Mutatis

Mutatis is a game you can play in an Atari 2600 emulator. The provided game file is a .bin.

Thank you for playing Mutatis! This is the first video game I’ve made since high school. This version was created in the span of a week for the April 2025 Atari “I, Rebel” Game Jam. Though I didn’t reach every design goal, I had a lot of fun and learned some things, too. The Game Jam theme was A Perfect Beast. 

I plan on completing Mutatis beyond the scope of the game jam . Please see the manual for details. 

I welcome all bug comments below.

Thank you...! And take care...
peace,
-william

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MUTATiS GAMEPLAY

You’ve broken into a top-secret genetic research facility on a distant planet to free the latest biological horror MUTATIS.

Ambushed inside the containment chamber, you must now defend this nascent creature from its captors long enough for its final mutation to reach completion, ironically endowing this poor abomination with the strength required to escape! Take heart! For you do not fight alone! MUTATIS has shared its psionically- charged power eye with you to aid in its noble liberation! The Eye slows over time.

The Eye of Mutatis // Mutatis // A Shield

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ENEMY TYPES

The Shield Grabber will nibble away at you shields. But fear not! If it should breach your defense and flee with an energy node, you will have a limited amount of time to nullify the offending alien and repair your damaged shield. The Genetic Neautralizer is a rogue element even within its own security force, and will circumnavigate your shields to dive directly into MUTATIS. Don’t let it!

Shield Grabber will retreat when encountering The Eye of Mutatis.

Shield Grabber with Shield Node can be destroyed by The Eye of Mutatis.

Genetic Neutralizer can be destroyed by The Eye of Mutatis.

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CONTAiNMENT CHAMBER

One day this foul menagerie may offer up its secrets... but for now, block the cruel aliens’ merciless attacks!

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USiNG THE CONTROLLER

Catch The Eye of Mutatis with your shields to gain its power. Launch The Eye of Mutatis at your enemies to defend Mutatis. But beware! The lateral direction of The Eye of Mutatis is too powerful to control once launched! The Eye of Mutatis!

• Press the FIRE BUTTON to launch The Eye when it is in contact with a shield

• Push the joystick LEFT while pressing the FIRE BUTTON to launch The Eye to the LEFT

• Push the joystick RIGHT while pressing the FIRE BUTTON to launch The Eye to the RIGHT

• Push the joystick UP to move The Eye UP after launch OR push the joystick UP to move the currently possessed shield UP

• Push the joystick DOWN to move The Eye DOWN after launch OR push the joystick DOWN to move the currently possessed shield DOWN