in front of the Game Set-
Up Screen. To change any of the options, move the cursor to the
option(s) to be changed and press the A BUTTON. To change the option
back, press the A BUTTON again.

Note: In some worlds you can BUILD UP ONLY. The Game Options screen is
the only place where you can check whether this limitation is in
effect.

To return to the Game Set-Up Screen, with the options set as shown,
move the cursor to OK and press the A BUTTON.

To return to the Game Set-Up Screen with the options as they were
before you altered them, move the cursor to CANCEL and press the A
BUTTON.

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(28)

WARNING: The Save a Game and Load a Game options are only effective
until the SNES is turned off.

SAVE A GAME
If you need to check if a particular strategy might be effective, or
want to change game mode, or for any reason don't want to risk losing
the ground you have already made in any world, it is possible to save
up to three stages of the game at any one time UP UNTIL THE SNES IS
SWITCHED OFF.

To save your conquest at the stage reached on the Close-up Map and Book
of Worlds, select SAVE A GAME and press the A BUTTON.

You will then see the Save Game screen.

Any Quick Saves already used will state the name of the world saved or
NO NAME if it a Custom world and the turn at which it was saved.

Unused Quick Saves have nothing written under them and the square to
their left is large and a light grey in color.

To store your conquest, select the Quick Save you want and press the A
BUTTON. The computer will ask if you are sure you want to save. If
you are, select OK and press the A BUTTON again. If you do not want to
save or want to use another Quick Save, select CANCEL and press the A
BUTTON.

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(29)

LOAD A GAME
To access a game stored in a Quick Save, AS LONG AS THE SNES HAS NOT
BEEN TURNED OFF SINCE THE GAME WAS STORED, select LOAD and press the A
BUTTON.

You will then see the LOAD GAME screen. Select the Quick Save to be
loaded and press the A BUTTON. The computer will ask if you are sure
you want to load that Quick Save. If you do not want to load or want
another Quick Save, select the CANCEL and press the A BUTTON. If you
do want the selected Quick Save loaded, select OK and press the A
BUTTON.

The screen will go momentarily black and then you will be back in your
stored game at the point it was saved. (Note: The game the Quick Saved
game is replacing will be lost unless you stored it prior to loading
your Quick Save.)

MOVE TO NEXT MAP--Custom Mode Only
To move to another Custom mode world, select MOVE TO NEXT MAP and press
the A BUTTON.

NEXT LANDSCAPE--Custom Mode Only
To change the landscape of the world you are in, select NEXT LANDSCAPE
and press the A BUTTON.

RESTART THIS MAP
To restart a world from the beginning, select RESTART THIS MAP and
press the A BUTTON.

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(30)

SURRENDER THIS GAME
To surrender a world, select SURRENDER THIS GAME and press the A
BUTTON.

You will then see the Game Lost Screen, detailing the results of your
attempted conquest. To begin a NEW GAME, press the A BUTTON again.

To return to the Game Play Screen from the Game Set-Up Screen as it was
prior to any changes you have made, select CANCEL and press the A
BUTTON.

AUDIO COMMANDS

To turn off the Music or Sound Effects, select the appropriate icon and
press the A BUTTON. To turn the Music or Sound Effects back on, re-
select the appropriate icon and press the A BUTTON again.

To return to the Close-up Map from the Music or Sound Effects icons,
press the SELECT BUTTON.

SOUND EFFECTS [FX icon]
To turn on/off the Sound Effects, select this icon.

MUSIC [Notes icon]
To turn on/off the Music, select this icon.

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(31) INFO SHIELD

The Info Shield displays information about the Good and Evil population
and about the Shield Bearer.

POPULATION BARS--The higher the bar, the higher the population. The
blue bar is for Good, the red bar for Evil.

SHIELD BEARER--The object the Shield is assigned to, either a Walker or
a Settlement.

ADVANCEMENT--The cultural advancement of the Shield Bearer. The larger
the settlement, the more advanced it becomes.

Walkers produced by an advanced settlement are far stronger than
Walkers produced by a primitive settlement.

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(32)

ALIGNMENT--The alignment of the Shield Bearer. The Ankh is for Good,
the Skull for Evil.

STRENGTH--The strength bars represent different information depending
on the Shield Bearer.

Settlements
The yellow bar (left) is the strength and defensive power of the
settlement relative to a castle. (A solid yellow bar represents a
castle.)

The green bar (right) is the population of the settlement. When the
bar reaches the top, the settlement is full and a Walker is produced.

Walkers
There are three strength bars, one yellow and two orange, but only two
bars are shown at a time. When the right orange bar fills up, the left
orange bar increases one notch and the right bar empties. Once the
left orange bar fills up, the view shifts to include the yellow bar and
exclude the right orange bar. Every time the two orange bars fill up,
the yellow bar increases one notch and the orange bars empty. A Walker
with a full yellow bar is, near invincible in combat.

Combat
When two Walkers battle, the blue and red bars show the relative
strengths of the two fighters.


PASSWORD

To go directly to a World for which you have the name, select the
CONQUEST mode and then on the World Description Screen, select NEW GAME
and press the A BUTTON.

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(33)

You will then see an alphabet an number screen. To insert the name of
your chosen world, select each letter and number of the name and press
the A BUTTON after each one. To remove letters or numbers, press the B
BUTTON.

Once you have entered the name, select END and press the A BUTTON.

You will then see the World Description Screen for the world you have
chosen.

To start your conquest, select START GAME and press the A BUTTON.

To choose another world for which you have the name, select NEW GAME
and press the A BUTTON.


VICTORY & DEFEAT

VICTORY
If you conquer a world, the Game Won Screen appears. Your score is
based on the number of battles won as well as how many Knights and
Settlements are left at the end of the game.

Note: To learn the name of the next world you are to conquer, select
NEW GAME, press the A BUTTON and then after your Evil nemesis has
congratulated you on your success, press the A BUTTON again. You will
then see the World Description Screen. Record the name of the World To
Conquer, so that you can access that world via the PASSWORD at another
time.

DEFEAT
If you lose a world, the Game Lost Screen appears. To replay that
world, select TRY IT AGAIN and press the A BUTTON.

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(34) GAME MODES

TUTORIAL MODE
The Tutorial mode lets you become familiar with the commands and
strategy of POPULOUS without the necessity of increasing your power.
The Manna Bar starts at KNIGHT, enabling you to use all the Supreme
Power Commands, except FLOOD and ARMAGEDDON. If you sufficiently
advance and increase your people, these last two commands will also
become available to you.

CUSTOM MODE
The Custom mode enables you to pick the worlds you have to conquer and
to tailor them as you like.

There are two ways to reach the Custom mode:
*Select CUSTOM on the Populous Title And Game Mode Selection Screen and
press the A BUTTON.
*If you are in the Conquest mode, select the VIEW GAME SET-UP icon and
press the A BUTTON or the B BUTTON. You will then reach the Game Set-
Up Screen. Select CUSTOM GAME and press the A BUTTON.

Once you are in the Custom mode you can alter:
* On the Game Set-Up Screen:
--The game set-up.
--The game options.
--The world you are conquering.
--The landscape of the world you are conquering.
(See GAME SET-UP SCREEN, page 26.)
*On the Options for Good and Options for Evil Screens:
--The Supreme Power Commands allowed for you and Evil.
(See OPTIONS FOR GOOD/EVIL, page 25.)

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(35)

CONQUEST MODE
In the CONQUEST mode, your aim is to save the Universe from Evil one
world at a time. With every victory, you move on to more difficult
worlds and more challenging conquests until you have finally defeated
Evil on all 989 worlds.


TERRAIN

There are 10 types of terrain:

Grassy Plains--provide a relatively friendly environment in which your
people can advance to their maximum level, moderately increase their
population and survive without settling for the longest period.
RATE OF POPULATION DEVELOPMENT: *
SEVERITY OF TERRAIN:

Desert--landscapes are mostly flat, but also rocky and arduous for
Walkers. If you build near sea level, beware of Floods.
RATE OF POPULATION DEVELOPMENT: ***
SEVERITY OF TERRAIN: ***

Snow & Ice--prevents a high level of advancement, limits the growth
rate of your people and makes survival without a settlement almost
impossible except for the shortest amount of time and for the toughest
of Walkers.
RATE OF POPULATION DEVELOPMENT: **
SEVERITY OF TERRAIN: ***

Rock & Lava--allows an advanced level of civilization and a rapid
growth of your followers, but requires considerable power to remove
rock and flatten the land.
RATE OF POPULATION DEVELOPMENT: ***
SEVERITY OF TERRAIN: **

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(36)

Japanesque--boasts the palaces and architecture of the Japan of the
Shoguns. Your Knights are mighty Samurai.
RATE OF POPULATION DEVELOPMENT: *
SEVERITY OF TERRAIN: **

Francaise--is a world of beautiful European castles, tricolors and
arches. Your population and rate of technical development is moderate.
The terrain allows your Walkers to travel considerable distances.
RATE OF POPULATION DEVELOPMENT: **
SEVERITY OF TERRAIN: **

Silly Land--is an artificial landscape of grey and white. Your Walkers
are aliens and the settlements are space stations. The harsh
environment quickly tires Walkers and severely limits the growth rate
of your population.
RATE OF POPULATION DEVELOPMENT: *
SEVERITY OF TERRAIN: ***

Bit Plains--has computer bugs for Walkers and everything from Game Boys
to PC's as settlements. Progress and population increase is easy.
RATE OF POPULATION DEVELOPMENT: ****
SEVERITY OF TERRAIN: *

Piglet World--While the landscape is the same as the grassy plains,
your Piggy Walkers have little endurance...particularly when faced with
a Knight in Wolf's clothing!
RATE OF POPULATION DEVELOPMENT: **
SEVERITY OF TERRAIN: ****

Cake Land--looks like a checkered tablecloth with settlements made of
cakes and candies. Your people are tiny mice.
RATE OF POPULATION DEVELOPMENT: ***
SEVERITY OF TERRAIN: **

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