Atari Lynx Chip's Challenge

I've gone back to the original text files to create this list of codes. I've also tried to include all the codes I've seen in other lists and all the corrections which have been mailed it. I can't test any of the codes because I don't own any version of Chip's Challenge. I can only collect and pass along codes from people who do. Please email any corrections/additions to

LIST CREATED BY: ELAK (KALE) SWINDELL 1990.

The Purple Tentacle writes: The reason some passwords were changed when the game transitioned from Lynx to MS is that the game developers at MS never really looked at the Lynx version of the game, and got their information primarily from Jaime Villacourt's notes, which had errors on some of the passwords. I myself only have the MS version of the game, not the Lynx version, so I'm not 100% certain of the password codes for Lynx, but this is what the people in the newsgroup are saying. Chip's Challenge High Score Board and Links

Chip's Challenge has a secret. In it's many codes for levels of play, there is a code which will allow you to enter into the infinite world of fractals. A fractal is a geometrical or physical structure that has an irregular or fragmented shape at all scales of measurement between a greatest and a smallest scale such that certain mathematical or physical properties of the structure are greater than the spatial dimensions. If you can understand the definition, that's what a fractal is. Fractals were discovered by a man named Benoit Mandlebrot and he even named one of the images you'll see in this program after himself. There are lots of different images to be seen in this program, so don't just stay in one area.

Now, on with the fun of fractals. The code for entering the program is MAND. After it is entered, a picture will start to form on the screen. DON'T TOUCH ANY BUTTONS UNTIL THE PICTURE IS DONE! When it's done, then you can move around and zoom in to see more details.

NOTE: Since each picture has extremely fine detail, it will usually take a few minutes for an image to form, especially if there is black in or around the picture.

(B) Button:
When this button is pushed, it will create a box outline on the screen which you can move around. When the button is pushed again, the image on the screen will zoom away from you.

(A) Button:
When this button is pressed, it will also create a box outline. When pressed again, this will cause the image to zoom towards you.

OPTION 1 Button:
This will create and vanish the box outline. NOTE: Always take the outline off the screen after you are done with it.

OPTION 2 Button:
This will create the box outline and starts the color cycling on the screen. One push on the button causes the cycling to go forward. Another push causes it to go backwards and a third will stop the cycling altogether. To change the color of the cycling, go to the index.

PAUSE Button:
This button will cause the MANDLEBROT / JULIA SET EXPLORER INDEX to appear on the screen.

In the index, you can change the depth, color and cycle rate of the fractal's and also create your own pictures. The index should look like this:

MANDLEBROT EXPLORER
                       X:    FE.0000000000
                       Y:    FE.0000000000
                       STEP: 00.0800000000
                       DEPTH:         0100
                       PALETTE:         00
                       CYCLE RATE:      04
XJUL: 00.0000000000
YJUL: 00.0000000000

You can change anything you want on the index and it will not hurt the Chip's Challenge game. But, before you change any of the X, Y, XJUL and YJUL settings, look at all the different images that can be found in the pictures on the screen. You can change the palette and cycle rate without messing up the programmed images.

NOTE: There are two different programs to play with in this game. To see the other images other than Mandlebrot's, go to the index and push OPTION 2. It will change the title from MANDLEBROT EXPLORER to JULIA SET EXPLORER.

PAUSE + Option 1:
This resets to the original viewing coordinates of the set.

PAUSE + Option 2:
This copies the X,Y coordinate to the Julia set index, enables Julia set mode, and switches to the original viewing coordinates.

That's all there is to this program. Hope this help's you have lots of fun exploring the infinite images of the fractal generator.

NOTE: These instructions have been created by KALE SWINDELL 1990, and updated by Harry Dodgson 1994.

The Lynx Mandelbrot code does 48-bit fixed-point math using 8 bits of integer and 40 bits of fraction, via the hardware multiplier (16x16) and a lot of help from the 65C02. The comment line on it (the source) says it was written by Steve Landrum of Blue Lightning fame.

JULIA SET EXPLORER PICTURE SETTINGS