Puzzle de Pon FAQ v1.2
by: Dave Hubbard ([email protected])

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History
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v1.2: updated and revised by Dave Hubbard ([email protected])
v1.1: original version by Carl Chavez ([email protected])

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Gameplay
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Gameplay is similar to Puzzle Bobble/Bust a Move.  Aim your crossbow-like shooter
with the joystick and press FIRE to launch a bubble.  Bubbles stick to other bubbles,
and will relocate themselves slightly (i.e., wiggle) to fill in the pattern if you
don't hit your mark square.  Any single-color bubble chain of two or more will
burst when an additional bubble of the same color is shot onto them.  Any bubbles
freed from other bubbles this way drop off the screen.  Bubbles can be bounced off the
walls of the play area, but will stick to the ceiling.

The game revolves aruond the 12 signs of the Zodiac, the object being to collect
special "plates" with symbols on them representing the signs.  Every fourth level,
a plate with a Zodiac sign is presented, other levels have plain oddly-shaped plates
to clear.  To clear a plate, burst enough bubbles to drop it as any other bubble.
You do not have to clear all the bubbles from the screen to advance, just drop the
plate.  After you collect all the Zodiac plates and clear the final level, the game
is won.

Unlike Puzzle Bobble/Bust a Move, where the roof slowly caves in and reduces the play
area, Puzzle de Pon is timed.  You have two minutes to clear each stage.  If you clear
the stage with more than 30 seconds remaining, you receive bonus points proportionate
to the amount of time you have left, up to a maximum of 100,000 points or so.
No bonus is awarded if you have less than 30 seconds left.

Aside from the normal colored bubbles, there are a few special bubbles in Puzzle de Pon:

       "Bomb" Bubble - This bubble blows up (clears) any bubble adjacent to it when
               it sticks.

       "Barrier" or "Landmine" Bubble - Invulnerable bubble.  Cannot be popped, but
               can be blown up by the "Bomb" Bubble, or dropped by clearing other
               bubbles.

       "Star" Bubble - clears all bubbles of the color it first comes in contact with.
               Has no effect on "Barrier" Bubbles.

       "Arrow" Bubble - Grants the player a "guided missile" view of sorts, so s/he can
               see where a shot will come to rest.  The Arrow Bubble only lasts for a few
               seconds, less time is given on harder stages.

If you die and continue, the stage gets progressively easier each time you die/continue
until you clear the level.  You will receive more "Arrow" Bubbles and "Star" Bubbles to
help you out.

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Scoring
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Bursting three bubbles at once is the basic score and is worth a few hundred points.
Bursting longer chains gives more points, as does dropping balls after a burst.

Special scoring:

       The "million" shot - on certain stages, one spot on the screen will award
               1 million points when a bubble is shot into it.  This area is
               totally invisible; you have to experiment around to find the "million"
               shots.  They are usually located in hard-to-reach areas.

       The "Arrow" Bubble - scores 1 point. (Woohoo!)

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Notes for Puzzle Bobble/Bust a Move players
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Aiming the crossbow-shooter is a little different than in Puzzle Bobble/Bust a Move.
It's hard to explain, but it's as if the perspective is off a bit.  You have to get used
to it.

Bubbles are also significantly stickier.  Make sure you leave plenty of room, or you may
find yourself growing bubble "tentacles" where your shots have all stuck together on
the side.  When a shot is not exactly in a bubble slot and needs to "slide," I've found
that it is more likely to slide in a clockwise direction.  For example:

                 wall
            G     ||
        B B       ||   <-- you want a blue bubble here, an off-the-wall shot
            G     ||

If you nick the top green bubble, it will likely slide in and clear your chain of three
blues.  But, if you nick the bottom green bubble, you'll most likely end up with this:

                 wall
            G     ||
        B B       ||
            G B   ||

Keep this in mind when planning your shots.  Some stages require many angled or off-the-wall
shots to clear.

The color of bubbles that come out of your bag appear to be totally random.  However, once
you clear an entire color from the board AND your bag, that color will not appear for the
rest of the stage.  Sometimes you can get screwed by the "Star" Bubble when the color you
just cleared is spit out of your bag for your next shot.

Due to the randomness of the color of the bubbles coming out of your bag, some levels are
nearly impossible to clear even if you nail every shot.  Sometimes you have to get
lucky with the color distribution.

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Credits
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Original FAQ written by Carl Chavez ([email protected]).  Much of this updated FAQ is
borrowed from Carl's original version.  Carl played PdP at the Drift On Inn at 16708
Aurora Avenue North in Shoreline, WA, USA. It appears to be the only place in the Puget
Sound area with PdP (1996).

FAQ updated by Dave Hubbard ([email protected]).  Dave played PdP at the
University of Maryland, Baltimore County gameroom in Catonsville, MD, USA.  As with
Carl, it appears to be the only PdP within a wide radius (1995-1997).

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Final Notes
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Copyright (C) 2000 Dave Hubbard.  Attachment of the "Final Notes" section is required
for any and all reprinting.

Originally posted to The Bub and Bob Page, at http://www.bubandbob.com.  Get the
FAQs for Bubble Bobble, Rainbow Islands, Parasol Stars, Bubble Symphony,
Bubble Memories, Puzzle Bobble/Bust-a-Move 1/2/3, Liquid Kids, New Zealand
Story/Kiwi Kraze, Puzzle de Pon and more there!