If you're reading this, it's most likely that you've already installed the game. If not, run self-extracting .exe file, and follow the on screen instructions. Once the game is installed, it should be accessible from your Start menu. To run the game, simply click on The Pickles icon in the Windows Start menu.

Once the program has been started, the copyright screen will pop up. Besides the copyright, the screen will also display the game's version number. If you want to get help with the game, you will need to know what version of the game you have. Patches to update the game to a newer version can be found at the MJPro website. Press space on the copyright screen to move on to the MJPro splash screen. Press space again, and the opening story sequence will start to play. You can watch the story, or you can press space again to skip it.

Now you will have come to the title screen. The title screen gives you four main option: START, CONTINUE, OPTIONS, and QUIT. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor up and down, and use the space bar to select the option that is highlighted.

The game screen is where all the action takes place! Use the arrow keys to move the pickles around in order to get them from the red portals to the blue ones.

At any time during game play, you can press ESC on the keyboard to bring up the game menu. Here you can view a simple message of encouragement from King Pickleton, along with your password. Four options will also be presented: CONTINUE, RESTART, OPTIONS, and QUIT.

Use the arrow keys to move the cursor, and space to select.

The Pickles is a simple game to play! You should have the controls down in no time! Here's a list of all the controls used in the game:

Though the pickles are not the brightest little things on the face of the Earth, they are incredibly flexible. By pickling up and using different tools, they can take on different jobs. In this game, there are four types of pickles you can use.

NORMAL. When the pickles aren't carrying any tool, they are just plain pickles. This perhaps is their most useful form, though, and the one you'll be using the most. By facing a numbered block and pressing space, they can push it, so long as other blocks, pickles, and the like aren't in the way.

SCIENTIST. By picking up a magnet, normal pickles become scientist pickles! They are smarter than normal (though not by much). By standing directly in front of a block and pressing space, they will pull the block instead of pushing it.

MINER. If a pickle grabs a pick-axe, they'll become a miner pickle. If you notice any cracked blocks around, move your miner pickle up to them and press space. They'll break it open for you!

PILOT. Finally, if you give a pickle a jet pack, he'll become a pilot pickle! Pilot pickles can fly over numbered blocks to avoid enemies and reach areas otherwise inaccessible. Remember that pilot pickles can drop their jet packs even if they're standing on a block!

There are many obstacles and puzzles in the pickles' quest that will make it harder for them to defeat Mecha. You must constantly keep an eye out for anything that might be there to get in your way or to try and stop you from reaching your goal!

FLOWERS. These aren't at all dangerous to your heath or anything, but flowers, patches of ice, and things like that have a tendency to get in your way. Although the pickles can pass over them just fine, you can't push or pull blocks over them, and you can't drop tools on them. On the other hand, enemies can't pass over them either!

CRACKS. Be wary of these. You can only pass over them once!

ENEMIES. Mecha's minions, known as the Blobs, are one of the greatest bothers in the pickle's journey. Whenever they run into something, they randomly change direction. Fortunately, they aren't even as smart as the pickles, so you don't have to worry about them purposely chasing you down, even though it seems like they are...

The pickles have a long way to go to win in their fight against Mecha! In total, they'll visit five worlds, and over fourty levels in order to defeat their arch-enemy.

PICKLE ISLAND. This is where it all begins! The puzzles are easy here and give you time to get a feel for the basic controls. The pickles must overcome Mecha if they wish to return this once peaceful place to normal.

MILLIONAIRE'S ESTATE. The pickles know that Mecha is stealing money from this place in order to fund his evil plans. In order to cut off his funding, they must free the mansion. However, it seems that the Blobs are here to stop that.

SNOWDRIFT VALLEY. Somewhere on the other side of this cold valley is Mecha's Lair. He isn't going to let the pickles in so easy, though. They're going to have a rough time crossing the frozen iceland.

MECHA'S LAIR. Mecha's up to something. Hidden in the deep jungles on the far side of Snowdrift Valley is Mecha's stronghold, and it seems he has a secret weapon in store for them, but what could it be...

???. Here's the final world the pickles must overcome. Here, the pickles will finally face off with Mecha, and some of the hardest levels in the entire game!

Need some help getting the game to run? Got some comments you'd like to share? Have some suggestions for improving this or other Michael Johnson Productions games? You can contact me at my e-mail address: lizy@ev1.net. If you are having trouble with the game, please send me a detailed description of the problem, along with the version number of the game.

You can also check out the MJPro web site at: http://users.ev1.net/~parson/michael. There you'll find tons of information on The Pickles and other games. This is also where any patches that might be created will be stored for you.

GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN!