Small Soldiers
Game Boy
Developer: Tiertex Design Studios Publisher: THQ
By: GammaBetaAlpha
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
Table of Contents
-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
How To Play [HWTP]
Level One [LEV1]
Level Two [LEV2]
Level Three [LEV3]
Level Four [LEV4]
Level Five [LEV5]
Passwords [PASS]
Donations/Amazon [DONT]
Contact Info [CONT]
Credits [CRED]
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
How to Play
-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
[HWTP]
--------
Controls
--------
A - Running (Moving), Shooting (Standing Still)
B - Jumping
Up - Turns off and on switches and power outlets (Level 5 only)
Down - Crouch
Left/Right + A + B - Running Jump
Small Soldiers is about 98% a platforming game, in which you have to
move across levels by walking, jumping up and down obstacles, and occasionally
doing a running jump. There is very little actual action in the game, and
gameplay lasts about an hour.
----------------
Climbing/Jumping
----------------
When Archer is next to a create or a grating or some other thing that
looks like it is a platform that can be stood on, Archer can jump up, and he
will grab onto the edge of the platform before pulling himself up. Occasionally,
you may make several attempts to grab at a platform and consistently fail. The
only thing that I can say to do here is to just _keep_ trying: for some odd
reason, Archer will occasionally stop grabbing platforms, so you need to keep
attempting it until he finally responds.
--------
Shooting
--------
In a disappointing twist of the gameplays, there is only one level in
which you actually are capable of using the bow that Archer has, and that is the
last level.
In any case, when you actually do get to the last level, it will still
take a bit to get it. Once you finally get the bow and arrow complete, use the A
button to fire it while standing still (pressing A while walking will make
Archer run). Unfortunately, even then you will be unable to actually destroy
Commando Units. However, shooting them will paralyse them for a few seconds.
-------
Running
-------
Running is a fairly simple task, achieved by pressing and holding the A
button while moving around with the D-Pad. Additionally, running will add a
greater length to your jump stride, and you will find yourself needing to make
running jumps very often throughout the game.
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
Level One - Back Toy Store
-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
[LEV1]
Press start to get through the picture still and start the actual level.
Start off by going right, and jump over the Commando enemy. Jump up onto
the shelf that has the toy cars on it. Go to the right side of the shelf, and
then do a running jump going left onto another shelf with some toy bears. Move
left some more and jump onto the platform with a block on it, then go left a bit
more and jump up two platforms to get to the top shelf.
From here, proceed right, jumping over the Commando unit, and crouching
to dodge the occasional gunfire. Drop down onto the bookshelf exhibit to the
right, then jump over to the next bookshelf exhibit with the bears. Jump up to
the top shelf with the two cars, then do a running jump to your right.
Do another running jump to your right to land on top of a bookcase. Do
some more running jumps over the top shelves while dodging the single Commando
unit, until you hit the top right shelf in the area (where there is an air vent
in the wall that looks akin to some garage doors). Fall down from here to your
right, and go through the wall to end this level.
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
Level Two - Front Toy Store
-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
[LEV2]
Walk forward and jump up and climb up the box. Jump up onto the display
exhibit - Archer may have troubles with grabbing onto the bookshelf, so keep
jumping until he finally grabs on. Climb up higher, and then do a running jump
onto the next end of the display case.
From there, jump up onto one of the top shelves, then head right and
jump onto the next shelf (if you fall down here, walk around to find a jack-in-
the-box spring to push yourself back up). Continue past the second large display
case, then do a running jump onto the next shelf that has two cars on it. Do a
running jump again to your right - it does not matter which of the two shelves
you land on here (though preferably the top of the two since the bottom one has
a Commando unit).
Continue right, but this time drop down to a table with three bears and
an envelope. Go in front of the envelope to end the level.
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
Level Three
-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
[LEV3]
Level 3 does not actually take place in a new level. Rather, instead you
have to go around the Back Toy Store and Front Toy Store to pick up a handful of
items. Once you successfully complete this, the level is 'complete'.
In any case, from your starting position in Level 3 (near where the
ending position in Level 2 was), jump on the jack-in-the-box, and grab onto the
bookshelf. Run left across the bookshelf, and jump onto the display exhibit.
Jump up to get to the first wall shelf with the two cars, then jump up to the
top shelf. Run right and jump off to two shelves with two bears on each shelf.
The lower shelf has an item on the right side, while the top shelf has an item
on the left side.
Do a running jump left a bit past the shelves with the cars and back
onto the main display cabinet. Drop down to the left, ignoring the jack-in-the-
box, until you hit the wooden floor, and grab the item lying down here. Go back
up via the jack-in-the-box, get onto the shelf with the two toy cars, then do a
running jump left onto the next display cabinet. Drop down to your left to the
wooden floor below to grab another item.
Jump onto the box, then jump left. Go up via the jack-in-the-box, then
head left past the platform with the two female dolls and the Commando Elite
soldier. Once you get to the top of the next left shelf, then another one to get
onto the top left shelf. Grab the item here, then drop down from the shelf. As
that should be the last item to pick up in the Front Toy Store (unless you
missed one in these instructions), head into the Back Toy Store.
BACK TOY STORE: Climb up the box onto the table with the ship. Ignore
the ship for now, and instead walk left, jump onto a platform with three ball-
shaped objects, and onto a display exhibit. Drop down to your left several times
until you hit the floor and grab an item off the wood tiles. Jump up to your
right again, until you get to the ship.
At the ship, jump up next to one of the two lower cross-shaped masts.
Archer will grab onto the masts and climb up (though you may need to repeat
jumping a few times). Jump onto the middle mast, then jump onto the shelf to the
left. Do a running jump left to another shelf with a box and a Commando Elite on
it, then continue left to the top of a display exhibit.
From here, jump left, then do a running jump onto a shelf with two cars.
On the left side of this platform is another item. Pick it up, drop down to the
shelf below, then do another jump to the shelf to the left. Jump up onto the top
shelf left some more, and dodge some gunfire from a Commando Elite. Jump past
the Commando Elite and grab another item.
Head back right to the shelf with the two cars on it, then jump right
and fall down onto the display exhibit. In the low part of this section you
should find the last item (if you have all the items, you will get a notice).
With that done, recall from earlier in Level 1 that there was an air
vent in this room, in the upper right corner. Jump up the display exhibit and do
some running jumps until you make it to the upper right shelf, and then press
the UP BUTTON while in front of the air vent to go to the next level.
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
Level Four
-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
[LEV4]
It should be noted that this mission is timed (though there is no
visible counter), so you have about three to four minutes to complete it in or
else the mission will end and you lose the game (however, there is a password to
return to this level - refer to the Passwords section). As a result, you should
be running pretty much all the time, not walking. Additionally, there are two
garbage cans in this level that you should take notice of; if you land on them
correctly, then will spin around and send Archer bouncing up high. For the first
dumpster, it does not matter, but it does for the second one.
In any case, at the start of the level, head right and down from the
grating. Continue to head right and jump in front of the air vent near the end,
and it will transport Archer through the venting pipes across the screen. Once
you come out, run left, and jump onto the grating at the end (right at the edge
of the grating), then continue on left. Ignore the air vent near the end, and
instead jump down to your left.
If you are in front of an open window, then you are currently in the
correct place. From here, run RIGHT and jump across the gap to another grating
platform. From here, make another running jump on top of the garbage can (if you
miss the jump, you will have to go left, climb up some boxes, and go onto the
right grating at the end). If you land on the trash can perfectly, it will spin
around, and send Archer bouncing up to the ledge to your right.
If you make a poor jump, then from the trash can, head right down the
row of boxes, and do a running jump onto the grating (you may have to do this a
few times before you successfully grab hold). Once Archer pulls himself up or
gets up there via the garbage dumpster, continue to head right, and into the
vent at the end, where it will transport you up and left a ways.
Once the vent spits you out, head left across the gap (if you fall down
here, climb up the boxes and get onto the grating where the window is, and make
your way back right into the vent to go back up here). Take the LEFT vent (the
right one will spit you right back at the beginning of the level, so you will
have to redo everything you've done up to this point).
After the vent spits you out, go right, and up the boxes. The trick here
is not to go into either of the two vents, but to rather jump from the box onto
the TOP of the first vent, then the second vent, and over to the garbage can.
IF you drop down to the ground by accident, take the left vent. Once you
get spit out, go right and drop down once, then go left until you come to a
window, which is the landmark to go through the directions from the third
paragraph of this level from.
In any case, once you make it to the garbage can, jump onto the box,
then do a running jump to the vent to your right. Drop down to the bottom, and
press up against the boxes that have the biohazard symbol marked on them. Press
up against each one and press the A button, and the level should end. If it does
not, backtrack left a bit to another box that has a biohazard symbol and press
A while up against it. Archer should be making a sort of motion where he presses
his ear up against the box, so be sure that he does this.
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
Level Five
-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
[LEV5]
Level 5 is by far the largest level, probably the length of the previous
four levels combined. An important mechanic on this level is the presence of
many power switches. When Archer is underneath one of these, press UP to cause
the power to turn on or off to the device the switch is powering.
Except for a single switch that will be mentioned, turn on EVERY SINGLE
SWITCH AND OUTLET you see in the house (so that the switch is pointing up, or
the outlet is powering something).
Start off by jumping up on the nearby garbage can, then jump onto the
spherical hooks of the coathanger to your left. Dodge sniper fire and jump unto
the pedestal to the right. Make a running jump onto the top of the doorframe.
Press Up in front of the air vent in here to enter the Living Room.
Inside, do a running jump left, and climb up the edges of the wooden
cabinet. Up top, go left and jump up onto the top shelf. Move left again and
press up on the switch here so that it is pointed down. Continue on left, and do
another running jump left. Dodge the Sniper Commando here, and move left once
more, and drop down to the next top shelf. Press Up on the switch here so it
points up, then drop down to the table and then the ground to your left. Walk
left out the door to go back into the hallway.
Outside here, go left up onto the garbage can, and up the coat hanger.
This time, once you make it to the living room air vent, instead do a running
jump right onto the top of a large cabinet, and then another running jump on top
of another door frame. Enter the air vent up here.
Make sure you are in the kitchen by checking the text in the lower left.
If you are, then head right. You will probably have to jump a few times to
successfully scale the box. Once you are in the clear, continue down to the
right, and then jump right until you come to a power switch. Press UP to turn
the gas on to your left.
Go left, and then do a running jump across the gas to grab onto the
upper shelf. Up here, do another running jump right across the high boxes, and
continue on to the end of the room. Drop down to the countertop, and flick the
switch next to the coffee to turn it on. Scale a few shelves and the paper towel
dispenser to get back up. From here, backtrack to the gas switch, turn off the
gas, then backtrack all the way to the start of the room and exit out into the
hallway again.
Drop down from the top of the door to the ground floor, and reenter the
kitchen from the door entrance. If you flipped both switches in the top part of
the Kitchen and in the Living Room, and remembered to keep the gas off, then you
should be able to climb up the first ledge here, otherwise it will heat up and
spit out fire. Once you make it up, jump over the Commando Elite unit. Ignore
the pair of switches here, and instead run down the counter until you come to
the toaster. Flick the switch on the other side of the toaster, and you should
get a picture still.
With that, you will finally be able to use Archer's bow using the A
button while he is standing still; unfortunately, this does not destroy Commando
units, but it does paralyse them for a few seconds.
In any case, you will be deposited out onto the hallway. Head right from
here, and jump up a cabinet. Drop down to the right. Run right some more, and
climb up onto a table, and drop down on the opposite side. Head right and you
will go into an area with the Stairs.
For the Stairs, just run and jump right up the stairs for a while until
you reach the top, and you will hit the Upper Hallway. Here, jump left up a few
obstacles until you come to a door that has Alan's name on it, and press Up to
enter.
Inside of Alan's Bedroom, jump on top of the bed, and turn on the light
next to the bed by grabbing the hook. Next, jump onto the bookcase to the right
of the bed. Continue with a running jump right onto a table with a fishtank. Go
down to the right, and bounce on the spring up to the top of the large display
case. Jump again and grab a hold of the wire running over the top of the room,
and start going right. Continue on until you hit the end of the wire, and then
drop down.
Down on the shelf, drop down next to a TV where you will get another few
picture stills. Jump onto the TV, then jump left onto the shelf. Grab a hold of
the wire, and go all the way left to the entrance to the room, and head out into
the Upper Hallway.
Backtrack down the Stairs, and into the Lower Hallway, then backtrack
all the way to the left end. Climb up the coathook, and go through the first air
vent into the Living Room area. From the shelf where the air vent is, look up to
the shelf above and you should see a device. Jump up onto this top shelf and
walk over to trigger another scene.
You will be placed in Alan's Bedroom after the scenes. Run across the
room to the right side until you hit the window, and head outside.
Out here, you will run into some new doll enemies while climbing across
the wire. Go right slightly, and you will see three wire lines above Archer's
head. Press the Up button to jump up to the next wire line (and dodge any
incoming dolls), and press Down to go down a wire line. With that explained,
proceed right across the wire lines, and drop down to the bottom one near the
end to head into Christie's Room.
Start this bedroom off by jumping right onto a mirror cabinet, then do
another running jump right onto a bookcase. Continue on running right onto a
desk, then climb up to the top of another shelf. Do a run-and-jump onto one of
three wall shelves, then continue on until you hit a bed. Go down and right and
walk across the floor, and jump up onto the cabinet at the end.
This may be a tricky jump. Turn around, and do a running jump at the
closet door, and try to grab a hold of the wooden lock to pull it down, thus
opening the closet. Once you succeed, you will get another scene. With that,
backtrack across the room back to the window, and go back across the wires to
the main household.
If you have already turned on every electrical device in the household,
you can skip to the final bit of the game. Otherwise, you will get an email
saying you need to turn on every switch in the house. Hopefully you have already
done so for the Kitchen, Living Room and Alan's Bedroom Area. These three areas
do NOT need to be done completely, as about 80% of the devices being turned on
will suffice.
Once you have done that, you will get a scene about Chip (the Commando
Elite commander) being in the yard. Go to the Lower Hallway, and go to the last
doorway before the Stairs, and enter the door into the Garage.
Jump up onto the tool cabinet in the Garage, then up onto the table.
Head right across the table, and then across the washing machine. Continue along
past another tool cabinet and washing machine, and then past a TV on the next
table. Drop down to the ground at the end, and go through the small opening in
the Garage door.
Outside in the Yard, run right chasing Chip while dodging debris that
comes down from above and the occasional gunfire coming from Chip's direction.
After a short run, you will be taken to a Telephone Pole. Climb up the sides of
the pole until you hit the top, while making sure to dodge more gunfire, where
you shall enter an impromptu battle.
Here, Archer will aim up, and you will have to shoot at Chip while Chip
fires at you. That said, there is a sort of 'sweet spot' right in front of the
telephone pole where if you stand there, Chip's gunfire will completely miss.
Experiment to find the spot (Archer is partially in front of the background of
the telephone pole), and once you find it, fire away at Chip until he falls.
While there are five levels, only two of them actually have passwords,
with Level 4 timed for completion, and a third one for the 'final battle' of the
game.
That said, the system of passwords is rather ugly. You need to input a
2x2 password, which would not be so bad if they were numbers instead of
portraits to enter.
Here is my way of bypassing this: when scrolling through the portraits,
they will not loop over, so if you press up or down eventually you will hit an
'end' portrait. Pretend the portrait with long black hair and an ugly nose and
lips is portrait 1. If you scroll up, the portrait after that is 2, and so
forth. The numbers in the passwords correspond to a portrait's position from the
long-black-haired Commando. Archer is 10, and the eyeball Gorgonite is 8.
I don't really care too much about donations, but if you are feeling
generous, feel free to send one via PayPal to gammabetaalphafaqs AT gmail DOT
com
Alternatively, if you ever order any items from Amazon.com, go to the
link below. You do not have to buy anything right away, but (if you do not clear
browser cookies often) any items you buy within the next 90 days will count as a
'referral order' to me, meaning I get anywhere from 4-6% as a referral/affiliate
payment of what you ordered (ie. order $100 worth of stuff, I get $4-6 from
Amazon.com)
Other than that, considering this FAQ is for an obscure old game, if you
have any other obscure old games that you do not play anymore, consider sending
them to me (I will even pay the shipping cost!). I write FAQs for plenty of
obscure old games with no FAQs, and having a physical copy of the game (and even
better, a manual) is superior to not. You can email me if interested at
gammabetaalphafaqs AT gmail DOT com
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
Contact Info
-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
[CONT]
If you have ANY information on how to solve Level 4, then please
email me on how to finish it!
Although I believe I have found everything there is to find in this
game, there is occasionally the possibility of some super secret level in an
obscure game that was never found because it was too obscure, or the like. If
you have anything that you feel needs to be includes, feel free to email me at
gammabetaalphafaqs AT gmail DOT com
If you have any other information to contribute or notice any errors,
again, shoot me a notice at gammabetaalphafaqs AT gmail DOT com
