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This is a FAQ for beating Rampage 2 Universal Tour for the Nintendo 64. The
FAQ should be applicable for any difficulty, character, or settings (including
beating hard-mode with the worst character Noobus (see below for details).
This particular installment of the Rampage series requires some skill. Unlike
other versions, the only way to beat this game is to do it WITHOUT any
continues!! This can be a rather daunting task, but thankfully you can save
your current progress and life reserve to the memory pak about every 5 stages.
Rampage is not a game usually remembered for requiring brains (or even brawn)
to beat. This version of rampage actually forces you to stop, think, and plan a
bit (certainly not typical expectations for this posse of Godzilla or
King-Kong wannabees). There are definitely subtle strategies that can be used
to maximize your performance in this game. Without any knowledge or skill, the
game could easily wipe out your life/guy reserves in a matter of only a few
stages. When you choose a character, he/she will be your character throughout
the duration of the game. As such, make sure you choose one that suits your
needs in terms of speed, climbing ability, and strength (as shown by the
stats-bars).
Since each level of the game is very similar, I will opt to make this FAQ more
user-friendly by simply describing a series of important topics. Suffice it
to say that there are about 130 stages (i.e. 'days') in the game. Rampage games
in general are fairly notorious for being 'repetitive,' but if you limit
yourself to completing 1 or 2 continents a day, you may feel more refreshed
to play again. Since the game does not have infinite continues, it is not as
repetitive as one would think. It actually builds a sense of suspense and
danger as you are forced to actually strategize to get to the end. In general,
and in my opinion, the game is under-rated, especially considering it is one of
the very few N64 2D platform-style games (along with only a few others like
Mischief Makers, Yoshi's Story, etc.). The game is entertaining once you get
into it and know what you are doing. The hand-drawn graphics are excellent,
and are definitely more crisp and clean than a typical SNES title. The game is
split up into 4 continents and a trip to space which acts as the fifth
continent. After every continent, you rescue one of the three original Rampage
team (George, Lizzie, and Ralph). After continent 4, you rescue Myukus. If you
play as Myukus, you unlcock BIg Al (the most powerful character in the game).
In the first 3 continents, you will face tanks, planes, 'normal" copters and
jeeps etc....When you hit the 4th and 5 sections, you will face a ground
spider-type walker and more agressive choppers. You may wish to read this
entire faq before starting the game as it may help to keep some things in
mind ahead of time.
---------------------Table Of Contents---------------------
1. Completing levels quickly before the missile attack
2. Earning extra lives from point totals
3. The importance of health
4. Demolition basics
5. Stockpiling lives
6. Bonus round strategies
7. Hidden Targets
8. Vehicular dispatch strategy
9. Dispatching ground soldiers
11. The importance of finding items
12. Being the healthiest monster you can be
13. The importance of saving special-energy
14. Beating the ultimate Rampage 2 challenge
Part 1: Clearing a 'country mile' in a 'NY minute' (i.e. Completing levels
quickly before the missile attack)
Do not waste too much time on any level. Time remaining is not displayed on
the screen, but do not be deceived! After a bit of time the air-raid siren
will sound, and soon after planes will start buzzing around waiting to drop a
bomb with enough strength to almost eliminate an entire life. In other manner
of speaking, do not waste too much time laying waste to helicopters, eating
people, or destroying ground vehicles. When you hear the air raid sirens, it
is time to get those buildings toppled. Now is the time to 'clean house,
figuratively but definitely NOT literally! These monsters are freaks, but not
neat freaks :)
Part 2: A useful 'point' about points (i.e. earning extra lives from point
totals)
Don't disregard or write off point items as unnecessary (like money and
emeralds). At about every 50,000 points, the game awards an extra life. Bonus
rounds are NOT the only way to attain free lives in this game. Of course, do
not eat the dangerous items that hurt you. Every life counts.
Part 3: An apple a day keeps the veterinarian away (i.e. the importance of
health)
Keep your health bar up! It is important to make offense AND defense a
priority in this game. Strike that balance between quality of health vs.
quantity of destruction. Eating the green ball will fill you up completely,
the food-stuffs will fill you up less, and eating people will give you a very
small amount of health. Each monster has a "favorite food" item that will
further increase the amount of benefit of consumption. The super-foods of
these giants appear below:
Part 4: Some 'homewreckers' literally 'bring down the house'(i.e. demolition
basics)
Know the quickest way to destroy the buildings. For most structures, I have
found it helpful to ascend to the top, and down-punch the top of the structure
repeatedly until the building starts to fall on its own. However, it may
behoove you to punch the occasional visible window on your way up if you are
low on health and need some fast-food. I have not found ground-stomping roofs
to collapse them to be all that helpful unless you want to lower yourself
down a level or two so as to be in punching distance from a plane. However,
ground-stomping can be useful for dropping gunmen from open windows who happen
to be firing at you.
For the low horizontal shaped structures, I have found that if you barely
climb you can actually remain on the side. You can punch and drop the
building much more quickly than bouncing up and down on the roof like a
basketball. If bouncing, however, hold down for quicker bounces.
If you see a narrow structure like Big Ben for example, it IS possible to
topple them by down-punching the roof in addition to breaking it from the
sides. Just stand at the edge until you start to lose balance and turn around.
Now you can punch the roof!!
Part 5: Smart ginormous monsters invest for their future (i.e. stockpiling
lives)
It is important not to lose more than about one life per 5 stages. Why? If
you find it difficult to accumulate lives, then you gotta at least break even
by gaining one life per each life lost (via gaining lives with bonus rounds or
points). Preserve your life reserves by following tips 1,2,3,and 4. With
skill, a good player can accumulate over 20 lives by the end of the game. It
is a rewarding feeling when you start to rack up extra lives and realize that
you might just beat this game after all.
Part 6: Not what Pat Sajak had in mind for bonus rounds (i.e. bonus round
strategies)
BONUS ROUND Skyscraper: To topple the skyscraper, ascend the side of the
first base building and ground-punch it until you can hear it crumble on its
own. Now, quickly ascend the second narrow building in the center and rinse/
repeat. Because Noobus is so weak, you will notice that even when successful
you will only have about 5 seconds left! Toppling the buildings grant a free
guy, full health, and a full health meter.
BONUS ROUND Long-jump: This is risky, because the more you try to win the
more you risk losing what you found. I find the flying somewhat difficult,
so I usually opt to make a short hop down and settle for the full health
gauge.
BONUS ROUND Kicking/stomping humans: It is important to at least kick/stomp
15 people to acquire the free life. With some skill and luck, you can acquire
2 guys (possibly even 3). This is the most important bonus round to take
advantage of. I like to stay in the middle of 1 building and kick the
people as they hit the ground. Also watch for the random person running
towards you from the other building or sides of the screen. I have generally
found it a waste of time chasing after people running away from you. Don't
sweat the small stuff.
Part 7: 'Train-spotting' and 'plane-spotting' (i.e. hidden targets)
Remember that the train in the distance which seems like background on some
of the game levels can be toppled! Just punch upwards at it as if it were in
the foreground. Points help! Also get the trains in the foreground if they
run by you. There are also bonus jets that sometimes fly past on a sloooow
cycle. Carefully dispatch them and watch to see what surprise comes out of
the box that drops out of them (for example, you can eat the contents such
as a cow for example). The last stage has a space-ship version. There are
also stationary targets that move when you get close to them.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Part 8: 'Planes, trains, and automobiles'.......and tanks, helicopters, and
alien ships (i.e. vehicular dispatch strategy)
Jeeps:
These can hurt you quickly if they come at you directly in front of you. The
best thing to do is to stay above on a building till one drives by and chase
it down from behind to dispatch it.
Tanks: A 'think-tank' regarding how 'tanks-think'
Tanks mean business. Unless you are very high and out of the line of fire,
tanks are one of the most dangerous adversaries in the game. The bullets can
knock you down, making it hard to get close enough to destroy them (or get
away). As such, I have found it helpful to NOT waste the special-moves on
buildings. For example, Noobus, Myukus, and Big Al lack heart but have a
"keen eye" for cowboy diplomacy. He can remove it at will and easily
destroy tanks (talk about looks that kill). Be careful, though, as not all
the special moves can destroy tanks with a similar ease. The temporary
safety items can also make it easier to destroy the tanks without too much
trouble.
Helicopters:
The early versions like to hover around you like an annoying mosquito.
They don't hurt you that bad, but it can add up especially if there are
multiple ones firing at you. Usually hit them while clinging to a building
or while standing on a building and punching upwards.
Pesky bombers:
Some levels start with PESKY BOMBERS that rush from side to side. I like to
take them out immediately by ascending a building and punching them before
they have a chance to knock you back to the ground. This can be done using
upward punches or punching sideways toward/away from the building at the
plane. You might have to move quickly.
Space helicopters: (only found on the last two stages)
These choppers are tougher than the regular ones. They shoot a larger stream
of bullets, and are more aggressive.
Alien GROUND WALKER: (only found on the last two stages)
They are not as much of a threat as tanks, but the bullets can still wear
you down. If you find yourself in a barrage of spider-fire while
down-punching the top of a building, descend down the opposite side and the
bullets may back off or miss you as you return to the prior "spot" to lay
waste to the building. Also remember that in general you are more of an easy
target when you are low to the ground. Being on high structures keeps you
more out of harm's way.
Civilian targets:
Also feel free to take the time to hit civilian targets like ambulances,
trucks, bystanders, semis, etc....as they will rack up more points.
Be proactive!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 9: A 'few good men' vs. even 'fewer bad monsters'
(i.e. dispatching ground-soldiers)
Sometimes even ground soldiers can be deadly, especially when they wield
rocket-launchers or other similar heavy artillery. Be careful as they
sometimes like to hide behind graphics in the foreground. Humans and aliens
alike can be dangerous.
Part 10: You are what you eat (i.e. the importance of finding items)
Sometimes you can find a 'safety' item that renders you invincible for a
short time. I like to use this time to knock out the ground tanks or army
jeeps (and destroy the occasional point-target like a car or ambulance en
route).
Remember that all visible useful items in the windows are hard to acquire
quickly as a building is falling and are gone altogether when a building is
destroyed. Remember that clocks, "Safety", green/pink balls, food-stuffs,
and extra strength powerups are often worth the effort.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 11: Taking some 'me time' (i.e. being the healthiest monster you can be)
When you are low on health, be proactive! Destroy visible windows for food-
stuffs or spend some time eating some people in a pinch. Keep in mind that
sometimes soldiers hide behind the foreground and are hard to discern. Also
remember that in addition to free lives, you can receive health (and
special-move energy) from bonus levels.
Part 12: Dirty deeds not always dirt cheap (i.e. the importance of saving
special-energy)
Each character has a unique special move. Test them out to see which one
suits your playing style. Remember that some special moves are better suited
for taking out tanks (such as Myakus, Bigal, and Noobus). Others are better
suited for destroying high buildings (such as Boris).
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Part 13: Monsters should be seen AND heard! (i.e. final boss)
This is more of a "structure" than a boss, but it does have an enemy life bar
to deplete. Just down-punch as per usual until it is destroyed. You may lose
a life or two in the process, but by now you hopefully acquired 10-20 extra
lives. Enjoy the ending.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 14: ENCORE!! Beating the Rampage 2 ultimate challenge
-Set the difficulty to HARD
-Input sry3d and select "Noobus" (weakest character)
-Input bvggy and select "1-life" and "90% building strength"
This feat can be done using the same strategies delineated in this FAQ.
